Hospitals Let Pets Visit Sick Owners

(purina.com)

Studies have shown that spending time with pets can reduce pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue in people with a wide range of health issues, and those staying in long-term care facilities.

Many hospitals have pet therapy programs, where specially trained pets come to a hospital or other health care facility and visit. But when it's the patient’s own pet visiting, it can be even more special.

With this in mind, Jill Malan, manager of Child Life Services at St. Louis Children's Hospital proposed a room at the hospital which could facilitate visits between patients and their cats and dogs.

"Our doctors see every day the importance of medicine and world class technology," said Malan. "We see every day the impact a child's emotional well-being has on their overall recovery."

Purina provided a $450,000 donation for construction and staffing of the Purina Family Pet Center which opened this month.

The Center gives patients the opportunity to see their pets without leaving the building, their doctors or the technology on which so many of them rely.

The 300-square-foot room, adjacent to the hospital's second-floor entrance, features washable surfaces and windows to provide natural light. It can accommodate a child in a wheelchair or hospital bed, and provides a comfortable, private visiting space for the child, pet and family. It will also include toys for the pets and Purina treats.

The Juravinski Hospital, a small health-care facility in Hamilton, Ontario allows a patient’s pet to visit in their hospital room. Each pet who comes to visit must be bathed first, healthy and well-tempered. The animals are also not allowed to have any contact with other patients.

That program was launched by Donna Jenkins in 2015 after her 25-year-old nephew, Zachary, begged her to let him see his dogs one last time before he died.

"Before he died, he made me promise that we would have an organization available that if any patient at Juravinski wanted to see their pet, they had that opportunity," Jenkins told CTV.

The Faithful Friends program at the University of Maryland Medical Centre, which has been running since 2008, allows both cats and dogs to visit their owners for the entire day.

The Faithful Friends program is generally used by patients who are hospitalized for longer periods, those potentially approaching end of life or patients whose pet is suffering from duress by being separated from his owner.

The Wolfston Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville Florida has a Healing Paws program that allows patient’s dogs to visit for up to an hour.

"The dogs get so excited to see their human again, and the kids really perk up when they know their pet is going to visit," Pat Kirkland, manager of Family Support Services and head of the Healing Paws program says. "If we can make their day a little bit brighter by bringing in their best friend, we consider that an accomplishment."

RESEARCH - Pet Ownership Saves Billions in Health Care

Want to be healthy? Eat your fruits and vegetables, get a good night's sleep, regular exercise and add a critter to your life. Pet ownership pays – and recent findings by the Human Animal Bond Research Initiative (HABRI,) says impressive dividends in the United States amounts to a whopping $11.7 billion in health-care savings annually.

“There was abundant research to show pets have a positive effect on our health, but this is the first time anyone has looked at the impact on the U.S. health-care system,” Terry Clower, study co-author and professor of public policy at George Mason University’s School of Policy where the research was done tells PetLynx. “We did not have specific data on impacts on Canadians ... but (the study) suggests a common trend in Western cultures that I would expect to apply to Canadians.”

Fewer visits to the doctor by pet owners, versus non-pet owners, leads to health-care savings. According to the study, 132.8 million U.S. pet owners visit a doctor 0.6 times less than the average non-pet owners and with the average physician visit costing $139, that means pet owners essentially accrue savings in terms of health dollars.

Although the study was done in the U.S., findings suggest pet owners world-wide reap similar benefits.

In Germany, for instance, pet owners visited a doctor's office 11 times a year compared to non-pet owners who went 12.9 times annually. In Australia, people with a pet at home checked in with the doctor 4.9 times a year compared with pet-free folks who went 5.6 times in the same period.

“Thinking about things that people should do to maintain their health, ‘get a pet’ belongs on that list,” said HABRI executive director Steven Feldman. “Pet ownership provides another way for people to stay healthy and save money.”

Those who take regular walks with their pooch - a group totalling more than 20 million people - boast reduced incidences of obesity thus saving $419 million in related health-care costs.

