5 Things That Will Help Your Dog Live a Longer, Healthier Life

Animal Expert Shares 5 Things That Will Help Your Dog Live a Longer, Healthier Life

JACQUELINE BOYD, THE CONVERSATION

30 AUGUST 2021

As anyone who has ever lived with a dog will know, it often feels like we don't get enough time with our furry friends. Most dogs only live around ten to 14 years on average – though some may naturally live longer, while others may be predisposed to certain diseases that can limit their lifespan.

But what many people don't know is that humans and dogs share many genetic similarities – including a predisposition to age-related cancer. This means that many of the things humans can do to be healthier and longer lived may also work for dogs.

Here are just a few ways that you might help your dog live a longer, healthier life.

1. Watch their waistline

One factor that's repeatedly linked with longevity across a range of species is maintaining a healthy bodyweight. That means ensuring dogs aren't carrying excess weight, and managing their calorie intake carefully.

Not only will a lean, healthy bodyweight be better for your dog in the long term, it can also help to limit the impact of certain health conditions, such as osteoarthritis.

Carefully monitor and manage your dog's bodyweight through regular weighing or body condition scoring – where you look at your dog's physical shape and "score" them on a scale to check whether they're overweight, or at a healthy weight. Using both of these methods together will allow you to identify weight changes and alter their diet as needed.

Use feeding guidelines as a starting point for how much to feed your dog, but you might need to change food type or the amount you feed to maintain a healthy weight as your dog gets older, or depending on how much activity they get.

Knowing exactly how much you are feeding your dog is also a crucial weight-management tool – so weigh their food rather than scooping it in by eye.

More generally, good nutrition can be linked to a healthy ageing process, suggesting that what you feed can be as important as how much you feed. "Good" nutrition will vary for each dog, but be sure to look for foods that are safe, tasty and provide all the nutrients your dog needs.

2. Plenty of walks

Exercise has many physiological and psychological benefits, both for our dogs (and us). Physical activity can help to manage a dog's bodyweight, and is also associated with anti-ageing effects in other genetically similar species.

While exercise alone won't increase your dog's lifespan, it might help protect you both from carrying excess bodyweight. And indeed, research suggests that "happy" dog walks lead to both happy dogs and people.

3. Teach them new tricks

Ageing isn't just physical. Keeping your dog's mind active is also helpful. Contrary to the popular adage, you can teach old dogs new tricks – and you might just keep their brain and body younger as a result.

Even when physical activity might be limited, explore alternative low-impact games and pursuits, such as scentwork that you and your dog can do together. Using their nose is an inherently rewarding and fun thing for dogs to do, so training dogs to find items by scent will exercise them both mentally and physically.

Other exercise such as hydrotherapy – a type of swimming exercise – might be a good option – especially for dogs who have conditions which affect their ability to exercise as normal.

4. Bonding

Like many companion animals, dogs develop a clear attachment to their caregivers. The human-dog bond likely provides companionship – and often, dog lovers describe them as a family member.

A stable caregiver-dog bond can help maintain a happy and mutually beneficial partnership between you and your dog. It can also help you recognize subtle changes in your dog's behavior or movement that might signal potential concerns.

Where there is compatibility between caregiver and dog, this leads to a better relationship – and even benefits for owners, too, including stress relief and exercise. Sharing positive, fun experiences with your dog, including playing with them, are great for cementing your bond.

5. Don't skip vet visits

Modern veterinary medicine has seen substantial improvements in preventing and managing health concerns in dogs. Successful vaccination and parasite management programs have effectively reduced the incidence of disease in both dogs and humans – including toxocariasis, which can be transmitted from dog feces to humans, and rabies, which can be transmitted dog-to-dog or dog-to-human.

Having a good relationship with your vet will allow you to tailor treatments and discuss your dog's needs. Regular health checks can also be useful in identifying any potential problems at a treatable stage – such as dental issues or osteoarthritis – which can cause pain and negatively impact the dog's wellbeing.

At the end of the day, it's a combination of our dog's genetics and the environment they live in that impacts their longevity. So while we can't change their genetics, there are many things we can do to improve their health that may just help them live a longer, healthier life. 

Jacqueline Boyd, Senior Lecturer in Animal Science, Nottingham Trent University.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

https://www.sciencealert.com/animal-expert-shares-5-things-that-will-help-your-dog-live-a-longer-healthier-life

Why do we think cats are unfriendly?

