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Putting
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Getting your pet:
Taking care of
your pet:
10 Health Benefits
of Owning a Pet:
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Photo: Thinkstock |
Decreases
Stress
In a 2002 study at State
University of New York at Buffalo, researchers
found that when conducting a stressful task,
people experienced less stress when their
pets were with them than when a spouse,
family member or close friend was nearby.
Promises Treatment Centers, which specializes
in addiction, not only recommends its patients
consider getting a pet, but even allows
pets in its rehabilitation facilities, according
to David Sack, MD, CEO of Promises. “One
of Promises' core beliefs is that we need
to remove obstacles that prevent people
from getting help,” Dr. Sack says.
“We are committed to making Promises
a safe and reassuring homelike environment.
And what could be more like home than to
have your pet accompany you?”
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Photo: Shutterstock |
Lowers
Blood Pressure
While some studies have
found a stronger connection than others,
having a pet has the potential to lower
blood pressure, especially in hypertensive
or high-risk patients, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). “If you have a dog around,
your blood pressure is lower,” says
Marty Becker, DVM, veterinary consultant
for Good Morning America and author of the
upcoming book Your Dog: The Owner’s
Manual. “A lot of it goes back to
reducing stress: You might lose your job,
your house, your 401(k)—but you’ll
never lose the unconditional love of your
pet.” |
Photo: Thinkstock |
Eases Pain
Believe it or not, pets can be the best
medicine, especially when a person is dealing
with chronic pain such as migraines or arthritis,
says Dr. Becker. “Just like Valium,
it reduces anxiety. The less anxiety, the
less pain,” he says. One study from
Loyola University found that people who
use pet therapy while recovering from surgery
may need significantly less pain medication
than those who do not.
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Photo:
Thinkstock
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Lowers
Cholesterol
According to the CDC,
another heart-healthy result of owning a
pet is lower cholesterol. People who own
pets–and men, in particular–have
significantly lower cholesterol and triglyceride
levels than those who don't have pets. However,
it isn’t clear whether the pet’s
presence decreases cholesterol, or if those
who maintain a healthier lifestyle are more
often pet owners.
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Photo: Thinkstock |
Improves
Mood
A lot of the health benefits
of owning a pet may stem from the mental
and emotional benefits. “People who
have pets are less harried; there’s
more laughter in their life,” says
Dr. Becker. “When you come home, it’s
like you’re George Clooney. You’re
a star.” This is a primary reason
pets are used in various forms of therapy.
“At Walter Reed Army Medical Center,
they’re using dogs to help soldiers
dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder,”
says Katy Nelson, DVM, associate emergency
veterinarian at the VCA Alexandria Animal
Hospital in Alexandria, Virginia. “They’re
finding the guys who have a pet are able
to re-enter society a little bit easier.
They’re showing a decreased suicide
rate, one of the biggest health threats
[veterans] face. These guys who have a pet
have someone they’re responsible for,
someone who cares about them. And they don’t
have to explain what they’ve been
through.”
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Photo: Thinkstock |
Helps People
Socialize
While it may seem a bit counterintuitive,
owning a dog actually increases a person’s
opportunities to socialize, according to
Michael Landa, CEO of natural pet food brand
Nulo and founder of Los Angeles–based
dog-walking service The Pet Staff. “I
take my dog for a two-mile walk every day,
and I run into five to 10 people whom I
stop and talk to,” he says. Christie
Keith, the online and social media editor
at PetConnection.com, agrees. "A 1999
Canadian study found that pet owners were
more 'socially engaged' than non–pet
owners," she says. In addition, an
Austrian study “found that pet ownership
led to an increase in social contact, more
socialization within neighborhoods [such
as neighbors chatting as they walk their
dogs], and even a greater perception to
observers that the neighborhood seems 'friendly.’”
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Photo: Thinkstock |
Prevents
Strokes
Although dogs are often touted for their
health benefits, cat owners can see gains,
too. Felines are just as beneficial to your
health as dogs. “If you have a cat,
you’re 30 percent less likely to have
a heart attack, and you’re 40 percent
less likely to have a cardiovascular incident
like a stroke,” Dr. Becker says. In
addition, pets can aid in the recovery of
a heart attack. “If you have a heart
attack and you have a dog, you are [significantly
more] likely to be alive a year later,”
Dr. Becker says.
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Photo: Thinkstock
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Monitors
Blood Sugar Levels for Diabetics
According to the American Diabetes Association’s
Diabetes Forecast magazine, a 1992 study
found that one-third of the pets living
with diabetics (mostly dogs, but other pets
included cats, birds and rabbits) would
change their behavior when their owner’s
blood sugar level dropped. Most likely a
reaction to chemical changes in the owner’s
body, the behavior noted in the study has
resulted in organizations like Dogs4Diabetics,
which trains dogs to be companions for patients
at risk of unstable blood glucose levels.
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Photo: Thinkstock
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Prevents
Allergies and Improves Immunity
Dr. Becker says pets can dramatically improve
immunity and prevent allergies. “A
study found that children ages 5 to 7 from
pet-owning households attend school three
weeks more per year than those who don’t
have pets,” he says. He also says
that the more pets you have earlier in life,
the fewer allergies you will develop. “Kids
who grow up on farms and around animals
don’t have allergies,” he says.
“That dander on that hair, that’s
natural immunotherapy.” But he notes
that this effect is not reversible: Getting
a pet as an adult will not minimize allergies,
it only helps prevent certain allergies
from developing in children.
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Photo: Thinkstock |
Help Children
Develop
Children who grow up
in a household with pets benefit in myriad
ways, especially in their emotional development.
“When a child is attached to a dog
or cat, they learn to express themselves
in more ways and they learn to relate better,”
says Landa, who brings children to animal
shelters to deliver toys and food. Pets
are also hugely beneficial to children suffering
from autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD). For children with ADHD,
taking care of a pet can encourage them
to focus on responsibilities through a predictable
routine. While the sensory experience of
holding and petting an animal can be soothing
for children with autism.
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