Happy to see the dog at the door when you get home? The findings also found health benefits of pet ownership go beyond good-for-the-body and offer physiological pay-offs, too, often boosting mental health by offering everything from a reprieve from daily stress and comfort in tough times, like when grieving a loss.

And the health benefits are not promoted only by pooches. “The estimates of impacts of pet ownership on physician visits is not specific to dogs. This includes any pet,” Clower told PetLynx. “There have been separate studies that have found health benefits to dogs, cats, fish and even exotic pets.”

About half of Canadian households, according to the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council of Canada, own some kind of pet.

Log onto www.habri.org to view the full report.

By Nadia Moharib

Nadia Moharib is a talented freelance writer in a variety of mediums with over 20 years journalism experience.

Mental Health & Pets #BellLetsTalk

Today is the sixth annual Bell Let’s Talk Day, when everyone is encouraged to talk, text and tweet about mental health to create a stigma-free Canada. Thanks to the commitment of George Cope, Bell has committed $73,623,413.80 to Canadian mental health through Bell Let’s Talk to date.

People with pets know their companions make them feel good, and research published by the American Psychological Association supports this - showing that pets can serve as important sources of social and emotional support for “everyday people”, not just those going through significant health challenges.

“The present work presents considerable evidence that pets benefit the lives of their owners, both psychologically and physically, by serving as an important source of social support,” the researchers wrote.

Non-profit organization Dogs for Depression, formed in 2009 based on its founder’s personal experience overcoming depression, provides online information to prospective emotional support dog owners about the healing benefits a dog can offer sufferers of depression as well as practical advice about selecting and training a suitable dog.

Animal assisted therapy, dating back to the 1940's, uses trained animals to enhance an individual's physical, emotional and social well-being, thus improving self-esteem, reducing anxiety and facilitating healing.

Pets offer companionship, an unconditional love, and can reduce tension and improve mood. As #BellLetsTalk texts and tweets fly across social media today, remember to give your pet a snuggle of thanks for the mental health support they provide every day.

Animal-Assisted Interventions in Trauma Treatment Reduce Depression, Anxiety and Post-traumatic Stress

The Human Animal Bond Research Initiative (HABRI) Foundation published a systematic literature review on Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI) for trauma in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. The findings demonstrated that the animals helped ease anxiety, reduce depression, and mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

                                               

Marguerite E. O’Haire, PhD, of Purdue University, collected and assessed current research from a variety of electronic databases on AAI for trauma. Participants in the studies were predominantly survivors of child abuse, followed by military veterans. The most common animals included in treatment were dogs and horses.

                                               

“We conclude that AAI may provide promise as a complementary treatment option for trauma, but that further research is essential to establish feasibility, efficacy and manualizable protocols,” said Dr. O’Haire.

                                               

The study researched current evidence that suggests animals may provide unique elements to address several PTSD symptoms. For example, people with PTSD often experience emotional numbing, yet the presence of an animal has been reported to elicit positive emotions and warmth. Animals have also been demonstrated as social facilitators that can connect people and reduce loneliness, which may assist individuals with PTSD break out of isolation and connect to the humans around them.

                                               

“Based on Dr. O’Haire’s work, HABRI has further evidence that AAI can positively affect depression, anxiety, social outcomes, sleep, child functioning and quality of life,” said HABRI Executive Director Steven Feldman. “With this important study as a roadmap, HABRI has committed funding for a study of the impact of service animals for post-September 11th war veterans and for a study on equine therapy for survivors of domestic violence.”

The HABRI Foundation maintains the world’s largest online library of human-animal bond research and information.

STUDY: Have Fun and Help Your Local Shelter Cats Fight Respiratory Infections

Some people volunteer at their local shelter and socialize with the cats living there. While this activity is enjoyable to humans it is also beneficial for cats. The study, Effect of interactions with humans on behaviour, mucosal immunity and upper respiratory disease of shelter cats rated as contented on arrival helps illustrate the benefits of human interaction for cats.

96 shelter cats were included in the study. One group received pleasant interaction with one person for ten minutes four times each day. Treatment lasted for ten days. The control group had a researcher in front of their cage (on the same schedule as the treatment group) with eyes averted.

