Pet Therapy!!

Parneeta Singh
May 6, 2023
9 min read

This mental health month I am going to be talking about a topic that is incredibly special and extra dear to my heart: pets!!

When I was recuperating from surgery in the hospital, I found out that the hospital offered pet therapy to patients. I signed up for it. The next day, a volunteer brought her pet dog to my hospital room. I thought my heart would explode with happiness! I played with the dog, cuddled, and petted her. I could feel my physical pain and mental anguish melt. I was and still am very grateful for that service.

During the pandemic, I noticed a sudden increase in the number of cats on the streets. It dawned on me that because of the economic strain that the pandemic had caused, people were abandoning their pets as they could no longer afford to bear the cost of having a pet. It was deeply saddening and unfortunate and my heart broke seeing the plight of these kitties. I suddenly felt this overwhelming urge to rescue a cat. A friend of a friend informed us that someone had found a 2-month-old kitten abandoned in a dumpster. We lunged at the opportunity to adopt this kitty. On July 13th, 2020, we brought my daughter, Niña, home. It was love at first sight. Niña is now three years old, and is sleeping next to me as I write this blog post.

This girl changed our lives forever. There was a void in my heart that I did not know existed until Niña filled it. I did not realize how much my family and I needed her. We say that we rescued her but in fact she rescued us! We nap and play together, and she eats toasted oats when I am having my smoothie. Yes, cats can eat certain human foods! She has cat-titude and is not afraid to show it! Every year we celebrate her birthday with a tuna cake, that I make from scratch, lots of toys and sing the birthday song for her. It might sound a bit eccentric to a person who has never had a pet but trust me once you adopt a pet, you will do anything for your fur-baby. Isn’t that right animal lovers? She has become my world and I cannot imagine my life without her.

In February 2022, I came across a stray male cat below my building who looked extremely sick. He had gashes all over his body. My parents and I rushed him to the vet where he was diagnosed with FIP (feline infectious peritonitis), a feline coronavirus. It is fatal and has no legal cure on the market. I was devastated. I could not bring him home because he could infect Niña. I searched eagerly for a home for him. I asked friends, posted on social media and different forums but no one could adopt him. So, my parents and I decided to take care of him on the streets. I named him Oreo since he was a black and white cat. My parents and I would feed him and clean him every day. We showered him with love and took him to the vet regularly. Initially, people would look at me strangely while I gave Oreo his medications and food on the streets. They told me not to touch him because he looked dirty and sick. I did not listen. I had adopted him as my son, and he had become a part of my world. How could I turn my back on him? Gradually, our community came around. The waiters from the restaurant below our building fed him as well while other passersby stopped and genuinely asked me what was wrong with him and how they could help. One of my close family friends even donated funds towards Oreo’s vet bills. It was wonderful that we were able to make a difference in this little cat’s life and spread awareness about saving and rescuing lives.

However, earlier this year, Oreo fell very sick again. He had contracted FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) akin to HIV. Again, there is no cure for this disease. His lungs were filling up with water. We did our best and treated his secondary bacterial infections, dehydration and nebulized him. But sadly, his immunity continued to deteriorate. My baby fought till the very end, but he succumbed to his illnesses on April 28th, 2023. It was one of the saddest days of my life. I felt as if a part of my soul had died. We had grown a special bond. But maybe I can take solace in the fact that he is not suffering anymore. He is in cat heaven eating fish cakes as my brother says.

Coincidentally I came across an organization in the United Arab Emirates called 4deservingpaws. It is run by twin sisters who have been taking care of stray cats and dogs since 2008. They do it out of the goodness of their hearts. But they run low on funds, and looking after sick animals can be mentally and emotionally draining. In Oreo’s memory, my family and I donated some funds to their cause. I also started spreading the word about them on social media and told my family and friends about them, some of whom have promised to help this noble cause.

If you would like to donate funds, food, or foster or adopt a cat or a dog, you can contact them through their Instagram or Facebook page called 4deservingpaws: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070657474937

You can also contact me for more details.

The whole point of sharing these stories with you is to tell you how important it is to think about other creatures besides yourself. By helping others and essentially saving lives, you improve your own mental and physical well-being as well.

Animals have healing powers. Pet therapy, also known as animal therapy or animal assisted therapy, refers to services that use animals to help people with specific mental or physical health conditions. It is a type of complementary or alternative therapy which touches humans psychologically, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. These pets provide healing for any and every part of you that is hurting. Pet therapy is based on a concept called the human-animal bond which describes a person’s desire to interact with and relate to animals.

The simple act of petting your pets produces an automatic relaxation response. Humans who interact with their pet dogs by stroking them have an increased level of endorphins, a feel-good neurotransmitter that has a calming effect. It also boosts serotonin, prolactin, dopamine and oxytocin levels, hormones that are linked with happiness, increased empathy, and well-being. They also release another hormone called phenylethylamine which has the same effect as chocolate.

Many studies over the years have shown that pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression than their counterparts. Individuals with limited human interaction often experience feelings of isolation and loneliness which worsen depression. Loneliness is also one of the most damaging risk factors in people recovering from heart disease. Studies have reflected that patients who suffer from heart attacks, but own pets are five times more likely to survive than those who do not own pets. Owning a pet provides companionship, increases feelings of social support, and boosts one’s mood. This has been studied in nursing homes where former pet-owners feel less lonely when they interacted with animals.

