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Health benefits Pets might have the ability to stimulate their caregivers, in particular the elderly, giving people someone to take care of, someone to exercise with, and someone to help them heal from a physically or psychologically troubled past.[35][36][37] Having a pet may help people achieve health goals, such as lowered blood pressure, or mental goals, such as decreased stress.[38][39][40][41][42][43] There is evidence that having a pet can help a person lead a longer, healthier life. In a 1986 study of 92 people hospitalized for coronary ailments, within a year 11 of the 29 patients without pets had died, compared to only 3 of the 52 patients who had pets.[37] Having pet(s) was shown to significantly reduce triglycerides, and thus heart disease risk, in the elderly.[44] A study by the National Institute of Health found that people who owned dogs were less likely to die as a result of a heart attack than those who didn’t own one.[45] Other studies have shown that for the elderly, good health may be a requirement for having a pet, and not a result.[46] Dogs trained to be guide dogs can help people with vision impairment. Dogs trained in the field of Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) can also benefit people with other disabilities.[35][47] Pets in long-term care institutions People residing in a long-term care facility, such as a hospice or nursing home, experience health benefits from pets. Pets help them to cope with the emotional issues related to their illness. They also offer physical contact with another living creature, something that is often missing in an elder's life.[48] Pets for nursing homes are chosen based on the size of the pet, the amount of care that the breed needs, and the population and size of the care institution.[37] Appropriate pets go through a screening process and, if it is a dog, additional training programs to become a therapy dog.[49] There are three types of therapy dogs: facility therapy dogs, animal-assisted therapy dogs, and therapeutic visitation dogs. The most common therapy dogs are therapeutic visitation dogs. These dogs are household pets whose handlers take time to visit hospitals, nursing homes, detention facilities, and rehabilitation facilities.[36] Different pets require varying amounts of attention and care; for example, cats may have lower maintenance requirements than dogs.[50] Health risks Health risks that are associated with pets include: Aggravation of allergies and asthma caused by dander and fur or feathers Falling injuries. Tripping over pets, especially dogs, causes more than 86,000 falls serious enough to prompt a trip to the emergency room each year in the United States.[51] Among elderly and disabled people, these falls have resulted in life-threatening injuries and broken bones. Injury, mauling, and sometimes death caused by pet bites and attacks Disease and/or parasites due to animal hygiene problems or lack of appropriate treatment (faeces and urine) Stress caused by behaviour of animals |
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