Does dog or cat saliva kill bacteria? Which pet's bite is worse?

Question

I am a student and am doing a science experiment about how well dog and cat saliva can kill bacteria. From your knowledge, which one will be better at killing the bacteria? Thank you for your help.

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

While some studies have found that dog saliva can slow down the growth of bacteria, it adds it's own bacteria to a wound. Both dog and cat saliva contain a lot of bacteria that is harmful, especially in the cat. A bite from a cat can easily become infected, and humans have ended up in the hospital requiring IV antibiotics and even surgery due to the bacteria from a cat bite. This happened to a classmate of mine at vet school after she was bitten by a cat. Neither are good at killing bacteria, and both carry serious strains of bacteria on their own.

Does dog or cat saliva kill bacteria? Which pet's bite is worse?

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