You may want to think twice about who – or what – you share your bed with.
A recent CDC report claims that sleeping with your pet or letting your pet lick your face, may put you at risk of contracting worms, bacteria or viruses, MyFoxAtlanta.com reported.
The risk for infection is particularly high if the animals are young. Puppies and kittens are most likely to pass on parasites like roundworm, according to Dr. Matt Roper, a veterinarian with Briarcliff Animal Clinic in Atlanta, Ga.
"If you can limit your exposure, especially when they're young, that's going to be your best bet as far as reducing your transmission rate of any parasites or bacteria,” Roper said. “As they get older, and you know that they are healthy and you don't have any parasites, you could, again, stay away from the face, as far as licking and things like that, but if they want to sleep in the bed, that would be OK.”
While the likelihood of pets passing germs to their owners is small, researchers say pets should not be allowed to sleep in the same bed as young children or anyone with a weakened immune system.