New Roles for Canines and The Importance of Ownership, Health and Longevity

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82 – September, 2020

By Dr. Carmen Battaglia

Since the domestication of the canine, more than 300 breeds have been developed and all of them with verifiable ancestries. Better selection methods, genetics and research have opened new doors for the study of human and canine development, health and longevity. The history of purebred dogs shows that they are not only part of closely monitored populations, but they have also been useful in making improvements in canine and human lifestyles. For canines, the model most often used has been to breed puppies from healthy sires and dams who have established pedigrees, promising genetic profiles, and extensive behavioral and medical screening. This approach has influenced the efforts used to study: early development, weaning and the maternal influence (Slabbert), early neurological stimulation (Battaglia), exposure to different environments, different surfaces, handling, and non-traditional situations (Thomas).

For humans, more than 74 post-secondary schools and research institutions worldwide have become involved, including those in Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Australia, and the Netherlands. While many factors have been used to improve human aging and longevity, the same amount of improvement did not occur in dogs, horses, elephants and many other species. In the 1920s, what was considered an old dog, horse and elephant did not change. The age of an old animal in the 1920s is still an old animal today. The same is not true for humans and their life expectancy. It increased from an average of 49 years of age in the early 1900s to 78 in 2020. Research at institutions such as Texas A&M, the Morris Animal Foundation and others are focusing on factors that can make a difference. They include: genes, gender, lifestyle, luck and dog ownership. Two recent studies published in Circulation, a journal published by the American Heart Association, found that human mortality rates decreased by as much as 24% for those who owned a dog. This study was conducted over a period of 70 years and involved more than 4 million people. The World Health Organization found that heart attacks and strokes continue to be the two greatest causes of death across the globe. Dr. Caroline Kramer, the lead author of this study, noted that people who live with a dog and had already suffered such a serious health event had a 31% reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. The gap widened even more for people who lived alone. She found that heart attack victims who lived alone and owned a dog had a 33% lower risk of death as compared to those who did not own a dog. Similar results were found for those who suffered a stroke and lived alone. They had a 24% lower risk of death if they owned a dog. One of the best indicators of longevity was the stress associated with loneliness. The explanation for these results seems to be linked to a hormone called oxytocin. A number of studies have shown that when dogs and humans interact with each other in a positive way (for example, cuddling) both partners exhibit a surge in oxytocin, a hormone which has been linked to positive emotional states. In a study that measured oxytocin levels in dogs and humans before and after they interacted, there was a noticeable increase in oxytocin levels. The social interaction of such activities such as stroking, gazing and talking to your dog was also found to increase the oxytocin level in both the dog and the human.

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82 – September, 2020

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Posted by AnthonyA on Sep 11 2020. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.