CDC Warns Pets in Bed Can Cause Illness and Disease

Do you have a pet that sleeps in bed with you at night? Will you let your dog lick your face?

The Center for Disease Control (C.D.C.) says activities like this can cause you to contract diseases from your pet. 

According to the study, people who have a compromised immune system have the greatest risk of catching an unwanted disease from their pet.

Cases of people getting ringworm, rabies, even menengitis have been directly linked to close contact with their pet.

Local veterinarian Casey Clark of the Houston County Veterinary Clinic says animals can track in parasites and infections from almost anywhere outside.

She says, “Animals do walk through contaminated soils so they might potentially have some material on their feet.”

However, Dr. Clark also says that if you are a healthy individual with a strong immune system, and your pet receives a regular check-up, you have little to worry about.

“If it’s a good pet owner, that is going to keep their animal on monthly prevention and is going to take their animal into the veterinarian at least once a year…and they are healthy people, that it would be o.k. for them to sleep in the same bed.”