Dog Ownership Research Articles

Caring for Canines: A Survey of Dog Ownership and Parasite Control Practices in Ireland

Dogs are an important part of life for many people. Dog ownership can confer various health benefits to their owners, but it also presents some risks. In order to establish if dog owners were aware of these risks, an online survey of dog ownership practices was carried out. The survey was open during the month of January 2022 and received 662 responses regarding 850 individual dogs. Overall, 52% of people reported deworming their dog between zero and twice a year, which is unlikely to reduce the risk of infection to humans. The majority of dog owners (71%) reported disposing of faeces correctly; however, when comparing urban and rural environments, 33% of those in rural environments did not dispose of their dogs' faeces at all, compared with 3% of people in urban locations. People who obtained their dog during the pandemic brought their dog to the vet and dewormed them more frequently than those who obtained their dog before the pandemic. There were no differences in how faeces was disposed of between these groups. These results indicate that we, as researchers and veterinarians, have much work to do in terms of educating dog owners about the ways in which we can reduce the risk of infection to ourselves and our communities.

Environmental determinants of household microbial and allergen levels in the Greater Taipei Area

People spend most of their time indoors, where they may be exposed to various microorganisms and allergens. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the relationship between indoor microbial and allergen levels and indoor and outdoor household environmental characteristics. Participants were recruited from an ongoing cohort study in the Greater Taipei Area. Questionnaire administration and environmental sampling were conducted during home visits. Samples were collected from children's bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and outdoor areas (balconies) and analyzed for fungal spores, house dust mite allergens (Der p 1 and Der f 1), endotoxin, and cockroach allergens (Bla g 1). Indoor temperature and relative humidity were also measured, and the land-use characteristics and points of interest surrounding the residences were evaluated within specified radii. The mean levels of outdoor air pollutants were then estimated, and multiple regression analysis was performed to investigate the predictors of indoor microbial and allergen levels. In total, 136 homes were analyzed. The results indicated that dog ownership, air purifier use, and floor cleaning frequency were major predictors of indoor microbial and allergen levels. Moreover, proximity to parks, roads, and forests was associated with elevated levels of indoor microorganisms and allergens. Our results demonstrated that indoor concentrations of certain microorganisms and allergens tended to increase in households located within neighborhoods with particular characteristics. Overall, our research findings contribute to housing intervention protocols and policies aimed at reducing exposure to indoor microorganisms and allergens. Future studies should longitudinally investigate the health effects of indoor microorganisms and allergens.

Analysis of Dog Ownership Pattern and the Spread of Rabies Disease in Sierra Leone

How people own and manage dogs in Sierra Leone has significant implications for public health, animal welfare, and community safety. This study comprehensively analyzes dog ownership patterns and safety management standards in Sierra Leone to better understand the dynamics between human animals and dogs in Serra Leone. Objectives: This research aimed to determine the pet owners’ patterns in Sierra Leone to develop a standard, functional, and safe management for dogs based on peculiar social, economic, and cultural considerations. Methods: This research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. A stratified random sampling technique is used to select households. Surveys are conducted to collect data on age and patterns of dog ownership, tribes and religion, and awareness of responsible pet ownership. To explore safety management standards and challenges, in-depth interviews are conducted with key informants, including dog owners, farmers, hunters, women, men, public health officials, and community leaders. Results: Findings indicate that dog ownership is widespread among the Mende, Temne, and Limba in Sierra Leone. The age, sex, sources of dogs, purpose, tribe, and religion. Socio-economic factors, such as hunting security and income, influence the likelihood of dog ownership. The people lack knowledge regarding responsible pet ownership practices and zoonotic disease transmission. Safety management standards for dogs are inconsistent, with feeding, care, and treatment disparities. Challenges include limited access to veterinary services, inadequate public awareness, and a lack of enforcement of safety regulations. Conclusion: This study sheds light on the complex interplay between dog ownership, public health, and safety management in Sierra Leone. It underscores the need for targeted education and awareness campaigns to promote responsible pet ownership. Improving dog ownership practices can enhance community safety, protect public health, and ensure the welfare of humans and dogs in Sierra Leone.

