Written by Sara Piccola |
Nothing says unconditional love like the companionship of a furry family member. Most people will agree their pets add daily joy to their life; however, recent research shows that having a pet has a very positive impact on several aspects of our health as well.
The most obvious way pets impact our lives is their ability to elevate our mood. It is nearly impossible to remain in a bad mood when you walk through the door to an anxiously awaiting dog, or when your cat snuggles up in your lap during your favorite TV show.
Pets also lower blood pressure and serve as a good stress reducer. Walking with a pet helps sooth nerves and allows for some relaxation in a hectic world. Worldwide studies have proven that the impact of a stressful situation is lesser on pet owners, especially males. Studies conducted on women when they’re in a stressful situation showed that when their pet was present their blood pressure was lower than when friends were present.
The benefit of having a pet does not stop there. It has been proven that they help prevent heart disease. Not only do pets provide people with faithful companionship, research suggests they may also assist in greater psychological stability from feeling depressed or lonely. Pet owners also have lower levels of blood cholesterol and triglycerides, all of which are large measures of protection from heart disease.
Pet owners tend to have fewer medical appointments and minor health problems. Patients in nursing homes have shown to lessen the intake of prescription drugs and the overall costs of caring for the patient has dropped when pets have been a part of the therapy. Owning a pet is motivation to go out and exercise therefore positively affecting our overall health. This, in turn, keeps pet owners out of the hospital for minor medical conditions.
Have you ever sensed that your pet knows something you don’t? You’re probably right. Various people who have periodic seizures, reported that their dogs can sense the seizure coming long before they can even feel it.
Today, dogs are trained to recognize a type of change, prior to a seizure, and therefore are able to warn their owner 15-45 minutes before the seizure begins. These dogs are called “seizure-alert” or “seizure-response” dogs.
Dogs have also been trained to identify when a person with Parkinson’s is “freezing.” Freezing is one of the many symptoms of Parkinson’s where the feet freeze in place while the rest of the body continues moving, resulting in a fall. By touching the person’s foot the dog breaks the freeze and enables their owner to regain their balance.
If that isn’t enough, dogs are beginning to be trained to detect cancer. In the 1990’s an experimental program was done to see if a dog could be trained to smell the disease. The dog detected malignant melanoma skin tumors with nearly 100% accuracy. As a result, researchers from Cambridge University are studying the use of dogs to detect the smell of prostate cancer in the urine of males.
Although many animals are trained to do extraordinary things, animals bring unconditional love, compassion, and companionship into one’s life. For all age groups, caring for a pet provides a sense of purpose and fulfillment while lessening the feelings of loneliness and isolation. Pets are not only good friends, they are good medicine!
References:
1. The Humane Society of the United States, How Pets Help People. www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/how_pets_help_people/
2. The Delta Society. www.deltasociety.org/AnimalsHealthGeneralGeneral.htm.
3. www.preciouspets.org/newsletters/articles/healthbenefits.htm