Cats are the only asocial animal we have successfully domesticated. We’re disappointed that we don’t bond with them as easily as dogs. But are we just missing the signs?

By Stephen Dowling21st May 2020

ASK A STUPID QUESTION | ANIMAL

BBC Future has brought you in-depth and rigorous stories to help you navigate the current crisis, but we know that’s not all you want to read. So, now we’re dedicating a series to help you escape. We’ll be revisiting our most popular features from the last three years in our Lockdown Longreads.  

You’ll find everything from the story about the world’s greatest space mission to the truth about whether our cats really love us, the epic hunt to bring illegal fishermen to justice and the small team which brings long-buried World War Two tanks back to life. What you won’t find is any reference to, well, you-know-what. Enjoy.

Dogs seem almost biologically incapable of hiding their inner moods – shuffling, snuffling, tail-wagging clues to contentment, nervousness or sheer, unadorned joy. Despite what the famous painting might want to tell you, dogs would be terrible poker players. We pick up their cues all too easily.

Cats also have sophisticated body language – their moods are signalled through twitching tails, ruffled fur, and the position of ears and whiskers. A purr usually (but not always) signals friendliness or contentment. They’re a usually reliable method of working out if the cat is in friendly mode or best left alone.

You might also like:

• The complicated truth about a cat’s purr
• Why sloths move so slowly
• Why dogs look like their owners

While we can reasonably be sure of a dog’s bond with us, despite the thousands of years domesticated cats have kept us company, they still suffer something of a bad PR image. The independence that many see as a bonus is seen by others as aloofness or selfishness. Their detractors claim they only really show affection when a food bowl is empty.

Cat owners will claim this is all nonsense, of course, and that their bond with their cat is as strong as any dog owner’s. But why does this image of the aloof, unfriendly cat remain? And is there any truth to it?

Some people believe cats are only affectionate as a way of getting food (Credit: Getty Images)

At the very least, the image of the “independent” cat has done it little harm in terms of popularity as a pet. It’s thought there are as many as 10 million domestic cats in the UK alone. Some 25% of households were believed to have at least one cat when a study was undertaken in 2012.

One clue to the cat’s image may come from how they were domesticated in the first place. It was a much more gradual process than that of dogs – and cats were very much in the driving seat. The earliest domesticated cats started appearing in Neolithic villages in the Middle East around 10,000 years ago. They didn’t depend on their early human hosts for food – they were encouraged to fetch it themselves, keeping crops and food stores safe from rats and other vermin. Our relationship with them was, from the outset, a little more at arms’ length than dogs, who helped us hunt and relied upon humans for a share of the spoils. (Find out why cats and other pets might hold the key to the obesity crisis.)

Dogs and humans are very similar and have lived together a long time. In a way it has been co-evolution - Karen Hiestand

The cat that may be currently curled up on your sofa or glaring at you from its vantage point on top of the bookcase shares many of its instincts with that of its pre-domestic ancestors – the desire to hunt, to patrol territory, guarding it from other cat; they are much closer to their old selves than dogs. Our taming of cats has only partly removed them from the wild.

“Mostly, it’s just human misunderstanding of the species,” says Karen Hiestand, a vet and trustee of International Cat Care. “Dogs and humans are very similar and have lived together a long time. In a way it has been co-evolution. With cats, it is way more recent. They come from a solitary ancestor that isn’t a social species.”

The African wildcat we domesticated our housecats from, Felis lybica, tends to lead a solitary life, mostly meeting when it is time to mate. “Cats are the only asocial animal that’s been domesticated. Every other animal we’ve domesticated has a social bond with other members of its species.”

When cats have their basic needs such as food and litter taken care of, they are more likely to seek out companionship (Credit: Getty Images)

Given that cats are such an outlier among the animals we live with, it’s no wonder that we might have been getting their signals wrong.

“Because they are so self-determined and can take care of themselves, cats are becoming more and more popular,” Hiestand says. “But whether the lifestyle suits them is another question. Humans are expecting cats to be like us and like dogs. And they aren’t.”

Research into cats’ emotions and sociability has long lagged behind that on dogs, but in recent times it has gathered pace. Much of it is in its early stages, but already research has shown that cats’ sociability towards humans is quite a complicated spectrum.

“It is highly variable, driven by genetics, and the sociability part can come from what they experience in the first six or eight weeks. If they have positive experiences in the early part of their lives, they’re probably going to like humans and want to hang out with us.”

