Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross?
While our dog is very cute, I know where his tongue has been and there is no way he's licking my face or sleeping in my bed. However, I do let him take trips with us. In this shot, he's in his bed in the mini-van. He's a good little traveler!
I know several families where Fido is allowed in BED with the family but they may change that policy after reading a new study in the February issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases, the public health journal of the Centers for Disease Control.
While pets provide many positive health effects, Bruno Chomel, a professor of zoonoses at University of California Davism, found that sleeping with your pet increases your chances of contracting bugs and diseases ranging from worms to the bubonic plague.
In fact, of the 250 known diseases transmitted from animals to humans, more than 100 of them come from domestic animals, researchers say.
“ ‘It can happen,’ (Chomel) said. ‘It’s rare when it happens and it can be bad. It’s not told to panic people or scare people, but to be aware there are things that can happen.’ ”
“Chomel and co-author Ben Sun looked through published literature about cases in which people’s illnesses correlated with sleeping, kissing or being licked by pets.”
“Some of examples are startling:
– A man had a dog sleep under the covers with him. The dog licked his hip replacement wound and the owner got meningitis.
– A 9-year-old boy slept in bed with a flea-infested cat and got the bubonic plague in 1974 in New Mexico.
– A newborn was sickened with meningitis. The pet cat had stolen the baby’s pacifier and had been toying with it.
– A 44-year-old woman developed meningitis and admitted that she was “regularly kissing the dog’s face and feeding it by transferring food mouth to mouth.”
In a survey from the American Kennel Club, 21 percent of dog owners said they regularly slept with their dogs.”
‘In many countries, pets have become substitutes for childbearing and child care, sometimes leading to excessive pet care,’ said Chomel … ‘There are private places in the household, and pets should not go beyond next to the bed.
So how many owners are sleeping with their pets?
Well the Daily Mail reports that “among dog owners, 53 per cent considered their pet to be a member of the family, while 56 per cent of them admitted they sleep with their dog next to them.”
“Up to 62 per cent of cat owners said their pets sleep either on or in their beds.”
“And some 25 per cent of women admit to sleeping regularly with a pet, while just 16 per cent of men say they do.”
The very first night we found our little Shih Tzu, he cried and cried in the kitchen so I came down and slept next to him on the kitchen floor to comfort him. (I had bathed him as soon as we found him but I kept thinking all night I was getting fleas on me.)
Over the last seven years, he has moved up to sometimes sleeping in his bed on the floor of our bedroom but never, ever, ever in anyone’s bed. Why don’t I want my cute little doggie in my bed or the kids’ beds?
Here’s why I DON’T allow my little 15-pound dog to sleep in our bed:
1. I’ve watched my dog eat poop – sometimes his own, sometimes another dog’s. Either way it’s gross and no poop-eater is licking my face or sleeping with me. (It’s just a rule everyone should have.)
2. I’m grossed out when he drags his butt across my carpet thinking about all the gross poopy germs he’s leaving behind much less thinking that poopy butt between my sheets. (I know why he does it – when his anal gland needs attention and I always have the groomer work on that area – but it is just so gross.) If my kid dragged his poopy butt across my carpet I would be upset about that too!
3. I already have three kids climbing in and out of bed with me. I certainly don’t need to add another body to that mix.
(My husband would like to add in that our dog throws up more than any other member of our family. That’s not good either.)
I will sit on the couch and hold my dog and love him but I always wash my hands right after and won’t wear those same clothes into bed.
So what’s happening at your house? Are you or the kids sleeping with the dog or cat? Have you ever worried before about catching bugs or diseases from your pet? Will you worry now? Will this study changes your dog/cat sleeping habits?
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120 comments Add your comment
JJ
January 25th, 2011
12:00 pm
Oh whatever!!!! I have slept with cats and dogs all my life, and NEVER once have I caught a bug or other disease.
I have two dogs and two cats. Both cats and one dog sleep with me on my bed every night, and sometimes the puppy crawls under the covers when it’s really cold. My other dog is too old and she can’t jump up on the bed any more, so she sleeps next to my bed on her little doggie bed.
When my daughter is home, both cats will sleep with her. She has a heated mattress pad so it’s nice and toasty for them, and they love it. The dogs always sleep with me.
shaggy
January 25th, 2011
12:01 pm
I have to disagree about the dog eating his own poop.
My dogs are very discerning in their diet. They won’t eat their own poop, just every other animal’s poop. Other dogs, squirrels, horse, cat…if it is an animal that poops, they will eat it. Then, there was this disgusting thing that looked like a huge moldy hotdog that my number 1 dog ate just the other day. I thought for about a half a second about taking it away from him, but he gobbled the bloated, blue looking treat quickly, so I wouldn’t have the chance to take it.
With that said, I would rather sleep with them than many Walmart shoppers that I see. think about it. Fido or large person wearing spandex that is missing many teeth. I will chose fido every time.
CC
January 25th, 2011
12:06 pm
I love my dogs & cats. I have 2 Lhasa’s which are very similiar to Theresa’s breed and NO, I will not allow them in the bed. I won’t crawl in the bed with socks that I’ve walked on the bare floor in and I definately won’t let them crawl in it!
Lori
January 25th, 2011
12:07 pm
My dog sleeps in my bed. She is healthy, clean, well groomed, current on flea/tick preventatives, and she stays at the foot of the bed and she doesn’t give kisses. Sure, I’d rather her sleep on the floor next to the bed on the nice doggie bed I got for her, but she won’t. She used to sleep down there with an elder dog who couldn’t get on the bed, but when that dog passed, she doesn’t want to sleep alone. I’d rather have her happy and on the bed with me, than have her stressed out and yelping all night.
Photius
January 25th, 2011
12:12 pm
YES! On letting all of my animals sleep in out bed!
NO! On ever letting our child sleep in our bed – NEVER.
JJ
January 25th, 2011
12:16 pm
Shaggy – my Lab keeps the cat box clean for me.
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dogs Online Blog
January 25th, 2011
12:17 pm
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JATL
January 25th, 2011
12:18 pm
@shaggy -my parents used to have a dog that would poop and turn around and eat it! Disgusting, I know and they took him to the vet, but it was just one of his “things.” GAG!
