Sleeping with Pets: Is it healthy?

@johnbishop- I read a similiar article some time ago and passed it on to a few friends that I know do this.
I've had dogs for pets ever since I was young kid, but never got to that point of having them sleep in my bed or even in my room.
I love these wonderful companions, but sleeping with them is where I draw the line.
I totally get it in many cases, but the article points out several things to consider.
I have some friends that have 4 labs and the dogs often sleep in their bed with them. I know they have a king, but please, this seems a bit over the top!
I don't think he owns a jacket that isn't always covered with dog hair!
No wonder that pets represent a multi billion $ industry in this nation!
OK, I'll step off my stool now 🙂 Jim @thankful

Here are a couple of Mayo Clinic resources on the subject of sleeping with pets:

- A 2017 study on sleeping with dogs https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(17)30486-X/fulltext and a short summation of the findings in lay language https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/are-you-barking-up-the-wrong-tree-by-sleeping-with-your-dog/

- Mayo Clinic 2002 findings on sleeping with pets https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-02/mc-dti021402.php

@johnbishop, I thought that @grandmar @amberpep @suerc @sundance6 @artscaping @marylou705 @gldnrtrvrlvr @gailfaith @AgentDarien @petangelkat1 @danybegood1 @karen00 @profnorma might be interested in the article you found, "The downside of sharing your bed with furry friends, https://www.sleep.org/articles/sleeping-with-pets/,"

I'm curious too, as @johnbishop asked, if you have a pet who sleeps on your bed, and if so, if they disturb your sleep at all?

Hi Jim @thankful, We have a queen size bed and my wife likes to cuddle with the kitty too but the kitty not so much ☺ She's always on top of the blanket though so I can flip her off the bed in a heart beat if I hear any hairball noise. Fortunate that it doesn't happen very often. Mine is almost like a small dog. Even taught her how to play fetch but she won't play very long. I do have 3 extra quilts that get changed/washed quite often so that's a downside for me. I did have to put her in kitty jail when I came back from the knee replacement surgery so that she wasn't on our bed for a few weeks to prevent infections, etc..

You are correct about the $$ spent. I'm patiently waiting for a kitty passing because smart as I am, I know I won't get another one and my daughter is grown and out of the house so will not be bringing any new ones for dad to take care of when she no longer can keep it.

@lisalucier @johnbishop As soon as I get over laughing at John's kitty post, I will continue. Yes, pets can interfere with romance, especially when they just hang out at the side of the bed and pant. I have always had Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, also known as the "the love sponges" at the dog shows. These dogs were developed in England as companion dogs and that they are. After my neck surgery, Roxie was quite diligent and accepting of my recuperation time in bed. It got so that if I started acting like was actually getting up she would get excited about that opportunity. As I sank back down, she would peer at me with the admonishing look that said, "Are you ever getting up?" When are we going for a walk? Don't think my recuperation would have been quite so comfortable without her.
Be free of suffering today. Save the pain for tomorrow. Chris

Same here . I have two cats that sleep on top of my blankets and a Chihuahua who insists on sleeping under. But they all get washed once a week. Including the Chihuahua.

Hello @alygizmo1979, Welcome to Connect. Sadly my kitty pictured in the description at the beginning of the discussion passed away last year. I did inherit my neighbor's kitty after she found out her son was allergic to cats but this one doesn't like sharing a bed which makes for a little less work for me.

Do you mind sharing what brought you to Connect? Are you trying to find some information on a health condition?

I didn’t find much on the negative side when reading the article. My dog sleeps with me in bed. I have PTSD, and her body next to me really is a comfort and helps me sleep better. She makes me feel safe.
Interesting about building immunities from them. I’m a firm believer in a little dirt is good for you! 😊 I can’t remember the last time I’ve been ill with a cold or flu, it’s been over a decade. (Knock on wood)!

This is a matter of assigning weights to the important factors. For Lizzie above, she needs the security and comfort of her beloved pet near her, and it helps her to get better rest....which is EXCEEDINGLY important when we are always skating around the edge of poor health, particularly as we age, or if we're caregivers ourselves. So Lizzie could understandably assign a higher weighting to security and better sleep quality. She would assign a different weight to the two, if being honest, because sleep quality has its own merits, as most of us understand. One should avoid interrupted sleep if at all possible, especially if taking aids or using them, but having a pet that gets up, turns, shakes, and awakens us ever hour to 90 minutes.

And yes, unless immune suppressed or compromised, or if recovering from surgery and you must keep wounds clean and dressings undisturbed, being exposed to all things pettable is generally good for us, just as it is good for infants to be exposed to allergens and other contaminants over their first year or two. The immune system must learn, after all.

Just be aware of the potential dangers, and I was careful to place the caveat about immune suppression early in my second paragraph. Pets have their resident flora, and their mouths are every bit as dirty as our own. So are their claws, eye ducts, noses, ears, anuses....just like ours.