Just like dogs, cats do a lot of communication with their bodies rather than through sound

Even the domestication of cats itself is a spectrum. Feral strays often hide or flee from humans, behaving far more like their wild ancestors. In places such as the Mediterranean and Japan, colonies of “community cats” thrive in fishing villages, friendly enough to ingratiate themselves with locals who feed them. In Istanbul, for instance, the semi-stray cats are fed and looked after by locals, and have become part of the city’s identity, even spawning a recent documentary film.

Then there are the cats that live with us, but even this subset is a spectrum; some keep a relative distance, while others positively thrive with human company. (Find out if your cat is controlling you.)

So, if we’re wanting a strong bond with our cats, what should we be looking out for?

Just like dogs, cats do a lot of communication with their bodies rather than through sound. “I think it’s a lot harder for people to read their body language compared to dogs,” says Kristyn Vitale, a PhD researcher studying cat behaviour. That’s not necessarily the cat’s fault.

One vital feature may have allowed dogs to leapfrog cats to our affection. A study from Portsmouth University found that dogs have learned to mimic the expressions of infants, which triggers a desire to nurture in their human owners. The change seems to have been the development of a muscle which raises the inner eyebrow – and it’s not something found in their wolf ancestors. “Puppy dog eyes” aren’t just a cliché, they’re an evolutionary trick which has strengthened the bond between dogs and people.

Slow blinking is a sign of affection from cats (Credit: Getty Images)

The bad news for cats? They lack this muscle. As a result, cats’ stares can look cold and unfriendly, and two cats staring at each other can often be a prelude for fisticuffs. But a slow blinking stare – one that your cat probably gives towards you from the other side of the room – is something else entirely; it’s their way of expressing love. Even turning their heads to one side isn’t necessarily disdain, but a sign of their relaxation.

Vitale draws attention to her study at Oregon State University, in which cats and dogs were left in a room by their owner, with the owner suddenly returning some time later. “One interesting thing is that the majority of cats who were secure with their owners, when they returned, they greeted them and went back to exploring the room, with little moments of coming back. Dogs did similar,” Vitale says. “If the dog has run around the room, playing with toys and occasionally coming back to the owner, we wouldn’t worry so much.” Researchers called this “secure attachment” – calmness when the owner returned, suggesting a strong emotional bond.

Relaxed cats are more likely to want to make friends

“Humans’ expectation bias for the animal impacts their behaviour,” says Vitale. By trying to force cats to behave more like dogs – showering us with attention – we’re trying to push them away from their natural behaviour.

Hiestand says that our historic inability to see cats’ temperament as different to dogs is part of the issue. Even experts with years of training are not immune. “I went to a conference in 2007 and felt like an absolute idiot,” she says. “There was all this basic information about cats that I didn’t know, such as that they like their water and their food in separate places. This research is all quite new, but once you have the humility that what you thought you knew about them is wrong, you start to learn stuff that’s interesting.”

If cats have positive contact with humans early on, they're more likely to want to form bonds with us (Credit: Getty Images)

Take the way cats rub themselves against their owners. This used to be thought of as a kind of territory marker, like wild cats might do on trees or other landmarks in their territory. But when they do it on people, it’s usually a sign of affiliation – the cat is transferring its scent onto your skin, and at the same time transferring yours onto its fur. This is what feral cats do with other cats they are allied with. It is a way of creating a “common scent” which distinguishes friend from foe.

Ultimately, Hiestand says, one thing is key – relaxed cats are more likely to want to make friends. “They want their water and their food and their sleeping arrangements and their litter tray just right, and when they are right, they’re able to start exploring those social bonds.”

So, the next time you come home to find a cat quietly surveying you from the couch, or lazily yawning as they pad their way into the hallway, don’t be disappointed. In their own, quiet way, they’re letting you know it’s good to see you.

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https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191024-why-do-we-think-cats-are-unfriendly

Can dogs detect Covid-19? Canines in training to sniff out virus

MILTON KEYNES: Can dogs detect Covid-19? A British charity believes so, and has begun training canines to sniff out the coronavirus following previous screening success with various illnesses.

22 April 2020

Pix for representational purpose only.

In its training room in Milton Keynes, in central England, the dogs are being intensively trained to sniff out samples of the virus, and indicate when they have found it to receive a treat.

