If there is one thing that many pet owners do, it is allow their pets to climb into bed to sleep with them. Although many people reject this habit, it is true that it is a very common practice for those who have dogs or cats, since sleeping with them gives a very pleasant feeling of peace and security.
However, after several scientific and veterinary investigations, specialists came to the conclusion that it is necessary to prevent pets from sleeping with their owners at night, due to several medical reasons.
Through a study by the Spanish Sleep Institute, it was discovered that about 14% of dogs and 33% of cats in that country sleep at night in bed with their owners. But the main problem with this, the research explains, is the enormous number of diseases that can be transmitted.
There are nearly 250 known zoonotic diseases, of which more than 100 can occur during coexistence between people and their pets. Many of them occur when the animal licks its owner or when the person hugs and kisses their animal. The most well-known and probable are ringworm, nematodes, staphylococcus infections and hookworm.
In addition, a collaborative study by universities in the United States and Australia showed that sleeping with pets directly affects the quality of a person's sleep. This is mainly due to the lack of space and the constant state of alert of the animals, especially the dogs.
A 2021 analysis by ScienceDirect came to similar conclusions after surveying teenagers who slept with their pets. Although a third of those surveyed did not experience sleep disturbances, the remainder admitted to constantly waking up during the night due to the movements of their pets.
