Health tip of the week: PETS!

Buster and Max chillin' after their walk

I was just thinking about how fun my life is because of my dogs and cat, and I saw this article on the WebMD site about how people who walk their dogs are healthier overall. Let me tell you about Max, our almost-8 year old Humane Society dog. He's about 45 pounds of loveable mutt, and he goes with Matt on his 8 mile runs at least 3 times a week. I know there have been mornings when Matt would've loved to sleep in, but as soon as his eyes start to flicker, Max is all over him, tail pounding the bed as if to say "Let's go! Don't wimp out on me! I know you're going to work all day and I'll be stuck in this house all day, so get going NOW!" I'm not a runner, but I take Max and our newest fur baby (Buster) out for walks at least 3 additional times a week, at least now that the weather's getting better. We enjoy walking the relatively flat surface of the canal trail in this mud season, but when the weather looks a bit better, we'll be joining Anne and her dog Gracie at Cacapon Park for some more strenuous walks on those beautiful trails. It's rather obvious to me that one of the responsibilities of having a dog is providing exercise for her/him; it's just a nice coincidence that this is also good for us!


Besides the exercise benefit, did you know that owning a pet can help lower your blood pressure? Petting and brushing your best friend's coat, having someone that loves you unconditionally and is waiting for you at the door without any other demands besides perhaps a treat and a pat on the head, and playing with your pet, is a proven stress-buster. 


For probably many of the same reasons, pets can help battle loneliness and depression. According to an article on WebMd, researcher Judith Siegel, PhD. reports in her study that pet owners with AIDS are far less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets: "The benefit is especially pronounced when people are strongly attached to their pets,"


Did you know that kids raised with pets are far less likely to suffer from allergies and asthma than those raised in a pristine, non-animal environment? According to this article on the CNN website, 5.5 percent of kids without pets were allergic to cats compared with almost 12 percent with one cat or dog. That number dropped to just under eight percent when two or more pets were in the home. 


Sure, pets take a lot of time and care, but with all these benefits and more, it just might be worth a trip to your local Humane Society! If you absolutely can't have a pet, why not think about volunteering at a local shelter, or offer to pet-sit for a friend. And if you already have pets, give them an extra pat on the head tonight.