Good news for dog lovers around the world – a new study has found that being exposed to pets from a young age comes with a range of health benefits including a lower risk of developing obesity and fewer allergies.
Scientists say that dogs, in particular, expose children to dirt and bacteria early in life, creating early immunity.
The research was conducted by scientists at the University of Alberta, Canada who studied 70 infants from the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development Study, whose mothers were enrolled during pregnancy between 2009 and 2012.
These mothers were asked whether or not they owned a pet before, during and after birth if at all. Babies from all categories were selected. The infants then had their fecal samples examined at three months old.
The samples were then compared to one another to form the basis of the study. Over half of the infants were exposed to pups and other furry animals before, during or after birth.
The study found that these babies that had been exposed to pets had higher amounts of two kinds of bacteria in their guts – Ruminococcus and Oscillospira which have been linked with reducing childhood allergies and obesity, respectively.
“The abundance of these two bacteria were increased twofold when there was a pet in the house,” said Dr. Anita Kozyrskyj, a University of Alberta pediatric epidemiologist.
Another interesting conclusion drawn from the study was that even if the pets hadn’t been in direct contact with the babies after they were born, the healthy bacteria was still present in the babies gut if the mother came into contact with the pets during her pregnancy.
Past research has also found other health benefits of having a furry friend in the house.
One study found that pets have been proven to lower anxiety and blood pressure while increasing serotonin and dopamine levels – two neurochemicals that play a huge role in producing feelings of happiness and well-being.
Another study from the American Psychological Association discovered that pet owners over the age of 65 make 30% fewer visits to the doctor.
It is unclear what this particular study conducted by the University of Alberta will mean for the future, but scientists are hopeful that it might lead to some breakthroughs in treating certain allergies and obesity.
“It’s not far-fetched that the pharmaceutical industry will try to create a supplement of these microbiomes, much like was done with probiotics,” said Dr. Anita Kozyrskyj.
Dr. Susan Lynch, a professor of medicine at the University of California at San Francisco believes that this is an opportunity to develop new treatments that could stave off allergies and asthma before they become established.
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