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On the therapeutic value of pets.
THIS is no printer’s hantu. The title is correct as it reads. I transpose the words “man” and “dog” in the aphorism, “A dog is a man’s best friend” to capture an essential evolutionary truth. That a dog is a man’s best friend is illusory and romantic. We regard dogs and other pets as loyal, faithful, obedient, loving, and the perfect companion.
In actual fact, they are such because you are the alpha creature in their lives. You feed them, you bathe them, you groom them, you shelter and protect them. Wouldn’t you love, cherish and honour someone/something/some entity who looks after you wholly and totally?
It does not matter. You love your pets or your pets love you. It’s all the same. To my family, it was love at first sound. And I was not referring to his endearing bark. Kimberly and Brian were about to separate. Amicably I must add. They thought it best that their Shih Tzu find a good and loving home.
We were flattered that they thought of us. Dioji was his name. If that is not a name to die for, what is? D.O.G. Say it quickly and you get ... DIOJI.
It was all rather fitting. Dioji is as typical as you would expect of a Shih Tzu. He looks like a miniature Oriental man with whiskers and a long flowing white beard. Dioji sounds Japanese, doesn’t it? After the sound of his name, we fell doubly in love with him when we saw him, a mixed taupe-white beauty. We feed him, we clothe him, we walk him, and we love him unconditionally. He reciprocates by bringing us hours of companionship and joy.
Evenings, fair or inclement weather, I arm myself with a plastic bag (to pick up Dioji’s poo) and a canine raincoat preparing for the worst. I walk Dioji for an hour. It is therapeutic for him and for me.
Owning and looking after a pet is an ancient activity. A 12,000 year old Paleolithic tomb was recovered in northern Israel containing the remains of a human and a dog buried together. The dead person’s hand had been arranged so that it rested on the dog’s shoulder, as if to emphasise the bond that existed between the two of them when they were alive.
The domestication of animals for food and transport occurred about 2,000 years after this burial. Our bond with animals for companionship goes back a long, long time.
Pets have proved to be of therapeutic value to patients with heart disease and cancer. We are all familiar with the risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD): smoking, high blood pressure, high blood triglyceride and cholesterol, being overweight, and family history.
Interactions with pets can cause an acute lowering of blood pressure. Pets are a good destressor. It is thought that the major way in which pets have a direct effect on lowering CVD is by increasing the amount of physical activity (hence my walks with Dioji) the owner undergoes. Exercise improves blood flow (especially to the coronary arteries), reduces blood pressure, and aids in weight control. Whatever the mechanism, keeping pets brings benefits to the owner, the pet, and the doctor.
There is a fascinating study published in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Neurology [2009; 2(1): 132-135.] A total of 4,435 subjects participated in this study. 55% of them owned cats. There was a significant lowering of risk of death due to myocardial infarction in cat owners compared to those who were not. The authors of the study concluded: “Acquisition of cats as domestic pets may represent a novel strategy for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in high risk individuals.”
Oncology nurses at the Lasal University, Quebec City, carried out an animal therapy programme called “A Magical Dream” for children hospitalised with cancer. (Can. Onol Nurs J. 2004; 14(4) : 217-22). This programme allowed the children to spend a whole day with a dog. This dog-assisted therapy was found to alleviate psychosocial distress in children and parents. It made it easier for the children to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Their overall wellbeing while in the hospital improved.
There are many more studies pertaining to the therapeutic benefit of pet animals to patients of heart disease, cancer, gerontological disorders (diseases of ageing), and mental illness. We all know about this benefit intuitively. Now there is the science to support it.
My cancer patients often yearn for non-human living or non-living things to keep them company and to keep them sane. This is especially so after a full day of unwanted and unwarranted advice about herbs, food supplements, food taboos, and religious indoctrination.
All they need is peace and quiet. An Ishiguro novel or a Puccini opera will do fine. A cat, a dog, a rabbit, a parrot or a dugong (for the aquatically inclined) will do wonders. There is none of the bickering (mostly over money), the soliciting, and the moralising.
D.L. (Dog Lover) had metastatic breast cancer (MBC). She did well to have battled the disease for four long years. The average life span for a patient with MBC is 2 ½ years. She was losing the battle and she knew it. It was a matter of days rather than weeks. As she lay in the hospital bed drifting away, she had one request of me. A sort of last, dying wish. She wanted to see her (coincidentally) Shih Tzu before she passed on.
Knowing what hospital regulations are like, I went out on a limb to make her last wish come true. The hospital guards were sweet-talked into keeping one eye open and one eye shut. The 5kg canine was stuffed into a large unzipped duffel bag and coaxed into keeping quiet. A blanket was thrown over him.
I used the service elevator. The nurses came round to my point of view. D.L. and her Shih Tzu snuggled up to each other. She wordlessly stroked him and sniffed him. I could see the look of bliss and contentment on both human and dog. My risky endeavour was worth it all.
I hope my chief hospital administrator is not reading this article. Well, on second thoughts, I hope he is. It might persuade him and other hospital authorities to include pet therapy as part of the overall care of our patients.
Dr Albert Lim Kok Hooi is a consultant oncologist. For further information, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . The views expressed are those of the writer and readers are advised to always consult expert advice before undertaking any changes to their lifestyles. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.