Mubanga et al in a paper published in Scientific Reports suggest that having a dog could be linked to lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
The investigators analyzed health records of 3.4 million people in Sweden. The data indicated that people who owned a dog were less likely to have cardiovascular disease or die from any cause during the 12 years covered by their research.
In single- and multiple-person households, dog ownership (13.1%) was associated with lower risk of deathwith the protective effect being more prominent for people living alone, who have been found to have a higher risk for early death than those who live with other people. Ownership of hunting breed dogs was associated with lowest risk of CVD.
The protective effects may be due to dog owners are more physically active or due to increased well being and social contacts or effects of the dog on the bacterial microbiome of the owner.
In conclusion, dog ownership appears to be associated with lower risk of CVD in single-person households but also lower mortality in the population at large.
