Pet Goddess

Science plus common sense

One of the pioneers of PFT was Erika  Friedman, head of the Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences  at Brooklyn College. Even though there were obvious benefits to owning pets shown in many of the studies, common sense needs to be applied to the findings.

Pets are not medicine, and the scientific  case for the benefits of pet ownership is not watertight. In 1995  in a review of research, Dr. Friedman said there’s no question  that emotions have an impact on health, and that pets may help  promote positive emotions.

Still, it will always be difficult to  study this subject scientifically, since emotions are not measureable.   If pet owners are healthier,  it’s always possible that they were healthier to begin with. Clinical trials are impossible in areas like this—you can’t  really hand out pets and test their effects, as you might test  the effects of a drug.

Also, though it has been shown that  the presence of a friendly pet can have a positive effect on heart  rate and blood pressure, it’s not clear that a person actually  has to own the animal to get the effect.
They could get it from petting an animal coming to visit it for a certain period of time for example. Pet ownership is a big repsonsibility and is becoming prohibitively expensive for some as we struggle through this current recession.

Still, Dr. Friedman concludes  that since heart disease and other stress-related diseases are  so common in our society, it can’t hurt to recommend pets  for their calming effect—at least for people who like animals  and are willing and able to undertake the responsibility and expense of owning  one.

Continued in The Power of Pawsitive Thinking Part 3

Posted April 30, 2008 Comments(0)

There’s no shortage of good news  about the effect of pets on human health. Many articles present  pet ownership as a key to heart health, social support, and long  life; and many people do get a pet—or urge their aging parents  to get one—for the health benefits.

In one study in 2003,  researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo found  that married couples who owned pets had a lower heart rate and blood pressure—whether at rest or when undergoing stressful  tests—than those without pets.

Last May 2004 at a seminar in Portugal,  the Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Surgeons emphasized the many health benefits of pet ownership. But they also alluded to some negatives.
We can look at both sides of the question in this article.

The health benefits of pet ownership  are manifest for people who like animals, and most of us do—at  least friendly, clean, nonthreatening animals. Dogs and cats are  generally more affectionate and entertaining as pets than, say,  fish or birds or ferrets, though many delight in those animals,  too.

A dog is generally the most responsive pet, and walking a  dog provides exercise benefits at both ends of the leash. (City  people have been known to walk their cats, but it’s not as good a workout.)

Dogs and cats promote human contact—you communicate with other pet owners. Boy-meets-girl-via-dog is a  film cliché.

Besides that, a pet gives you something  to care for and thus provides some structure for your life—you  have to set out the food, visit the vet, clean the cage, empty  the litter, and so on.

A pet often takes center stage at family  gatherings, easing tensions and/or providing an immediate conversational  outlet. And, of course, dogs can be trained for useful work—aiding  the visually impaired, for example. Even the most pampered cat  can help rid your home of mice.

Pets also have a calming effect on most  people. Nursing homes now arrange for pets to visit residents,  and some facilities keep pets on the premises.

Even the government  approves of pets—the National Institutes of Health conducted  a workshop almost 20 years ago on the health benefits of pets and  pet-facilitated therapy (PFT). Conclusion: these benefits exist, particularly for the elderly.

Continued in The Power of Pawsitive Thinking Part

Posted April 29, 2008 Comments(0)

A nationwide pet crisis on our hands now

A great number of people are suffering economically as a result of soaring fuel costs, and now home foreclosures. If you are finding it hard to make ends meet with regard to your pet, there are assistance programs that can help.

Many people are surrendering their dogs at shelters, where at least they have a chance of rescue, but others are just leaving their pets in the houses—to starve to death, or die of dehydration  without drinking water. Both are horrid deaths.

Perhaps they think the bank staff or building workers or new owners will step in to save them in time, but the fact of the matter is, most people are not thinking of their pets at all.

How many times do we hear, “We’re giving the pet up because they don’t allow them at our new place.”

Pardon me, but you wouldn’t move to a place which did not permit kids, and hand over your children to a shelter, now would you? So if you do have to re-locate, you should consider the pet as well in any decision you make as an integral part of your family.

Think about your own dwelling place, family, friends, work schedule, routines and habits. A small dog can pretty much join you in all these activities. A dog that does not have to be groomed much can be a great, fairly effortless companion.

As for cats, well, they are pretty independent, and don’t have to be walked in bad weather. Both dogs and cats need love, food, water, exercise, regular vet care, and really, that is about it. You can even get pet insurance nowadays (in fact, we recommend it, give how much costs have gone up recently) for animals under 10, and in fact many rescue animals come with at least one free month of it, plus microchipping in case they get lost.

Shelters are full to overflowing, with animals being put down faster than ever before in order to make room for still more coming in. so if you CAN offer a good home to a pet, by all means take into account our reality check comments, but also don’t be afraid to go for it.  Most rescue animals are so grateful to be spared the horror that they will be a loyal and loving companion for life.

