Those faithful brown eyes that adore us, that soft purr that relieves us of stress… Pets are among the most important factors in human well-being, confirms a study by the German Institute for Scientific Research in Berlin on around 10,000 German citizens. And that’s not all: International studies show that our four-legged friends with scales or feathers also strengthen the immune system, protect against allergies, detect cancer, help with Alzheimer’s and reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack.
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Doctor without a degree
Dogs are far superior to magnetic resonance tomographs or doctors in certain areas – without a degree. Its moist snout is equipped with over 220 million olfactory cells, seven times more than the human nose. The high-performance organ is so finely tuned that it sniffs out individual molecules such as benzene derivatives that are produced by tumors. US psychiatrist Dr. Michael McCulloch of the Pine Street Clinic in San Anselmo, California, demonstrated that specially trained dogs detect skin cancer tissue samples with a 97 percent accuracy – doctors “only” 66 percent.
His colleague Dr. Carolyn Willis of Amersham Hospital in Buckinghamshire, UK, discovered that dogs can detect bladder cancer cells in a urine sample with a 41 percent certainty. They detect lung cancer in the air we breathe – with 99 percent success! And 88 percent of four-legged friends discover breast cancer – better than mammography. There are still only a few trained dogs that are used almost exclusively in research. More common is “Dr. Dog” in diabetics or epileptics. He recognizes the first signs of an acute worsening of their illness in mistress or master and raises the alarm. However, the purchase of such a special dog costs 6000 to 8000 euros – the health insurance companies do not pay. But “our best friend” can do a lot more.
If we stroke it for 15 to 30 minutes, our blood pressure drops by 10 percent. Prof. Rebecca Johnson, Missouri University College, found: “In humans, petting increases the production of feel-good hormones such as serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin. The higher level of happiness hormones gives you deeper sleep , strengthens the immune system and makes you mentally more agile.” And: walking for just 12 minutes a day strengthens heart and lung function by up to 15 percent.
Heart Cats
Whatever dogs can do, cats can do. dr Adnan Qureshi, director of the Minnesota Stroke Institute, analyzed the risk of developing vascular disease in 4,435 Americans over a period of ten years. “The result amazed even me,” he says. No wonder. Because cats reduce the risk of a stroke or a heart attack by over 30 percent. His assumption: “Cats reduce stress, the vessels cramp less often.” And they give strength in crises. The psychologist Dr. June Nicholsen from the British University of Warwick: “Patients with breast cancer cope with diagnosis and therapy much better if they have a cat.” And: The velvet paws give babies greater resistance to allergens such as grass pollen, house dust mites and animal hair. They even protect them from asthma and other allergies later on. Prof Dennis R
Get on the horse!
Hippotherapy has been used successfully for the therapy of the physically and mentally handicapped for 20 years. New: A study by the neurologist Dr. Male Friedrich-Freksa, Berlin Charité, shows that horseback riding can also help people with severe muscle pain. The physician: “Immediately after the fourth therapy session, all patients felt relief. Some were even completely pain free.”
Aqua Calming
The fish in the aquarium, silently circling their lengths, not only convey calm, peace and security. The psychiatrist Dr. Aaron Katcher of the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania discovered that the slowly gliding ornamental fish and the gentle vibrations of the aquatic plants act as a sedative. The blood vessels relax and dilate, the blood pressure drops – the same effect that doctors can only achieve with medication for cardiovascular patients. Fish also help Alzheimer’s patients, who often forget to eat and become dangerously thin. Prof. Alan Beck, Purdue University Indiana: “The bright colors seem to cause the sick to concentrate more.”
Small but nice
Even small animals are good for your health. Birds, for example, have a calming effect similar to that of fish. And if you pet a cuddly rabbit or a fluffy hamster, you can relieve pain from bursitis, arthrosis and rheumatism.
Kissing prohibited! The best protection against infections:
Unfortunately, there are also infectious diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans: zoonoses. This includes salmonellosis in dogs, cats and reptiles, which leads to abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Other zoonoses: the transmission of roundworms through licking, the diarrheal disease campylobacteriosis or the parrot disease that triggers flu symptoms.
However, the transmission can be prevented by relatively simple measures: Have animals vaccinated according to the vaccination calendar, deworm them regularly. Remove ticks, mites, lice or fleas immediately. Thoroughly clean the sleeping area or cage. Don’t kiss the animals. At the first sign of illness, go straight to the vet. In order to avoid allergies, which can be caused not only by animal hair, but also by saliva, dander or urine, the following applies: Do not let pets crawl into the master’s or mistress’ bed.
Best: bedroom ban. Neurodermatitis sufferers or people with other skin diseases should not have contact with pets during the acute flare-ups.