Study of fear and fear evoking stimuli in a population of domestic dogs in Iran: A questionnaire-based study.

General and social acceptance, condition, and rules for dog ownership in Iran are different from western countries. So, this phenomenon leads dissimilar fear and fear evoking stimuli in dogs. So, stress and fear‑related factors and dog's behavioral problems is not fully studied in Iran. Thus, the aim of the current study was to measuring fear‑related factors in dogs in Iran. In the first part of this study demographic information of the owners and dogs were collected using questionnaire from clinics and veterinary hospitals in Tehran. In the second part behavioral tests was done. Questionnaire data were recorded based on 4 items as neuroticism, fear caused by other dogs, fear caused by human and separation behavior. The social contact test was used to determine dog's experience for greeting, cooperation, and handling. According to the results, 69.3% of the dog owners were women and 30.7% men. 84.1% of the dogs were small breeds and 15.9% large‑breed dogs. 63.6% of the owner's complained for impact of laws and prohibitions on their dogs' access to outdoor. The score for greeting, cooperation and handling were 1.76 ± ± 0.93, 3.06 ± 1.25 and 2.44 ± 1.21, respectively. Mean score for neuroticism, fear caused by other dogs, fear caused by human and separation behavior were 29.69 ± 9.24, 14.75 ± 5.38, 9.84 ± 4.05 and 6.57 ± 3.05, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed fear using neuroticism, fear caused by other dogs and human were 1st fear related factor while separation‑related behavior was the 2nd priority (P = 0.001). Small‑breed dogs had more separation behavior and fear caused by other dogs compared to the large‑breed dogs (P = 0.001). These findings suggested keeping the dogs indoor with limit access to a yard had negative impact on dog's behaviors. Legal restrictions have adverse effect on fear behavior in dogs. Determination of fear‑related factors might prove useful for dog's behavioral intervention in Iran.

Pet Ownership and Maintenance of Physical Function in Older Adults-Evidence From the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA).

Pet ownership or human-animal interaction has been associated with better health outcomes in individuals with disease or disability. We hypothesized that pet ownership, as well as dog ownership and cat ownership separately, are associated with maintaining physical function, and leisure time physical activity and that among dog owners, dog walking is associated with maintaining these outcomes for generally healthy community-dwelling older adults participating in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. A total of 637 men (44.1%) and women aged 50-100 years (M = 68.3, standard deviation [SD] = 9.6) completed a comprehensive pet ownership questionnaire that ascertained pet ownership history 10-13 years and had serial assessments of physical function every 1-4 years prior. Linear or generalized linear mixed models with time varying pet ownership were used to examine change in physical function over a mean of 7.5 years (range 1-13, SD = 3.6) according to pet ownership. Pet owners (n = 185) were significantly younger (p < .001) and had fewer comorbidities (p = .03) than nonowners; thus, age and comorbidities were included as covariates in the longitudinal analyses. Physical function and leisure time physical activity declined with aging across all outcomes (p < .001); the decline was slower among pet owners in overall physical performance (p < .001), rapid gait speed (p = .03), usual gait speed (p = .032), cardiorespiratory fitness (p < .001), and physical well-being (p = .002) controlling for age and comorbidities. Changes in leisure time physical activities with aging did not differ between pet owners and nonowners. Dog walking was not independently related to the maintenance of physical function or leisure time physical activity with aging. This study provides the first longitudinal evidence that pet ownership is associated with maintained physical function among community-dwelling generally healthy older adults.

