Why it's ok to let your kid eat dirt and lick the dog

One of my ecology courses requires us to do these incredibly annoying little "current events" projects - basically we just have to find an article relating to the last few lectures, write up a blurb, and then present it to the class (150 people) and tell about how AWESOME and INTERESTING our topic is, even though you just found it ten minutes ago in the university library and could care less about CO2 flux and corn production. But anywho. The other day, a kid presented an article that actually registered some merit with me - http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2006/05/07/our_allergies_ourselves/?page=1 . It discussed the "hygiene hypothesis" - the link between an increase in hygiene and an increase in autoimmune diseases and allergies. Basically, the immune system is a like a workaholic phalanx - it likes to fight, it NEEDS to fight, and if you kill off the little germs and parasites and their other daily "jobs", the immune system gets bored and starts picking fights within the body, or over-reacting to minor things (aka, allergies).

At the risk of drawing too many parallels between human research and veterinary medicine, I though it was very interesting in terms of the incredibly large number of cases of allergies and autoimmune problems that we see on a daily basis. It makes me wonder if dogs and cats, more recently removed from their distinctly un-hygienic ancestry, are more greatly affected by all the dewormers and hygienic measures we impose on them in the interest of keeping them healthy.

I started thinking about this today after getting into a heated discussion with an owner, who was livid over his dog's "re-contamination" with the almighty giardia - we had originally treated the infection, and subsequent fecal samples were negative until today, when it re-appeared with a vengeance. Barring the possibility that the infection had never really cleared at all, just gone into hiding, the dog must have picked up from any number of contaminated sources. I discussed this with the owner, who declared on no uncertain terms that re-contamination was "impossible" since the dog has "never set foot outside in its whole life".

Huh? Never?

Never. The puppy was never taken outside by the breeder, and the owner uses "potty-pads" inside. No walks. The paws have never touched the ground.

I was too absorbed in mediating the Giardia War to dwell on this, so it wasn't until everything was resolved that I really started to think about it. I feel so bad for that poor little dog. I mean, my cat hasn't been allowed to venture off his 4 foot lead during our porch sessions since I adopted him, but DOGS are MEANT to go outside, go for walks, run around the yard, etc etc...

Anyway, I am willing to put money on that dog's future allergies, if the article's hypothesis is correct. Maybe it's something to consider that instead of only working so hard to shield our pets from every microscopic enemy, we should also concentrate just as hard on keeping their immune systems happy and occupied.

Maybe someday I'll do a brilliant research study on little white dogs and allergies and make lots of money.

Nah, too lazy.