Pets prevent asthma, says Swedish study

Children with dogs or farm pets at a young age are less likely to have asthma by the age of six. Exposure to animals, particularly pets, may prevent asthma (Time, November 2, 2015).

In a new Swedish study published in the JAMA Pediatrics journal, researchers at the Uppsala University, the Karolinska Institute, the Karolinska University Hospital, the Orebro University Hospital, Orebro University, and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, studied over 376,000 preschool students and over 276,200 school-aged students.

The researcher studied children in families of registered dog owners or exposed to farm animals during the first year of life.

The results showed that children exposed to dogs in the first year of life was linked to a 13% lower risk of asthma when they were of school age. Children exposed to farm animals in the first year of life had a 52% lower risk of asthma.

Their research suggested tht the lack of exposure to germs and microbes during childhood could lead to more allergies, and that exposure to germs through dogs and farm pet could strengthen a child’s immune system. Living with pets and livestock seems to alter the bacterial composition of house dust. Other research showed that mice exposed to this dust have alterations in their gut composition as well as fewer allergic reactions.

Whereas some people think exposure to animals may cause their children to contract diseases, it seems that is not the case – the germs exposed to early in life seem to build a healthier and stronger immune system.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/301881.php

http://time.com/4096795/dog-asthma-risk-children/?xid=homepage

The top photo is from thesciencedog.wordpress.com

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