Move over dogs. After the latest news from the scientific community, cats may be man’s better friend. Although often saddled with the blame for allergies and asthma in children, new studies say cats may do just the opposite. Danish scientists recently released results of a study of 400 toddlers that showed that growing up with a cat in the household were much less likely to suffer from asthma. It’s believed that a particular genetic variation plays a significant role in triggering an asthma attack. For some reason, that variant is switched off when a cat is present, resulting in fewer asthma episodes and a lower risk of pneumonia and bronchiolitis. Dogs don’t seem to have the same blocking effect on the asthma gene. However, both cats and dogs can help boost immunity in young children by exposing them to bacteria and viruses from outside the household.

Pets do your heart good. Literally. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) have both done studies that show that people with dogs and cats at home have decreased blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides, which lowers your risk for heart disease. For those who have already experienced a heart attack, pets tend to help them recover better. It is thought that the calming effects of petting or sitting with an animal reduces stress, leading to better heart health. In one study reported in Time Health, a group of stressed adults were asked to pet a rabbit, turtle or toy. Those that touched the living creatures, whether furry or shelled, reported decreased anxiety. Ever wonder why so many dentist offices have aquariums? Fish tend to focus our attention and calm our mind and body.

Your workout partner. Dogs are one up in this category. You rarely see a person jogging with their kitty (not to say you couldn’t), but dogs motivate us to get up off the couch. They provide incentive (and sometimes coercion) for us to grab a frisbee or leash and get outside. They remind us to take a break from our computers or chores and give us and our pups some exercise. Dogs do a body good.

Calling Dr. Freud. Many of the benefits of pet ownership are mental or emotional. You have a friend who loves you unconditionally, listens to your rantings and lets you know you’re important to them. Pet owners tend to be happier and more social. Studies have shown children who have experienced traumatic events heal quicker when they have the opportunity to interact with animals – horses, cats, dogs, guinea pigs. Doctors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center are using dogs to help soldiers deal with PTSD. They’ve discovered that returning soldiers who have a pet that they are responsible for are able to cope better and re-enter society quicker. There is also a decrease in suicide rates among veterans with pets.

Part of your medical team? You have doctors, nurses, specialists, lab personnel that work as a team to provide healthcare for you and your family. Soon, dogs may be a part of that team. Their amazing sense of smell is proving helpful to medical doctors and their patients. Some dogs have the ability to sense when a person is about to have an epileptic seizure. They are then able to prepare and protect themselves. Some dogs can detect abnormal blood sugar levels in diabetics and alert their owners to adjust their insulin. Still other dogs have the ability to detect certain types of cancer cells in humans, before they can be detected by other means.

As a pet owner, you know first-hand how animals enhance our lives. But it’s good to know that their presence in our lives means more than simple companionship. They make us healthier, in mind, body and spirit.

The post Pets: Your Prescription for a Healthier Life first appeared on Powell Veterinary Service.

• Ask before surprising someone with a new furry friend. Your idea may seem like a perfect gift to you, but a bothersome burden to someone else.
• A dog (or cat) may be man’s best friend, but it is a friend for life—which means a commitment of 10-15 years or longer.
• Is your child old enough to care for or interact appropriately with a new puppy or kitten? Children under 3 typically aren’t old enough to understand how to play nice and could be putting themselves or their puppy or kitty in danger.
• Making your child care for a cat or dog is a good way to teach responsibility. However, make sure your child is mature enough to take on that responsibility. You’ll need to enforce the rules or be willing to take over the care and feeding of the new addition.
• Is your aging friend or relative physically able to provide the necessary care, or will someone be available on a daily basis to help?
• Involve the receiver of the animal in the process of choosing. Children especially will be more interested in and able to forge a stronger bond with a dog or cat that they help to choose.
• Consider size, age, exercise and grooming requirements, breed characteristics and other factors when choosing a pet. A rambunctious puppy or energetic border collie may not be the right choice for an older person with mobility issues. A 2-year old may have difficulty resisting tugging on a cocker spaniel’s long, droopy ears. A breed valued for its protective or guard dog skills might not be an appropriate playmate for a youngster. A Persian cat requires daily grooming, which probably won’t be a good fit for someone with arthritis.
• Pets come with a cost. Are you or the recipient able and willing to pay for food, leashes, collars, toys and veterinary care? Experts estimate in the first year of ownership a small dog will add $1300 in care, feeding, and veterinary services to your annual expenses and a large dog can add as much as $1800.
• Does anyone who will come in contact with the new pet have pet allergies? If allergies run in your family, there’s a greater chance someone will be allergic to your new pet. Take the family to a local animal shelter and have everyone pet and interact with a few dogs or cats to ensure you don’t have to re-home a dog or cat because of health issues.
• If you’ve thought long and hard about placing a new puppy, kitten or older pet under the Christmas tree, there’s one more thing to consider. Timing. Pets need time to acclimate to a new home. The winter holidays are a time of hustle and bustle, and it can be a tough time for any pet, and much more so for a new pet. If you’ve decided a new furry friend is a good fit, consider giving an I.O.U. or gift certificate to a local shelter. That way you can take your time choosing the perfect pet, then getting to know your new friend without the confusion and excitement surrounding the holidays. Along with the certificate, give a gift basket filled with toys, leashes, bedding or treats, and perhaps a book on caring for your new companion.

