New parents with dogs and cats sometimes consider giving pets away when a baby arrives, but a new study finds keeping the furry family members in tow may boost a child’s health benefits.
A Finnish study finds babies who grow up with pets – especially dogs – are less likely to develop colds and other respiratory infections by the time they’re toddlers. The study, published online July 9,1012 in Pediatrics, tracked 397 kids in Finland from before they were born until they turned 1-year-old. Weekly questionnaires were given to parents that asked about their child’s health and whether they owned a pet.
The researchers determined that 245 of the babies had a dog in the home (62 percent) and 136 babies (34 percent) had cat contact. While respiratory infections and symptoms such as colds and wheezing are common in infants, an analysis revealed that babies who had early contact with dogs or cats were significantly healthier during the study and were 30 percent less likely to experience coughs, ear infections and symptoms such as stuffiness, runny nose, sneezing and congestion (rhinitis).
More contact with the dog was associated with fewer health problems in general, which led the researchers to believe that early contact with an animal may mature the immune system in infancy, helping toddlers better ward off disease. Owning a cat was also tied to protective health benefits, but the effect was much weaker. The strongest benefits were seen in children who had a dog inside at home for six hours a day or fewer, rather than at home all day, which might suggest what dogs track in may help boost early immunity.
“I think the development of the immune system is very complicated,” Dr. Jennifer Appleyard, chief of allergy and immunology at St. John Hospital and Medical Center, in Detroit, told HealthDay. “Parents shouldn’t feel guilty about having or not having a pet when their child is young. If you want a pet, get a pet,” she said.
As always, please ask us, should you have any questions about your pets and home safety.