How pets keep us healthy

Many of us have had a dog or a cat, or even a hamster and we can all attest to that heart-bursting love a human has for their pet. But, in addition to being our loyal cuddlers, there are plenty more benefits that come with having a loving pet.

The bond between humans and animals dates back to prehistoric times, believe it or not. At the end of the last Ice Age, the transition from hunting and gathering to farming favored the process of domesticating animals.

The first species to make the transition from wild to domestic was the wolf and its domestication was based on a mutually beneficial relationship with man. Until recently, archaeological findings were the only evidence to highlight the beginning of man’s symbiotic relationship with dogs, the date of dog’s domestication being placed between 14,000 to 10,000 years ago.

However, some anthropologists suggest that the human-dog relationship could be almost as old as modern man himself. In return for companionship and food, the early ancestor of the dog assisted man in tracking, hunting, and guarding. As man wandered through the early world, he took his dog with him for the ride.

This extremely lengthy association between man and dog has provided the foundation for the social behaviors learned by dogs that has enabled them to cooperate and communicate with humans.

There is increasing evidence suggesting that a close relationship with a pet animal is associated with significant health effects in people. The most cited outcomes are lowered risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as coronary heart disease and higher chance of surviving after a heart attack, less need of physician services during stressful life events, and a highly significant reduction in everyday minor health problems during the first months after acquiring a pet.

Interestingly, the presence of an animal or even just looking at one, can alter the physiological and psychological responses to stress and anxiety. This can lead to a transient decrease in blood pressure and heart rate in adults and children.

It has also been found that interacting with a dog leads to increases in the neuropeptide oxytocin, which among many functions, is involved in bonding, social affiliation, and building trust.

Animals are so awesome that there are a variety of animal-assisted interventions such as animal-assisted therapies and education. Animal-assisted intervention in the elderly has been shown to improve communication and reduce loneliness. In children, “pet therapy” has been shown to reduce anxiety and promote responsiveness, alertness, and willingness.

Cortisol is considered the stress hormone, responsible for how we respond to stress. In healthy adults, previous studies have shown a decrease in cortisol levels after interactions with dogs, leading to a decrease in the stress response.

Not only are pet animals extremely adorable but they are very beneficial to our health. So next time you are considering adopting a pet, go for it! Not only would you be rescuing an animal in need but the animal can help keep you healthier in the long run.

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Community Caregivers is a not-for-profit agency supported by community donations, and grants from the Albany County Department for Aging, the New York State Department of Health and Office for the Aging, and the United States Administration on Aging.

Editor’s note: Priscilla Rodriguez is a Community Caregivers’ volunteer in the Class of 2025 at Albany Medical College.