Benefits of Being A Dog Owner

Everybody knows that dogs make great pets. They have the ability to make us laugh, and provide companionship to elderlies. But who would have guessed that being a pet owner also has medical benefits? Various researches have shown that owning a pet dog is good for your health--both mentally and physically. Here is a list of five facts about how a dog could improve your health:

1. Monitors Your Blood Sugar Level
According to the Diabetes Forecast magazine published by the American Diabetes Association, a 1992 study found that one-third of pets (mostly--but not limited to--dogs) change their behavior when their owner's blood sugar level dropped. This reaction is most likely caused by the dog responding to the owner's body's chemical changes. The behavior noted in the study soon results in organizations which trains dogs to detect reduction in a human's blood sugar level. Once these special dogs master their training, they would be placed with patients at risk of unstable blood glucose level.

2. Cuts Common Cold Risk
A recent study from the University of California, San Francisco, shows that owning a dog improves your health by lessening your chances of catching the cold. In a study of mice, researchers found that house dust from homes with dogs worked to protect against a common cold strain: the respiratory syncytial virus or RSV. But if common cold is all a dog protects us from, why bother adopting one? Everyone catches a cold every now and then, don't they? Well, that might be true for you, but not so much for younger children. Especially premature or ill infants. The RSV can be fatal to them, and it is the leading cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children below one year of age. So instead of selling your dog because your baby brother or sister is arriving soon, why don't you try to help them make friends with each other?

3. Lowers Cholesterol 

According to United States Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a pet dog can lower  your cholesterol. Although it is still unclear how could a dog's presence affect someone's cholesterol level, people who own pets--especially men--have significantly lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels than those who doesn't. 

4. Eases Pain 

Are you tired of that persistent recurring migraine? Or do you have a very painful arthritis? Are you a dog owner? If so, you might want to get ready to say goodbye to your pain killers! One study from Loyola University found that people who use pet therapy while recovering from a surgery may need less pain medication than those who do not. How come? Well, we all know how dogs can reduce our anxiety and stress. Apparently, the less anxious you are, the less pain you feel! 

5. Prevents Allergies and Improves Immunity 

Although ineffective with adults, studies show that children with early introduction to dogs are less likely to develop allergies. In fact, the earlier a child got introduced to a dog, the fewer allergies she/he will develop. Doctor Marty Becker, a veterinary consultant, says that danders on dog hairs are natural immunotherapy.However, he notes that the effect is not reversible. Getting a pet as an adult will not minimize your allergies, but it will prevent certain allergies from developing in younger children.

sources:
www.womansday.com

http://abcnews.go.com

http://blog.dogvacay.com