EXAMINING HUMAN-ANIMAL INTERACTIONS AND THEIR EFFECT ON FRAILTY IN LATER LIFE: A SCOPING REVIEW

Abstract Research suggests that human-animal interactions (HAIs) can improve the health and well-being of humans throughout their lifespan. While HAIs may facilitate healthy aging broadly, scant research has focused on HAIs as an intervention for adults aged 50 and older as it pertains to a comprehensive perspective of frailty. Moreover, scholarly literature lacks a consistent frailty definition, resulting in a lack of cohesion when evaluating the effectiveness of frailty interventions. This scoping review research proposes a comprehensive frailty definition and explores what is known about HAI interventions available to older adults as they relate to frailty statuses. Despite broad inclusion criteria, only four articles were relevant to this literature review, confirming the scarcity of relevant completed research thus far. Thematic analysis of reported results includes dog ownership as a protective factor regarding frailty statuses, the interconnected health effects of pet ownership, and meaning and purpose implications. Future interdisciplinary research should consider HAIs outside of pet ownership as frailty interventions for older adults, be mindful of population differences as they relate to intervention effectiveness, and work towards a universal, comprehensive definition of frailty that will aid in evaluating the frailty intervention effectiveness.

“In times of stress, it is good to be with them”: experience of dog owners from a rural district of Sri Lanka

BackgroundThe dog has been man’s best companion since ancient times. And, dog ownership is associated with improved physical activity and cardiovascular health. We aim to explore the experience of dog owners on dog ownership and its effects on personal and family health in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Such studies are scarce in developing countries and rural regions.MethodsA qualitative study was conducted using in-depth interviews with dog owners in the Anuradhapura district, Sri Lanka. Interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed and thematic analysis was performed.ResultsThe study findings were reported under the themes of experience of dog owners, pet dogs for children, village dogs as pets, the role of pet dogs in personal and family health, and participants’ advice on dog ownership. Participants highlighted companionship as a positive aspect of pet dogs. However, expenses and reduced travel were the concerns of dog ownership. A child’s preference was important in owning a pet dog. Also, participants were willing to adopt the village dogs. Further, they perceived stress reduction and mental satisfaction when interacting with their pet dogs. Moreover, participants seldom experienced major health risks from their pet dogs.ConclusionsHuman–dog interaction seems to improve the participants’ mental well-being, and future research should focus on its possible consequences. Further, the village dogs were adopted as pets. Guided promotion of such activities could ease concerns related to village dogs in developing and rural regions.

Travel with dogs: The need to accommodate “messy trips” in healthy and sustainable transport transitions

IntroductionModern life engenders complicated travel behaviour. Daily routines are not simply standard journeys to work and school. Instead, our lives, and the way we navigate them, are messy. We attend multiple destinations for multiple purposes, chained together as households negotiate the demands and opportunities presented by cities. It is often the minor details of these complex trips that determine personal mode choice. Challenging these choices requires a more comprehensive engagement with these details than is currently characteristic in transport research. In this paper we embrace one such detail – travel with dogs. We base this focus on the proposition that dog ownership is an ostensibly health promoting practice that needs to be accommodated by a healthy and sustainable transport system. MethodThis paper is about ‘messy trips’. Messy trips are defined by two key characteristics. First, they are spatially and temporally complex in a way that disrupts conventional planning's prioritisation of consistent peaks and flows. Second, they are often emotionally or physically laden, defined by the need to carry a load or care for another. We use the way people travel with dogs to demonstrate the need for transport scholars and professionals to explore and understand messy trips, revealing a transport demand with potential echoes and therefore impacts across other domains of caring and connection. Specifically, drawing on survey data from 425 dog owners in Sydney, Australia, we consider three examples of trips with dogs. ResultsOur analysis finds that while regular dog walking trips usually occur on foot, there are other activities that people do with dogs and these activities are often accommodated by private car. ConclusionResponsible dog ownership is an ostensibly health promoting activity, however if dogs are not accommodated by sustainable transport systems, it is a practice with the unintended consequence of perpetuating private car use.

