Does Handling a Dog Lower Blood Pressure?

Keeping blood pressure low decreases the chance of having a heart attack, stroke, kidney failure or aneurysm. Several medical experts have postulated that petting a dog helps to lower blood pressure and improve overall health.

  1. Expert Insight

    • According to Dr. Blair Justice, playing with a dog can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, nerve transmitters that are known to have pleasurable and calming properties, leading to lower blood pressure.

    Stockbroker Study

    • Dr. Karen Allen studied 48 stockbrokers with hypertension. When faced with a high-stress situation, those with pets at home had their resting systolic blood pressure elevate to 126, while the petless groups had an increase to 148.

    Study on Children

    • Researchers from the Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem studied nearly 230 children in grades 1 through 3. Results showed children without a dog had blood pressure that was higher by nearly 4 1/2 mercury-mm.

    Fun Fact

    • Dr. Bart Kairuz utilizes therapy dogs in his practice to help lower the blood pressure of patients. The dogs have full access to the office.

    Other Health Benefits

    • Nurses at Cedars-Sinai Hospital say after a therapy dog visit, patients sometimes have slower heart rates and require less pain medication. Researchers in St. Louis claim such visits reduce the loneliness of elderly patients in a long-term care facility.