Pet friendly

George Eliot once said – and any animal lover will surely agree – that “Animals are such agreeable friends – they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.” 

Pets can improve your health. Pets can reduce stress and help prevent loneliness. They can also help lower blood pressure and decrease cholesterol and triglycerides. Pets may even increase life expectancy among people who have had heart attacks. Dogs bring the added benefit of getting owners to walk more.

For all their benefits, however, pets are not without risks.

• Animals with fur and feathers may provoke allergies or asthma.
• Reptiles such as snakes, turtles and lizards carry bacteria that can cause infections in people, such as salmonella.
• Cats can carry a parasite that causes the infection toxoplasmosis.

The risk for all of these infections is higher in infants, the chronically sick and very old people. To make the safest choice when choosing a pet for your household, consider the following:

• Avoid reptiles for young children, the chronically sick and older members of the household.
• Women of childbearing age should avoid soiled cat litter.
• Avoid wild or non-domesticated animals.
• Check dogs and outdoor cats for ticks and have them wear effective tick collars.

With planning and proper care, pets can offer a great benefit to human health.