October is Pit Bull Awareness month, so as it comes to a close I want to take the opportunity to share some reflections on wellness benefits of companion animals including the much stigmatized American Staffordshire Terrier, commonly known as the Pit Bull. I haven’t always been a dog person; it actually wasn’t until after college that I started spending more time with dogs including Jimmy, a shop dog at Continuum Cycles. Follow them on Instagram to see the occasional candid shot of Jimmy and his fur siblings.
Jimmy makes a great shop dog because he is calm and friendly to all people including children. He is really a pleasure to be around and could always make me smile. From dogs like Jimmy, I have come to learn a lot more about the often misunderstood Bully breeds, and I now foster Pit Bulls for Second Chance Rescue. My current foster dog is named Charlie. She is the bundle of joy in the photo.
While common sense tells us the feelings elicited by animal companions have a positive effect on health, the way laughing dampens stress, I wanted to post more on the amazing health benefits of dogs as companion animals.
Having an animal companion has been shown to reduce anxiety, lowering blood pressure & cholesterol preventing strokes and improving recovery from heart attacks [1], as well as easing pain [2]. Interestingly, two lesser-known health benefits of animal companions are monitoring blood sugar levels in diabetics and improving immunity in children. According to a 2013 study [3] of 17 glycemia alert dogs, the health benefits all of the owner’s experienced, included:
• Fewer paramedic calls
• Fewer unconscious episodes
• Greater independence
Researchers reported that 15 of the human study participants said they trusted their dog to alert them to low blood sugar levels, and 13 also trusted them to detect high blood sugar levels. These dogs are effective at facilitating tightened glycemic control, and thus reducing hypoglycemic episodes, nocturnal lows, and paramedic call outs.
A growing number of studies have suggested that kids growing up in a home with “furred animals” — whether it’s a pet cat or dog, or on a farm and exposed to large animals — will have less risk of allergies and asthma. One study showed if a dog lived in the home, infants were less likely to show evidence of pet allergies — 19% vs. 33% [4]. They also were less likely to have eczema, a common allergy skin condition that causes red patches and itching. In addition, they had higher levels of some immune system chemicals — a sign of stronger immune system activation. Getting a pet as an adult will not minimize allergies, it only helps prevent certain allergies from developing in children.
So whether you could benefit from some stress reduction, are diabetic with difficulty managing blood sugar, or have children in your home you want to raise with robust immune systems, consider adopting a Pit Bull from your local shelter. The shelter can advise you on any special needs their dogs have and which dogs would be best suited for your home.
Notes:
[1] Allen K, Blascovich J, Mendes WB (2002). Cardiovascular reactivity and the presence of pets, friends, and spouses: the truth about cats and dogs. Psychosom Med. Sep-Oct;64(5):727-39.
[2] Havey, Julia MSN, RN, CCM et. al (2014). Anthrozoos. August/September.
[3] Rooney NJ, Morant S, Guest C (2013) Investigation into the Value of Trained Glycaemia Alert Dogs to Clients with Type I Diabetes. PLoS ONE 8(8): e69921. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.
[4] Gern, James E. MD (2003). “Effects of dog ownership and genotype on immune development and atopy in infancy.” Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. February 2004. Volume 113, Issue 2, Pages 307–314.