I do agree with shaggy about preferring most animals over many humans I see as sleeping partners! People carry incredibly disgusting diseases as well. I’m not big on sleeping with dogs. I have a number of friends who DO sleep with their large dogs, and their comforters and bed linens have a sheen of dirt on them. I’m just not comfortable with that! I also witness my dogs roll in all sorts of nastiness when we turn them out every day, so I’m not wild about that in my bed. I’ve always enjoyed my cats sleeping with me though, and I harbor no illusions that they also have germs. My cats are completely indoor animals, but they still use a litter box, etc. If I had some kind of surgical or open wound, and for some reason a cat wanted to lick it (which would be strange in itself) I certainly wouldn’t allow it. I would discourage a dog as well.
I wonder about the example of the dog licking the hip and giving the owner meningitis. Dog saliva is notoriously healing and incredibly sterile -especially considering what some of them eat. All of the dog/meningitis examples are curious to me -are they now known carriers of the disease?
If my kids want a cat to sleep with them (and the cat wants it) that will be fine with me. In the future when we have smaller dogs -that’s okay too (they will be bathed far more often). Right now our dogs sleep in our basement den, and the oldest can’t use the stairs anymore, so it’s kind of a mute point where the kids are concerned.
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | New Dogs Online
January 25th, 2011
12:18 pm
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Roswell Jeff
January 25th, 2011
12:19 pm
Funny Shaggy!
I’m torn. We currently don’t have pets – wife and son are allergic to them. We did have a dog at one time though. My wife thought she was only allergic to cats – never had any reaction to dogs, so we rescued one. Well ,after a year of having her the my wife was just miserable. It was something that just built up over time until she couldn’t stand it. I was vaccuming everyday just to get rid of the hair, but as we all know, you can’t get rid of the hair, without getting rid of the source. Anyway, we cried and boo hooed the days leading up to taking the dog back to the original rescue. The dog never slept in our bed but was everywhere else. Our dog’s hair never seemed to bother me, but I can’t stand to go in someone elses house with dog or cat hair all over the place. Doesn’t make any sense does it?
We have some friends that had a baby recently and they’ve gone on and on how their baby can’t be in any contact with children for like 12 weeks or something and on and on about germs and such. The funny thing is, they’ve got two dogs with mountains of dog hair all over the place. You walk in their house and there’s dog hair floating through the air. The dogs regularly run up to the baby and slobber all over it’s face and they think nothing of it! I say WTH?
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dog Blog Store
January 25th, 2011
12:19 pm
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Techmom
January 25th, 2011
12:24 pm
We have 2 big dogs (well 3 most days since my BIL doesn’t know how to be responsible) and there is no way a dog is sleeping with me; my husband is lucky I allow him to sleep in our bed! LOL I can’t stand to touch someone/something while I’m trying to sleep. I am not a cuddler and you can keep your body heat to yourself.
We have a dog bed in our room on the floor but rarely do any dogs sleep there the whole night. They normally sleep in their crates in the basement. I don’t like to be woken up and the dogs move and adjust during the night and wake me when they are upstairs. I don’t worry too much about getting sickness from them and they are all on Frontline for fleas, ticks and the like though we still check them regularly in the summer and spray out backyard with an insecticide to keep the ticks away.
I didn’t think most diseases/illnesses could be transmitted between humans and dogs; is meningitis something that can? Based on the reports from CNN (which really make it sound like I have a better shot of winning the lottery than getting sick from my dog if you have to go back to 1974), it doesn’t sound like it happens too often.
RJ
January 25th, 2011
12:24 pm
I loved my cats growing up but I would NEVER have thought to allow them in my bed! Heck no they can’t sleep in my bed. I find that to be pretty gross. Our cats were not allowed to roam throughout the house when I was a kid. We had a child’s fence which kept them downstairs. So, they rarely got in the kitchen and if it happened my mom would wash everything down. I guess she passed that on to me. To each his own but I can’t imagine waking up to dog and cat hair in my bed.
fred
January 25th, 2011
12:30 pm
Yes we allow our dog to sleep in bed with us. I don’t like it, but it’s easier than an on-going argument with the wife. She has always slept with a dog in her bed (now she just says she sleeps with 2 dogs in bed). Our dog used to keep our cats litter box clean, we used to call that eating almond roca b/c of the way it looked. Gross. Our pooch will eat all poop, deer and cat being the favorites. YUCK. but He is part of the family, Stink and all
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January 25th, 2011
12:39 pm
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justmy2cents
January 25th, 2011
12:46 pm
Our dogs sleep in bed, under the covers, with us. My boy goes straight to my feet, just out of kicking distance and promptly konks out. Hubby’s dog usually curls up in the crook of hubby’s knees.
I agree 100% with Photius regarding kids sleeping in the bed!!!!
JJ
January 25th, 2011
12:47 pm
WE have a saying in my house….”no outfit is complete without cat hair.”. I’ve decided there are worse things in the world besides a little animal hair, and I have come to terms with the fact that there will always be hair in my house, on the furniture, on my clothes……
My lab sheds like crazy. If you look at her, hair falls off. I pulled up all the carpet in my house and I put in new floors last summer, and I have to vaccuum/sweep them every single day. The amount of hair that falls off that dog….I’m surprised she isn’t bald.
The cats together don’t shed as much as the Lab. The puppy sheds very little.
BlondeHoney
January 25th, 2011
12:51 pm
I’ve got two rescue kitties, an American Bobtail and a Russian Blue, and now that my babies are grown and gone, THEY are my babies now :) They both go to bed every night the same time as I do; the Blue sleeps at the end of the bed and the Bobtail stretches out alongside me just like a person and I wouldn’t have it any other way. They are 100% indoor pets and I’ve never picked up anything from them, knock on wood
DB
January 25th, 2011
12:51 pm
1. Our dog doesn’t sleep in the bed. He probably would like it, but we just never started it and see no reason to change that, now. Occasionally, he’ll sleep at the foot of my daughter’s bed when she’s in town, but usually he likes to sleep beside it. He has a huge dog pillow by a big window that he enjoys lolling on that gives him a good view of the street and the neighbors, but when he sleeps, he tends to either go into his crate or I often find him curled up on the sofa.
