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Among the pleasures of pet owning is snuggling up with a dog or cat on the couch or bed. After all, they keep your feet warm and they rarely commandeer the remote.
But a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Emerging Infectious Diseases study suggests that people who sleep with their dogs and cats are at greater risk of contracting parasites and other illnesses. (The report also states that among dog owners, 53 percent consider their dog to be a member of the family and 56 percent of those dog owners admit they sleep with their dog next to them.)
Kissing or letting your pets lick you can also be bad for your health. The reports veterinarians have suggestions to reduce the threat of disease, the starting point of which is for owners to ensure the health of their pets by seeking regular professional checkups and care.
* Young children or immunocompromised persons should be discouraged from sharing their beds with or regularly kissing their pets.
* Any area of the body licked by a pet, particularly an open wound, should be immediately washed with soap and water.
* Pets should be kept free of fleas, worms and other parasites, they should and regularly examined by a veterinarian.
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