(1) Stay Well With Your Animals
Most pet owners don't need reminding. Animals make people
feel good. But we're talking about more than feeling glad they're around. Your
favorite animal can make you healthy and help you stay that way. You may be
surprised at just how many ways a pet can improve your health.
(2)
Pets Are Natural Mood Enhancers
It only takes a few minutes with a dog or cat or watching
fish swim to feel less anxious and less stressed. Your body actually goes through
physical changes in that time that make a difference in your mood. The level of
cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, is lowered. And the production of
serotonin, a chemical associated with well-being, is increased. Reducing stress
saves your body wear and tear.
(3)
Keep Blood Pressure in Check
You still have to watch your weight and exercise. But having
a pet can help you manage your blood pressure. In one study of 240 married
couples, pet owners had lower blood pressure and lower heart rates during rest
than people who did not own a pet. That held true whether they were at rest or
undergoing stress tests. Another study showed that children with hypertension
lowered their blood pressure while petting their dog.
(4)
Help for Lowering Cholesterol
To manage cholesterol, doctors still recommend that you
follow guidelines regarding diet, exercise, and medication. But owning a pet
has the potential of making it easier to avoid the dangers of cholesterol.
Researchers have noted lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in people
who own pets compared to people who don't. However, this could be attributed to
lifestyle factors of pet owners.
(5)
Cats and Dogs Good for the Heart
Research has shown the long-term benefits of owning a cat
include protection for your heart. Over the 20 years of one study, people who
never owned a cat were 40% more likely to die of a heart attack than those who
had. Another study showed that dog owners had a significantly better survival
rate one year after a heart attack. Overall, pet owners have a lower risk of
dying from any cardiac disease, including heart failure.
(6)
Pet an Animal to Fight Depression
Therapists have been known to prescribe a pet as a way of
dealing with and recovering from depression. No one loves you more
unconditionally than your pet. And a pet will listen to you talk for as long as
you want to talk. Petting a cat or dog has a calming effect. And taking care of
a pet -- walking with it, grooming it, playing with it -- takes you out of
yourself and helps you feel better about the way you spend your time.
(7)
Better Physical Fitness
People who own dogs tend to be more physically active and
less obese than people who don't. Taking your dog for a daily 30-minute walk
will keep you moving and ensure that you meet the minimum recommendations for
healthy physical activity. Two 15-minute walks, one in the morning and one in
the evening, will do the same thing. And after that, just playing fetch in the
back yard with your dog will earn you healthful dividends.
(8)
Make Your Pet an Exercise Buddy
If you exercise with your pet, you'll both benefit. Shine a
flashlight on the wall or wave a string while you do a step aerobics routine.
Your cat will get a healthy workout chasing the light, and you'll be thoroughly
entertained. And nationwide, there are yoga classes for people and their dogs,
called doga. Call your local gym or ask your vet if there are similar programs
in your area.
(9)
Fewer Strokes Among Cat Owners
Researchers aren't sure why. But cat owners have fewer
strokes than people who don't own cats. It's partly due to the effects owning a
pet can have on a person's circulation. But researchers speculate that cats may
have a more calming effect on their owners than other animals do. It may also
have something to do with the personality of a cat owner. Cats often become the
focus of their owner's interest, which diverts them from other stressful
worries.
(10)
More Interaction, Less Isolation
(11)
Fewer Allergies, Stronger Immunity
Researchers have found that when children grow up in a home
with a dog or cat they are less likely to develop allergies. The same is true
for kids who live on a farm with large animals. In addition, higher levels of
certain immune system chemicals show a stronger immune system, which will help
keep them healthy as they get older.
(12)
Cats and Asthma Prevention
It doesn't seem to make sense. Pet allergies are one of the
most common triggers of asthma. But researchers have studied the effects of
having cats in the homes of infants at risk for asthma. What they found was
that those children were significantly less likely to develop asthma as they
got older. There's one exception. Children whose mothers have a cat allergy are
three times more likely to develop asthma after early exposure to cats.
(13)
Snack Alarm
For people with diabetes, a sudden drop in the level of
blood glucose can be very serious. Some dogs can alert their owner to a
dangerous drop before it actually happens. They may be responding to chemical
changes in the body that give off a scent. The alarm gives the owner time to
eat a snack to avoid the emergency. About one in three dogs living with people
with diabetes have this ability. Dogs for Diabetics is training more dogs to
help more people.
(14)
Working With a Counselor
Some mental health therapists use a dog in therapy. A dog in
the office may help someone be more comfortable. But that's not all. A remark
to or about a dog may show what's really on someone's mind. One therapist tells
about a couple in his office who started arguing. The dog, which usually just
slept during the session, got up and wanted out. He used that to help the
couple see how their fighting affected others, especially their children.