Effects of dog ownership on the gut microbiota of elderly owners.

Dog owners are usually in close contact with dogs. Whether dogs can affect the gut microbiota of elderly dog owners is worth studying. Data from 54 elderly (over 65 years of age) dog owners were screened from the American Gut Project. Owning a dog did not affect the α-diversity of the gut microbiota of the dog owner. Dog ownership significantly modulated the composition of the gut microbiota of the dog owner. The abundance of Actinobacteria was significantly increased. The abundances of Bifidobacteriaceae and Ruminococcaceae were significantly increased, while the abundance of Moracellaceae was significantly suppressed. In general, dog ownership can regulate the composition of gut microbiota and has a more significant effect on elderly males.

Association between Pet Ownership and Threatened Abortion in Pregnant Women: The China Birth Cohort Study.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the association between pet ownership and threatened abortion (TA) in pregnant Chinese women. Materials and Methods: We enrolled pregnant women from 18 provinces and autonomous regions across China between November 2017 and December 2020. Participants were grouped based on the presence or absence of pet ownership. Pet owners were further sub-grouped based on the presence or absence of close contact with their pets. Pet species included cats, dogs, and both. Generalised linear mixed models, with province as a random effect, were used to estimate the associations between pet ownership and TA. Results: Pet ownership, whether or not one had close contact with pets, was associated with greater odds of TA (OR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.40). Keeping pet cats (OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.40), dogs (OR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.18, 1.41), or both cats and dogs (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.68) during pregnancy were all risk factors for TA. We observed significant group differences (p for difference < 0.05) in pre-pregnancy body mass index, education levels, and annual household income. Conclusions: Cat or dog ownership during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of TA, especially among overweight, less educated, or lower-income participants.

Owned dog population size and ownership patterns in Costa Rica.

Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are one of the most common pets around the world but ownership patterns and human-dog interactions have been changing, particularly in developing nations. We conducted household surveys in Costa Rica to characterize dog ownership, the owned dog population, where dogs were confined at night and in the morning, and behaviors regarding selected dog care issues. We also compared these results to similar questionnaires used in Costa Rica over the past 20 years. We found 76% of households in Costa Rica owned at least one dog and on average there were about 1.4 dogs owned per household. These dog ownership rates are higher than previous estimates. The probability of owning a dog was highest on farms and lowest in single family dwellings without a yard, higher among respondents that owned their homes and decreasing with increasing human population density The total number of owned dogs in Costa Rica was estimated to be 2,222,032 (95% confidence intervals: 1,981,497-2,503,751). The sterilization rate for homed dogs in 2020 was approximately 62% (females: 67%, males: 61%) which is higher than the 18% of owned dogs that were sterilized in a 2003 survey. Overall, only 1.2% (95% CI: 0.3-2.5%) of owned dogs slept on the street with a slightly higher proportion on the street at 8 am. The number of owned dogs roaming the streets at night nation-wide was estimated to be 27,208 (95% CI: 7,557-56,619) compared to 43,142 (95% CI: 20,118-73,618) on the street at 8 am. The number of unowned free-roaming dogs in Costa Rica has never been estimated but we can generate some idea of the size of the unowned dog population by determining the proportion of free-roaming dogs on the street wearing collars. There was a negative relationship between human population density and owned dogs being on the street meaning fewer dogs roam the streets in highly populated areas compared to less populated areas. Overall, we identify trends against which future progress can be measured and provide information that are critical in designing effective humane dog management programs in Costa Rica in the future.

Expectations versus Reality of Designer Dog Ownership in the United States.

