Four references I came across point out that pet ownership has health benefits.
- In a study of hypertensive patients at SUNY, Buffalo, it was shown that having a pet can help lower blood pressure.
- At the Waltham Center for Pet Nutrition in Great Britain, a study showed that walking a pet can help to reduce stress. Walking, it was noted, helps soothe nerves and offers instant relaxation.
- A National Institutes of Health Technology Assessment Workshop found that having a pet can help to prevent heart disease by providing the pet owner with faithful companionship. It was also found that having a pet helps to lower health care costs in that people with pets actually make fewer doctor visits.
- In the book “Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship”, the author finds that pets help to fight depression and loneliness because a pet’s affection promotes an interest in life.
Is it any wonder, then, that according to the American Pet Products Association 2009/2010 National Pet Owners Survey:
- 71.4 million households in America (62%) own a pet.
- 38.2 million households own 93.6 million cats (an average of 2.5 cats/household)
- 45.6 million households own 77.5 million dogs (an average of 1.7 dogs/household)
Pets keep us healthy and 1-800-PetMeds provides a wide range of prescription and non-prescription products that help keep our pets healthy.
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