London - One in five of us enjoys snuggling up to our beloved pets, surveys suggest.
This may have some health benefits. “Studies show pet owners have lower blood pressure and stress levels,” says Mark Goodfellow, of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association.
But there is the risk, too, of health problems, including asthma and eczema and more serious zoonotic infections (transmitted from animals to humans) such as cat scratch disease. This is caused by the bacterium bartonella henselae being spread through a scratch or saliva from an infected cat (almost half of cats will carry it at some point).
This leads to swelling of the lymph nodes and, potentially, lethal damage to the liver, kidneys or spleen.
Zoonotic infections happen as a result of kissing or being licked.
“Babies and young children, in particular, should not be permitted to sleep with pets,” says Goodfellow. - Daily Mail