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animal therapy the healing power of companion animals By Marie Boyum “A doctor may heal the body, but an animal can - Hester Mundis, Medical and scientific communities, animal shelters and the “average Joe” around the world are recognizing the health benefits from being a pet owner. For instance, the Australian Veterinary Association acknowledges the importance of the human–animal bond and promotes the benefits of pets to the community. From infants to seniors, the advantages of having an animal companion are numerable. Researcher James E. Gern, a pediatrician at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, reports that a growing number of studies have suggested children growing up in a home Autistic children who have pets have been shown to have more pro-social behavior, and children in general have a higher self-esteem if there is a pet of any kind in the family. Pets aid in physical activity, teach responsibility and help with emotional growth. Many children are guided by the routine a pet requires, have their first taste of being accountable for another being and learn the importance of sometimes needing to put others before their own wants and desires. Older people have been shown to require less medical attention when they are pet owners, which in turn means lower medical costs. Depression and loneliness are greatly diminished, as well as stress and anxiety; often leading to a sense of usefulness and responsibility that is restored. Especially with dog owners, partial stress reduction is due to feeling safer with a “natural alarm.” However, many seniors are opting for non-traditional pets in lieu of dogs and cats and finding health benefits in ferrets, rabbits, pot-bellied pigs, birds and fish. Fish have been found to relax dental patients before surgery and overall have a positive effect, reducing blood pressure, muscle tension and increasing longevity after heart attacks. In addition, fish reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels while also improving resistance to heart and cardiovascular disease. Fish have also had a positive nutritional effect on Alzheimer’s patients; studies show a significant boost in patients’ weight and food consumption when they are able to observe fish. In other senior centers, there was notably a decrease in physical aggression when a fish tank was installed in an area where people could frequently visit. In nursing homes where companion animals became part of the therapy, the use of prescription drugs and the overall cost of caring for patients dropped. According to a 1995 study, nursing home facilities in New York, Missouri, and Texas that had animals and plants as an integral part of the environment, showed medication costs drop an average of more than 310 percent per patient, per day; that amount could even be significantly higher today. Pets also increase our physical activity, thus leading to better overall health. In today’s society with obesity being an issue for adults as well as children, the activity that a pet can provide, assists every age in achieving a healthier well being. Have a dog? Studies have shown that dogs can aid in controlling “freezing” in Parkinson’s patients, and other reports tell of dogs detecting cancers. One dog in Florida named George is 100 percent accurate on malignant skin cancers. A dog’s acute sense of smell accounts for their amazing ability to detect illness in humans. Dogs, as well as various other types of pets, have been reported to alert owners to low blood sugar levels, and there are several other stories spreading throughout the medical and news communities about how pets have aided in helping people with health emergencies. On the feline side, new research is being conducted at the University of Minnesota Stroke Research Center on the potential health benefits of cats. A study of 4,435 people who were followed for a decade showed that people without cats or who never had cats, had a 40 percent greater risk to die of a heart attack and a 30 percent greater risk to die of any cardiovascular-related disease. For many years, scientists have proven that vibrations at specific levels or frequencies can induce bone growth and regeneration, increase production of a body’s natural anti-inflammatory compounds, and repair muscles, tendons and ligaments. They now also know what frequencies various cats purr, such as tigers, lions, panthers, and domesticated house cats. That same 20-50 Hz of the housecat’s purr induces increased bone density, relieves pain and heals tendons and muscles. In addition, respiratory problems associated with heart disease have also been shown to be improved by a cat’s purring and – although unproven – many persons have reported that they can ease or completely eliminate migraine headaches simply by lying down with a purring cat next to their head. Both dogs and cats have been shown to offer humans many health benefits, but they too reap the health rewards of a loving home. When we pet them, they also have reduced heart rates and blood pressure, as well as alleviating any stress of ours they have taken on throughout the day. Whether our animal companions can detect illnesses early or just alert us to an already existing condition that is flaring up, having an animal companion is proven to be a great asset to our physical and emotional health. To receive all the best animals have to offer, make sure you take the time and research what pet is truly right for you and your family. That way, both you and the animal have the happiest and healthiest life together and can bring each other joy for many, many years.
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© 2010 The Guide to Health, Wellness and Creative Living |
Marie Boyum, owner of Sacred Animal Spirit,