Dogs are beloved members of many families. They offer unconditional love, reduce stress levels, encourage exercise, and even lower blood pressure. And now, research has shown they might also reduce cases of childhood asthma.
According to research presented at the 2012 General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, children who live in homes with dogs may be less likely to develop asthma. In the study, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco fed house dust from homes with dogs to mice. Compared to a control group, the mice exposed to this dust had increased immunity to the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which is associated with childhood asthma.
While still in its early stages, the research suggests that children who spend time around dogs might have a similar immunity to this virus. This is exciting news for dog-lovers, especially since a study last year proved there’s no such thing as hypoallergenic dogs.
Posted by Ivey on March 4th, 2010
Your pet isn’t just a potential source for allergies — in fact, your furry friend might be an allergy- sufferer as well. If your pet scratches or sheds incessantly, vomits, or has chronic respiratory problems, he or she may have an allergy.
Cats, dogs, ferrets, birds, and other animals can be allergic to many of the same things that humans are, such as dust, dust mites, pollen, mold, and certain foods. Other significant allergy triggers for pets are fleas and flea saliva.
Posted by John on September 6th, 2008
The Tribune Star reports that bathing pets weekly will reduce allergens by 84 percent!