Beloved British veterinarian James Herriot once said, “If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.”
It is precisely love and loyalty that make pets of all shapes and sizes a powerful antidote to emotional and physical stress.
Sarah Crozier, DVM chatted with us recently about the emotional and physical benefits of pet ownership and offered some insight into making sure the owner/pet relationship is beneficial to humans and animals.
Dr. Crozier says, “The emotional and mental health benefits of pet ownership can be enormous, as long as the stress of having a pet (or several) do not overshadow them.”
She cites the article “Pets’ Impact on Your Patients’ Health: Leveraging Benefits and Mitigating Risk” in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.
Dr. Crozier says, “It describes both the emotional and the physical benefits (and risks) of pet ownership across a person’s life time. According to the authors’ sources, it’s not well known why a companion animal can have such a significant impact on our emotional health from a physiological stand point, but it is well known that pets are good for us.”
Dr. Crozier relates a personal experience that illustrates how valuable a companion animal can be.
As a teenager, she was diagnosed with a major depressive disorder. She credits medication and therapy for helping, but says that her dog made just as much of a difference.
She says, “When I was depressed and couldn’t get out of bed, he’d lay there with me and keep me from isolating myself. When I’d get hypo-manic and want to go hiking at 2 am, he was all up for it! When I could barely manage to take care of myself and was pushing my family away, I still needed to take care of him and he never allowed himself to be pushed away – I could yell and cry and throw things and he remained unfazed.”
Dr. Crozier points out that her dog was unique and not every pet would be effective in helping someone with depression. In fact, she says that sometimes pet ownership might be more stressful for someone with a mental health issue.
“As a veterinarian, I have seen many many owners whose anxiety levels are so high that they cause their pet to also have stress-related issues. For anyone experiencing extreme emotional difficulties, having the responsibility of caring for an animal may be too much, but having exposure to animals can be a form of therapy.”
Though her patients are most often furry and four-legged, Dr. Crozier knows well the stress inherent in the medical profession.
“We have lives in our hands on a daily basis and even though we try our best, sometimes we screw up and cause unintentional harm. Medical professionals are often put on a pedestal – we are thought to be infallible, and we often come to believe the myth that we have to be perfect or we’re worthless, there is no in-between. While a trained therapist can be an excellent resource in helping change your negative thinking and managing the ‘imposter syndrome’ we all suffer from, a beloved pet can also help you cope with those negative emotions.”
“People who have a strong bond with their pets, whether they are furred, feathered, or scaled, will tell you the same thing: I love my animal because it loves me for me, it does not judge me, it accepts me just as I am. I firmly believe that domesticated animals are capable of creating a deep connection with their owners; whether it can be called “love” in the human sense is beyond my ken, but that is irrelevant. When someone comes home after a really hard day and their pet greets them excitedly at the door, a weight is lifted from them. Your pet doesn’t care if you messed up, they are just glad that you are still alive. After all, you were gone so long! Our animals live in the moment, and so they can be great examples for us to try and do the same.”
Naturally, many pets also offer physical benefits because of the care they require. In fact, depending on the pet, the benefits can be rather significant.
According to the American Heart Association, dog ownership can have cardiovascular benefits. Of course, Dr. Crozier says that the reason is because you have to get off of your butt and walk your dog to get the benefits.
She says, “Your dog isn’t gonna snap the leash on you and force you to jog around the block a few times before dinner. Pet obesity in the US almost perfectly mirrors human obesity rates.”
She adds, “Obesity is now the number one health condition that veterinarians diagnose, and it’s a challenge to discuss it with owners. Often an overweight pet has an overweight owner, so discussing diet and exercise needs to be done in a compassionate way so that clients don’t feel like you are judging them.”
“In the same way I would not recommend getting a pet to help with an emotional condition, I would also not get one with the intention to exercise more with it. If you didn’t have a really active lifestyle before getting a dog, then getting a hyperactive German Shorthaired Pointer is not going to make you go jogging more. Instead you’ll still be as sedentary as before, but now with the added stress of having a dog who is quickly destroying your house and yard out of boredom.”
Dr. Crozier owns horses and while her busy schedule prevents her from riding as much as she would like, she does say that carrying 50 pound bags of feed, stacking hay bales, picking out stalls and basic grooming of the animal burns a lot of calories.
She adds that the physical benefits of pet ownership go well beyond weight-loss and fitness.
“Pets can help us by preventing bad habits. Did you know dogs and cats can get respiratory issues from second-hand smoke, too? Interacting with a calm animal can lower our blood pressure and cortisol levels which then reduces strain on both our organ systems as well as our immune system. While it is undeniable that zoonotic diseases and some allergies come about through interaction with animals, overall, the physical benefits of having a pet in your house far outweigh the risks.”
Now that it is abundantly clear that pets can be a wonderful complement to our emotional and physical well-being, how do you decide what pet is right for you? Dr. Crozier says it all depends on your personality and lifestyle.
