Being exposed to a dog as a baby can contribute to snoring in later life.
Photo / Thinkstock
Being exposed to a dog as a baby can contribute to snoring in later life.
Photo / Thinkstock
Being exposed to a dog as a baby could make you an adult snorer.
Researchers at University Hospital Umea in Sweden found babies living with dogs were 26 per cent more likely to snore in their sleep when they grew up.
Other furry pets, especially cats, may have a similareffect.
In some infants, the sensitive lining of the nose and throat suffers an allergic reaction to particles from fur, which can alter the structure of the airways for the rest of the child's life.
They quizzed more than 15,000 snorers about their early life. The results, published in the journal BioMed Central, showed babies who lived with a dog increased the risk of snoring in adulthood by more than a quarter.
Maureen Jenkins, clinical director for Allergy UK, said: "We do know that allergies cause chronic inflammation in the airways which, left untreated, may thicken tissue and increase the risk of snoring."
