Question:
My boyfriend and I were worried when our 11 year old dog started bleeding when going to the bathroom.
We rushed her to the vets. Cultures came back a few days later. She was diagnosed with E.Coli. We were just thankful that it wasn't cancer.
She's on antibiotics and is doing much better.
We were informed that she most likely contracted E.Coli from another dog's feeces. We live in an apartment building where there are lots of dogs. Sure enough, not everyone picks up after their dogs.
Is there a health risk? Could my dog contract E.Coli again? What about my 9 month old puppy?

Answer:
There is bacteria everywhere and no way to avoid it. The best thing you can do for your pups is to provide a healthy diet so that their immune system stays strong.

Answer:
Well, yes but so will you , me, my pets, everyone else here and their pets.
E. coli are abundant: the number of individual E. coli bacteria in the feces that a human excretes in one day averages between 100 billion and 10 trillion.
It is common bacteria in all living mammals, and in part necessary as it is one of the bacterias that make up gut flora and most of the strains are necessary and not harmful http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gut_flora

There could have been an overabundance and simply some needed killing off with antibiotics, or their was a certain harmful strain(s) that your dog picked up.

The best way to protect is to watch you dogs to make sure they are not snacking on other dogs feces as it is not just harmful strains of e-coli to worry about but internal parasites as well

Answer: