I knew a fellow that would kiss his horse's nose.. One evening he was pretty well soused and showing off. He kept trying to get the horse to kiss him, He tried one too many times. The horse bit his nose off. Fortunately the ER did a good job sewing his nose back on.I only kiss my pretty cow on the nose when I'm absolutely certain DH isn't watching. (And then just because her pink nose is SO sweet.) He is SUCH a germophobe that even his transplant doc was a bit bemused. He thinks he is keeping himself safe when actually, kissing me exposes him to a whole unseen world of tasty microbes.
Somebody has to do it, for his health. Doc says his immune system is all better now--good as new!
DH does not believe this, however.
Anyway, it has been studied and concluded that folks with animals (the more the merrier--and I believe myself to be very merry indeed) have a far richer micro-biome than those without, and are generally healthier for it.