When it comes to our pet dogs, we often ignore the question of hygiene while cuddling them. But, according to medical experts, we should refrain from doing so, especially when kissing our dogs in the mouth. It’s already a pretty weird habit anyway! But, if you can count how many times your cute pup is licking its butt in a day, you may think twice before kissing it on the mouth ever. There’s also a serious medical reason why you should avoid kissing your dog on the mouth at any cost.

The Medical Cause

In his TikTok video, medical TikToker @medexplained2you clarified the reason why it’s time to kick off this habit of dog owners. The reason is pretty scary! As per him, you could lose your limbs over this apparently oh-so-cute habit! The bacteria in your dog’s mouth can pass to you easily, causing some gradual health issues. This bacteria can cause widespread systemic infection and septic shock. Depending on the infection’s speed of progress and diagnosis, it can even cause gangrene. Then, in extreme conditions, amputation may become the last resort.

The Expert Backing

Now, it’s not about just one content creator’s claims. Even the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has backed up this claim with an alteration. According to their medical experts, the germs in question are named Capnocytophaga and rarely spread to people through close contact, bites, or scratches from a cat or a dog, causing illnesses like sepsis. But, they have reminded us that such extreme conditions are fairly rare. The people having difficulty in fighting off infections due to weakened immunity, or the patients with cancers or certain steroid medications, are at greater risk from such animal-caused illnesses. Anyway, we know your pup is adorable, but why risk a nasty infection just to have a slobbery kiss?

A New Zealand weightlifter named Laurel Hubbard is making history at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. She was recently guaranteed a spot to compete in the women’s super heavyweight category being a transgender. She is the first transgender Olympian to ever qualify.

A Guaranteed Spot for the Weightlifter

Laurel Hubbard, who is 43 years old, was guaranteed a spot after the IOC amended and finalized the qualifying rules. Though she has secured her spot, she hasn’t yet been named to the team.

Up until her transition in 2012, Laurel had been competing in men’s weightlifting competitions. Back in 2015, she became eligible to compete in the Olympics. That was the IOC allowed for transgender women to be eligible to compete in women’s divisions. One of the specifics to this eligibility was that their testosterone levels have to be below 10 nanomoles per liter, consistently for a minimum of 12 months before their first competition.

At the IWF World Championships in 2017, the weightlifter won silver, and in 2018, she suffered quite a gruesome injury. She returned in 2019 when she competed in the Pacific Games in Samoa and won gold.

The Best Is Yet to Come

Despite weightlifter Laurel Hubbard’s many wins, in 2018, the Australian weightlifting organization tried to have her banned from the Commonwealth Games, but the event officials refused to do so.

Kevin Farley, a spokesman for USA Weightlifting, made a statement saying that they respect the rules that were established by the International Weightlifting Federation, as well as the International Olympic Committee in regards to the qualification, and they’ll be focused on assisting their athletes to compete against those that are qualified for the upcoming Tokyo Games.

The Tokyo Games will officially be held from July 23 to August 8, and it’s safe to say that Laurel Hubbard will be there to compete as the first-ever transgender weightlifter in the Olympics.