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Pets as Mirror

One of the best ways to look out for our health is to live with an animal — and pay attention to what he or she is telling us. Often the diseases of our pets can clue us into how body systems work in general.

In rain, shine, sleet and snow our dogs will still tell us when they need go for a walk. Savvy pet owners know that those sub-zero potty breaks are good for both of you. Talking a brisk, half-hour walk every day lowers blood pressure, promotes better sleep, and reduces bad cholesterol. If you're a woman, that walk can cut your heart attack risk by 30-40 percent according to findings in the Nurses Health Study. And it's always easier to get motivated when you've got an energetic walking companion.

So, maybe you have a less interactive pet. Maybe you are content to watch the rain or snow fall from a cozy window seat with a bunny. Simply sharing your space with a cat, bird, rabbit, ferret — or even a gerbil — can boost your health and well-being. Studies have found that pet owners have lower blood pressure, reduced stress levels, and higher survival rates after heart attacks and diseases. The National Institute of Health reports that pet owners have measurably better cardiovascular health than people without pets. Even limited exposure to animals through pet therapy programs has been shown to be calming and healing to people in hospitals and assisted living facilities.

We Love What We Love

All those studies aside, perhaps the reason pets help us live longer, healthier lives is simple: They make us happy. The unconditional love and companionship pets offer us is a powerful psychological balm. JeanMarie Ross, 42, of Garner, North Carolina, says her dog Ginger helped her through an extended period of severe depression. "On days when I was too depressed even to get out of bed, she would lay on the floor next to the bed, or right beside me. When I petted her I could literally feel the physical difference and knew that my serotonin levels were being affected," Garner says. "Having her there, looking at me with those beautiful black eyes and nuzzling me to pet her, was a great solace for me."

We can repay our pets for this healing love by taking care of their health, through exercise, a healthy diet, and regular veterinary care. In doing so, they continue to help us by teaching us about our own health, and even guiding us through the aging process. The parallels we observe between our health and that of our pets can be highly instructive. When Diane Ramn of Rockford, Minnesota, told her doctor she thought she had thyroid disease, he didn't believe her at first — she wasn't a doctor, and he hadn't run any tests. But she was right. "I'd just been through this disease with my cat, and I knew the symptoms," she said. "When I saw them in myself, I went straight to the doctor."