In 2019, cardiologist and health economist Dhruv Kazi moved to Boston to serve as the director of the Cardiac Critical Care Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic proved “incredibly isolating” while working on the intensive care unit and living alone, he recalls.
Everything changed in 2021 with the arrival of Rumi, an energetic and affectionate Vizsla puppy. Thanks to Rumi, Kazi began spending more time outdoors, connecting with neighbors, and experiencing a much-needed boost of positivity.
“He was absolutely critical in helping me maintain my sanity,” Kazi said.
Decades of research suggest that people who have pets, particularly dogs, tend to be healthier than those who don’t. This connection is gaining increased attention as public health officials seek ways to improve overall wellness.
Dog ownership is linked to lower blood pressure, a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, and decreased mortality following a heart attack or stroke. A large 2019 review found that dog owners had a 24 percent lower risk of death from all causes over a ten-year period.
The benefits for heart health are so clear that the American Heart Association has issued a scientific statement affirming that owning a dog “may be a reasonable adjunct to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.” (The organization does not, but, recommend getting a dog solely for heart health.)
“Pet owners in general, but dog owners in particular, live longer and healthier lives than people who don’t have pets,” Kazi stated.
The connection is strong, but is it causal?
Experts suggest one explanation for the health benefits is that people with dogs tend to be more physically active than those without.
Adrian Bauman, emeritus professor of public health at the University of Sydney in Australia, published a 2012 meta-analysis showing that most dog owners who walked their dogs achieved the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. However, only 60 percent of owners actually walked with their dogs.
“You have to distinguish between having a dog in the household and actually going out and walking it,” Bauman said. (Bauman owns a dog himself, Jed, a Cavapoo – a Cavalier King Charles spaniel and poodle mix.)
Another study by Bauman found no difference in mortality risk between dog owners and non-owners when both groups were equally active.
Other research confirms that dog ownership doesn’t guarantee healthy habits. If someone has an unhealthy lifestyle, their dog can also be negatively affected. Tove Fall, professor of molecular epidemiology at Uppsala University and a former veterinarian, has shown that if a dog has type 2 diabetes, the owner is more likely to develop the disease as well.
“You share a home environment with your dog. So if you don’t live very healthily, the dog probably won’t either,” Fall explained. (Fall has two dogs: Totte, a Labrador mix, and Vega, a Dutch Spaniel breed called a Kooikerhondje.)
Experts also believe that dogs can improve people’s health and longevity by contributing to better mental wellbeing. People who are single or live alone appear to benefit the most from the companionship a pet provides.
“Having a dog has really significant health benefits in terms of counteracting the consequences of loneliness and isolation,” Bauman said.
For cat lovers, some studies have also shown that cat ownership is linked to a lower risk of death from heart attack or stroke, possibly by reducing stress.
However, the health benefits of pets may also simply be due to demographics. Dog owners tend to be younger and have higher incomes than those who don’t have dogs, which is itself linked to better health. In a large meta-analysis, many of the health benefits of dog ownership disappeared when factors like age, income, and lifestyle habits such as smoking were taken into account.
“It’s difficult to determine whether dogs make you healthier, or whether healthier people are more likely to secure a dog. If you are very frail and can barely take care of yourself, It’s probably unlikely that you would get a puppy,” Fall said.
Of course, pets can also be stressful. Anyone who has house-trained a puppy knows it can be frustrating. Veterinary costs can be expensive, and losing a pet often involves great grief.
“They require a lot of work and are a large commitment both emotionally and financially,” Kazi said.
“But they also give so much joy.”
