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L O V E

I can remember one of the first times I came home from

work after I got my puppy. He ran to greet me at the door

and was so happy. I thought, “Now this is why I got a dog.”

According to Animal Smart, just the act of petting an

animal can increase levels of the stress-reducing hormone

oxytocin and decrease production of the stress hormone

cortisol. Study after study has shown that owning a pet is

good for your health. A 2001 survey from Animal Smart

found that pet-owning patients could keep their high blood

pressure in check during times of stress better than patients

without pets. And yet another study showed that patients

who have suffered a heart attack increase their odds of sur-

viving for at least a year if they own a pet.

It’s that unconditional love that a pet gives you. They

don’t judge you for leaving a pile of laundry on the floor,

and they don’t mind if you ignore the dirty dishes in the

sink. They truly are a man’s – and woman’s – best friend.

Jessica Hecker, the veterinary technician manager at

Advanced Animal Care of Mount

Pleasant, said she has been in the

field for 11 years but still feels there

is so much more she can learn from

animals.

“I am constantly amazed by all

the things I learn from animals,”

she said. “They are capable of

bringing out the best in people,

even in the most dire situations.

They bring out the nurturing side of us and they pass no

judgment. They exhibit the very definition of unconditional

love.”

Pets also do a great job of helping people deal with loneli-

ness. According to Pet Health Network, senior citizens who

own a pet have an enhanced quality of life because their pet

gets them out and increases their feelings of social connect-

edness. While getting a pet solely for the purpose of meet-

ing people may not be a good idea, it is hard to overlook

the fact that animals bring people together and improve

socialization overall.

And who hasn’t heard of therapy dogs? Their entire

purpose in life is to make people feel better. According to a

recent article in

Time

magazine, pet therapy is actually used

alongside conventional medicine. The article pointed out

that there isn’t one major children’s hospital in the country

that doesn’t allow pets on its floors for some kind of pet

therapy program.

Dr. Christa Kahuda of Charleston

Harbor Veterinarians in downtown

Charleston said, “The worldwide One

Health initiative coined the term zoo-

eyia, which refers to the many posi-

tive benefits to human health from

interacting with animals. Pets provide

us with physical touch when we are in

need of comfort, an ear for our prob-

lems and a laugh after a long day.”

By Theresa Stratford

A FAMILY PET

CAN IMPROVE YOUR

W ll-Being

LOVE

No Greater

PETS 6

www.MountPleasant.pet | www.MPVets.pet | www.MTPleasant. pet