PET SUBJECT

How the outside of an animal is good for the inside of a person

BEYOND an immediate lifting of spirits when one strokes a cat or dog — or a miniature donkey — animal therapy can improve cognitive impairment, depression and cardiovascular health, say experts.

Therapy dogs, cats, birds and even goldfish have been shown to get seniors “to interact more with each other, to be happier, to be less cognitively impaired,” says E. Paul Cherniack, MD, a geriatrician and researcher from Miami Veterans Affairs nursing home who has published a study on the benefit of pets and animal-assisted therapy on seniors’ health.

A study by psychologists at Miami University and Saint Louis University also showed that pets can serve as important sources of social and emotional support for “everyday people.”

Pet ownership may even reduce one’s risk of heart disease, according a 2013 American Heart Association statement. People with dogs not only may be more physically active because they walk them, but owning pets may be associated with lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and a lower incidence of obesity. Pets can also have a positive effect on the body’s reactions to stress, releasing oxytocin, the so-called “cuddle hormone.” However, Cherniack notes that many of these studies remain preliminary.

Apart from donkey visits, the New York State Veterans’ Home has regular dog therapy visitors and also houses some birds and fish, which “residents respond to very positively,” says Katie Kourakos. “It’s good for residents who get a bit anxious. You can bring them over and use the birds or fish as a conversation piece. You can engage with them, especially the fish — it’s very relaxing to watch them.”