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Eight weeks after her first baby was born, still recovering from an emergency C-section, Heather Barnes did the unthinkable: she got a puppy. While pregnant, her beloved dog had died and she missed the companionship. So when she found a black Lab that was born on the same day as her daughter, Hazel, she had to bring him home. ?I thought it was a sign,? recalls the Victoria-based mom of two. ?I grew up with a dog and I wanted my kids to have that experience, too. It?s comforting to have a dog around.?
While Barnes was well aware of the emotional benefits of pet ownership, what she didn?t realize was that her puppy, Ivan, could also play a part in her kids? long-term health.
A new study out of the University of Alberta shows that babies born into families with furry pets have a reduced risk of developing allergies and obesity if they?re exposed to the animals in the first few months of life. This is because the levels of two types of gut bacteria?Ruminococcus, which is associated with a lower risk of allergic disease, and Oscillospira, which is linked to leanness?are increased twofold when there?s a pet in house. Cats and dogs carry the healthy bacteria on their bodies, so cuddles and face licks could lead to the immune-boosting transfer. The study looked at the gut microbial composition of 746 Canadian infants in the first three months of life. Before and after the babies were born, nearly half of the families had pets in the home (primarily dogs) and anot...