Pets Boost Health of Children

Children who have pet animals at home have stronger immune systems and are less likely to take days off school sick, a study suggests.

Researchers at Warwick University in Coventry found that having a cat or dog exposed children to more infections early in life. However, this exposure boosted their immune systems in the medium term and meant these children attended school more often, on average, than pupils who did not have pets. Read the entire article.

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Quit Smoking For Pets

Smokers are motivated to quit the habit to protect their pets from secondhand smoke, a new survey shows.

Researchers led by Sharon M. Milberger, ScD, of the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, found that 28.4% of smokers who participated in an online survey said learning that secondhand smoke was bad for their pet's health would motivate them to quit. And 8.7% said knowing the potential adverse health effects of secondhand smoke would spur them to ask their partners to quit.

The results are published in Tobacco Control, a BMJ specialty publication. The researchers write that 3,300 people responded to an online survey for pet owners; 66% were dog owners, 53% kept cats, and 10% had birds. Most of the survey participants were white females from Michigan.

Published evidence is convincing that secondhand smoke is dangerous not only for humans, but for pets, too, according to the article.

Exposure to tobacco smoke has been associated with certain cancers in dogs and cats, allergies in dogs, and eye and skin diseases and respiratory problems in birds, according to the researchers.

"This new source of motivation could be particularly strong for smokers who, aside from their companion animals, live alone," the researchers suggest.  Read the entire article.

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Lessons on Aging from Dogs

by: Blair S. Walker | from: AARP Bulletin

Researchers want to know if old dogs can teach them new tricks about aging and cancer.

That was the idea behind the Old Grey Muzzle Tour, a 23-day, nationwide expedition recently undertaken by David J. Waters, executive director of the Gerald P. Murphy Cancer Foundation in West Lafayette, Ind., to study the oldest living pet rottweilers in the United States. The tour, which stopped in 16 towns and cities, focused on rottweilers at least 13 years old, equivalent to a 100-year-old human.

Waters, who is also a veterinarian, examined each of the animals, collected DNA samples and observed them in their home environments.

“These exceptional dogs have lived at least 30 percent longer than average for their breed,” said Waters in a statement. “They have dodged cancer and other life-threatening diseases of aging. We believe studying them can shed light on what it takes to live well.”

Blair S. Walker frequently writes for the Bulletin’s In the News section.

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Cats Cut Heart Attack Risk 30 Percent

Whether it's a frisky kitten or a tubby tabby, a cat at home could cut your heart attack risk by almost a third, a new study suggests.

The finding, from a 10-year study of more than 4,300 Americans, suggests that the stress relief pets provide humans is heart-healthy.

The stress-cardiovascular disease link is well-documented in scientific literature, and the affection and pleasure pets give humans is a known stress-buster. In fact, one study presented in 2005 at an American Heart Association meeting found that a single 12-minute visit with a dog improved the heart and lung function of people with heart failure.  Read the entire article.

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Hawthorn For The Heart

Regarding the value of herbal treatment for patients with heart failure, a new review of existing research suggests that Hawthorn Extract "significantly" improves symptoms.

A group evaulated hawthorn extract against a placebo for treating patients with chronic heart failure. They identified 14 randomised control trials that compared the effects of adding Hawthorn Extract or placebo to conventional therapies.

The trials involved a total of 855 patients and the data indicated that Hawthorn Extract:

* improved maximal workload,
* increased exercise tolerance,
* reduced oxygen consumption by the heart
* reduced shortness of breath and fatigue
* a few people reported mild nausea, dizziness and heart and stomach complaints

A side benefit is that it builds the adrenal glands and with the stresses of life always there to bombard us, it's a great side benefit.  Read the entire article.

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