They decrease anxiety, stress, agitation, and the arousal of the sympathetic nervous system by providing a pleasant external focus for attention. A study showed that heart patients’ anxiety ratings dropped by 24% when visited by a dog and human volunteer while another study showed that patients’ levels of epinephrine, a hormone the body makes under stress, dropped 17% when visited by a person and a dog. Some doctors’ offices also have pets to help reduce a patient’s distress. This can be very helpful, for example at a pediatrician’s clinic where pets can help relax a wailing child. This is also true in psychiatric wards. I witnessed this when I was completing my psychiatry clinicals. Every Thursday, we had a hospital volunteer bring her dog to interact with the patients. I could see that it really helped them create a brighter outlook on life.

Pets increase mental stimulation. They assist in the recall of memories and help sequence temporal events in patients with head injuries or chronic degenerative diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer’s disease. They have shown to decrease agitation in Alzheimer’s units. Alzheimer's patients who have pets are less likely to suffer outbursts of anxiety or agitation. Isn’t that amazing? They also benefit the elderly by helping them decrease their use of medical services.

Particular studies that involved the use of therapy horses and dogs have shown that pet therapy may alleviate symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well! Some individuals going through rehabilitation for a drug use disorder seemed to respond better when they interacted with an animal.

Animals accept you for who you are. They are non-judgmental, dependable, loyal and are always happy to see you when you come back home after a long day at work. If you have had a difficult day, cats and dogs can sense it and will cuddle with you. Almost instantaneously you feel lighter, more focused, and motivated to take on the world. They bring you back to the present when you are highly anxious. You feel content around them which is seen when you eat and sleep better. They give your life meaning, and a reason to smile and live! They provide a sense of comfort, promote feelings of safety, and make your house a home!

Furthermore, interacting with animals has been proven to decrease cortisol levels, a stress-related hormone, as well as reduce blood pressure. In a study of 48 stockbrokers with high blood pressure, those who adopted a pet had significantly lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations than stockbrokers who did not own a pet. Pressure in the heart’s top left chamber dropped 10 % and pressure in the pulmonary artery dropped 5% when heart patients were visited by a dog and person. Pet owners are shown to have lower cholesterol levels, and pets can also reduce the incidence of strokes!

Pets reduce emotional and physical pain. They help you maintain and increase motor skills, increase movement in joints and recover faster from injuries. Stroke patients walked up to 35% farther and 35% faster with pets than with their human therapists. Interestingly, one multi-state study found that medication costs dropped an average of $3.80 per patient, per day, in nursing home facilities where animals were present.

Another benefit is that by walking your dog or playing with your cat, you get some much-needed physical exercise. And we all know that exercise is a natural anti-depressant. So, it is a win-win!!

There have been cases where interacting with animals allowed catatonic, non-responsive patients to gesture or smile. Similarly, children who interacted with animals were able to communicate more effectively with adults. Dogs have also been used in courthouses to calm victims during stressful times.

Switching gears to the classroom, a study showed that dogs can help children with ADHD focus their attention. The researchers enrolled two groups of children diagnosed with ADHD into 12-week group therapy sessions. The first group of kids read to a therapy dog once a week for 30 minutes while the second group read to puppets that looked like dogs. Children who read to the real animals showed better social skills and more sharing, cooperation, and volunteering. They also reported fewer behavioral problems.

Additionally in children with autism, pet therapy may increase language use and social interaction. A particular study found that children with autism engaged in significantly greater use of language as well as social interaction in their occupational therapy sessions that incorporated animals compared to standard occupational therapy. Many children with autism feel a deep bond with animals and feel that they can relate better to them. Another study found that children with autism spectrum disorder were calmer while playing with guinea pigs in the classroom. When the children spent 10 minutes in a supervised group playtime with guinea pigs, their anxiety levels dropped. The children also had better social interactions and were more engaged with their peers. The researchers suggest that the animals offered unconditional acceptance, making them a calm comfort to the children.

A recent study showed that caring for fish helped teens with diabetes better manage their disease. Researchers had a group of teens with type 1 diabetes care for a pet fish twice a day by feeding and checking water levels. The caretaking routine also included changing the tank water each week. This was paired with the children reviewing their blood glucose (blood sugar) logs with parents. Researchers tracked how consistently these teens checked their blood glucose. Compared with teens who were not given a fish to care for, fish-keeping teens were more disciplined about checking their own blood glucose levels, which is essential for maintaining their health.

It has also been shown that cancer patients and people in Alcohol Anonymous Therapy felt more joy and were able to have difficult conversations when they interacted with animals during their visits.

And there you have it, the innumerable benefits of owning a pet!

Have I convinced you yet to adopt a pet? If so, contact your local shelter and rescue a dog, a cat, or any animal that you fancy. But remember this is a huge commitment. Only adopt them if you are ready to provide them with a nourishing and safe home. Otherwise, please do not. They are a big responsibility and need to be treated with love, respect, and kindness. If you cannot adopt a pet but would still like to reap the benefits of animal interaction, volunteer at an animal shelter or visit a cat café to get your dose of ‘happy hormones.’ I promise you that this is one therapy that will change your life for the better. You will not only be improving your life, but the lives of other creatures as well.

My family and I are grateful for Niña and Oreo. They have instilled a new love for animals in us and it is a wonderful blessing.