Why owning a dog could help you live longer
DOG owners are less likely to die early or suffer a fatal heart attack or stroke, a major study has found.
Keeping man’s best friend cuts your risk of an early death by a fifth, while fatal cardiovascular disease is slashed by 23 per cent. By licking you or bringing dirt into the house, a canine companion helps to provide good bacteria needed to stay healthy, scientists believe.
Single dog owners are most likely to experience the benefits, as pets are thought to protect them against social isolation and improve wellbeing. That is in addition to the exercise that comes from taking them for a walk every day.
The findings emerged from a 16year study of more than 3.4million people by Uppsala University in Sweden. Lead author Mwenya Mubanga said: ‘A very interesting finding in our study was that dog ownership was especially prominent as a protective factor in persons living alone.
‘This is a group reported previously to be at higher risk of cardiovascular disease and death than those living in a multi-person household. Perhaps a dog may stand in as an important family member in the single households.’ The study, which began in 2001, looked at people aged 40 to 80 over 12 years and tracked dog ownership using a national pet registry.
They recorded deaths from all causes and people who suffered heart attacks, heart failure or the two main types of stroke, to determine the effect of having a dog on cardiovascular disease.
The results show people with dogs had a 20 per cent reduction in the risk of early death over 12 years compared with dog-free individuals. The research, published in journal Scientific Reports, also suggested that having a dog could help owners cope better with stress, meaning their blood pressure recovers better when it is raised.
Pets may also affect our microbiome – the microbes living within our bodies and their genes, which affect our health.
Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘Owning a dog is associated with reduced mortality and risk of having heart disease.
‘Previous studies have shown this association but have not been as conclusive - largely due to the population size studied here.’
But he added: ‘Alternatively it could be reverse causality - people who are fitter and more active are more likely to own a dog.’