The approach is based on a belief that each disease triggers a distinct odour, which canines are uniquely well-placed to smell.

The charity has previously worked with its dogs to detect cancers, Parkinson’s disease and bacterial infections using samples taken from patients.

“We believe dogs can detect Covid-19 and will be able to screen hundreds of people very, very rapidly so we know who needs to be tested and isolated,“ Claire Guest, founder and chief executive of Medical Detection Dogs, told AFP.

“We have evidence that dogs can detect bacterias and other diseases, so we believe that taking this project forward will make a huge difference to the ability to control Covid-19 spread.”

Guest is working with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Durham University in northeast England - the same team that recently collaborated to show dogs can be trained to detect malaria.

James Logan, head of the LSHTM’s disease control department, said that project demonstrated dogs can smell odours from humans with “extremely high accuracy”.

He added there was “a very high chance” that they would be able to detect Covid-19 in a similar way and potentially “revolutionise our response” to the disease.

The team is aiming to train the dogs over a six-week period to help provide the “rapid, non-invasive diagnosis” tool.

Canines can also detect subtle changes in skin temperature, potentially making them useful in determining if a person has a fever.

If successful, the four-legged detection devices could be deployed at airports to identify people carrying the virus, according to Steve Lindsay from Durham University.

The number of coronavirus cases around the world has now soared to 1,246,840, according to the latest figures Wednesday compiled by AFP from official sources.

The number of actual infections is believed to be higher since many countries are only testing severe cases or patients requiring hospitalisation. — AFP

https://www.thesundaily.my/covid-19/can-dogs-detect-covid-19-canines-in-training-to-sniff-out-virus-MF2315248#pk_campaign=MASwpn&pk_kwd=Can+dogs+detect+Covid-19%3F+Canines+in+training+to+sniff+out+virus

Dogs, cats can't pass on coronavirus, but can test positive

Pet cats and dogs cannot pass the new coronavirus on to humans ....

6 March 2020

© Provided by Associated Press A dog is seen at a pet shop in Hong Kong, Thursday, March 5, 2020. Pet cats and dogs cannot pass the new coronavirus to humans, but they can test positive for low levels of the pathogen if they catch it from their owner. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

HONG KONG (AP) — Pet cats and dogs cannot pass the new coronavirus on to humans, but they can test positive for low levels of the pathogen if they catch it from their owners.

That's the conclusion of Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department after a dog in quarantine tested weakly positive for the virus Feb. 27, Feb. 28 and March 2, using the canine's nasal and oral cavity samples.

A unidentified spokesman for the department was quoted in a news release as saying. “There is currently no evidence that pet animals can be a source of infection of COVID-19 or that they become sick."

Scientists suspect the virus known as SARS-CoV-2 that causes the disease originated in bats before passing it on to another species, possibly a small wild mammal, that passed it on to humans. 

However, experts from the School of Public Health of The University of Hong Kong, the College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences of the City University of Hong Kong and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) have unanimously agreed that the dog has a low-level of infection and it is “likely to be a case of human-to-animal transmission."

© Provided by Associated Press A woman wearing face mask, walks her dogs in Hong Kong, Thursday, March 5, 2020. Pet cats and dogs cannot pass the new coronavirus to humans, but they can test positive for low levels of the pathogen if they catch it from their owner. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

The dog, and another also in quarantine which has tested negative for the virus, will be tested again before being released. The department suggested any pets, including dogs and cats, from households where someone has tested positive for the virus should be put into quarantine.

In general, pet owners should maintain good hygiene, including washing hands before and after handling animals, their food and supplies and no kissing them. People who are sick should avoid contact with pets and a veterinarian's advice should be sought if changes in a pet's health conditions are detected.

“Apart from maintaining good hygiene practices, pet owners need not be overly concerned and under no circumstances should they abandon their pets," the spokesman said.

https://www.msn.com/en-my/news/world/dogs-cats-cant-pass-on-coronavirus-but-can-test-positive/ar-BB10O9XD?

How to Protect Yourself From 5 Diseases You Can Get From Your Pet

The unconditional love of a dog or cat can boost health by lowering stress. And walking a dog every day can reduce your risk of obesity and heart disease.

 INH ResearchNovember 6, 2015

But your pet can give you more than loyalty and companionship… They may pass on illnesses, too. They’re called zoonotic diseases, and some of them are serious, even deadly.

