Can Owning A Pet Improve Your Health?

I cannot remember a time growing up when we didn’t have a couple dogs, cats and even a bird or a hamster.

Even now, as an adult, I feel like I need and yearn that companionship.  It make me happy!  However, I had no idea about the health benefits!

I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled across all the research on this topic. Repeatedly, it has been proven that owning a pet can actually improve your health along with your happiness!

Find out how your four-legged friend can help boost your well-being!

Us as pet owners know how much our furry friend improves our life. But it’s not all about unconditional love—although that actually provides a wellness boost, too.

Owning a pet can decrease depression, stress and anxiety; health-wise. It can lower your blood pressure, improve your immunity system and even decrease your risk of heart attack and stroke!

But there are even more benefits for owning a pet:

Decreases Stress:

According to a study at State University of New York, researchers found that when people where performing a stressful task, they experienced less stress when they had their pets with them than when their spouse, family member or close friend was nearby.

Lowers Blood Pressure:

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.  “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.”

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. According to 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.

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.

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 Jennifer Anniston. 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 also 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.”

Helps People Socialize:

A 2019 Canadian study found that pet owners were more ‘socially engaged’ than non–pet owners. 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.'”

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.

Monitors Blood Sugar Levels for Diabetics:

This really blew me away!! According to the American Diabetes Association’s, a 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. They can detect changes in blood sugar 20-30 minutes before the newest technology. This can pick up on the chemical change reactions 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.

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.

Leave a comment and tell me about your Fur Baby!