Transcripts

Marty Becker:
Studies show if you have a pet, you're 40% less likely to have a heart attack. And God forbid you do suffer a heart attack and you have a pet, the latest studies show you are 8 times more likely to be alive one year later.

Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, author of the book, The Healing Power Of Pets says there have been careful studies showing the positive effects of pet ownership.

They get you into a joyful routine. They open you up to a lot of social interactions with people when you're walking. If we're talking about depression, pets actually help stop the loss of what we call aromatic amino acids or the building blocks of the good neuro-chemicals into the urine, and help build up serum levels just like Prozac does. So you don't feel as depressed.

Particularly for people who are elderly or chronically ill, Dr Becker says pets can work wonders.

People that are older, especially when they start getting in chronic pain, if they're all alone, they don't even have a good reason to get up out of the chair. And with a pet, it gets people up; it takes their focus off of themselves. My father-in-law in 81 years old, my mother-in-law is 78, every conversation we have, there's something joyous in talking about the pets. It comes up every time. It's something they did, that they were really worked up because the squirrel was outside today. But it's so joyous. And the good thing about pets too, when somebody sees you with a pet, they attach positive social attributes to you.

At somethingyoushouldknow.net, I'm Mike Carruthers and that's Something You Should Know.