Dear Dr. Hibberd: Our dogs sleep on the bed with my husband and I. I’ve wondered for many years: Are there any diseases we can catch from them? And are there any diseases we can give them?

Question:
Many families let pets sleep in their beds without any problems. But according to emerging evidence, veterinary scientists say sleeping with your pets increases the chances of contracting everything from parasites to the plague. They say that the risk for transmission of zoonotic agents by close contact between pets and their owners through bed sharing has even been documented for life-threatening infections such as plague, internal parasites. It is reasonable to stop sleeping with your dogs.