2. The cats pretty much sleep wherever they like. One hates the world and sleeps under a chaise in the bedroom — I never see her. The other is a little hedonist that likes her bed warm — she sleeps at the foot of our bed. Occasionally she’ll try to creep her way up towards the pillows, but that’s when she gets flying lessons. :-) I just use a pet roller and brush the coverlet clean when I make the bed. It’s part of the routine, now, and takes about 15 seconds.
I just don’t worry too much about all the exotic diseases one can catch. *shrug*.
PS: TWG: Please reconsider leaving your dog unrestrained in your car. I’m sure you’re vigilant on seat belts for the kids, but the little doggie can be injured just as easily if you have to slam on the brakes, not to mention getting under your feet and in the way in case you have to brake, accelerate out of the way of something, etc.. Our dog is a frequent visitor to the local dog park, and we never go anywhere where he is not secured in a crate in the back of the van (in fact, when we had to get a replacement van last fall, I drove my husband crazy because the new van/SUV had to have enough room for the dog’s crate, it couldn’t be in a “well”, and it had to be easy for the dog to jump up into, etc., etc.) . It has a nice cushion in it, so he’s comfortable. When we first got the dog, we thought it would be so nice to have a dog that sat there and looked interestedly out the window — ha! Silly dog is like a kangaroo, so excited, jumping all over the place from window to window, trying to worm up front, etc. One day I was going down 285 and the dog, looking out the window, accidently pressed the “window down” button. The window started going down, and the dog was all excited — I could just see him preparing to leap! We learned our lesson: that afternoon, we got the crate. If, God forbid, you were ever in an accident, you would want the responders to be able to take your dog out easily, and for it not to jump out and run away, frightened.
Stacey
January 25th, 2011
12:55 pm
@Roswell Jeff…It makes perfect sense to me that you aren’t bother by your own dogs’ hair but hate other people. I’m like that with other people’s kids (seriously).
I’m don’t like animals so we don’t have pets. I don’t hate and would dream of abusing them; just don’t like them. I’m actually afraid of dogs of all breeds and sizes. We had cats and dogs when I was a kid but never indoor pets (other than fish) so that was never an issue.
E-Lane
January 25th, 2011
12:57 pm
Our two 85lb Labradors sleep with my husband & I every night….and they’re cleaner than most people’s kids!
lovelyliz
January 25th, 2011
12:58 pm
I have a dog that sleeps at the foot of or on the other side of my bed. My 14 year old niece sleeps in her own room. Guess who has made me sicker mor often? My niece is respoinsible for far more of my ailments than is my pooch.
Ed
January 25th, 2011
12:58 pm
I’m on my second labrador retriever and each one has slept in the bed with me. I don’t fear diseases. Just keep the animal clean, well groomed, and current on all medications. Living alone the animal gives me a sense of added security. She snores occasionally but I guilty of that charge too.
CobbParent
January 25th, 2011
1:05 pm
One of my cats sleeps on the extra pillow at the top of my head. Another sleeps on her own blanket at the foot of the bed. The dog is too old to get up on the bed anymore – but I think he prefers the couch in our bedroom, which he makes his own by kicking off the pillows every night and stretching out. We have a huge bed with plenty of room for everyone and the cats don’t seem to care what the humans do in the middle so long as they don’t get bopped off the bed in the process. :)
Furious Styles
January 25th, 2011
1:06 pm
Forget sleeping with pets, what about having the pets sitting at and one the dinner table? I know at least 3 couple who’s pets have the run of the mill. Walking past and over uncovered food on the dinner table and also on kitchen counter tops while food is being prepared. Can you say super ickk! When I see that you have no regard for cleanliness by letting your pet roam around where you eat, I’ll pass every-time on the invite to dinner.
grady baby
January 25th, 2011
1:06 pm
My shih tzu sleeps with me!! When I leave the house, and my son doesn’t have class, he then goes and gets in bed with him! It’s his house, his bed, his rules!!! :) He runs the show, I pay the bills!! He loves me unconditionally!! What more can I ask for!
wooter
January 25th, 2011
1:12 pm
A non sterile environment will help build natural immunities against those very things you fear. Ask any cockroach. My dogs very infrequently let me down which is hard to say about family friends politicians or kids. domestic animals add immensely to ones life and they aren’t furniture. My dogs don’t bring flu, colds or viruses to my life as all of the above mentioned life forms have and will continue to. Still love my people friends but leave my pets alone.
Wes
January 25th, 2011
1:13 pm
I couldn’t find the incidence rate for problems occurring. It seems kind of irresponsible to just say that this is bad without saying anything more than four anecdotes one of which happened in 1974.
Think of it this way. Approximately 30,000 people died on the highways in 2009. That means that 1.13 people died per 100,000,000 miles traveled. In a large enough population pool your going to have problems. On the other hand we all still feel like the odds are good enough to get on the roads.
Did the article say what kind of risk we’re looking at?
PA
January 25th, 2011
1:19 pm
My cat shares my bed every night, usually on the pillow next to my head. Why not? He’s just about my only real friend, and likewise I am his friend.
I think it is hurting my ability to relate to people because I know I can trust my cat. I know what he’ll do at any given moment and his motives are easy to understand (usually warm place to sit, bowl of food, some cat toy to play with, etc).
People always have ulterior motives, always something up their sleeves, always look out for their own interests rather than yours, want to take what is yours, and generally cannot be trusted all that much. A cat or a dog is a much more honest creature and far less likely to steal your things, your identity, your car, demand that you send them to college or sue you for spousal or child support.
No thanks. I don’t need the baggage. A cat or a dog will work fine.
Kar
January 25th, 2011
1:21 pm
I think that this is more indicative of the fact that owners should be taking better care of their pets than whether or not having them in the bed is dangerous to the owners.
Fleas? Exposure to dangerous outdoor diseases? Eating cr*p literally?
Steven Q. Stanley
January 25th, 2011
1:22 pm
If you sleep with you parents you are probably a bad hair day away from suicide. It is always sad to see someone who sleeps with their pets, you know they are very lonely and/or depressed person.
JOD
January 25th, 2011
1:22 pm
@JATL – I share your skepticism on the dog drool transmitting meningitis. It would seem very, very rare to have interspecies meningitis unless there was already an issue in the home/environment. My 2 dogs stay at home or in our yard, so where would they pick up meningitis? I would suspect that I would bring it home or otherwise contract it before they would.
