Pets - Companions – wordynumnum

The Mighty Colin

As we hunker down for yet another lockdown, more of us than ever are feeling isolated and anxious. We may "all be in this together", however many of us are going through this alone and boy has it taken its toll on our mental health.

Anyone unlucky enough to spend lockdown on their own will tell you just how fortunate they were in having a pet to share that time with. A reason to get out of bed in the morning other than to check the news or binge watch "Murder She Wrote." A basic routine to give these unprecedented times a structure and someone to talk to even though they can't talk back.

The handsome fella pictured above is "The Mighty Colin" (yep Bob named him), he did just that and more. He's stray I found in my then garden about ten years ago, he eventually moved in after the cat-love-of-my-life "Haystack" passed away at the age of 21. She too was a stray and yep, Bob also named her.

So I thought I'd look into just how much our furry companions help us, how their mere presence can affect our daily lives and how exactly pet ownership is beneficially to us.

Stress and Anxiety - Bonding with pets brings about the release of oxytocin, a stress-releasing hormone which decreases cortisol. Playing with dogs or cats also elevates levels both dopamine and serotonin, the 'happy' hormones.
Blood Pressure - Cardiologists claim that pet ownership is a great way to improve heart health and to lower blood pressure. Studies have shown that people with borderline high blood pressure who then adopted either a dog or a cat saw a significant decline in their blood pressure within five months. In fact, people with companion animals generally carry a lower risk of stroke or heart disease than those without.
Exercise - Whether you're taking your dog out for a walk or a run, this is a really rewarding way to keep healthy. Dog owners are much more likely to reach their daily exercise quota than those without a dog. Not only does it keep you fit and strengthens the bond between dog and owner, being out and about with a dog is a great way to meet new people and socialise.
Routine - Especially if you suffer from anxiety or depression, having a routine can be a life-line. Pets need to be fed, walked and cared for on a regular basis and this creates a positive stress level for us to keep us focused. A routine is fundamental to our well-being and happiness.
Cancer - They can sniff out cancer. A recent study found that dogs can use their highly developed sense of smell to pick out blood samples of cancer patients with up to 97% accuracy.
Illness - Scientists at San Francisco University found that pet-ownership not only boosts the immune system but can protect you from certain cancers by up to a third.
Heart attack patients with pets have much higher survival rates than those without.
Unconditional love. Now that's a big concept!
Companionship - With covid restrictions leaving millions of people literally on their own for months at a time and with more and more of us living on our own, loneliness is fast becoming a serious mental health issue. Pets provide the kind of companionship that can add years to your life and prevent both illness and depression. Caring for another living being makes you feel needed and draws focus away from our own problems.
Children - Kids who grow up around animals are usually more active, secure and better able to build bonds with other people. A loving relationship with a pet nurtures a child's positive self-image as well as teaching them empathy, responsibility and understanding. They also grow up to have fewer allergies by the way!
Autism - Children with learning difficulties interact better with pets than with people. They communicate non-verbally, just like animals do and learning to connect with animals first, helps autistic children interact with people.
An American study found out that pet owners aged 65 plus made 30% fewer visits to theirs doctors compared with those without.
Elderly - Owning a pet plays a vital role in healthy ageing. As well as providing much needed companionship, caring for a pet boosts a sense of self-worth, purpose and morale - and a great way to make new friends.
Dementia - The University of California concluded that patients with Alzheimers or dementia experienced fewer outbursts and suffered less stress when sharing a home with a pet.

Haystack

It's not just dogs and cats that provide health benefits, rabbits are a great alternative especially for those of you with allergies. A rabbit is low maintenance and has a sweet nature alongside oodles of energy, it can make an exceptional family pet. You don't even need lots of space or a garden as many domesticated breeds live happily in a flat.

Let's not forget birds. Chickens have a disposition second to none and give you the most delicious eggs every morning but if you don't have a garden, a parrot makes a wonderful pet too.They are super intelligent and encourage interaction.

Even owning an aquarium helps. Observing tropical fish reduces anxiety and has been proven to lower heart rate by 5 to 6 beats a minute.

Whichever pet you choose to share your life with, never take for granted all they give us back.

January 12, 2021
Pets - Companions
By RM Koisar
The Mighty Colin

As we hunker down for yet another lockdown, more of us than ever are feeling isolated and anxious. We may "all be in this together", however many of us are going through this alone and boy has it taken its toll on our mental health.