Here are five animal-transmitted conditions every pet owner should know about…

1. Toxoplasmosis

Cat owners–especially pregnant women–need to be aware of this disease. Toxoplasmosis can infect a fetus and cause miscarriage or birth defects. A protozoan organism in contaminated cat feces causes this illness.1 That’s why pregnant women should let someone else clean the litter box.

Keep your face as far away as possible from kitty litter dust when scooping. It’s also a good idea to wear a protective mask over your mouth and nose. This cuts your chances of inhaling the microscopic protozoa. Protective eyewear is smart, too. You can find both at any drug store.

2. Salmonella

Most of us know you can get salmonella poisoning from contaminated food. But pets can also transmit this serious intestinal ailment. Turtles and lizards are the most common carriers. Dogs, cats, birds, and horses may harbor it, too.2

Although your vet can test your pet for salmonella, the best protection is to wash your hands after handling any animal.

3. Parrot Fever

This bacterial infection comes from breathing in fine airborne particles…from the dried feces of infected birds. This includes common pet birds such as parakeets, parrots, cockatiels, and macaws. Human symptoms include muscle aches, fever, and chills.

To avoid the disease, clean your bird’s cage often and wear protective goggles and a mask while doing it. Also, take your bird to the vet right away if it shows signs of illness. Treating your pet can eliminate the chance of parrot fever infecting you.

4. Cat Scratch Disease

Fleas pass the bacteria that causes this illness from cat to cat. But humans can contract it through a cat bite or scratch.3 People suffer flu-like symptoms. Some even go on to develop serious problems, such as heart valve damage.

Keep your risk low by controlling fleas on your cat. One natural way to do this is to dilute five drops of lavender essential oil in three tablespoons of water. Then apply it to your cat’s collar. Also avoid play that can lead to scratches. And always wash cat bites and scratches with soap and water as soon as they occur.

5. Roundworms

Puppies and kittens often pass the eggs and larvae of these intestinal parasites through feces. Roundworm infections usually aren’t serious, but can cause nerve or eye damage in some people.4

Deworming your kitten or puppy is the first step to lowering your risk of infection. You can take them to a holistic vet or add an herbal formula for removing intestinal parasites to their food or water. These liquids are available online. And always wash your hands after dealing with droppings.

References:
1http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/resources/pdf/npi_toxoplasmosis.pdf
2http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm048151.htm
3http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/cat-scratch.html
4http://www.petsandparasites.org/dog-owners/roundworms/

https://www.institutefornaturalhealing.com/2015/11/how-to-protect-yourself-from-5-diseases-you-can-get-from-your-pet/

Dog ownership associated with longer life, especially among heart attack and stroke survivors

Date:

October 8, 2019

Source:

American Heart Association

Summary:

Dog ownership was associated with a 33% lower risk of early death for heart attack survivors living alone and 27% reduced risk of early death for stroke survivors living alone, compared to people who did not own a dog. Dog ownership was associated with a 24% reduced risk of all-cause mortality and a 31% lower risk of death by heart attack or stroke compared to non-owners.

FULL STORY

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Portuguese water dog. Owning a dog may be associated with having a longer life.

Credit: Copyright Michele Hogan

Dog ownership may be associated with longer life and better cardiovascular outcomes, especially for heart attack and stroke survivors who live alone, according to a new study and a separate meta-analysis published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, a journal of the American Heart Association.

"The findings in these two well-done studies and analyses build upon prior studies and the conclusions of the 2013 AHA Scientific Statement 'Pet Ownership and Cardiovascular Risk' that dog ownership is associated with reductions in factors that contribute to cardiac risk and to cardiovascular events," said Glenn N. Levine, M.D., chair of the writing group of the American Heart Association's scientific statement on pet ownership. "Further, these two studies provide good, quality data indicating dog ownership is associated with reduced cardiac and all-cause mortality. While these non-randomized studies cannot 'prove' that adopting or owning a dog directly leads to reduced mortality, these robust findings are certainly at least suggestive of this."

Given previous research demonstrating how social isolation and lack of physical activity can negatively impact patients, researchers in both the study and meta-analysis sought to determine how dog ownership affected health outcomes. Prior studies have shown that dog ownership alleviates social isolation, improves physical activity and even lowers blood pressure -- leading researchers to believe dog owners could potentially have better cardiovascular outcomes compared to non-owners.