A small furry friend could be in your future, if you keep in mind our words of wisdom in this reality check. Pet ownership is for life, the life of the pet, so do your part, and it could be a match made in heaven!

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Posted April 28, 2008 Comments(0)

Why not consider an older pet?

That’s why we often recommend that anyone thinking about getting a pet might want to consider an adult pet, not one who is hard to train and seems like too much hard work.

 
At the same time, it is possible that if the pet is adopted very late, it would be difficult for it to accept the new owner. If the owner is tired of the animal, it can be difficult to find a new owner, especially once they are pretty muck past the age of 6.

Getting your animal from a shelter

In this current period of time, it is almost criminal to buy a pedigree puppy, when that money could be used to rescue one or more animals from a shelter. It is a sad but true fact, if you do have your eye on a designer dog or cat, chances are you will find at least a dozen of them dumped in a shelter! And thus can get one for the low price of the adoption fee, and save yourself the puppy or kitten training phase!

A lot of people who have to give up their animals for whatever reason dump them in shelters, rather than trying to find a responsible home. Still others just dump them by the side of the road, or just let them wander off.

Setting an animal free to fend for itself is the worst thing that you can do.  If you have had it from when it was small, its life is at risk every moment it has to try to fend for itself, and will put the animal’s life at risk from other animals, wild animals, cars, and diseases.

 continues in A Reality Check for Potential Pet Owners Part 3

Posted April 27, 2008 Comments(0)

Owning a pet is a big decision for anybody and should be given a deep thought before attempting to get one.  There are many constraints which should be considered like expenditure, care, time, effort, devotion, and so on.

 All too often, people end up with pets because they are fashionable or seem cute. The reality is, that they are a living creature, not a fashion accessory.  No one should give into their whim to have a pet without understanding that like a marriage, this is supposed to be a lifetime commitment, in sickness and health, til death. It will be at least a 15 year marriage in many cases, as dogs and cars live longer than ever before.

It happens far too frequently—the pet is a novelty for a while, cute when it is a puppy, but then the honeymoon is over and the owner/s simply get bored   with the pet or tired of taking care of the pet.

 
Amazingly, they have even spent a small fortune on the pet!  You think they would value it after having paid for it. We also have to point out how much good that money could do if donated to a shelter, rather than given to an often unscrupulous pet breeder exploiting people and animals. There is nothing more horrendous than a puppy mill.

 
Remember too that every baby animal is pretty adorable, but as it gets older, it can  the animal can develop behavioral patterns which the owner might find unacceptable later on.

 Continues in A Reality Check for Potential Pet Owners Part 2

Posted April 26, 2008 Comments(0)

More evidence of pet ownership and its link to better health
A study of community dwelling elderly people in a rural area (Lago, Delayney, Miller, & Grill, 1989) found that attitudes toward pets and pet ownership were significant predictors of positive morale and self-reported health status.

In a ten-month investigation that followed adults who had recently acquired a pet, Serpell (1991) reported a reduction in minor health problems during the first month after pet acqusition.

For dog owners, this effect was sustained throughout the study, and suggests that pets may influence perceptions of stress.

Finally, in a study by Peretti (1990), friendship bonds between elderly people and their pets were explored. Data collection for this survey study took place over ten months, and all participants were walking their dogs in a metropolitan area public park. An open-ended questionnaire asked about personal attitudes and feelings toward pets.

An especially revealing finding was the high percentage of participants who said that their dogs were their only friends (78% of men and 67% of females), and that the friendship bonds they had with dogs were as strong as any they had experienced with humans.

Descriptive responses about relationships with dogs fell into the following five areas: (1) Companionship; (2) Emotional Bond; (3) Usefulness; (4) Loyalty; and (5) No Negotiation.

The notion of a friendship involving no negotiation is especially intriguing. By this the respondents described the straightforward interaction devoid of artificial comments and social dealing that is possible with dogs, but not people. They could basically be themselves, and the dogs were offering what amounted to unconditional love and affection.

This study adds significantly to understanding and appreciation of the meaning of dogs in the lives of elderly people who often are isolated.

It found that pets fulfilled their owners’ psychological needs for attachment and nurturance. Although the study did not use health as an outcome measure, given what is known about the relationship between health and social support, the findings are significant.

This review of the research on the link between ownership of a companion animal and the health benefits  manifest in elderly people demonstrates clearly that provided the person does not feel burdened by the expense, time, and effort, a pet can be an excellent companion.

A pet can make the difference between an older person being lively, active, and engaged, as compared with socially withdrawn, and laboring under the burden of heart and other health issues.

And the pet having a human of its own has clear benefits for the pet!

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Posted April 25, 2008 Comments(0)

Other links between health and pet ownership

Another community-based study looked at home environments of elderly people with and without dogs (Dembicki & Anderson, 1996). In this cross-sectional, observational study, it was found that dog owners walked significantly longer than non-owners.

In addition, increased walking was associated with significantly lower serum triglycerides among elderly pet owners.

