A dog at home means longer life and better cardiovascular health, especially for heart attack and stroke survivors who live alone, according to a new study and a separate meta-analysis on the subject.
Prior studies have shown that dog ownership alleviates social isolation, improves physical activity and even lowers blood pressure. Compared to people who did not own a dog, researchers found that for dog owners, the risk of death for heart attack patients living alone after hospitalization was 33 per cent lower, and 15 per cent lower for those living with a partner or child.
The risk of death for stroke patients living alone after hospitalization was 27 per cent lower and 12 per cent lower for those living with a partner or child. In the study, nearly 182,000 people were recorded to have had a heart attack, with almost 6 per cent being dog owners, and nearly 155,000 people were recorded to have had an ischemic stroke, with almost 5 per cent being dog owners.
