Fido cannot prevent owner's heart attack

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), August, 2004

Can the presence of Fido or Fluffy calm an owner's stress, as some studies have suggested? Or is the science as fuzzy as Fifi's coat? Karen Allen, research scientist at the University at Buffalo (N.Y.), in reviewing evidence relating to pets and cardiovascular responses, concludes that a beloved cat or dog can have a positive effect on cardiovascular health, but individuals should not stop taking their heart medicine.

Allen maintains that while a pet can be a positive factor in a person's life, claims that "pets lower blood pressure" are simplistic and overstated. "Experimental studies looking at pets and responses to stress have focused on acute responses ... but other epidemiological studies have demonstrated an important role for pets. For example, there is clear evidence that having a pet--especially a dog--is associated with prolonged life after a heart attack.

"However, no prospective studies have explored if pets can help high-risk patients avoid a heart attack. The definitive study that remains to be done would follow high-risk people, some with pets, some without ... over a period of years, and assess how they handle stress and if they have heart attacks."