Bond with pet helps the owner, too

Bond with pet helps the owner, too

The special relationship between pets and people began to form in the very early days of human society. Somewhere along the way, people realized that providing food and an occasional pat on the head could result in a pet's unlimited loyalty and unconditional love, thus creating the unique human-animal bond.

Today, pets come in an almost bewildering variety of sizes, shapes, colors and appearances. They have been tinkered with until man, the engineer, created enough varieties of pets to suit any fancy. So, whether you prefer to own a traditional dog or cat or rather be adventurous and own a bird, ferret, turtle, rodent or reptile, you're sure to find the perfect pet that best suits you.

For example, it is easy to see why dogs and people became such good friends; we are so much alike. We are both social, family-oriented animals. Most dogs are willing to make friends with people to whom they are properly introduced. In fact, the really gregarious ones will go around introducing you to strangers. Dogs are strong proponents of family togetherness.

Whether the activity is watching television or going for a picnic, dogs enjoy being involved in everything the family does. Anyone who owns a dog is already aware that their dog much prefers being an integral family member and is thrilled to go along rather than being left at home alone.

There is no doubt that pets are good for more than warming your feet on cold nights or keeping you company as you run errands. Pets offer a depth of companionship that is indeed rare. They are able to accurately and immediately sense your mood and can share your excitement, offer silent comfort, and always give unconditional love. Your pets greet you every day with happiness and love, providing you excellent emotional therapy.

Of course, owning a pet comes with inherent obligations as well, not so different from having a child. Having a pet in your home requires an honest commitment of time, not simply the care they need, but also to give back the attention and the friendship your pet deserves. Fortunately, your pet won't demand an Ivy League education or designer clothing, although equivalents of both are certainly available.

Most pet owners already realize firsthand the joys and benefits of owning a pet. However, to help validate pet owners' strong bonds and to highlight studies on these special relationships, a group of experts came together and formed an alliance, PAWSitive Interaction. Formed in 2001, the nonprofit group is composed of the following Atlanta based organizations: Atlanta Humane Society; Happy Tails Pet Therapy; Pets Are Loving Support (PALS); Merial and Zoo Atlanta.

These experts in the areas of medicine, psychiatry, veterinary studies and epidemiology came together to prove the research that supports positive effects of the human-animal bond and to gain more support from the medical field, so that ultimately, innovative ways will be used to incorporate companion animals into health care treatment.

The first summit took an overall look at how our companion animals contribute positively to our lives through social benefits, behavioral benefits, emotional effects and physical effects. In today's hectic world, people of all ages experience varying degrees of stress. Dr. Sandra Barker, one of the presenters at this meeting, pointed out "that stress is implicated as an important factor in the development of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases, and that research shows that these patients can be helped through the human-animal bond and its physiological and psychological benefits."

Presenters also showed how pet ownership can help lower blood pressure and triglycerides, aid in fewer physician visits, decrease loneliness, reduce depression, increase heart attack survival and all the while offering unconditional nonjudgmental affection.

Another presenter, Dr. Edward Creagan, a Mayo Clinic oncologist, prescribes pets to a third of his cancer patients to help them cope with their disease. He has noted that even the tragically ill are determined to get home to their pets, which results in a stronger drive for rehabilitation after an injury or illness.

Creagan states, "there is a rock-solid, indisputable mind-body connection that is vectored by our pets" and "our pets create a balance between our minds and our bodies."

An important study on how animals affect Alzheimer's disease was also presented at this first summit.

Common side-effects seen with Alzheimer's are weight loss and loss of appetite. The study conducted by Dr. Alan Beck looked at a group of Alzheimer's patients who were placed in front of fish tanks during mealtime.

The study showed that "by simply watching fish during normal eating times, the patients became fascinated, experience an increase in appetite and demonstrated metabolic gain in their weight."

Beck, who also was a key participant in earlier landmark studies that demonstrate that pets lower blood pressure and prolong survival rates of people with heart disease, stated "this is a definitive study and a valuable addition to the growing body of scientific evidence about physiological responses in humans brought about by interacting with animals."

As a veterinarian who firsthand daily sees the benefits of pets on their owners' lives as well as in my own, it makes my job that much more pleasurable as well as important. The reality is that not only am I helping to take care of the health of my animal patients, but the health and well-being of their owners as well.

Because of the wealth of information gathered at this summit and the ones that followed, I will continue on the subject of the human-animal bond in my next article. One of the age groups that benefits the most from the companionship of a pet is children. So, be sure to "read on" in my next article in a few weeks. Remember to give your special pet a hug today.