Spring is in full swing. We know that the extra sunshine, warmer weather and chance to escape to the great outdoors can make us feel better.
But owning a pet can have an all year round positive impact on our health. The heart of the matter is that pet owners generally have better cardiovascular health (lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol).
Dogs are great motivators to exercise. They need regular exercise which means we get to enjoy regular exercise as well.
I can speak from personal experience here. Pets are great conversation starters. I remember many years ago living in the inner city, not knowing my neighbours. As soon as we adopted a dog, everyone wanted to talk to me and my dog. We got to know the neighbours and the street as a whole. With many pets they provide an instant connection to other pet owners. Suddenly your social sphere has increased.
For many people living on their own, pets provide valuable companionship. For individual support animals, they have been trained specifically to assist people with special health needs. These pets are the true ‘Florence Nightingales’
Interestingly studies have shown pet ownership in childhood to have a massive impact on self esteem with children reporting higher self esteem.
Pet owners report less depression and appear to cope with stress, grief and loss better than non-pet owners
All up, this translates into less visits to the doctors, less sick days from work or school. An estimate of cost saving to the health service of over 3 billion dollars.
Next time you are looking lovingly into your pet’s eyes remember they are caring for your health as much as you are caring for them.
We’re concentrating on the dreaded itchy skin. A group of frustrating conditions, that leaves your pet constantly irritated and uncomfortable. Don’t worry we have the solutions.