Dog ownership and survival after a major cardiovascular event

Researchers in this study compared the health outcomes of dog owners and non-owners after a heart attack or stroke using health data provided by the Swedish National Patient Register. Patients studied were Swedish residents ages 40-85 who experienced heart attack or ischemic stroke from 2001-2012.

Compared to people who did not own a dog, researchers found that for dog owners:

• The risk of death for heart attack patients living alone after hospitalization was 33% lower, and 15% lower for those living with a partner or child.
• The risk of death for stroke patients living alone after hospitalization was 27% lower and 12% lower for those living with a partner or child.

In the study, nearly 182,000 people were recorded to have had a heart attack, with almost 6% being dog owners, and nearly 155,000 people were recorded to have had an ischemic stroke, with almost 5% being dog owners. Dog ownership was confirmed by data from the Swedish Board of Agriculture (registration of dog ownership has been mandatory since 2001) and the Swedish Kennel Club (all pedigree dogs have been registered since 1889).

The lower risk of death associated with dog ownership could be explained by an increase in physical activity and the decreased depression and loneliness, both of which have been connected to dog ownership in previous studies.

"We know that social isolation is a strong risk factor for worse health outcomes and premature death. Previous studies have indicated that dog owners experience less social isolation and have more interaction with other people," said Tove Fall, D. V. M., professor at Uppsala University in Sweden. "Furthermore, keeping a dog is a good motivation for physical activity, which is an important factor in rehabilitation and mental health."

While this study draws from a large sample, potential misclassifications of dog ownership in couples living together, death of a dog and change of ownership could have affected the outcomes of the study.

"The results of this study suggest positive effects of dog ownership for patients who have experienced a heart attack or stroke. However, more research is needed to confirm a causal relationship and giving recommendations about prescribing dogs for prevention. Moreover, from an animal welfare perspective, dogs should only be acquired by people who feel they have the capacity and knowledge to give the pet a good life."

Co-authors of the study are Mwenya Mubanga, M.D., M.P.H.; Liisa Byberg, Ph.D.; Agneta Egenvall, V.M.D., Ph.D.; Erik Ingelsson, MD, Ph.D. and Tove Fall, V.M.D., Ph.D. Agria Research Foundation and the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (FORMAS), grant number 2013-1673 funded the study.

Dog Ownership and Survival: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Researchers reviewed patient data of over 3.8 million people taken from 10 separate studies for a composite meta-analysis study. Of the 10 studies reviewed, nine included comparison of all-cause mortality outcomes for dog owners and non-owners, and four compared cardiovascular outcomes for dog owners and non-owners.

Researchers found that compared to non-owners, dog owners experienced a:

• 24% reduced risk of all-cause mortality;
• 65% reduced risk of mortality after heart attack; and
• 31% reduced risk of mortality due to cardiovascular-related issues.

"Having a dog was associated with increased physical exercise, lower blood pressure levels and better cholesterol profile in previous reports," said Caroline Kramer, M.D. Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and an Endocrinologist and Clinician scientist at Leadership Sinai Centre for Diabetes at Mount Sinai Hospital, part of Sinai Health System. "As such, the findings that people who owned dogs lived longer and their risk for cardiovascular death was also lower are somewhat expected."

Studies deemed eligible for analysis included those conducted among adults age 18 or older, original data from an original prospective study, evaluated dog ownership at the beginning of the study and reported all-cause or cardiovascular mortality of patients. Studies were excluded if they were retrospective, did not provide an absolute number of events that occurred and reported non-fatal cardiovascular events.

"Our findings suggest that having a dog is associated with longer life. Our analyses did not account for confounders such as better fitness or an overall healthier lifestyle that could be associated with dog ownership. The results, however, were very positive," said Dr. Kramer. "The next step on this topic would be an interventional study to evaluate cardiovascular outcomes after adopting a dog and the social and psychological benefits of dog ownership. As a dog owner myself, I can say that adopting Romeo (the author's miniature Schnauzer) has increased my steps and physical activity each day, and he has filled my daily routine with joy and unconditional love."

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Story Source:

Materials provided by American Heart Association. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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Journal Reference:

1. Mwenya Mubanga, Liisa Byberg, Agneta Egenvall, Erik Ingelsson, Tove Fall. Dog Ownership and Survival After a Major Cardiovascular Event. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, 2019; 12 (10) DOI: 10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.118.005342

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191008083121.htm

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