• Hero Banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Buying or Selling a Practice
Hospital Design
Leadership & Personal Growth
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Technology
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Live Conferences
Conference News
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

To stay healthy, don't sleep with pets

January 25, 2011

A veterinary report emphasizes the zoonoses risks for pet owners who welcome their dogs and cats into their own beds.

During these cold winter months, we love to cuddle up in bed with our pets and they love to cuddle up with us, too. But no matter how warm this makes us, it may be a bad idea. According to a report published in the February issue of the public health journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, seemingly healthy pets can carry parasites, bacteria or viruses that cause mild to life-threatening illness in people.

More than 100 zoonotic diseases are derived from domestic pets, says Dr. Bruno Chomel, PhD, report co-author and professor at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Even though disease transmission is low in comparison to how many people sleep with their pets-more than half of all U.S. pet owners-Chomel said the risks are still there.

According to the report, a 69-year-old man, whose dog slept under the covers with him and licked his hip replacement wound, came down with meningitis. Another incident involved a 9-year-old boy who got the plague from sleeping with his flea-infested cat. Other infections transmitted to people after sleeping with their cats or dogs, kissing them, or being licked by pets include hookworm, ringworm, roundworm, cat scratch disease, and drug-resistant staph infections, the report said.

Advertisement

So, remind pet owners to stay healthy by practicing good hygiene habits. This includes washing hands with soap and hot water after handling pets, especially puppies, kittens, or any cat or dog with diarrhea. (Click here for a step-by-step guide to first-rate hand washing.) Also, immediately wash any area a pet licks. And encourage pet owners to prevent and catch illnesses early, keep animals free of fleas and ticks, routinely de-worm them, and have them regularly examined by a veterinarian. As hard as it may seem, the report's authors also discourage pet owners from kissing their cats or dogs and sharing a bed with them.

Related Content:

TechniciansParasitology
Locoregional analgesia for pain management in veterinary medicine
Locoregional analgesia for pain management in veterinary medicine
Veterinary scene Down Under: DEI advancements, plus title protection and more
Veterinary scene Down Under: DEI advancements, plus title protection and more
Managing pain in the postoperative patient
Managing pain in the postoperative patient

Advertisement

Latest News

Locoregional analgesia for pain management in veterinary medicine

Outside toxicology experts can save pets’ lives

Lyon College School of Veterinary Medicine names founding dean

Morris Animal Foundation funds study on environmental toxins and lymphoma

View More Latest News
Advertisement