One of my dogs slept at the foot of my bed before I was married, and now she occasionally tries to sneak in at night. We work hard to keep the house clean, but don’t go crazy about it.
I would agree with anyone who doesn’t want to eat in a house with pets on the counter all of the time – it’s hard enough keeping the floors clean! The closest we ever got was right after we got our 2nd dog, who was not housebroken and half-starved…we set our plates on the dining room table and turned around to get drinks when – voila! – said mutt was up on a chair going for the chicken on a plate. I wish I had a picture of our faces, but needless to say, it was the last time that happened.
@Furious Styles – I got a giggle thinking about going to dinner with a bunch of cats and dogs at the foot of the table, napkins around their necks…
NoWay
January 25th, 2011
1:25 pm
I am with Photius. Four-legged companion animals, absolutely. HOWEVER, human children do NOT belong in bed with adults. Period.
CobbParent
January 25th, 2011
1:28 pm
“People always have ulterior motives, always something up their sleeves, always look out for their own interests rather than yours”
I have cats. I love them and they tolerate me, but I don’t fool myself that they are concerned about anything but themselves. That is the nature of the cat. I imagine that if I were to fall and die and not be found right away they would start nibbling on the more tender parts until someone came along to provide a better meal for them. LOL
Jan
January 25th, 2011
1:29 pm
For goodness sake, pets have been sleeping with their owners for years! My dog(s), have always been groomed, up-to-date on their shots and are clean and healthy. I’m sure others do the same. Dogs/cats are companion animals and having them on the bed with you keeps the ‘bonding’ process.
JOD
January 25th, 2011
1:29 pm
@Steven – I don’t know about all people who sleep with a pet being lonely. Like all generalizations, I’m sure it is true for some. Some dogs, particularly rescued/abandoned ones, just like to be with their owners all the time. My dog rides with me to drop my child off at school almost daily, just because she wants to go. What’s wrong with having a four-footed buddy? After all, they are called ‘companion’ animals.
Roswell Jeff
January 25th, 2011
1:45 pm
@ JOD,
Whenever my wife was out of town and before we had a child, I used to stop by a local BBQ joint to pick up my favorite ribs for dinner. After I got home I put my delicious oh so scrumptious ribs on a plate along with my slaw. I took them over to the table and set them down, turned around to the fridge to get a beer…
When I turned back around and headed to my seat what did I see? My little Lucy with her back legs on the chair and front legs on the table, mouth and tongue in my ribs going to town. Talk about being pi$$ed! What do I do? I scooted her away with some yelling – she manages to grab a rib and run and there I am standing, looking helplessly at the plate. Should I wash them off? That won’t work. Did she lick all of them – who knows? Finally said screw it, picked another rib off the plate, gave it to her and threw the rest away. If I remember correctly, I ate macaroni and cheese that night.
Caring Mom
January 25th, 2011
1:46 pm
I have a cat that 7 months and a dog they do not sleep in the bed with me. My dogs is small and stays in his crate at night and he likes that my cat sleeps under the bed or his small bed.
Pamela
January 25th, 2011
1:47 pm
Have you ever seen what a child picks up and puts in its mouth?? And you have a problem with dogs!!
I would have expected a mother of 3 to get over her germ-phobias or are you still washing them with clorox.
Anne
January 25th, 2011
1:47 pm
There must not be any allergy or asthma sufferers here that sleep with their pets. We don’t own a pet because my husband has severe allergies. Even if the pet never slept with us, the allergens from the outside would be brought indoors by the animal. I would have loved for my kids to have a pet, but what is the point if they have to be kept outside.
JJ
January 25th, 2011
1:49 pm
My animals are NOT allowed at the table, on the counters, etc. They have free range of the rest of the house, but not where we eat. They are actually banned from the dining room when meals are served, and banned from the kitchen when I’m cooking.
Katie
January 25th, 2011
1:52 pm
The examples used in this article are about people/parents who are already nasty. Who lets their pet lick a wound? What parent lets their children sleep with flea infested pets and also gives them a nasty pacifier? All of these situations would never happen to a remotely “normal” person. I would never let the examples listed above happen in my house. These people probably also have other issues.
I am a pet lover (currently have 1 large dog) and two children. I LOVE my dog and she is always allowed to sleep in our bed. They are pack animals and it’s their nature to be with the pack (aka, the family).
JJ
January 25th, 2011
1:54 pm
Oh and I don’t think you should crate your dogs, especially if that crate is in the basement. If a fire were to break out, they will perish. I can’t stand the thought of leaving my dog in a crate all day long…..Dogs are pack animals and do not like being alone. How would you like to sleep in the basement in a cage?
We crated our puppy when she first came home. We were gone all day long. I felt horrible, and thought if something happened, she couldn’t get out……..
Munchkin's Mom
January 25th, 2011
1:59 pm
My 17 lb Maine Coon sleeps at the foot of my bed, on top of the covers. My husband wants the cat to sleep under the covers between us, um, NO! there is not enough room in a queen sized bed for 2 adults and a huge cat.
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2:26 pm
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JOD
January 25th, 2011
2:28 pm
@Roswell Jeff – Too funny! I bet she thought she had won the doggy lottery! :o)
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dogs Blog Shop
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2:29 pm
[...] webmaster@technorati.com wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
JJ
January 25th, 2011
2:35 pm
Roswell Jeff – I layed some pork cops on the counter one day to defrost them. I walked out to the living room, and did something out there, and when I returned to the kitchen, my Lab had them in her mouth. I believe we ate out that night……
Come on Son
January 25th, 2011
2:42 pm
if you are a couple and your dog is used to sleeping in your bed; well how do you…oh never mind.
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motherjanegoose
January 25th, 2011
2:50 pm
YES, our little schnauzer sleeps with us. She is up to date on shots and groomed regularly. Her haircuts cost more than mine!
DB, she was on my daughter’s lap in the back seat of the car and pressed the window button down…it opened…a scare for us!
Roswell Jeff…we also have a BBQ story…when we were first married we grilled several slabs of ribs…to last a while. We were poor and planned to enjoy them for several meals. The door bell rang. While at the door, our cocker spaniel drug the whole mess across the carpet….yuck. We also did not enjoy our ribs!
My sister’s dog got into a blueberry pie, that was cooling on the counter. He was tall enough to get his front paws up there and dove in…his whiskers quickly told the story. We used to put anything in the microwave, when we had our lab…as he could also reach the counter but we did not want him up there.
