5 ways you didn’t know your pet was keeping you healthy

Did you know that the energetic pooch running around your backyard, or the sleepy cat forever napping in your sunny window, or the colorful fish happily swimming around in its tank are all good for your health?

Pets are our valuable companions and, as such, enrich our lives and improve our health in ways that we probably haven’t ever considered.

According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), most US households (67%) own a pet. In their 2019-2020 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, they broke down US pet ownership as follows:

• 63.4 million Americans own dogs
• 42.7 million own cats
• 11.5 million own freshwater fish
• 5.7 million own birds
• 5.4 million own small animals
• 4.5 million own reptiles
• 1.6 million each own horses or saltwater fish

In light of these pet ownership numbers, it’s good to know that owning a pet is actually very good for your health. Here are just a few of the health benefits you could reap from pet ownership.

Reduced cardiovascular risks. In May 2013, the American Heart Association (AHA) released a scientific statement declaring an association between pet ownership and lower risk factors for heart disease as well as longer life.

Although this AHA statement is older, results from two more recent AHA studies validate this association. In both studies—the first a new study and the second a separate meta-analysis published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, dog ownership was associated with an increased likelihood of longer life, particularly among people who experienced a previous myocardial infarction or stroke.

“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, MD, chair of the writing group of the AHA’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.”

Increased longevity. In the second of the more recent AHA studies, researchers analyzed data from over 3.8 million participants, and found that dog owners had a 24% reduced risk of all-cause early mortality, a 65% reduced risk of death after myocardial infarction, and a 31% reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality in general.

Better blood pressure control. In one study, researchers found that dog and cat owners had lower resting heart rates and blood pressure levels compared with non-pet owners. They were also less likely to experience spikes in heart rate and blood pressure while under stress, but when they did, both measures returned to normal more quickly. In addition, during a timed math exam, pet owners made fewer mistakes when their pets were present in the room with them.

In another study, participants who had their dogs in the room with them while subjected to a mental stressor (either doing serial subtraction or giving a speech) experienced better blood-pressure lowering effects than those treated with lisinopril.

Improved mental health. Pets of all shapes and sizes give us unconditional love. Pet owners have a bond and companionship with their pets that makes a difference in mental health.

In a large meta-analysis of 17 studies of people who lived with long-term mental health conditions—including depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder—pet ownership provided a sense of “ontological security,” which consisted of increased feelings of stability, continuity, and meaning. Results were recently published in BMC Psychiatry

Researchers concluded that pets are beneficial for people with serious mental health problems. In fact, they found that pets helped participants with serious mental illnesses or conditions that were linked to a physical health problem or developmental disorder manage their emotions. Importantly, pets also provided a welcomed distraction from their symptoms.

Improved chances and quality of social interactions. Also in the previous meta-analysis published in BMC Psychiatry, researchers found that pet owners reported that their pets forced them to remain connected to the outside world, as well as take part in physical activity. Dogs, in particular, encouraged their owners to socially interact and build stronger ties within their communities.

In addition to increased chances for social interaction, caring for a pet can improve your social skills. According to a 2014 study, pet ownership is linked to greater community involvement and taking on leadership roles. These researchers also found that adults with greater attachments to animals during their adolescence were more empathetic and confident in adulthood.

Yet another study found that pet owners had stronger romantic relationships than those who did not own pets, and greater overall relationship quality.

So, if you’re considering adding a new furry, feathered, or scaly member to your family, keep in mind that pets are just plain good for your health. And if you already have a pet, remember this when you’re cleaning up their latest mess!