A dog may be man’s best friend, but new research shows that beloved pets may offer much more than companionship. According to two new studies conducted by the American Heart Association (AHA), dog ownership may be associated with longer life and better cardiovascular health, especially for heart attack and stroke survivors who live alone.
After comparing the health outcomes of dog-owning and non-dog owning survivors of heart-attacks or strokes, researchers determined that dog-owners experienced lower rates of death resulting from cardiovascular diseases. And while it’s still difficult to point out the exact explanation behind the benefits, the reason could be due to an increase in physical activity and a decrease in depression and loneliness among dog owners, which previous studies have confirmed.
People who lived alone after a heart attack or stroke saw the greatest upside. Compared to people who did not own a dog, researchers found that the risk of death for heart attack and stroke patients living alone after hospitalization was 33 percent lower and 15 percent lower for those living with a partner or child.