Anyone unlucky enough to spend lockdown on their own will tell you just how fortunate they were in having a pet to share that time with. A reason to get out of bed in the morning other than to check the news or binge watch "Murder She Wrote." A basic routine to give these unprecedented times a structure and someone to talk to even though they can't talk back.

The handsome fella pictured above is "The Mighty Colin" (yep Bob named him), he did just that and more. He's stray I found in my then garden about ten years ago, he eventually moved in after the cat-love-of-my-life "Haystack" passed away at the age of 21. She too was a stray and yep, Bob also named her.

So I thought I'd look into just how much our furry companions help us, how their mere presence can affect our daily lives and how exactly pet ownership is beneficially to us.
- Stress and Anxiety - Bonding with pets brings about the release of oxytocin, a stress-releasing hormone which decreases cortisol. Playing with dogs or cats also elevates levels both dopamine and serotonin, the 'happy' hormones.
- Blood Pressure - Cardiologists claim that pet ownership is a great way to improve heart health and to lower blood pressure. Studies have shown that people with borderline high blood pressure who then adopted either a dog or a cat saw a significant decline in their blood pressure within five months. In fact, people with companion animals generally carry a lower risk of stroke or heart disease than those without.
- Exercise - Whether you're taking your dog out for a walk or a run, this is a really rewarding way to keep healthy. Dog owners are much more likely to reach their daily exercise quota than those without a dog. Not only does it keep you fit and strengthens the bond between dog and owner, being out and about with a dog is a great way to meet new people and socialise.
- Routine - Especially if you suffer from anxiety or depression, having a routine can be a life-line. Pets need to be fed, walked and cared for on a regular basis and this creates a positive stress level for us to keep us focused. A routine is fundamental to our well-being and happiness.
- Cancer - They can sniff out cancer. A recent study found that dogs can use their highly developed sense of smell to pick out blood samples of cancer patients with up to 97% accuracy.
- Illness - Scientists at San Francisco University found that pet-ownership not only boosts the immune system but can protect you from certain cancers by up to a third.
- Heart attack patients with pets have much higher survival rates than those without.
- Unconditional love. Now that's a big concept!
- Companionship - With covid restrictions leaving millions of people literally on their own for months at a time and with more and more of us living on our own, loneliness is fast becoming a serious mental health issue. Pets provide the kind of companionship that can add years to your life and prevent both illness and depression. Caring for another living being makes you feel needed and draws focus away from our own problems.
- Children - Kids who grow up around animals are usually more active, secure and better able to build bonds with other people. A loving relationship with a pet nurtures a child's positive self-image as well as teaching them empathy, responsibility and understanding. They also grow up to have fewer allergies by the way!
- Autism - Children with learning difficulties interact better with pets than with people. They communicate non-verbally, just like animals do and learning to connect with animals first, helps autistic children interact with people.
- An American study found out that pet owners aged 65 plus made 30% fewer visits to theirs doctors compared with those without.
- Elderly - Owning a pet plays a vital role in healthy ageing. As well as providing much needed companionship, caring for a pet boosts a sense of self-worth, purpose and morale - and a great way to make new friends.
- Dementia - The University of California concluded that patients with Alzheimers or dementia experienced fewer outbursts and suffered less stress when sharing a home with a pet.
Haystack

It's not just dogs and cats that provide health benefits, rabbits are a great alternative especially for those of you with allergies. A rabbit is low maintenance and has a sweet nature alongside oodles of energy, it can make an exceptional family pet. You don't even need lots of space or a garden as many domesticated breeds live happily in a flat.

Let's not forget birds. Chickens have a disposition second to none and give you the most delicious eggs every morning but if you don't have a garden, a parrot makes a wonderful pet too.They are super intelligent and encourage interaction.

Even owning an aquarium helps. Observing tropical fish reduces anxiety and has been proven to lower heart rate by 5 to 6 beats a minute.

Whichever pet you choose to share your life with, never take for granted all they give us back.

Comments on this post (1 comment)
- Veerle says...
  
  So true! I never knew there are so many benefits having a pet!
  And the pleasure of having them around us!
  The world would certainly be a much darker place without our darlings!Thanks for sharing this !!!
  
  March 03, 2022

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