JJ. we never crated our dogs until the schnauzers. We do have a fire sticker on our front door to alert anyone. They both prefer to be in the crates and even go in there by themselves when they are tired. I never grew up with a crated dog and thought it was crazy but it is something I have learned about as an adult. Remember the animal hospital on PIB that burned down…that was sad!
Lady Strange
January 25th, 2011
2:50 pm
My dog sleeps in her crate every night and my cat sleeps where she wants. I have no choice about crating my dog, doesn’t matter how often you walk her she will still go in the house of given the chance. Five years of trying to housebreak her and she’ll do fine for a few days and then one day just regress back to going in the house, even right after you walk her (and yes she’s been to the vet and no there’s nothing wrong physically with her). She’s a rescue dog so who knows what happened to her before I got her.
motherjanegoose
January 25th, 2011
2:51 pm
comment gone….
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dog Deals Online
January 25th, 2011
2:52 pm
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Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dog Online Shoping
January 25th, 2011
3:03 pm
[...] webmaster@technorati.com wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
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January 25th, 2011
3:05 pm
[...] Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dogs Online Deals
January 25th, 2011
3:07 pm
[...] webmaster@technorati.com wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dogs Online Shop
January 25th, 2011
3:16 pm
[...] webmaster@technorati.com wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
justmy2cents
January 25th, 2011
3:17 pm
@ Come on son- you boot them out of the way, that’s how!
Linda
January 25th, 2011
3:20 pm
I love, love my 4 cats, also do animal rescuing because I love most animals including dogs. I have let my cats sleep at the bottom of my bed but I could not rest good and they had to find another place to sleep. I make their sleeping places comfy with pet beds, throws and the like. I do not kiss my animals in their mouth. I do not allow my animals to be on the tables, countertops and the like. I could not believe the comment made above about anyone letting their animals sleep on the bed lonely or depressed. Most (including me) think of their pets as family. Your animals are glad to see you, never get you backtalk, just lots of love for their human.
.blkshepherd
January 25th, 2011
3:23 pm
To each his own. I am a the proud owner of five pure bred german shepherds which I love each one to Death. They are my children as I have none and I live alone. On occasion, I let one or two in the house. I have two 7mons old puppies(Dogs to some people as they arent too little any more lol)
My female of the two puppies ever now and then will jump up on my bed. Her mother who is about 4 and out weighs her by several lbs thinks that she should jump on my bed and lay there but for the most part she will get back on the floor.
My dogs Live OUTside in their dog houses and are kept in the back yard. Rarely ever do they spend the nite in my house and if they do..the carpet or tile on kitchen floor will surfice. The Only Living creatures allowed to sleep in my bed are Humans. And thats a rare as well.
What I see crawling around on the ground in my front and back yards in NO way do I want in my bed, in my clothes..or on my person. Bugs attach themselves to FUR. You cant always even see bugs as shepherds or fluffy dogs have thick coats even the short hair ones. Bugs HIDE. Its bad enough as soon as they come in the damn house they go the shaking..which in turn releases any Bugs on their coats on to your carpet drapes curtins and furniture.(some remain). Ticks Fleas and god knows what lives on Dogs Cats and you cant see it with the naked eye. a dog or a cat is just That. An Animal and should be treated and regarded as such. Many of these so called animal lovers wouldnt let a homeless person off the street Jump in their beds with out a good srubbing and lot of disinfect. And some probably still would let them sleep in Their beds..maybe a cot, or blanket on the floor or carpet. YET they will bring an animal who been wallowing in the graSS and sand and kiss face and let them crawl in the bed with all that Fiflth from the outside. Yes Humans are the ones thats STRANGE!
Yes I have and still kiss my dogs..a little peck on the nose.no so much the mouth. or peck on the forehead above the eyes. But transferring food out my mouth into a dog touching my tongue with his or hers..aint gonna happen. For those who want to do that..go right ahead. But I hope their mate(if they have one) refuse to kiss them on the mouth Ever again because you may not think your at risk but you could be putting your partner at risk.
A little common sense goes a long way.
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Best Dogs Blog
January 25th, 2011
3:24 pm
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jarvis
January 25th, 2011
3:25 pm
I’m not an animal guy. I don’t wish any harm to them, but I don’t particularly care to have them around me.
So I don’t get it. I don’t let me kids go to be dirty, and I can’t fathom someone letting an animal that hasn’t bathed in a while in their sheets. It is filfthy to me.
Yuck.
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dog Deals Blog
January 25th, 2011
3:28 pm
[...] webmaster@technorati.com wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dogs Blog Online
January 25th, 2011
3:35 pm
[...] webmaster@technorati.com wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dog Deals Today
January 25th, 2011
3:37 pm
[...] webmaster@technorati.com wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
Chess
January 25th, 2011
3:37 pm
This article is why I never eat at the office potluck. Mr Bob Dabolina
motherjanegoose
January 25th, 2011
3:39 pm
@ jarvis….MANY do let their kids got to bed and even school dirty. Some kids reek of urine and cigarette smoke. It is sad. catlady can share lots on this topic. My comment is gone but our little dog is allowed in the bed, She is groomed and bathed, her haircut costs more than mine.
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dogs Today Online
January 25th, 2011
3:40 pm
[...] webmaster@technorati.com wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
motherjanegoose
January 25th, 2011
3:40 pm
@ chess…this article is why many teachers will not eat goodies brought in by kids from kitchens they do not know.
Chess
January 25th, 2011
3:46 pm
Let’s review: 250 known diseases transmitted from animals to humans, more than 100 of them come from domestic animals, researchers say.
jarvis
January 25th, 2011
3:47 pm
@momgoose….my wife is a kindergarten teacher. You couldn’t believe some of the crap she hears.
They were playing a “I like it when”….”I don’t like it when” game last year that went along with the theme of a book she had read them.
One little girl raised her hand and said: “I don’t like it when…the chicken poops in my room.”
My wife teaches in a very upper-middle class school. Weird stuff goes on everywhere.
On a much sadder note, the little girl’s older sister was taken by protective services at the end of last school year.
Kar
January 25th, 2011
3:51 pm
Speaking of sneaking food off the counter, I had a little tuxie cat once. Well, I had taken a steak out of the freezer, put it on the stove and forgot to put it back.