"Designer dogs", which are the hybrid offspring that result from intentionally breeding dogs belonging to different breeds, are an extremely popular pet choice in the United States. Poodle mixes, often called "doodles", are a very common type of designer dog. However, there are many misconceptions surrounding them, and the reality of owning one may not match the owner's expectations. For instance, many people believe these dogs to be non-shedding and hypoallergenic, although this is not always the case. This study explored whether the reality of owning a doodle matches owner expectations. For comparison purposes, we also asked owners of non-doodle dogs about their expectations versus reality. Our survey-based study included 2191 owners of doodles and non-doodle dogs recruited via groups of dog owners on Facebook and Reddit. The data showed that, when selecting their dogs, doodle owners were more influenced than non-doodle owners by their dog's appearance and by the perception that doodles are good with children and are generally healthy. Doodle owners reported being highly satisfied with their dogs; nevertheless, more than twice as many doodle owners than owners of the other groups of dogs reported that their dog's maintenance requirements, such as their need for regular grooming, were more intensive than they had expected. This finding suggests that those interested in owning doodles would benefit from having more information about their dog's grooming needs so they can decide whether they have the time and money required to meet their dog's welfare needs.

The effects of viewing cute images on the performance of simple computerized tasks in dog owners and non-dog owners.

Viewing cute images of puppies or kittens can improve the performance of various motor tasks due to increased behavioral carefulness. It is possible, however, that this effect can be moderated by the affinity of individuals towards specific cute stimuli. The purpose of this pre-registered study was to examine whether dog ownership moderates the effect of viewing cute images of puppies on two computerized RT-based tasks. One-hundred and sixty-four participants were covertly recruited and randomly assigned to four groups: (1) dog owners viewing puppies' images (n = 35), (2) dog owners viewing adult dogs' images (n = 36), (3) non-dog owners viewing puppies' images (n = 48), and (4) non-dog owners viewing adult dogs' images (n = 45). The participants performed a Simon task and an alternate task-switching task before and after viewing seven images of puppies/adult dogs based on group affiliation. After performing the tasks, the participants rated each image on five characteristics: cuteness, infantility, pleasantness, excitability, and wanting to get closer. The participants who viewed images of puppies rated those characteristics (e.g., cuter, more infantile, etc.) as higher than the participants who viewed images of adult dogs. There were no differences in the performance of the two tasks between participants who viewed images puppies and participants who viewed images of adult dogs. However, dog owners reacted faster than non-dog owners in the post-test of the alternate task-switching task. It is possible that showing images of dogs to dog owners increased their motivation and attention to the task.

Campylobacter and risk factors associated with dog ownership: a retrospective study in household and in shelter dogs.

Campylobacteriosis has been the most frequently reported zoonotic disease in humans in Europe. The scientific literature has reported that the role of dogs may be relevant. The objectives of this work are to improve the knowledge about Campylobacter spp. carriage, infection and antimicrobial resistance in household and shelter dogs in Italy, and to assess risk factors at the dog/human interface. During the 2015‑2016 period, rectal swabs were collected from 431 household vet‑visiting dogs and 173 dogs housed in shelters. A total of 3 veterinary clinics, located in three Italian regions (Abruzzo, Molise and Tuscany) and 10 shelters, five in Abruzzo and five in Molise, were included in the study. Relevant risk factors for the transmission of Campylobacter spp. from dogs to humans were assessed by means of a questionnaire administered to owners of household dogs. For Campylobacter spp. isolation, selective cultivation methods were used, followed by confirmation and species identification with the PCR method. Phenotypic antibiotic resistance profiles assayed using antimicrobial susceptibility testing were combined. Campylobacter spp. were isolated from 9 household dogs (2.1% CI 1.1% ‑ 3.9%) and from 13 shelter dogs (7.5 % CI 4.5% ‑ 12.4%). In household dogs C. jejuni was the most represented species (0.9%). In shelter dogs, the most common species was C. jejuni (5.2%). Campylobacter spp. isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin (22.73%), nalidixic acid (22.73%), tetracyclines (27.27%), streptomycin (9.09%) and erythromycin (4.55%). The main C. jejuni Clonal Complex identified in dogs were CC21, CC45, CC206, CC403, CC42 and CC658. The risk of contracting Campylobacteriosis from dogs remains a concrete reality. This risk is increased in the presence of common habits, as shown by the data from the questionnaire. Prevalence control of Campylobacter spp. in household and shelter dogs would be important in order to reduce the transmission to humans.