Seeing your child’s or parent’s eyes light up over a new furry friend is strong motivation for gifting a pet at Christmas. But make sure it’s not a snap decision that you or the recipient will regret. Returning or re-homing an animal is hard on everyone concerned, especially the animal. However, if and when you bring a new friend into your family, we at Powell Veterinary Service would love to meet the new addition and help get him or her started on the right foot.

The post Thinking of Gifting a Pet for Christmas? Think Again. first appeared on Powell Veterinary Service.

If you already have one dog, do you feel like he is lonely for those 8 or 9 hours a day while you are away at work 5 days a week? If you want to cure that loneliness, the perfect remedy is to get a second dog to have as a playmate.

Your dogs can play with each other all day while you are away.

When your current dog shows signs of boredom, like the destruction of property when you are away, having a playmate can easily solve this problem.

Dogs are pack animals, so it is easy for them to adjust from living as a single dog in the household to becoming an older brother or sister.

The order of the pack when you get a second dog will not change.

You as the owner will be the pack leader and the existing dog will show the newest family member the ropes.

Having more than one dog will encourage an owner to get out and take more walks. The benefit of two will be all of the exercise that they will get from this. Whether you walk the dogs together or separately, the bonus of keeping healthy will not change.

If you are the type of person that likes to browse the pages of your local animal shelter or your favorite breeder and are wondering what it would be like to have a second animal, it may just be the right time to take that leap of faith and get a second dog.

The companionship for you and all of the love that you have will spill over to your new friend.

There is nothing better than one wagging tail to come home to, except for two wagging tails.

Welcoming a new pet into your home and looking to ensure its well-being, contact Powell Veterinary Service at 970-352-9164. We offer a variety of veterinary services that can help to get your pet on the right path to being happy and healthy.

The post The Benefits Of Two Dogs In Your Home first appeared on Powell Veterinary Service.

There are plenty of great benefits to owning a pet. For starters, they make great companions and can provide your children with the opportunity to learn responsibility. Dogs especially can make good protectors as well. But did you know that pets also make us happier and healthier?

In a series of studies performed by Allen R. McConnell, Ph.D. and his colleagues, it was found that pets improve the lives of their owners by providing social support. Pet owners who had positive relationships with their friends and families mentioned having just as strong of a relationship with their pet! They often felt a sense of belonging and increased self-esteem, thanks to their furry family member. Pet owners also showed lower rates of depression and stress than non-owners.

And it’s not just dogs who are man’s best friend – whether you are the proud owner of a dog, cat, horse or lizard, you will feel the benefits of their love and support!

Pets can also provide support for those suffering from high blood pressure or a recent heart attack. Owning a pet is thought to decrease your risk of a heart attack and greatly increases your chances of surviving one. Just the presence of a dog has been shown to decrease an individual’s heart rate and blood pressure.

It has also been shown that babies born into families with a dog or cat are less likely to develop allergies and childhood asthma. Pets are thought to protect against illnesses by exposing children to dirt and dander early in life, training their developing immune systems.

Take care of your furry friend just as they care for you. Contact Powell Veterinary Service online or at 970-352-9164 to set up an appointment for an annual check-up today! Located in Kersey, Colorado; we proudly service neighboring areas including Brighton, Greeley, Gilcrest, La Salle, Loveland and Platteville.

The post Owning a Pet Leads to a Healthier Life first appeared on Powell Veterinary Service.