The next day, she kept yelling at me and poking at me to get out of bed. Being an intelligent cat, I knew that if I stood behind her, she’d take me to her problem. She led me to the kitchen, checking over her shoulder that I was behind her.
Then she proudly showed me this STEAK that she had stalked, pounced upon, fought fiercely and thrown to the ground. She them used her fearsome teeth to tear off the cellophane cover and nibble on a corner.
Now she was showing me HER KILL AS A GIFT. Keep in mind, this was a steak. I don’t think that it put up much of a fight.
Techmom
January 25th, 2011
3:51 pm
@JJ – your pork chops being eaten are another reason our dogs don’t have free roam of our house. We have one dog who is just plain old sneaky and will eat anything he can possibly get to and the other is a compulsive eater who will kill herself if given the opportunity (she’s gotten into the dog food and literally eaten 10-12 lbs of dog food twice and swelled up so big she had internal hemorrhaging) She will eat anything she possibly can and it’s not just a matter of us keeping things away from her b/c she will always find something.
We’ve always either crated our dogs or put them outside when we aren’t home (their breed is destructive and known for separation anxiety) but that being said, I work from home and we have a fenced yard so they actually aren’t crated that much except when they’re sleeping or we have guests over with young children. Their crates used to be in the bedroom next to ours at our last house (no basement). Even if you leave the doors open, they always nap in their crates; it is not a punishment for them.
We moved into a bigger house a couple of years ago and we don’t have another room on the main level so their crates had to go either go upstairs or down. The basement is a full, daylight basement with lots of room to run and is concrete floors so I don’t have to go bizerk b/c they’re tracking mud from the backyard onto my carpet or spending an extra 5 minutes every time I let them out to clean their paws. Plus I don’t get frustrated when they drink water and spill more on the floor than they drink. It’s a convenience factor for all of us.
Lastly, my guess is that if we had a fire, it’s quicker for me to get to the basement since the door is adjacent to our bedroom and then leave out the exterior door than it would be for me to retrieve them from the 2nd floor and then try to come back down stairs (I actually fear my son would be the one in trouble since his room is on the 2nd floor, opposite our room & the stairs).
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Best Dog Online
January 25th, 2011
3:53 pm
[...] webmaster@technorati.com wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
Is it unhealthy to sleep with pets? – 89.3 KPCC
January 25th, 2011
3:56 pm
[...] you illTelegraph.co.ukCDC report: Dangers of pets sleeping in your bedWXOW.comMyFox Houston -Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) -msnbc.comall 100 news [...]
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dogs Store Online
January 25th, 2011
3:57 pm
[...] webmaster@technorati.com wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dogs Blog Store
January 25th, 2011
4:04 pm
[...] webmaster@technorati.com wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
abc
January 25th, 2011
4:05 pm
All the folks who supposedly can’t teach their dog(s) to sleep on the floor, or on a pet bed or quilt — how do you suppose you’ll be able to teach your kids anything? Really, training a dog simple things like staying off of furniture is easy.
For the folks who have dogs with shedding or behavioral issues, you should look into adopting a retired racing greyhound. They make ideal pets: smart, low maintenance, readily bonding, and eager to please, plus, they’re beautiful.
motherjanegoose
January 25th, 2011
4:05 pm
TWG…if your dog is scooting excessively on the carpet… have you had it’s anal glands expressed? Also, if your dog throws up a lot …what is it eating? We have neither of these issues.
NO kids in our bed either…unless they were sick. They do like to come in sometimes now and hop on the bed and talk before we go to sleep. It is funny when there are 4 adults perched on our bed and the dog. This rarely happens as they are usually only home a few times each year at the same time. I love my kids but I need my space. A twenty pound dog is not too bad.
@momgoose….my wife is a kindergarten teacher. You couldn’t believe some of the crap she hears.
@ jarvis…is she in the Atlanta metro? I might like to stop in for a FREE visit with her class! I was in Cobb County today and talking to some staff members in the hall and they said, “You’d never believe some of the things we hear and see at school.” I have mentioned it on this blog but many have no idea!
HeatherEC
January 25th, 2011
4:06 pm
I have two shelties. Yes, they sleep with my hubbie and me, in our tempurpedic, king sized bed. I keep them well-groomed, up-to-date on shots and parasite prevention. Are there health risks? Sure! However, each time I touch the handle to open the ladies room door at work, I assume the same if not more risk than sleeping with my dogs.
motherjanegoose
January 25th, 2011
4:09 pm
abc…our dog knows all sorts of tricks. We simply do not need to teach her to stay on the floor. She is allowed on the sofa/bed or chair…not up anywhere in the kitchen. I have done a pretty good job with my kids thank you very much. The dog does not shed…a schnauzer…and we have her groomed.
Catherine
January 25th, 2011
4:09 pm
If you take me to the doctor and put me through the tests, I’m horribly allergic to both cats and dogs. But I’ve had cats and dogs all my life — my parents’ first “child” was a dog — and never had a violent reaction. The doctor thinks that the early exposure, beginning pretty much from the time I was conceived, means that my body’s so used to being exposed to an allergen that it adjusted. So, in practical application I’m not allergic.
I defy anyone to get my cat -not- to crawl onto the bed with me at night. She usually makes herself a little nest with the covers near my feet. So, I just use machine-washable covers and put them through the laundry every week. No big deal. Much easier than dealing with a human companion, let me tell you!
motherjanegoose
January 25th, 2011
4:10 pm
@ HeatherEC ..I saw a Mom in the restroom at Target with her 4 year old. You could hear what was going on in the potty. NOPE no hand washing on the way out….eeeew!
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | New Dog Online
January 25th, 2011
4:13 pm
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ok
January 25th, 2011
4:17 pm
I like animals; I do a lot of pet-sitting. I think dogs can be cute and fun to walk, but they’re also gross. I think it’s sad that several people said dogs in bed = ok, kids in bed = no way. M. Scott Peck wrote a short story quite awhile back about how animals in this country are treated better than children (in this and many other countries). I love our two rescue cats, but they are expected to have manners, and yes, you can train them like dogs, re no getting on the counter, table, etc. I know people who let them go where ever. again, gross. I def. don’t understand why people take their animals in the car with them. most other pets are, in the end, loveable and good companions, but also consumers and poopers, and there’s always that to deal with. I don’t ever want to have to pick up a dogs poop with my hand and carry it down the street.
