Owning A Dog Is Good For Your Health

[Guest guest]

Owning A Dog Is Good For Your Health

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=61316

A UK study reveals that owning a dog is good for your health. And

having a pet dog improves your physical and mental wellbeing more

than having a cat.

This is the conclusion of a study by a senior lecturer, Dr Deborah

Wells, from the Canine Behaviour Centre of Queens University,

Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Dr Wells has published her study in the British Journal of Health

Psychology.

The study is a review of research papers that have explored the

connection between domestic dog ownership and human wellbeing. In

her research Dr Wells found papers that suggest domestic dog

ownership can prevent people from getting ill, recover more quickly

when they do fall ill, and give warning of early signs of cancer,

seizures and hypoglycaemia.

She also explored the research into dogs and human psychological

health, including the therapeutic role that dogs play in aiding the

disabled and also in hospitals, prisons and residential homes.

An Israeli research paper said it was likely that animal companions

helped people with schizophrenia feel motivated and calmer. And

another UK study suggested that the companionship of a dog helped

children with chronic illnesses endure painful treatments.

Some of the evidence was found to be weak, but in other areas Dr

Wells found strong evidence to suggest that dog owners have lower

blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and are less likely to have minor

and serious health problems.

In one paper dated 1985, Dr Wells found that dog owners had an 8.6

higher one year survival rate after a heart attack compared to

people who did not have a dog.

Dr Wells suggests there could be a number of reasons for the health

benefits of dog ownership. There is the more obvious direct effect

of increased physical activity, but then there are also indirect

effects such as that brought by increased social contact and the

possibility that the human-dog bond provides a psychological buffer

against stress.

Comparing cat and dog ownership, Dr Wells found evidence that people

who take cats and dogs from rescue centres reported reductions in

minor health problems such as headaches, dizzy spells and colds as

soon as one month after taking their new companion home. However, it

was only those people who had taken dogs, as opposed to cats, that

still had the improved health conditions up to ten months later.

[Guest guest]

My dog is great for my health I have CMT and have been disabled for 10 years I

can't work and the dog I have now I have had for 6 years. She gets me up early

everyday and I get some walking exercise and some movement exercise when I throw

the ball for her and I get to socialize with other people that I probably would

not have met. She can tell when my back is hurting me so she walks slower and

doesn't pull me and with all the medication I'm on and my acid-reflux I have

coughing fits at night she wakes me up and knows if I have to vomit because she

starts pushing me and jumping up and down on the bed. She's a great dog and I

don't know how I would handle my CMT and my other problems without her she's

very loving and knows when I'm down and makes me laugh with some of the things

she does or she'll just sit on my lap and make me feel good.

Tommy

[Guest guest]

I think any of you guys that know me know that I whole heartedly agree with

this. I don't know what I would do without animals...

On a sadder side note, I just got diagnosed with mono. And, because mono makes

your spleen become enlarged, I can't ride for a month because if I fell, I could

rupture my spleen, which wouldn't be good at all. I feel like I'm moving through

molasses...

Liz