Serious but bizarre question, requesting thoughts ASAP...

[artist12]

My friend just called me in a right state with this very bizarre story pleading for advice. We both have HA issues, by the way.

Sorry if this is a bit gross, but I am asking this question here because I offered to research and Google for her instead of her getting on the Internet and sending herself even further into panic. This is seeming to calm her a bit that I will "check" for her (maybe this isn't what I should be doing, but, I'm also concerned for her). I told her if I found anything overwhelming legitimate I would tell her (like if she needed to go get a tetanus shot ASAP or something) but I can't find much online.

Anywho, she was walking her dog downtown and it was dark. Her dog dashed into the entrance to an alley and picked something up in his mouth. My friend, of course worried that he was going to swallow something harmful, hurriedly grabbed it out of his mouth.

It turned out to be human feces (I asked her if she was sure, and trust me, you don't want details).

She was several blocks from her house when it happened and couldn't wash up right away. She's panicked that she's going to contract HIV or some other illness.

She's torn between heading straight to the ER or just calming down and taking a bleach shower 52 times. :weep:

Any thoughts for the both of us? Is she in any legitimate danger or can she wait to ask her doctor in the morning?

Ay!

[DMommy2]

Hi I highly doubt she contracted any such thing! When you think about it not to be gross but we tread through some really disgusting things while we are walking around outside and then touch the bottom of our shoes sometimes...all that yuck! I'm 100% your friend is ok

[MyNameIsTerry]

The first thing that springs to mind is - she has HA. So, whilst you can remain objective, can she is determine that it is definitely not from an animal other than a human being? Big dogs can leave pretty convincing looking ones behind. Are you sure?

The odds of finding a big dog's poo are going to be much higher than a human being as, thankfully, the majority of us have learned how to use a toilet. So, unless it's someone who was really caught short (it happens, no big deal) or a gross person who does things like that. (again, they do exist, men & women)

When it comes to transmission, the only thing that matters here are the facts. The ONLY places to look for such facts are reputable medical sources and in the US I guess that would be the CDC as the best. Have you looked at their website about it?

Bare in mind that HIV/AIDS cannot replicate outside of a host AND it lives for a very very short time outside the body hence the old door handles, shaking hands myths that were debunked many years ago.

So, even if this is a human poo a) how long had it been there (dare I hint at asking about "freshness"? :emot-puke:) and b) how long would it have lasted without a host? Given b) is a very very short time, it would seem highly unlikely.

And then there is the other matter of transmission, her own body. Did she have open cuts on her hands, did she put it or her hands/fingers in her mouth, etc. The latter would be debatable anyway since even things like pre-chewed food from care givers with HIV has proven to be a low risk issue.

Given what she found and her reaction now, I'm guessing she wiped her hands furiously and headed for a sink and a LOT of soap!

[rsanchez]

I'm sure she'll be fine after washing her hands well.

[Shazamataz]

Not a nice experience but I don't think she needs to worry (though she probably will). It's more likely to have been a dog poop and, from experience having 3 large dogs and accidentally poking holes in poo bags, just a good wash will sort it out.

[Fishmanpa]

Yeah it's gross but if you've ever had children, you've most certainly had much worse happen. Heck, my son once took off his diaper and "painted" his crib and walls! My daughter once played with dog poo thinking it was play dough! I still laugh remembering the look of total confusion and disgust on her face when she came to me with poo all over herself ~lol~

To coin a phrase "Shit Happens". Yeah it's gross but a good wash and you're fine.

Positive thoughts

[artist12]

Thank you all! Apparently she sleep wth a glove on her hand all night, poor thing, I'd be traumatized, too.

To clarify a bit, with living downtown she was walking through an area known to be where many homeless individuals down on their luck regularly stay/sleep. So it's very realistic that it was human. :(

But we've both calmed down a bit, besides the gross factor!

[uru]

gross but not dangerous...

[artist12]

My daughter once played with dog poo thinking it was play dough! I still laugh remembering the look of total confusion and disgust on her face when she came to me with poo all over herself ~lol~

Positive thoughts

Lol! It's all fun and games until you realize that it's poop. :shrug: