Why having a pet can help improve your health

 

Are you a cat or a dog person? Whichever you prefer, these pets are definitely one of the most adorable creatures ever! But besides being cute and cuddly, your furry pals can also be beneficial to your physical and mental well-being.

Together with ‘Born to be Wild’ host and veterinarian, Doc Nielsen Donato, we listed down some of the reasons why you should be responsible and love your pets more!

Pets improve a person’s mood

You don’t know how these cutesy little furballs can help in relieving their owner’s stress! In fact, studies prove that spending a 15 to 30-minute moment with your cat and dog pals reduces tension and depression. Aside from that, playing with them more often also raises your brain’s levels of dopamine and serotonin.

Doc Nielsen Donato says that “Nowadays, most people who are living alone or independent, adopt a pet as their companion. Aside from the fact that these pets are good examples of stress relievers, the joy that they bring are also unexplainable.”

Cuddling pets can have a therapeutic value

Aside from the fact that pet owners have been found to have lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart attacks, pets like dogs are also trained to be “doctors” by an organization in the Philippines.

Doc Nielsen Donato shares that in one of the episodes of ‘Born to be Wild,’ they were able to feature “Doctor Dogs,” an innovative animal therapy program that is run by Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). These dogs are trained to bring good vibes to every cancer ward in hospitals around Metro Manila.

“Noong dinala ‘yung mga aso sa cancer wards, makikita mo talaga na nagbago ‘yung mood ng mga tao. Iba talaga ‘yung feeling na naibibigay ng mga alaga natin, nakakalma siya at pakiramdam mo talaga may companion ka,” Doc Nielsen says.

Having a pet can help you stay active

Did you know that working out is not just good for you but for your pet as well? Another unexpected benefit of having pets around is that they encourage you to exercise more. Taking a dog for a walk or playing with your feline friends like tossing a mouse toy around the house can get you moving a bit too. Studies have shown that pet owners who walked their dogs for up to 20 minutes five days a week lost an average of 14.4 pounds in a year.

Besides losing weight, you also form a deeper connection with your pets, Doc Nielsen Donato shares, “When you keep a pet, you have to exercise them on an average of 30 minutes a day. Bukod sa regular na pag-e-ehersisyo, mas lalalim pa ‘yung koneksiyon n’yo ng pet mo, mas makikilala mo ‘yung body language niya.”

Pets can sniff chronic illnesses such as cancer

What is even more surprising about having a pet is that they can detect dangerous illness like cancer. Doc Nielsen Donato believes that our pets particularly cats and dogs have this ability to smell whether their owners are dealing with some severe health problems, “Another case, we had a patient na may alagang labrador, ‘yung dog na ‘yun lagi niyang dinadamba ‘yung amo niya tapos lagi niyang inaamoy ‘yung breast area ng amo niya only to find out na mayroon pala siyang breast cancer.”

So how did this happen?

Cats have 200 million scent receptors and 14 times greater than humans while dogs have 220 million olfactory receptors. According to Doc Nielsen, our pets have an amazingly sensitive sense of smell, “In very special cases, you have to be extra sensitive to your pet’s body language to be able to interpret that they are telling you something.”

Aside from priceless joy and entertainment, pets also help humans make different healthy lifestyle changes. So, if you are a pet owner, start being responsible and treat them as part of the family. —BMS, GMA Public Affairs

"Born to be Wild" airs every Sunday, 9:45 AM, on GMA-7 channel. For more information, follow the show on Facebook and Twitter. For updates on your favorite documentaries, you can also follow GMA Public Affairs on Facebook,  Instagram, and Twitter.