Pets, Health Benefits of Animals, & Lupus

You’ll see videos of animals being attentive and helpful to people in need within moments of clicking on to social media. In addition to being adorable, these videos are a reminder of how important animals are in our own lives. Many different types of animals have been shown to provide comfort and health benefits to people with lupus including: Cats Dogs Horses Lizards Birds Rabbits Alpacas Guinea pigs Animals are ideal companions because they are able to sense physical cues associated with pain or stress, such as slight changes in scent or body language. Petting animals is well-known to lower blood pressure and lower the perception of pain. It even has an impact at the neurochemical level. Having a pet can make it less lonely when a lupus flare keeps you at home. And, the chores associated with pets such as walking, feeding, or grooming add positive motivation to get exercise and do activities throughout the day. The benefits that animals provide to humans is well studied. However, pet ownership comes with some risks for people with lupus.

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