They keep you company and remain loving and trusting companions through thick and thin of life. No, we are not talking about our loving spouse or best friend; we are referring to our pets — the dogs, the cats, the birds and fishes, and sometimes even more exotic animals, that fill us with unfailing joy each time we engage with them.
Now scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States, in a decade long partnership with the Mars Corporation — the American multinational manufacturer of confectionery, food products, pet food, and animal care services — have found that besides keeping you company, the unconditional love of your pets could be beneficial to your health. Pets have been proven to decrease stress, improve heart health and even help children with their emotional and social skills.
In a recent study by NIH, scientists looked at the potential physical and mental health benefits brought by different animals.
Previous studies have shown that interacting with animals decreases levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lowers blood pressure. Other studies have found that animals can reduce loneliness, increase feelings of social support, and enhance your mood.
Clarifying at the onset that there was no one answer about how a pet can help somebody with a specific condition, the researchers said that it mainly depended on what one was looking for from their pet. For instance, if your goal is to increase physical activity, then you could benefit from owning a dog as you would have to walk a dog several times a day and this would increase your physical activity. However, if your goal is reducing stress, sometimes watching fish swim can result in a feeling of calmness, said the researchers.
The NIH/Mars Partnership is now funding a range of studies focused on the relationships we have with animals, including how animals might influence child development, especially those kids who have autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other conditions.
Animals can serve as a source of comfort and support. Therapy dogs are especially good at this. They are sometimes brought into hospitals or nursing homes to help reduce stress and anxiety level in patients, especially children. Mindfulness has been found to help decrease stress and manage pain. Some animals, especially dogs, embody the very foundations of mindfulness, including attention, intention, awareness and compassion, that many patients can learn to emulate.
Dogs have also been found to aid in the classroom. One study found that dogs can help children with ADHD focus their attention. Researchers enrolled two groups of children diagnosed with ADHD into 12-week group therapy sessions. The first group of kids read to a therapy dog once a week for 30 minutes. The second group read to puppets that looked like dogs. Kids who read to the real animals showed better social skills and more sharing, cooperation, and volunteering. They also had fewer behavioral problems.
Another study found that children with autism spectrum disorder were calmer while playing with guinea pigs in the classroom. When the children spent 10 minutes in a supervised group playtime with guinea pigs, their anxiety levels dropped. The children also had better social interactions and were more engaged with their peers. The researchers suggest that the animals offered unconditional acceptance, making them a calm comfort to the children.
While pets may bring a wide range of health benefits, an animal may not work for everyone. Recent studies suggest that early exposure to pets may help protect young children from developing allergies and asthma. But for people who are allergic to certain animals, having pets in the home can do more harm than good.
Researchers said they will continue to explore the many health effects of having a pet and try to find out what is working, what is not working, and what is safe, for both the humans and the animals.