The authors of this study are social services professionals, and suggest that in the context of adult development and aging, pet ownership could be another aid to living that should be encouraged and assisted by local service programs.

Siegel (1990) investigated physician use among elderly individuals with and without pets, and found that individuals who owned pets and were experiencing stressful life events, reported significantly fewer contacts with doctors than those without pets.

Participants in this study reported that their pets, especially dogs, helped them in times of stress.

Continued in Companion Animals and Elderly People-the health benefits  Part 6

Posted April 24, 2008 Comments(0)

The Eden experiment-long term implications

Thomas’ emphasis on environmental change in the Eden experiment is an excellent model for future investigations involving elderly people and companion animals.

With a small research grant and creative thinking it was possible to simulate a home-like environment and document its effects. This approach makes eminently more sense than repeatedly trying to demonstrate that the presence of a pet changes one small behavior in a nursing home resident’s life.

Following a pattern similar to that of Thomas, Cookman (1996) suggests that attachments of elderly people to things, places, pets, and ideas in their environment are important sources of security, belonging, and self-identity, and overall quality of life. There is motivation to take care of oneself if there is no quality of life, so clearly the pets offer motivation for the elderly to stay fit and active.

Other community-based Studies

Despite the gto wing body of evidence linking pet ownership with better health for older people, seniors who live in rented housing are often prohibited from having companion animals.

In order to make a credible case for a change in rental policies, it is necessary to conduct research that increases our understanding of the potential benefits and nature of relationships between elderly individuals and their pets (and can often allow the cost of the pet to be covered due to it being healthful in nature).

The environment of socially isolated elderly women living in their own homes was the focus of a physiology study (Allen, Gross, & Izzo, 1997) in which resting blood pressures were explored over a six-month period.

Relative to their counterparts without pets, pet owners had significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures.

In addition, elderly pet owners with few (human) social contacts had blood pressures comparable to those of young women.

Participants had cats or dogs and, although no species-related differences were found, attachment to the pet was a very important factor.

The notable finding here is that, although increases in blood pressure are a normal part of aging, social support provided by people and/or pets can moderate age-related increases and help avoid stroke.

Continues in Companion Animals and Elderly People-the health benefits Part 5

Posted April 21, 2008 Comments(0)

Although it is difficult to carry out scientific studies about the effects of pets on residents of nursing homes, a recent innovative effort by Thomas (1994) demonstrates it is possible.

As medical director of a nursing home, Thomas decided to create a totally new environment for residents. He envisioned home-like surroundings with companion animals, flower and vegetable gardens, visiting school children, and on-site day care for younger children.

He committed himself and his staff to the eradication of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom, and built a humane environment he calls the Eden Alternative. Nearly 100 birds (parakeets, lovebirds, finches, and canaries) live in residents’ rooms.

Two dogs and four cats roam freely throughout the living quarters and interact with residents all day. Outdoors there are rabbits and chickens, and Thomas has learned that the more diverse and complex a human habitat becomes, the greater the potential for meaningful (and stimulating) interaction.

In order to test the effectiveness of the new environment, Thomas compared residents in his nursing home with a control group, i.e., residents in a nearby nursing home who were similar in age and cultural background.

Over a two-year period he documented dramatic reductions among the Eden group in the use of psychotropic drugs for mind and mood altering. Such reductions are in marked contrast to high national and regional levels of use in United States nursing homes.

Another part of the evaluation of the intervention involved a focus on mortality rate in the two nursing homes. During the first 18 months following arrival of the animals, plants, and children, there were 15% fewer deaths in the Eden group, relative to the control

group. As the study progressed, this percentage increased. Residents of both homes had equal levels of function, so people in the Eden group did not just live longer because they were healthier.

Instead, Thomas suggests that the difference in death rates is related to the fundamental human need for a reason to live, and a quality of life.

As a scientist Thomas cannot say with certainty that a patient would not have lived without pets, but as a clinician he has observed that the patient’s commitment to taking care of the animals engendered an intense need to keep living.

Continues in Companion Animals and Elderly People-the health benefits  Part 4

Posted April 18, 2008 Comments(0)

Another investigation  on the effect of companion animals on the health of older people (Hendy, 1987) explored the effects of visits by pets and/or people.

It found that although individuals responded well to pets alone and to pets with people, interactions with people alone were associated with the greatest number of positive resident behaviors.

More recently, a similar study found in favor of one on one time between human and pet boosted mental health significantly, with participants feeling the could open up more when they had the dog on their own.

Despite their findings that pets alone cannot change some realities of nursing homes, studies of this type make important contributions to our understanding of the circumstances and environments in which pets can be beneficial.

Such results emphasize the importance of examining multiple social factors in designing nursing home environments, or residential environments for older people, and can contribute to improved research designs in future studies.

Continues in Companion Animals and Elderly People-the health benefits  Part 3

Posted April 15, 2008 Comments(0)