(15)
Partners in Better Cancer Care
Cats and dogs both get cancer, and both benefit from
research on human cancer. But more and more the opposite is also true. Humans
are benefiting from research on pet cancers. Dogs and cats can get the same
kinds of cancers humans do. For example, studies of prostate cancer in dogs
have led to a better understanding of how it develops in older men. And
preventing cancer in pets may lead to new prevention strategies for their human
owners.
(16)
Overcoming the Limitations of ADHD
Kids with ADHD can benefit from working with and keeping a
pet. Taking charge of the jobs on a pet care schedule helps a child learn to
plan and be responsible. Pets need to play, and playing with a pet is an great
way to release excess energy. That means an easier time falling asleep at
night. And because the bond between a pet and a child is unconditional love,
pets help children with ADHD learn about self-esteem.
(17)
Autism: Addressing the Senses
Sensory issues are common among children with autism.
Sensory integration activities are designed to help them get used to the way
something feels against their skin. Or it may be how they react to certain
smells or sounds. Dogs and horses have both sometimes been used in these
activities. The children usually find it calming to work with animals. And
animals easily hold the attention of children with autism.
(18)
Want Stronger Bones? Walk the Dog
Strong bones are your best defense against osteoporosis and
painful fractures. Walking your dog helps. It's a weight-bearing exercise that
strengthens your bones and the muscles around them. It also lets you spend time
in the sun, which provides vitamin D. If you have osteoporosis, be sure you
guard against falls. Use a short leash that won't get tangled. And don't walk a
dog that is liable to jump on you and make you lose your balance.
(19)
Stretching With the Cat
If you have arthritis, you know its important to stretch.
You also know it can be hard to know when you're stretching enough. Cat owners
may want to learn from their cat. Watch how many times she stretches every day,
and when she does, you do it too. If you can, get down on the floor and go
through the same motions. If you can't get on the floor, sit on a chair and
follow along by stretching your upper body.
(20)
Managing Arthritis Together
If your dog has arthritis, you can use the effort to manage
his to help manage yours. When you make an appointment at the vet, also call
and make your own doctor's appointment. Regular exercise is important for both
of you, so walk with your dog. Keep your medicine in the same place you keep
the dog's. That way you'll see it when you get his. And if you can, coordinate
taking your medicines at the same time you give him his medicine.
(21)
Getting Back in the Saddle
Some rehab programs for stroke patients use horses to help
with recovery. Often, people who have had strokes start riding with someone
walking alongside them as someone else leads the horse. Horseback riding gives
stretching exercise, which is especially good if one side has been made weaker.
It also helps the person regain balance and build core strength.
(22)
Relief From RA
People with rheumatoid arthritis benefit from movements like
walking and throwing a Frisbee with their pet. And pets give you a distraction
that can help take your thoughts off of your own condition. But perhaps the
best help comes from those dogs or cats that seem to be super sensitive to
people who aren’t feeling well. Sometimes just their presence can make you feel
better.
(23)
Soothing Heat for Chronic Pain
A Mexican hairless dog called a Xolo is known for generating
intense body heat. An organization called Paws for Comfort trains Xolos to be
service dogs for people with fibromyalgia and other forms of chronic pain that
respond to heat. People get relief just by placing their hurting limbs against
the dog's body or lying up next to it. Some dogs have even been trained to ride
around wrapped around the neck of a person with chronic neck pain.
(24)
Seizure Dogs
A "seizure dog" is one that has been specially
trained to live and work with people who have epilepsy. Some are trained to
bark and alert the parents when a child is having a seizure outside or in
another room. Some lie next to a person having a seizure to prevent injury (as
seen in this demonstration). And some work has been done training dogs to warn
before a seizure occurs. This gives the person time to lie down or move away
from a dangerous place such as a hot stove.
(25)
Staying Independent
Specially trained dogs can perform tasks that let people
with Parkinson's disease maintain their independence. They can pick up dropped
items or fetch requested ones. They can provide balance support, open and close
doors, and turn lights on with their paws. They can also sense when someone
with Parkinson's is "freezing" and touch the foot to let the person
keep walking. Groups like Pet Partners can help you find a good service dog.
(26)
A Better Quality of Life
Visits from therapy dogs help patients recovering from
devastating illness or an event such as a stroke. Some dogs are trained to
understand a range of commands which lets them help people with aphasia (a
language disorder common in older adults, particularly those who’ve had a
stroke) feel good when they see the dog understands them. And, petting or
scratching a dog can help a patient rebuild strength while recovering from a
stroke or other illness. It also creates a feeling of calm.
(27)
A Calming Presence
People with AIDS are less likely to be depressed if they own
a pet, especially if they're strongly attached. And with an animal in the home,
people with Alzheimer's have fewer anxious outbursts. The animal also helps the
caregivers feel less burdened. Cats seem to be particularly helpful since they
require less care than dogs.
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