OMRF attending veterinarian Dr. Jennie Criely opens “Adam’s Journal” to answer a medical question from Adam Cohen, OMRF’s senior vice president & general counsel.
Adam’s Journal
Our fabulous dogs are getting older, so we decided to get a new puppy. He’s making us crazy, and we’re wondering what we were thinking. It also led us to wonder whether pets help us live longer or better.
Pets clearly bring us joy, but are there studies linking them to measurable health benefits like lower blood pressure or better memory?
Dr. Criley Prescribes
People who share their lives with animals know the happiness and improved quality of life pets bring. Happily, a number of recent research studies also offer evidence that having non-human family members can provide health benefits!
When you pet a dog, research shows it reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol. It’s also been found to lower blood pressure.
Pets also increase our physical activity levels, boost our moods and reduce social isolation, all of which benefit health and longevity. Relatedly, several studies have found that animal ownership is associated with a decrease in mortality from all causes.
Pets may have the most profound impact in children and the elderly. Studies have linked having a pet to multiple gains in child development. And seniors, a demographic prone to heart disease as well as isolation and depression, can enjoy cardiovascular and social benefits from interacting with animals.
On a personal level, I can see the positive effects on seniors when I take my two Papillons to visit my father in a memory care facility. They’re very popular with the residents and have a calming and mood-elevating effect. Residents who aren’t typically verbal will speak to the dogs and interact with them.
From reading the scientific literature, I know that staring into your dog’s eyes triggers a release of oxytocin in both human and animal, setting up each creature’s brain pathways for strong bonding. As a person watching the process play out with my father and his fellow residents, the impact is dramatic.
In addition to humans, other canine members of the household can benefit from a new addition. Puppies tend to keep older dogs more active and engaged, potentially increasing healthspan and lifespan. (Just be careful to give older dogs some quiet time away from the newcomer to recover!)
Yes, we’ll always have “What have I done?” moments after the arrival of an energetic new pet. But your household will soon settle into a new normal, adding happiness and health to your entire family.
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Criley is the attending veterinarian at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. Cohen is a marathoner and OMRF’s senior vice president and general counsel. Submit your health questions to contact@omrf.org.
