Do you really know what goes on in Fido's bed? If you're not washing it regularly, you might want to! It rather gives you the creeps just to think about it. BUT the following could very well be in your dog’s bed – and you never even saw it/them coming!

External Parasites
Your dog may catch fleas or mites from another animal (or from you in some cases) and bring them into your home and his bed. “Fleas can hitch a ride into your home on your pant leg or shoe,” says Dr. Jeffrey Stupine, head veterinarian at the Pennsylvania SPCA. “If you get little red spots on your ankles or your pet is scratching, it’s probably fleas. If you have an infestation, there may be invisible larvae waiting to hatch in your dog’s bedding.”

Ringworm
Ringworm spores shed by a dog can live in the environment—including his bedding—for up to two years. If left untreated, the fungal infection can spread and infect other animals or humans living in your home.

Roundworms and Hookworms
Named for their fishing hook shape, hookworms live in the small intestine, ingest their host’s blood, and shed their eggs in feces. Your dog may get hookworm from eating contaminated soil or infected prey animals, larvae may burrow through the skin, or puppies may contract hookworms from their mothers. Symptoms of hookworms include weight loss and diarrhea. If your dog has hookworm, his bedding may contain hookworm larvae, which are transmitted through fecal matter that may be invisible to the eye.

Salmonella and Listeria
According to the CDC, dogs can carry the harmful bacteria in their intestines without showing signs of illness and expose humans in the household. To avoid the risk, the CDC recommends cleaning all surfaces, including bedding, on a regular basis, washing your hands thoroughly, safely storing and handling raw pet food, not letting your dog lick you around your face, and cleaning up your dog’s poop carefully.

We hate to think of anything other than our dog laying in their dog bed but, as we see above, it is not necessarily so! For more information go to Pet MD.

Just remember, it is avoidable if we simply stay clean; watching bedding, pup and ourselves semiregularly is a huge deterrent. Not only will it help your doggie but your family too!