Arthur J. Pendlecott
January 25th, 2011
4:21 pm
Myself & my neighbors have no problems with animals or kids!!
They’re both prohibited by our HOA. :)
Life is sweet.
abc
January 25th, 2011
4:26 pm
mjg, several have stated they were unable to make their dogs stay off of the furniture, if you choose to allow them to do so, that’s a different story, isn’t it?
AEL
January 25th, 2011
4:27 pm
I just have to say that my husband is a veterinarian, a CDC employee and is published in the journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases. Our 3 cats and 2 dogs sleep with us (not all at the same time!); rarely do we ever have a pet-free bed. I think Theresa is taking this warning too far.
Further, if your dog is vomiting often, it’s not good. You need to have your veterinarian evaluate what’s causing that.
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Online Dog Today
January 25th, 2011
4:29 pm
[...] News Sources wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
LM
January 25th, 2011
4:36 pm
We have two dogs, one a 6 lb chinese crested powder puff (think worlds ugliest dog w/hair) and a 60 lb appenzell. When my husband went to Afghanstain the crested started sleeping with me. I wanted the companionship and comfort. When my husband got home he got the appenzell who is now about 10 months old. He stays in his crate during the night and while we are at work. Can’t trust him loose in the house, he is a chewer and loves all things plastic. Neighter dog is an typical outdoor dog. We got them for companionship and not to leave outside. We used to let both dogs outside when we were working around the property but the crested when after one of the horses and got kicked, just a surface scratch.
If they were outside dogs, no not in the bed or in the bedroom. Also, I have severe allergies, hay, grass, trees, dust mits, and pet danger, if the dogs are kept clean and groomed, I can cope. I live on allergy meds, and gave up on allergy shots.
jarvis
January 25th, 2011
4:42 pm
@momgoose, she is in East Cobb County.
I’ll refrain from giving the school, as it is an elementary school so it is a tight population, and I would hate for a local parent to know, but yes, there is craziness all over.
LM
January 25th, 2011
4:44 pm
ABC, I loved my greyhound. She really was a lady, so gentle and sweet. We lost her in 2008 while she was being boarded at the vets. It was the hardest most painful loss I have ever experienced. She is the reason we got a chinese crested, she wanted a baby. If we ever get a bigger house, we are getting another greyhound. The breed just can’t be beat.
motherjanegoose
January 25th, 2011
4:50 pm
@ jarvis…if you want to send TWG your e-mail…she can pass it on to me and I will check in. Do not put the info on the blog, for the same reason I do not put my web page on the blog! I was out your way today!
@ abc…fair enough. We had Ole Yellar for years and he shed like CRAZY! We still find a stray blond hair once in a while and it has been over 3 years. It is really nice not to have any hair here now.
abc
January 25th, 2011
4:53 pm
My condolences on your loss, LM. It’s tough to lose them, I lost one to bone cancer last November, and have recently adopted another. Get another! greyhounds2.org, secondchancegreyhounds.org, greyhoundadoption.com are a few local adoption options.
nancy
January 25th, 2011
4:59 pm
OK,
If you think pets are gross why do you pet sit? I wouldn’t hire you
DoggieLover
January 25th, 2011
6:00 pm
I have always slept with my dogs, and never had a problem. I find it comforting to have them there with me….
So, Techmom...
January 25th, 2011
6:28 pm
…if you can’t stand for anyone or anyhing to touch you in bed, and you do not like to cuddle, how in the world did you get the last part of your blog name – through osmosis – or maybe the da Vinci code?
And, TWG takse a warning too far regarding ANYTHING that “might” happen – who would have thunk such a thing?
And, she knows where the dog’s mouth has been? As the old joke goes – “I was talking to the dog”…
BB
January 25th, 2011
6:35 pm
Growing up on the farm, we kept our animals outdoors. In the city, we had small dogs indoors. Large dogs we kept outdoors due to their size and fleas. When it was extremely cold, I put the Shepard in the basement overnight. If you washed your pet everyday and could control their licking habits, maybe there would be no cross-infection problem. No one gives their pet a bath everyday, let alone before letting them sleep in bed. I don’t know where the idea came from that it is okay to keep animals indoors. Yes, you and the animal become the pack if you let them.
motherjanegoose
January 25th, 2011
7:06 pm
BTW…we have had 4 dogs….only one had fleas…that was when we had neighbors whose dogs were always outside. I once walked through their yard with white socks on and it looked like someone had sprinkled pepper on my socks. Our dogs have always been inside. I am going with AEL today.
Hangaroo | hangaroo hangman | kangaroo | play hangaroo
January 25th, 2011
7:22 pm
[...] It even helps to increase your general knowledge. Also you can check out this related blog post: http://blogs.ajc.com/momania/2011/01/25/sleeping-with-your-pets-cuddly-or-gross/?cxntfid=blogs_moman... Tags: Hangaroo, hangaroo hangman, kangaroo, play [...]
Wagtheworld.com » Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)
January 25th, 2011
7:44 pm
[...] Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross?Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)A 44-year-old woman developed meningitis and admitted that she was “regularly kissing the dog's face and feeding it by transferring food mouth to mouth. …Let Sleeping Dogs Lie … In Your Bed?MyFox HoustonBed Sharing With a Pet Can Kill YouThe Stir (blog)Don't sleep with your pet, you may catch something (possibly bubonic plague)Daily Mailohmidog! -The Korea Herald -Sacramento Beeall 96 news articles » [...]
Wagtheworld.com » Is it unhealthy to sleep with pets? – 89.3 KPCC
January 25th, 2011
9:02 pm
[...] dogs and cats are allowed to sleep in their owner's beds. But according to a new study …Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross?Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Let Sleeping Dogs Lie … In Your Bed?MyFox HoustonBed [...]
jarvis
January 25th, 2011
10:15 pm
Each to there own.
Sleep and kiss your animals if you want.
I’m grossed out by it, but that certainly doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Clowns freak me out too, but my kids seem to like them.
jarvis
January 25th, 2011
10:15 pm
their not there…my mom would be so disappointed.
