Tasty pet treats can get your dog's tail wagging, but they may play a nasty trick on you.

Treats made from animal products may contain salmonella. The bacteria may not cause symptoms in your dog, but after handling any dog treats, food, or chew toys, wash your hands right away. Otherwise, salmonella might trigger an extremely unpleasant bout of gastrointestinal problems for you. Enough said.

Manufacturers of pet treats -- pig ears, beef jerky, seafood snacks, and similar products -- are looking into ways to kill salmonella before the products are sold; heat and irradiation may help. Meanwhile, the FDA has stepped up testing to encourage contamination control. A study of nine case reports of people who suffered from nausea and vomiting found that they had fed their pets a treat and then prepared food. (Note that for every lab-confirmed case, dozens or even hundreds more may have gone unreported.) The treats and the people tested positive for the same type of salmonella, which can be transferred from fingers to food or the mouth. Pets can harbor salmonella bacteria but experience no symptoms of an infection. So wash your hands with soap and water after handling any of their treats; you'll keep their tummies -- and yours -- happy.