Touch and movement are two healthy ways to quickly manage stress. Stroking a dog, cat, or other animal can lower blood pressure and help you quickly feel calmer and less stressed. As well as providing vital companionship, owning a pet can play an important role in healthy aging by helping you to:. Find meaning and joy in life.
You may retire from your career or your children may move far away. Caring for a pet can bring pleasure and help boost your morale, optimism, and sense of self-worth. Stay connected. Retirement , illness, death, and relocation can take away close friends and family members. And making new friends can get harder. Pets, especially dogs, are a great way for older adults to spark up conversations and meet new people.
Boost your vitality. You can overcome many of the physical challenges associated with aging by taking good care of yourself. Dogs, cats, and other pets encourage playfulness , laughter, and exercise, which can help boost your immune system and increase your energy. Not only do children who grow up with pets have less risk of allergies and asthma, many also learn responsibility, compassion, and empathy from having a dog or cat.
Like adults, children can benefit from playing with a pet. It can be a source of calmness and relaxation, as well as a source of stimulation for the brain and body. Playing with a pet can even be a doorway to learning for a child.
The rewards of training a dog to perform a new trick, for example, can teach kids the importance of perseverance. Caring for a furry friend can also offer another benefit to a child: immense joy.
Some children with autism or other learning difficulties are better able to interact with pets than people. Autistic children often rely on nonverbal cues to communicate, just as animals do.
And learning to first connect with a pet may even help an autistic child in their interactions with people. Owning a pet is beneficial and comforting only for those who love and appreciate domestic animals and have the time and money to keep a pet happy and healthy. Pets cost money. Food bills, veterinary care, licenses, grooming costs, toys, bedding, boarding fees, and other maintenance expenses can mount up.
Pets require time and attention. Dogs need daily exercise to stay calm and well-balanced; most other pets require at least daily care and attention. Owning a pet can curb some of your social activity. A dog can only be left alone for a limited time. Pets can be destructive. Any pet can have an occasional accident at home. Some cats may be prone to shredding upholstery, some dogs to chewing shoes. While training can help eradicate negative, destructive behavior, they remain common in animals left alone without exercise or stimulation for long periods of time.
Pets require responsibility. Most dogs, regardless of size and breed, are capable of inflicting injury on people if not handled responsibly by their owners. Even cats can scratch or bite. Pet owners need to be alert to any danger, especially around children. Pets carry health risks for some people. People who do not respond well to animal therapy or are not interested in trying it may ask about other options. Learn more about several types of therapy options here.
Animal therapy involves regular sessions with professionally trained animals and their handlers. It aims to help people cope with both physical and mental health disorders. Doctors or mental health specialists may recommend and administer animal therapy for various conditions, with different goals in mind for each person. Some people may not enjoy animal therapy or have other reasons to avoid it, and they can choose from alternative therapies.
Anyone considering animal therapy should discuss the process and how they may benefit from it with a doctor or mental health specialist. Therapy is a form of treatment aimed at resolving mental or emotional issues. There are many types of therapy available. Learn more. Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT is a short-term talking therapy where a professional counselor or therapist works with an individual to help them…. What is dialectical behavioral therapy? Continue reading to learn more, including how it works, what it can treat, and how it differs from CBT.
Virtual therapy is any treatment that a person receives remotely via an electronic device, such as a phone app or video call. Learn about the types…. Integrative medicine IM combines conventional medicine with complementary treatments.
Learn more about IM here. What to know about animal therapy. Medically reviewed by Vincent J. What it is How it works Benefits Risks Alternatives Summary Animal therapy or pet therapy refers to the use of animals as a way to help people cope with and recover from some physical and mental health conditions. What is it? Share on Pinterest Interacting with professionally trained dogs, horses, and birds may help people with physical or mental health conditions. How does it work?
Who might benefit? Latest news Could 'cupping' technique boost vaccine delivery? Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes. Adolescent depression: Could school screening help? Related Coverage. Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Arce and her husband are pictured below with their two dogs, both rescued from North Shore Animal League.
They also have two cats which were also rescued. My furry companions add to the richness of my life. I foster cats and kittens until they can find their forever homes and am very privileged to work with a remarkable group of people in rescue who are dedicated to helping both animals and people. We encounter many situations when working in pet rescue in which people need temporary homes for their animals due to unfortunate circumstances such as illness, job loss, domestic violence or homelessness, for example.
We also connect people with resources in the community to help provide support. It is very rewarding to be able to help my community and be of service to both animals and people in need. We also care for a colony of 25 cats on my property. We also have a dachshund and a snake. In summary, pets can serve a multitude of therapeutic functions in addition to being a loving member of our family.
The decision to bring a pet into a home should not be taken lightly, however. Pets are a lifelong commitment — so make sure you research care, temperament and lifespans of the animals you are considering, and adopt from reputable locations or rescue organizations. By picking the right pet for your family, you will not only improve your health, but the health of your pet as well!
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Therapeutic Benefits of Pets. April 1, Posted by AANMC Featured Articles , News bastyr university , cardiovascular health , communication disorders , Doni Wilson , emotional support animals , Gaia Mather , Holly Wurtz , immunity , Marizelle Arce , national university of health sciences , national university of natural medicine , obesity , pet adoption , pet allergies , pet rescue , pet therapy , PTSD , service animals , social anxiety , stronger immune system , therapeutic pets.
Graduate , Bastyr University For some, time with pets is the ultimate stress reliever. Request Information. Previous Dr. Join the Naturopathic Community! Latest Posts. Naturopathic Kitchen: Leafy Greens. Understanding Autoimmune Diseases.
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