It's Official! Dogs are good for you.

Sat 29 Sep 2007 by Sue McCabe

Research from the US, carried out by the University of Wisconsin has revealed that some children growing up with dogs were far less likely to develop allergic skin rashes than those without.

Dr. James Gern and colleagues have confirmed what many of us have in the past felt must be true. Findings proved that during the first year of life, infants without a dog were twice as likely to have unexplained skin rashes that those who owned a pet dog. Could it be that dirt and germs carried and spread by dogs infact boosts childrens natural immune systems and makes them less likely to become ill?

It is not only children who are better off as a result of living with dogs however. Research at Warwick University revealed that elderly people who owned pet had increased activity levels, companionship and improved communication with others. It seems that owning a dog helped the elderly to maintain a routine, take more trips outdoors and regulate room temperature more effeciently.

GP's were requested to complete a Pet Care Trust survey entitled 'Pets are good for you'. Full details of the findings can be downloaded on www.petcare.org.uk
From recovery after a serious condiditon such as a heart attack, to less serious problems like headache, insomnia and increased blood pressure, it is at last unquesionable that owning a dog is good for your health and wellbeing.

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