Might Dog Walking Reduce the Impact of COPD on Patients' Life?

Low levels of physical activity (PA) lead to a worsening of physical condition and contributes to multimorbidity in Chronic Obstructive Respiratory Disease (COPD). Unsupervised PA related to dog ownership may contribute to reducing sedentary behavior. We aimed to investigate the relationship between dog walking, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and exacerbations in COPD. A pre-defined sample of 200 COPD patients (dog owners and non-dog owners) with symptomatic COPD was sourced from a database representative of the Italian population. A computer-assisted personal interview was used to assess health status impairment (CAT), fatigue (FACIT), health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (EQ-5D), and PA frequency. In the whole sample, PA was associated with better CAT, EQ-5D, VAS, FACIT scores and reduced number of exacerbation (p &lt; 0.001). Under the same CAT scores, dog-walking duration was associated with a better HRQoL (EQ5D, p = 0.015) and less fatigue (FACIT, p = 0.017). In an adjusted regression model, walking dogs &gt;30 min was associated with lower fatigue (FACIT) than having no dogs and walking dogs &lt;15 min (p = 0.026 and p = 0.009, respectively). Motivation related to dog walking could modify patients' tendency to focus on symptoms during PA and, therefore, to perceive the fatigue. Dog walking may be effective for increasing and maintaining regular PA, reducing the subjective impact of COPD.

Understanding the occupational role of dog ownership through the lens of attachment theory: A survey study

Introduction: Incorporation of animal-assisted services is an emerging field of occupational therapy practice. While the owner–dog relationship is an important component supporting positive outcomes, pets also represent an added responsibility, with pet care a little-understood role for occupational therapists. The present study drew on attachment theory to investigate associations between owner attachment pattern, care of the dog, relationship with and closeness to the dog and perceptions of the dog’s personality. Method: Participants ( N = 97) completed an online survey using standardised measures. Results: Quality of the relationship with the pet dog was associated with the level of care provided to the dog, with stronger relationships associated with higher levels of care. While owner attachment pattern was not directly linked with the care provided to the dog, it was related to distress at being separated from the dog and perceptions of the dog’s personality. Conclusion: The present study supports existing findings that an attachment bond is present between owner and dog, and that this bond is linked with the care provided to the dog. Occupational therapists may facilitate the developing relationships between dog owners and their dogs, as well as supporting care of the dog, to optimise outcomes for both.

Legal epidemiology of paediatric dog bite injuries

BackgroundDog bite injuries cause over 100 000 paediatric emergency department visits annually. Our objective was to analyse associations between regional dog ownership laws and incidence of paediatric dog bites.MethodsThis observational...

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practices About Rabies Prevention and Associated Factors in Wolaita Sodo City, Southern Ethiopia

