This is a slightly self-serving post. Today is the fifth anniversary of the death of my sweet dog Cleo and I really wanted to post a picture of her. But it’s still a relevant topic. 🙂
Research indicates that having pets can reduce your blood pressure and lower your levels of triglyceride and cholesterol. And, of course, reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness.
I haven’t found much about the influence pets have on pain. We haven’t had any pets for five years, but I know that Cleo was a huge comfort to me. At the time, we thought that my allergy to her was the cause of my headaches, so my pain certainly didn’t feel like it was under control. But it was easier to cope with everything when she was there.
Interestingly, my pain began waking me in the night a few months after she died. Is it coincidence or could there be a connection? There was so much going on then that I can’t know if this was a factor or not. I do know that giving her tummy loves always made me smile.
What do you all think? Have your pets helped reduce your pain levels or let you manage it better?