Mandy Oaklander | August 12, 2026

When I was a kid, someone told me that there’s nothing as clean as a dog’s mouth. Never once did I question this—we didn’t have Google back then—so I took it as gospel, accepting puppy kisses with glee. Now, whenever my dog’s long pink tongue comes near me, I wonder: who decided that was true?

Certainly not an infectious-disease expert. For her new piece out today, Angela Haupt asked several of them, along with veterinarians, whether you should let your dog lick your face. She also got straight answers to eight other common questions about pet and animal hygiene.

It was satisfying to learn that I wasn’t the only one who was in-dog-trinated as a child. “I used to hear, ‘Oh, dogs’ mouths are like 10 times cleaner than people’s mouths,’” one vet told Angela. “I don’t think that’s based in science.”

TODAY’S TOPICS

A vaccine shakeup
The downsides of “trauma dumping”
We want to hear from you!
Reining in ultra-processed foods

MORNING CHAT

60 years of vaccine policy upended

In an unprecedented move, President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week calling for a dramatic overhaul of the childhood immunization schedule without new scientific evidence.

“It is certainly not the usual mode of proceeding,” Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University and vaccine expert, told me.

I chatted with Schaffner to understand how the U.S. government has historically made vaccine policy, and how the new directive could affect families. —Dominique Mosbergen, Health Correspondent

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Jim Waton/AFP—Getty Images

How has the U.S. historically approached vaccine recommendations?

Until June 2025, when the system came to a halt, we had followed basically the same process for 60-plus years.

What was that process?

Vaccines were first reviewed for their effectiveness and safety by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and an FDA vaccine advisory committee before they were licensed for general use. Another committee, known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), then went through a rigorous formal process looking at the best data to come up with recommendations as to who ought to get the vaccine.

The meetings of the ACIP were open to the public. People could tune in from home and watch the debate. It was a model of transparency.

The ACIP would then make their recommendations to the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who would need to sign off on the recommendations.

What is your reaction to the approach that the White House has taken?

It’s very concerning that the usual process hasn’t been observed because there are many elements that aren’t based on medical or public-health facts. It could lead to more confusion, and more vaccine skepticism and hesitancy in parents.

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TIME TO TALK

How to avoid “trauma dumping”

Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source Images: Annet Debar (2), Swan222, Lettha Studio via Canva)

The phrase “trauma dumping”—which means unloading overwhelming feelings onto someone else without their consent—can make people afraid to share anything painful or messy. But everyone needs support. Hard conversations can be repetitive, emotional, and uneven, yet still be healthy. What matters is creating room for both people’s needs.

Check in before opening up

Try asking, “Do you have the bandwidth for something heavy right now?” Then say what would help: “I don’t need advice; I just need you to listen,” or “I’m overwhelmed and not sure what I need yet.” You won’t always remember to ask perfectly, especially in a crisis. That doesn’t make you a bad friend. It simply leaves room to check in and repair afterward.

Give your pain more than one place to go

No single person can always provide exactly what you need. Different friends, relatives, support groups, or therapists may offer different kinds of care. If you’re the friend listening, remember that boundaries can be loving, too: “I care about you, but I’m running on empty tonight. Can we talk tomorrow?” Strong relationships make space for both the pain and the people helping to shoulder it. —Angela Haupt, Editor, Health & Wellness

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Ask the health team

Have a burning health or wellness question? Wondering how to handle a tricky social situation? Please write to healthmatters@time.com, and we’ll weigh in weekly in the newsletter.

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WHAT WE’RE READING

The Trump Administration wants food companies to disclose more about their ingredients, Alana Semuels reports for TIME.
What is CKM (cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic) syndrome? Daryl Austin at USA Today explains how conditions such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease often develop together.
It seems like everyone’s talking about hormone replacement therapy for women—but does everyone need it? Dr. Mara Gordon weighs in at NPR.