Background: Rabies is a fatal viral zoonotic disease which causes encephalitis in many warm-blooded animals and humans. It is an incurable disease once the clinical signs appear. However, it can be prevented via vaccination and community awareness. This study was therefore designed to assess knowledge, attitude and practices about rabies prevention and associated factors in Wolaita Sodo city, Southern Ethiopia. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2022. Multi-stage sampling technique was employed for selection of sample unit and data were collected from 423 households by face-to-face interview using structured questionnaire. Data were entered to Microsoft Excel and coded, cleaned and analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. The frequency distribution of both dependent and independent variables were worked out by using descriptive statistics technique (frequency, mean, SD and percentage). Association between independent variables and KAP scores on rabies was calculated using Pearson’s Chi square. Variables having p&lt;0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: Out of 423 respondents interviewed, 256(60.5%) were males and 167(39.5%) females. The majority of the respondents 145(34.3%) were diploma and above on educational status. Almost all of the respondents indicated that they had previously heard about rabies. Out of 423 interviewed respondants 228(53.9%) had good level of KAP on rabies. There was strong association between KAP scores and sex (χ2=40.811, p&lt;0.05); age (χ2=82.917, p&lt;0.05); educational level (χ2=241.782, p&lt;0.05); occupation (χ2=276.558, p&lt;0.05); household size (χ2=49.176, p&lt;0.05) and dog ownership (χ2=143.619, p&lt;0.05). Conclusion: Generally, these findings indicate that the Wolaita Sodo city community has good KAP score about rabies. However, raising the community awareness through continuous education, increase knowledge regarding wound washing, seeking post exposure prophylaxis and the need to vaccinate dogs, provision of pre and post exposure vaccines and creating rapid means of communications are suggested. Thus, close collaboration of public health, veterinary sector and local authorities is a key element for preventing this fatal incurable disease. Keywords : Attitude, Knowledge, Practice, Prevention Rabies and sodo city. DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/104-01 Publication date: November 30 th 2022

Dog ownership in infancy is protective for persistent wheeze in 17q21 asthma-risk carriers

Asthma-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms from large genome-wide association studies only explain a fraction of genetic heritability. Likely causes of the missing heritability include broad phenotype definitions and gene-environment interactions (GxE). The mechanisms underlying GxE in asthma are poorly understood. Previous GxE studies on pet ownership showed discordant results. We sought to study the GxE between the 17q12-21 locus and pet ownership in infancy in relation to wheeze. Wheezing classes derived from 5 UK-based birth cohorts (latent class analysis) were used to study GxE between the 17q12-21 asthma-risk variant rs2305480 and dog and cat ownership in infancy, using multinomial logistic regression. Atotal of 9149 children had both pet ownership and genotype data available. Summary statistics from individual analyses were meta-analyzed. rs2305480 G allele was associated with increased risk of persistent wheeze (additive model odds ratio, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.25-1.51). There was no evidence of an association between dog or cat ownership and wheeze. We found significant evidence of a GxE interaction between rs2305480 and dog ownership (P= 8.3 × 10-4) on persistent wheeze; among dog owners, the G allele was no longer associated with an increased risk of persistent wheeze (additive model odds ratio, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.73-1.24). For those without pets, G allele was associated with increased risk of persistent wheeze (odds ratio, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.40-1.86). Among cat owners, no such dampening of the genetic effect was observed. Among dog owners, rs2305480 G was no longer associated with an increased risk of persistent wheeze (or asthma). Early-life environmental exposures may therefore attenuate likelihood of asthma in those carrying 17q12-21 risk alleles.

Pet ownership is associated with greater cognitive and brain health in a cross-sectional sample across the adult lifespan.

Human-animal interactions that stem from pet ownership have a wide range of benefits for social, emotional, and physical health. These factors also tend to improve cognition. Following this logic, owning a pet could indirectly enhance cognitive and brain health through mechanisms like improvements in well-being, socialization, and decreased stress. In the present study, cross-sectional data were drawn from the Alabama Brain Study on Risk for Dementia in which 95 participants aged 20-74 were recruited. Specifically, 56 adults were pet-owners and 39 adults were not pet-owners. Multivariate analyses revealed that pet ownership was related to higher levels of cognition and larger brain structures, and these effects were largest in dog owners. The most consistent cognitive relationships were found with better processing speed, attentional orienting, and episodic memory for stories, and with dorsal attention, limbic, and default mode networks. Moreover, we show that owning a pet can reduce one's brain age by up to 15 years. Pet ownership was not related to indirect factors including social, emotional, and physical health. We found also that older adults' brain health benefited from owning more than one pet versus owning one or fewer pets. These findings indicate that pet ownership, especially dog ownership, may play a role in enhancing cognitive performance across the adult lifespan, which could in turn influence protection against age-related cognitive decline.