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Pets have a positive effect
on people, especially older adults. Caring for a companion animal
brings joy and a sense of connection to one's life, and it also
offers health benefits. Studies have shown that pet owners,
particularly the elderly, have lower blood pressure, are less likely
to be depressed and have higher self-esteem than people who don't
have pets.
"It's startling, but all dogs,
regardless of breed or intelligence, can sense when a person is
becoming hypoglycemic and warn them," said researcher Dr Alan
Stocks.
In what
may come as a surprise to many, an Australian study has found that
man's best friend has the ability to sense when human blood sugar
levels drop to dangerous levels - hypoglycemia - and alert their
diabetic owners.
"This is not an anecdotal finding, it's a
common phenomenon. It seems quite likely that the dogs are reacting
to the scent of stress hormones secreted in human sweat," Dr Stocks
was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph.
'Seizure-Alert' Dogs
Protect Children With Epilepsy
MONDAY, June 21 (HealthDayNews) -- Proving
again that they're man's best friend, many dogs apparently have the
ability to alert families minutes or even hours in advance of a
child's oncoming epileptic seizure.
Pet Therapy Boosts
Heart-Failure Patients
TUESDAY, Nov. 15 (HealthDay News) -- If a
dog is man's best friend, maybe it's because a canine is
heart-friendly.
Though the technique isn't taught in medical
schools, researchers report that just a 12-minute visit with a dog
improved heart and lung function in men and women hospitalized with
heart failure, a new study found.
Studies show some
healthy reasons to have pets are:
- Seniors who own dogs go to the doctor less
often.
- Pet owners have lower blood pressure.
- Companionship of pets (particularly dogs)
helps children in families adjust better to the serious illness and
death of a parent.
- Pets owners feel less afraid of being a
victim of crime when walking a dog or sharing a residence with a
dog.
- Pet owners have better psychological well
being.
- Contact with pets develops nurturing
behavior in children who may grow to be more nurturing adults.
- Having a pet may decrease heart attack
mortality by three percent in the total population.
- Children with pets are more involved in
activities such as sports, hobbies, clubs or chores.
Now there's new research from the University of
Missouri-Columbia suggesting the hormonal changes that occur when
humans and dogs interact could help people cope with depression and
certain stress-related disorders. Preliminary results from a study
show that a few minutes of stroking our pet dog prompts a release of
a number of "feel good" hormones in humans, including serotonin,
prolactin and oxytocin.
COMMON PET
MEDICATIONS
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