The treatment group of cats kept their nice dispositions and had lower incidences of upper respiratory infections when compared to the control group. Here are the highlights of the study:

• Human interaction by petting, playing and grooming improved shelter cats' welfare.
• Treated cats were more content and less anxious and frustrated.
• Treated cats had increased concentrations of immunoglobulin A in their feces.
• Within 10 days, treatment had substantially reduced viral shedding.
• Treated cats had less respiratory disease, especially good responders to treatment.

Researcher (and coauthor) Nadine Gourkow said there was a "strong association between positive emotions induced by gentling and good health." It is thought that happy cats produce higher levels of immunoglobulin A which decreases their risk of upper respiratory infections. Researcher (and coauthor) Clive J.C. Phillips said, "We have learned that the domestic cat is very responsive to good treatment by humans."

Phillips said that these findings are also significant for cats living in a home. Similar results may also be found in dogs regarding kennel cough infections though this has not yet been examined. Phillips said, "The study has emphasized to me how sensitive pets are, including my dog, to gentle treatment."

READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Harvard Medical School Releases Report: Get Healthy, Get a Dog

The Harvard Medical School is selling Get Healthy, Get a Dog: The health benefits of canine companionship. The health report highlights the health benefits of dog ownership and can be purchased online.

The report overview highlights that dogs offer unparalleled companionship and compiles research that shows that dogs offer health benefits. Some of the key benefits of dog ownership are:

• Reduces stress, increases mindfulness.
• Increases the activity of children and helps them feel secure and develop responsibilities.
• Improves the quality of life for seniors.
• Decreases isolation and increases social behaviours.

Through petting a dog, people can have lower blood pressure and decrease heart rate. Petting can also have a positive effect on the dog. Just as petting can benefit both parting, obesity and low activity rates often affect people and their dogs. The report has suggestions on how to increase physical exercise.

If someone is interested in getting a dog, the report helps walk people through the process of getting a suitable dog. If someone is unable to own a dog the report also contains information about service dogs and how one can benefit from contact with an appropriate service dog.    

READ MORE ABOUT THE REPORT

What are the Results of the 2015-2016 Nation Pet Owners Survey?

Bob Vetere, President and CEO of the American Pet Products Association (APPA), has announced the results of their biennial 2015-2016 National Pet Owners Survey. The survey reached 79.7 million households with pets. One important survey discovery was that there are increased numbers of new and young pet owners. New pet owners populate approximately 10% of the total pet owner population. This represents an increase of almost eight million new pet owners. Vetere states, “These numbers demonstrate huge potential for the industry to grow with up-and-coming, new pet owners.”

The newest generation of pet owners purchase more expensive animals, seek veterinary care more often, and buy more items for their pets. “This generation also likes high-tech gadgets like pet cams and electronic health monitoring collars, and convenience products to take their pets with them or care for them while they’re gone,” said Vetere. “This opens the door for innovation in products and services as well.” Pets and pet products are increasingly being sourced online and by using social media networks.

In previous surveys, the largest population of pet owners was the Baby Boomers. However, Baby Boomers are reaching life stages where they are reducing pet ownership. Vetere is not worried, he states, “In fact, the growing incidence of pet owners among the younger generations is so encouraging, we are extremely optimistic about the future of pet ownership and the industry that stands to serve those pets and their owners.”

The Survey also found that more businesses are becoming pet-friendly. 

• 8% of pet owners are allowed to bring their dogs to work. 
• 28% of pet owners have taken their dog to a hotel. 
• 9% of pet owners have taken their pet to a restaurant.

More people also believe that pets are good for their health. In fact, for 64% of pet owners, owning a pet has positive health benefits that are important to the owner. Vetere states, “Studies now exist that show pets can help improve our cardiovascular health, improve immunity in young children and assist with therapy for autistic children and people suffering from PTSD. Our desire to take better care of our pets and the joys and benefits they provide are continuing to work together to grow pet ownership and keep this great industry strong.”

  READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE