Warning to dog owners: DO NOT let them sleep in your bed as you could get these nasty diseases
They are man’s best friend.
And according to research, our trusted sleeping partner.
Two-thirds (62 percent) of pet owners now share a bed with their cat or dog, a new poll suggests.
The survey of 2,000 people from the Silentnight sleeping brand also showed that almost a third do this every night.
But should we really let sleeping dogs share our beds?
About two-thirds (62 percent) of pet owners now share a bed with their cat or dog. The survey of 2,000 people by sleep brand Silentnight also found that more than three in ten (31%) do this every night
While exposure to pet mites can boost immune systems, experts say the habit can put you at risk for a serious infection.
If you share your bed with your dog, you increase the chance that they will transmit microbes that are on a dog’s skin, possibly through licking, feces or from their fur.
Such insects can cause ailments including mange or even Lyme disease.
Professor Alejandra Perotti, a mite expert at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Reading, told MailOnline: ‘If a dog owner is immunocompromised or has a weak immune system, even temporarily, then they should not be allowed to share their bed with a dog. .’
Microscopic parasitic mites that live in the hair follicles of all dogs “could be harmful to an immunocompromised owner,” she said.
These can cause infections of the skin or respiratory tract of humans making them sick.
While “there are very few documented cases of dog mites moving to their owners,” she also acknowledged, this is because “mites are not properly identified” and are often assumed to be mites that live on humans.
The most common dog mite, demodex canis, has been identified in humans “in a handful of cases,” she added. These can cause scabies.
Likewise, parasites, including ticks and even fleas, are important to consider.
Professor Perotti told MailOnline: ‘Ticks, especially here in the UK, are serious vectors of Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia.
“A dog owner can take their pet for a nice walk in a park where deer are plentiful, or the dog goes to places with deer.”
She added: ‘Then the dog ticks can move from dog to human in the house later, if they haven’t already jumped on them during the walk.
“Sharing your bed with your dog makes this all too easy for the ticks and a tick bite can go undetected for hours while the owner sleeps.”
It comes as health chiefs warned earlier this month of a deadly infection spread by ticks first discovered in England.
Three cases of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in patients were confirmed by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) in Yorkshire, Norfolk and on the Hampshire and Dorset borders.
Further testing for ticks across the country has found that the disease – hitherto prevalent in parts of Europe and Asia – is now widespread in the UK, with experts warning that TBEV is ‘unlikely to disappear’.
Professor Alejandra Perotti, Associate Professor of Invertebrate Biology at the University of Reading, told MailOnline: ‘If a dog owner is immunocompromised or has a weak immune system, even temporarily, then they should not be allowed to share their bed with a dog.
However, ticks are “not the most obvious source of a nasty bite if you share your bed with a dog,” Professor Perotti also noted.
“Animal behaviorists cite horrific statistics that the most serious dog bites on humans happen in the owner’s bed,” she added.
Many people claim that sharing a bed with their dog helps them feel comfortable, relaxed, or even more secure when they sleep.
But it can disrupt their sleep patterns.
Silentnight’s research also found that more than half of the pet owners surveyed (51 percent) regularly sleep on the couch because their pet takes up too much space.
About 94 percent are also awakened at night by the tossing and turning of their animal.
Hannah Shore, Sleep Knowledge and Research Manager at Silentnight said: ‘While cats, dogs and humans have similar sleep patterns, animals tend to cycle through their sleep patterns more quickly.
“This somewhat contrasting cycle can lead to your pet waking up at night wanting attention, which can be especially annoying if you share a bed.”
She added, “That’s why it’s important to establish ground rules if you want to avoid being disturbed by your furry friend and reap the rewards of sharing pet beds.”
In 2022, animal welfare organization Blue Cross also issued a warning about dogs sleeping in beds as this could cause them to overheat, especially when covered with a duvet.