DB
January 25th, 2011
11:20 pm
@JJ: When I was in college, a friend invited me to their home in Washington, DC for a long holiday weekend. It was a lovely home — unfortunately, her mother had died many years previously, so it was just her dad and her sister. When they were setting the table for dinner, I saw that there were five places, and didn’t think much about it, assumed that perhaps a friend or the sister’s boyfriend was joining us for dinner. Imagine my surprise when we sat down in this formal dining room with Ansley china — and the CAT jumped up on a chair, carefully placed her paws on the table, and began eating chicken from the 5th plate!!! I admit — I stared. The father kept slipping the cat tidbits during the meal, and frankly, talked more to the cat than he did to the humans. It was a very surreal dinner . . .
That night, I was woken suddenly by a weird pulling on my hair. I screamed a little when I realized the cat was in my bed and was eating my hair. My friend woke up and just said, sleepily, “Oh, just toss her off the bed, she does that.” I pulled my hair back in a tight ponytail and dived under the covers — the damn cat woke me twice more that night until I finally grabbed her and unceremoniously deposited her OUTSIDE the bedroom and firmly closed the door. Then she yowled for a little while until I heard her dad open his bedroom door and let her in.
Talk about spoiled rotten!!
Back to present day: We don’t DARE leave anything edible on the kitchen counter. I once made a pan of fudge, walked away, and came back 5 minutes later — the dog was slinking out with a guilty look on his face, and the entire surface of the new pan of fudge was LICKED. A whole batch — WASTED!!!! Then there was the Honey Baked ham escapade . . . four sandwiches, mysteriously disappeared . . . and a dog with ham breath.
@JJ: We have a crate in the house, but it’s really more of a refuge than it is a jail — we only crate the dog if he gets too excited when company is over, and every other time, it just stays open and he curls up in it when he wants some “me” time. :-)
Atlantaphotog
January 25th, 2011
11:29 pm
I’ve never understood the mentality of someone who keeps their dogs outside – then later complains about the dog being dumb or not disciplined. I would challenge those people to perhaps put their young children in a “child house” outside, visit them once or twice a day to throw a bowl of food in front of them (if that), and then see how the kid turns out. Surprise!
My dogs (large) are my kids, and for the most part, I treat them as such. As a result, everyone who comes to my house has always commented on how well behaved my dogs were, smart to obey commands, and CLEAN as well as bug-free. It’s because I actually took the effort and time to make them that way, however. My dogs always slept at the lower portion of my bed near my feet. I have never had a flea on my carpet or bug on my bed from their body (it’s called “brushing”, by the way).
Two of my dog have passed away in the last year and one remains. The pain of losing a “family member” like that is really incredible and once the last one is gone I will most likely take a break for a while to recoup. But one day I’ll have dogs again, and yes they will stay in the house, be clean, and sleep on my bed.
Wagtheworld.com » UCD prof warns don’t be too cozy with your pets – News10.net
January 26th, 2011
7:51 am
[...] cats could lead to illnesses. UC Davis Veterinary School Professor Bruno Chomel conducted a …Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross?Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Sleeping with your pet could be harmfulAsiaOneSleeping with pets [...]
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) « Better Off Training
January 26th, 2011
9:36 am
[...] Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Techmom
January 26th, 2011
9:39 am
I didn’t say I didn’t like to have sex, I said I don’t like anything touching me while I’m sleeping. Sex & sleeping are two are different activities.
Who's in Bed with Mike? | Pawsley Barks
January 26th, 2011
9:56 am
[...] Mike’s Pick: Here’s an Atlanta Journal Constitution post about the dangers (probable?…I’m not so sure) of allowing your pet to sleep on the bed with you. Article: Sleeping with Your Pets: Cuddly or Gross? [...]
jarvis
January 26th, 2011
10:45 am
@Techmom, Someone needs to explain that to my wife.
Hey-Oh!
Carol
January 26th, 2011
2:29 pm
Phooey! If that was the case, I would have been dead by now. I have grown up with pets all my life and they were allowed to sleep on my bed.
Mary Lucisano
January 26th, 2011
2:42 pm
my 3 dogs all of which weigh 100 pounds sleep with me ,I have even recently purchased a king size bed so there would be enough room!
jarvis
January 26th, 2011
2:50 pm
Drinking urine won’t make you sick either. It’s just gross.
Sleeping with your pets: Cuddly or gross? « Cat window perch
January 28th, 2011
2:19 pm
[...] read original article Comments (0) [...]
CandyPalik
January 28th, 2011
4:00 pm
Whoa – this study definitely seems like a stretch if they have to mention an anecdotal incident from 1974. Seems kind of silly. Also, how can they prove that the animals caused any of these things? The bubonic plague thing seems like pure sensationalism. As for the meningitis, so one stupid person got meningitis POSSIBLY from their cat in 1980? (Probably would have got meningitis if he’d let his wife or kid lick his wound???? too.) Has this researcher heard about college dorms? How about hospitals, where if you enter sick, you have an excellent chance of leaving sicker? We’re far more likely to get diseases from another human.
At our house, one of our two dogs sleeps in our bed (the other prefers her own bed by the window so she can keep an eye on anything that might be going on outside.) He sleeps on top of the covers, not under them. If you keep your pets clean and in good health, it shouldn’t be a problem. Who are these people that are like, “Oh, ma dog might git fleas in ma bed.” Have you heard of spot-on flea preventative? You probably haven’t heard of vet visits, heart worm preventative etc. either.
I agree 100 percent with those who said pets = yes, kids = no! For those who said it’s “sad” to think that, no, it’s just practical. When was the last time you heard of someone getting the flu from their cat? Yet preschool and elementary school teachers are constantly getting sick from every nasty bug that goes around, and they have to worry about head lice too. Even the CDC says children are more likely to have poor hygiene: http://www.newswise.com/articles/simple-hygiene-focus-on-children-could-contain-flu-spread Have you ever watched little kids? They put their hands in nasty places, in their mouths, in their noses, use the bathroom and probably not wash their hands. I don’t have any, but if I did, mine would be taught to wash their hands properly and wouldn’t be “crawling” all over my bed, either. Sorry!
Pets Adviser
January 31st, 2011
7:19 pm
Typical media overkill. We posted a li’l explanation over at PetsAdviser.com titled: How the Media Exaggerated ‘Sleeping With Pets’ Disease.