“While most of us naturally think of a dog or a cat when someone says the word ‘pet’, there are many species of animals that can make meaningful bonds with humans. Birds can be excellent companions and can be quite suited to living in a smaller apartment or home. Many species of parrot can be taught to speak, and most species of parrot require a varied diet of fresh fruits, veggies, and cooked pasta. So if you like to cook, live in a cramped apartment, and like to wake up to early morning singing, then maybe you should think about a parakeet.”
Dr. Crozier also says that you shouldn’t dismiss reptiles and fish out of hand because they are cold-blooded. She says, “I know a lot of people who just adore their scaled buddies and get as much meaning from owning an aquarium of fish as owning a dog. It may be a bit expensive to obtain all the necessary equipment for a fish tank or a reptile habitat, but once the initial investment is made, there is not generally a significant ongoing cost. While we recommended having your reptile examined by a vet once or twice a year, there are no annual vaccines or monthly parasite preventatives that are needed. As an added benefit, a lot of fish tanks and reptile habitats can be run on timers, so there is no need to get the neighbors to come over to care for the pets if you have a long shift or even a weekend excursion.”
Dr. Crozier also highly recommends small mammals or what she refers to as pocket pets. She says they are soft, cuddly and have very distinct personalities and are capable of forming close bonds with their human. Another benefit is they generally have lower maintenance costs than a dog or cat. In fact, she says that a rat, while often being reviled as disease carrying vermin, makes a great pet for children and adults.
She says, “A Google search for “dumbo rat” will bring up some precious images that will have you reconsidering these guys as vermin.”
She also recommends rabbits. Like a cat, a rabbit can be litter box trained and spaying or neutering can increase their lifespan and prevent an “ooops”.
She advises, “Each species has its own unique needs regarding housing and diet. For example, Guinea Pigs require vitamin C supplementation just like humans, so a little research can go a long way in helping you decide if one of these guys is right for you.”
Of course, there are also our oldest and most faithful companion animals…dogs and cats.
Dr. Crozier says, “So much has changed in veterinary medicine over the past 30 years that many of you may be shocked when a vet recommends biannual exams, annual vaccines, regular dental cleanings, monthly heartworm and intestinal parasite prevention, biannual fecal testing, and annual blood work for any senior pets. It can be overwhelming at times to take your cat or dog in to the vet and so much is suggested at once.”
“I have had clients ask me, ‘Is all of this really necessary?’ To which I reply, ‘Yes and no.’ Certain vaccines may not be appropriate for your cat or dog depending on their level of exposure, or a vaccine may not need to be given each year. A dental cleaning under anesthesia may absolutely be needed if your pet has significant dental disease since it can lead to other health problems. It’s important to discuss any concerns you have regarding your pet’s care, whether they are medical or financial. We understand that pet ownership can be costly, and our goal as veterinarians is to provide the best care we can within the confines of your budget.”
When deciding on a cat or dog, there are breed specific issues to consider so do your homework. Dr. Crozier says that mutts do tend to have some hybrid vigor and are generally less prone to certain conditions.
She says there are a few rules of thumb to keep in mind.
“Dogs larger than 60 pounds have a tendency towards arthritis and cancers that affect the skeletal system. Dogs smaller than 20 pounds are prone to dental disease and heart murmurs. Dogs that are “haired”, like Bichons and Poodles don’t shed like other dogs, but they also require more grooming to keep their beautiful locks from getting matted and causing skin problems.”
“All dogs and cats living in the Southeast should be on a monthly heartworm, intestinal parasite, and flea preventative year-round. In general, the bigger the cat or dog, the more of the preventative they need, so it costs more to prevent heartworms in a Great Dane than in a Dachshund.”
If you’re really looking for an ideal dog, Dr. Crozier says they would be 30-40 pounds, medium to short coat. An ideal cat would be 9-11 pounds short-coated “mutt” also referred to as the domestic shorthair.
She says, “I can tell you that lots of both of these ideal pets are waiting for homes at your nearest shelter or humane society.”
We asked Dr. Crozier if there was ever a time when owning a pet would not be advisable.
She says, “I don’t believe so, though I do think that there are a lot of pets that are inappropriate for certain lifestyles. If you work 60-70 hours a week with no one at home while you are away, then a pet that requires a lot of attention (whether in the form of exercise or simply socialization) would be a very poor choice. If you are on a tight budget, for heaven’s sake, don’t get a horse or an English Bulldog…two of the most expensive animals I’ve worked with or owned. But being busy and on a budget does not have to prevent you from enjoying the benefits of pet ownership. It’d cost $30 for a nice little Betta fish, bowl, and necessary water treatment chemicals and food. That’s less than many of us spend on eating out each week and is arguably better for your health. You’d be surprised how happy it can make you feel seeing those colorful fins every day, and the simple pleasure of feeding your fish can be just as stress reducing as throwing a ball for your dog.”
