Live Science: Sharing a Bed with Fido Can Make You Sick
These so-called zoonoses include contracting plague from flea-infested pets, a MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) infection, a bacterial infection resistant to multiple strains of antibiotics originating from the canine family, and various parasitic worms.
The authors cite surveys conducted in the U.S., the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands, where between 14 and 45 percent of dogs sleep on or in an owners' bed, while 45 to 62 percent of cats sleep on or in the bed.
A couple was plagued by MRSA infections until the source was traced to a family dog that slept with them and licked their faces.
In multiple cases, patients acquired various infections after allowing their dogs or cats to lick wounds or damaged skin.
2 comments:
Ok, I hate to say this, but since you've handed me the opening. There's the old adage, "When you lie down with dogs you end up with fleas." Or many variations of this theme.
Yes you do. We used to let the dachshund under the sheets and one day I woke up with a tick on my tailbone. Seriously. I was not a happy camper.
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