The Health Benefits of Pet Ownership

By Tiffany Mitchener, DVM

We, in veterinary medicine, spend a lot of time focusing on the health of pets. It is gratifying to us as a profession to discover that recent studies are showing the benefits of pet ownership on human health. Surprisingly, there are numerous ways that pets can enhance their owners’ health. New research is beginning to uncover our pets’ unique abilities to improve our own quality of life. Sharing our homes with companion animals can have an overall healthy effect on us.

As many pet owners already know, it can feel good to own a pet. The warm greeting at the door supplied by a dog that is thrilled to see you can erase the memory of a difficult work day or a long commute. The warmth of a cat curled up on your lap as you watch TV or read a book can be the very definition of “home” for some people. But the benefits of pet ownership go deeper than emotion. Animals really can improve their owners’ moods on a physiological level. They are, in fact, natural mood enhancers.

Studies have shown that the simple act of being near an animal can decrease the stress hormone cortisol in a human patient and increase serotonin, a chemical often associated with the feeling of well-being. Pet owners have lower blood pressure and resting heart rates than non-pet owners. The levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the bloodstream are lower in people who own pets; in fact, pet owners, in general, have a lower risk of dying from cardiac disease.

Children who grow up in a home with a dog or a cat are less likely to develop allergies later in life. Dog owners, in particular, are more physically fit than non-dog owners. This is attributed to having a built-in exercise buddy. Dog owners are much more likely to obtain at least thirty minutes of daily exercise, often in the form of a daily walk with their dog.

Interestingly, medical research has shown that cat owners have fewer strokes than non-cat owners, but researchers have not yet been able to figure out the reason for this correlation. Obviously, there are numerous health benefits from sharing your home with a cat or dog.

People suffering from specific diseases can benefit from animal companionship as well. Most everyone is aware of the benefits a seeing-eye dog can have for a blind person. This guide dog can promote independence in a person with a visual disability. A person with Parkinson’s disease is aided by a therapy dog who is trained to assist with balance and support, pick up dropped items, and turn lights on or off in a room. Not all conditions require a trained therapy dog; there are benefits from simple dog ownership. For example, women suffering from osteoporosis can benefit greatly from a canine companion. The daily walk encouraged by a dog helps these women perform weight-bearing exercise that strengthens bones and muscle. Additionally, walking outdoors will expose women to sunlight, which can increase vitamin D levels in their bodies.

Children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can benefit from pet ownership. The responsibility of feeding, grooming, and cleaning up after a pet can encourage the child’s organizational skills. Playtime with the pet can help to release extra energy. The unconditional love supplied by the animal can boost the child’s self-esteem. Autistic children can benefit from sensory integration activities that involve holding or petting an animal, or even riding a horse.

At the Palo Alto Veterans Administration Medical Center, in Palo Alto, California, a special program is in place which pairs soldiers suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with future therapy dogs. The soldiers train the dogs to assist physically disabled veterans. There is early evidence that the veterans may have some relief from the symptoms of PTSD due to their close relationships with the dogs in training. According to the Smithsonian Magazine, the program has been so successful that the U.S. Congress has commissioned a study to assess the effects of canine caretaking on veterans suffering from PTSD.

The future of human health benefits from pet ownership is bright. Human medicine has benefited from veterinary research into animal cancers. Some dogs have actually detected cancer in their human companions, presumably through their superior sense of smell. Research is underway to see if this type of early detection can be systematically utilized in human medicine. According to the British Medical Journal, one out of three dogs living with a diabetic owner can detect a severe drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia) before the human recognizes it.

It remains to be seen if dogs can be trained to give a consistent early warning signal for hypoglycemia. Interestingly, a Mexican hairless dog called a Xolo is known for generating intense body heat. Researchers are determining if this body heat could be utilized by those suffering from chronic pain as a sort of living heating pad!

Our companion animals provide us with unconditional love, a sense of responsibility, and a connection to our community. These steadfast emotional virtues combine with newly discovered physical health benefits to show us one thing is true: pet ownership is good for the mind, body, and soul!

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Column courtesy of Capitola Veterinary Hospital, 1220 H 41st Ave. Capitola, 831-476-7387. Website: capitolaveterinaryhospital.com