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Owning a Dog Helps your Health!
If you are looking for a healthier life, get a dog.
New research suggests that dog owners are physically healthier than cat owners. Dog owners tend to have lower
blood pressure and cholesterol levels, possibly thanks to regular walks with their four-legged friends.
Writing in the British Journal of Health Psychology, Dr Deborah Wells said that dog owners appear to suffer from
fewer minor ailments as well as fewer serious medical problems.
In a review of dozens of previous studies, Dr Wells found that dogs also seem to aid recovery from serious
illnesses, such as heart attacks. One British study found that the presence of a dog can help chronically ill children endure potentially painful medical procedures.
With their heightened sense of smell, dogs also appear to be able to sniff out malignant melanomas, a kind of
cancer, or the onset of low blood sugar in diabetics, research suggests.
Independent Online: 22 January 2007
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