How Can Your Dog Keep Your Heart Healthy?
We know that exercise and moderation can lead to a healthy heart and life, but can something else make our hearts healthy? Studies have found that owning a dog can actually be beneficial for pet owners' cardiovascular health. Since February is Heart Health Month, a time for everyone to put more focus and understanding into their cardiovascular health, we explore how owning a four-legged canine friend can benefit your heart health.
Dogs have had our hearts for many reasons, but according to the American Heart Association, they have actually provided their owners with some heart benefits that you may not be aware of.
Dog owners are 31% less likely to die from a heart attack or stroke than non-dog owners.
People with prior heart events who had a dog living at home had a 65% reduced risk of death.
Dog parents are more likely to reach their fitness goals than those without canine companions.
Dogs can help with chronic conditions and prevent chronic disease.
Pet ownership is an important form of social support that can benefit patients with heart disease or stroke.
Studies show that the mere act of petting a dog decreases blood pressure.
Dog parents are 34% more likely to fit in 150 minutes of walking per week recommended by the AHA than non-dog owners.
A Mayo Clinic study found that owning a dog may be beneficial for a pet parents’ cardiovascular health because dog owners are more likely to be physically active, eat better, are less likely to smoke and have lower blood sugar than non-pet owners. Let’s look at three big ways dogs can help give us a healthy heart by just being themselves.
1. Dogs are stress reducers. Playing, petting and brief interactions with your dog can increase the levels of the stress-reducing hormone oxytocin along with serotonin and dopamine, two neurochemicals that play big roles in well-being and calmness. Reducing stress is an important part of good cardiovascular health and when dogs are around, studies have shown that they ease tension which can help fight off heart attacks and stroke.
There is a calming effect related to dogs and some research even suggests that people with dogs are less likely to experience an increased heart rate or blood pressure elevations during times of stress. Even an elevated heart rate and blood pressure return to normal levels faster with people who own dogs as well. These calming effects help to reduce the overall levels of stress on the body and keep the heart healthier.
2. Dog ownership has been associated with lower blood pressure. Pet ownership, in general, is associated with better heart health indicators due to the improved emotional state that dogs can offer us. Many studies have shown that the ‘pet effect’ decreases blood pressure and heart rates from petting dogs in a variety of settings, across all age groups and in subjects with healthy hearts and those with high blood pressure.
3. Dog owners increase their physical activity thanks to their dogs. Less than 5 percent of adults participate in 30 minutes of physical activity each day and only 1 in 3 meet the recommended weekly level of physical activity. According to the American Heart Association, the physical activity of walking and playing with your dog contributes to better overall cardiovascular health and fewer heart attacks.
A Michigan study of nearly 6,000 adults found on average, dog owners walk one hour more per week compared to non-owners and obtaining at least 150 minutes of walking per week was 34 percent higher. Dogs can also help with heart attack survivors, giving them a little boost in their survival rate. In a 2009 study conducted at the UCLA Medical Center, heart failure patients who came in contact with therapy dogs for 12 minutes a day showed reduced blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety.
A healthy heart is essential for anyone at any age and it’s important that we find our motivators for keeping our cardiovascular system in tip top shape. Our dogs are much more than just a snuggle buddy if we let them be. We can use them to help us so they can use us to help them and everyone can keep each other's heart healthy.
We know times can get busy and schedules don’t allow for walks during the day for your canine friend - but there is help! Going Mutts Pet Services can keep your dog on their daily routine with daily dog walks and breaks while you’re away. We would love to work with you on a customized plan that keeps everyone happy and gives owners peace of mind while their furry friends are in the hands of someone else. Contact us today to see how we can help!
Sources:
https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/owning-dog-may-be-good-your-heart-here-s-how-ncna1072771
https://blog.encompasshealth.com/2019/10/09/six-ways-owning-dog-is-good-for-heart-health/
https://theheartfoundation.org/2018/03/09/the-health-benefits-of-having-a-dog/
https://www.k9readingbuddies.org/dog-can-lower-your-blood-pressure-make-you-feel-better/
https://habri.org/blog/the-heart-health-benefits-of-the-human-animal-bond/
https://www.gaiam.com/blogs/discover/are-dogs-good-for-heart-health-6-reasons-science-says-yes
