It is generally accepted that our pets can have a positive impact on our lives. Often this is in spite of what they can do that frustrate us at time. Our furry family members give to their families entertainment, love, promote exercise, and for some people, a sense of belonging and need. There are other proven health benefits we find our furry family members provide that are often not thought about but have recently been proven.
One of these is that the affects on heart health and blood pressure. A study was performed in 2002 that measured changes in heart rates and blood pressure measurements among people that owned either a dog or cat vs those who did not, under periods of stress. This "stress" was performing a math timed test. It was shown that those that were pet owners had statistically significantly lower heart rates and blood pressure measurements while performing the test. They also had measurements that returned to normal much quicker than their non pet owning counterparts.
There could be many reasons for this, such as owning pets can increase relaxation hormones overall, they encourage you to get up and do things if your pet is active, and encourage you to set a schedule as needed to care for your pet. Your own reason may be different.
This was taken a step further. A dog's presence in a room was challenged against a commonly used medication that helps to lower blood pressure. The presence of the dog in the room proved to lower blood pressure better than the popular medication! Now, I am not condoning going off of blood pressure medications in the least bit. However, I am promoting quality relationships with your feline and canine counterparts!
There was also a study that correlated that babies that lived in pet owning homes have fewer colds and ear infections in their first year when compared to babies living in pet free homes.
Of course owning a pet is not for everybody. There are many things to consider. Cost, aggression, and allergies are three of the most commonly reported reasons a pet is not for every household. Cost is often the biggest downfalls of owning a pet. We will discuss costs of owning a pet in another upcoming blog, but will be the first to tell you that "There is no such thing as a free pet".
I, for one, know that my dogs make me get up and get going much more frequently than I might consider doing so. They give me a sense of being a caretaker and are always ready to go outside and play! When it comes to my cats, I find they often just want me to spend some time petting them. This often makes me slow down in our every too busy lives and just spend some quality time showing them love and affection. I am not sure who gets more out of this...them or myself....
For more information, I highly recommend you check out How Animals Affect Us: Examining the Influence of Human-Animal Interaction of Child Development and Human Health by Peggy McCardel, Sandra McCune, James A. Griffin, and Valerie Maholmes. The book is based in part on a workshop sponsored by the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, a division of Mars, Incorporated, and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).
One of these is that the affects on heart health and blood pressure. A study was performed in 2002 that measured changes in heart rates and blood pressure measurements among people that owned either a dog or cat vs those who did not, under periods of stress. This "stress" was performing a math timed test. It was shown that those that were pet owners had statistically significantly lower heart rates and blood pressure measurements while performing the test. They also had measurements that returned to normal much quicker than their non pet owning counterparts.
There could be many reasons for this, such as owning pets can increase relaxation hormones overall, they encourage you to get up and do things if your pet is active, and encourage you to set a schedule as needed to care for your pet. Your own reason may be different.
This was taken a step further. A dog's presence in a room was challenged against a commonly used medication that helps to lower blood pressure. The presence of the dog in the room proved to lower blood pressure better than the popular medication! Now, I am not condoning going off of blood pressure medications in the least bit. However, I am promoting quality relationships with your feline and canine counterparts!
There was also a study that correlated that babies that lived in pet owning homes have fewer colds and ear infections in their first year when compared to babies living in pet free homes.
Of course owning a pet is not for everybody. There are many things to consider. Cost, aggression, and allergies are three of the most commonly reported reasons a pet is not for every household. Cost is often the biggest downfalls of owning a pet. We will discuss costs of owning a pet in another upcoming blog, but will be the first to tell you that "There is no such thing as a free pet".
I, for one, know that my dogs make me get up and get going much more frequently than I might consider doing so. They give me a sense of being a caretaker and are always ready to go outside and play! When it comes to my cats, I find they often just want me to spend some time petting them. This often makes me slow down in our every too busy lives and just spend some quality time showing them love and affection. I am not sure who gets more out of this...them or myself....
For more information, I highly recommend you check out How Animals Affect Us: Examining the Influence of Human-Animal Interaction of Child Development and Human Health by Peggy McCardel, Sandra McCune, James A. Griffin, and Valerie Maholmes. The book is based in part on a workshop sponsored by the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, a division of Mars, Incorporated, and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).
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