Here, kitty kitty
Why pets are good for you
by Enid Vázquez
One week before he
died, AIDS activist and writer Stephen Gendin left very detailed
instructions about the care of his beloved little dog, Zoom.
What is this strong bond
that so many people feel for their pets—a passion even?
Animal lovers say that everyone gets sick and tired of you
at some point or another, but pets give you absolute, unconditional
love.
But can they also make you
healthy? Chicago nurse Keren Hahn, the inspiration for this
article, strongly believes that people with HIV should have
a pet. “I’ll tell folks, ‘Oh, my God, your
T-cells went up really high.’ And they’ll say, ‘Oh,
I got a new dog!’ Or, ‘I’m in love.’ Somebody
needs to do a study,” she says. (Maybe later we’ll
look at falling in love.)
Before, when serious disease
was much more common in people with HIV, people with AIDS
were often told—incorrectly—to get rid of their
pets for the sake of their health. Today, that still happens
too often.
The most knowledgeable sources
counter the ignorance. From the top of a Centers for Disease
Control webpage for people with HIV, are these words: “You
do not have to give up your pet.” The CDC goes on to
say, “Most people with HIV can and should keep their
pets. Owning a pet can be rewarding. Pets can help you feel
psychologically and even physically better.
Ken Gorczyca, a veterinarian
and co-founder of PAWS (Pets Are Wonderful Support), a non-profit
organization for pet owners with HIV, has written that, “For
the severely ill patient, animal companions can offer an important
source of pleasure, affection, and even a reason to live.
In a study of patients with cardiac disease, pet ownership
made a significant difference in survival regardless of the
severity of the cardiac disease or the type of pet. For elderly
patients and patients with disabilities, animal-assisted therapy
has affected physiological and psychological improvement.
Studies indicate watching fish in an aquarium or petting a
dog can lower blood pressure, even among healthy individuals.”
“A lot of my clients
will say their pet is the reason they’re alive,”
says Ilana Strubel, who like Gorczyca, is a volunteer veterinarian
with PAWS in San Francisco. “A lot of people say, ‘If
it weren’t for my pet, I would have no reason to live.’
The benefits of pet companionship far outweigh any risk to
your health. The human-animal bond motivates people to take
care of themselves. One study found that people with HIV who
have pets were better at taking their medications and following
their doctor’s advice.”
Strubel said the health benefits
of pets, or animal companions, has been well-established over
the past 10 years, including benefits to the immune system,
and that much more research is underway to tease out the hard
numbers.
For example, research from
the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) has found that people
with HIV were less likely to suffer from depression if they’re
pet owners, especially if they did not have a lot of human
support.
Samma, Wolf and Samantha
Test Positive Aware
Network Executive Director Dennis Hartke is one of the healthiest
people I know living with HIV. That’s probably part genetics.
But Dennis says he doesn’t know how he would have gotten
through the death of his partner Jimm from AIDS more than
15 years ago had it not been for their two dogs and their
black cat. Very few people knew that they were partners in
life or that they had the AIDS virus. In the midst of this
severe isolation, it was Samma, a German Shepard mix, Wolf,
a Golden Retriever, and Samantha the cat—all rescued
animals—that continued to bring warmth to his life after
Jimm died.
“I did not have
a support network in place,” says Dennis. “Pet owners
love to talk to their animals. Sometimes they listen well.
And even when they don’t, they pretend.” He says
the companionship and continued routine of having to take
care of their three pets helped him stay strong. “It
was some place to focus my loss and my need for attention.
“I really do believe
in the research that shows petting a dog lowers your blood
pressure. Pets are very relaxing, except when they’re
doing things they shouldn’t be doing,” he jokes.
“It’s really that unconditional love that’s
been bought over the years with food. And even when you don’t
feed them, they still pay attention to you—maybe that’s
why.” Be that as it may, Samma, Wolf and Samantha were
important enough to attend Jimm’s memorial service and
funeral. “They were like family,” says Dennis.
Rebel
Jonathan Goldman’s
beloved Yorky, Rebel, also attended his partner’s funeral.
“Pets are part of your family,” Goldman echoes.
One researcher reported that
during experiments comparing how women respond to pressure
when in the presence of either their best friend or their
dog, dogs were better every time. Five widows had exactly
the same stories to tell about how their pets helped them
get through the death of their husbands. The researcher, Karen
Allen, Ph.D., was amazed at the identical circumstances. Each
woman said she appreciated the consolation of friends and
family, but most wanted to be alone with her dog. Each one
thought about their pet and carried something that belonged
to it close to them in a pocket (such as a dog toy or collar)
during the funeral service where the dog could not be brought.
Allen wrote about this finding:
“The feeling was that, with the dog, no social pretenses
were necessary, and no one was judging her ability to ‘bear
up.’ These women all said that the dog provided the desirable
qualities of a best friend (for example, listening, physical
contact, and empathy) without any undesirable evaluative ones.…
Perhaps certain situations call for specific types of social
support, and pets provide a unique type that cannot be duplicated
by a person.”
Goldman and his partner Roger
had gotten Rebel when Roger was bedridden due to AIDS, in
1990. He died later that year. “Just having a dog alongside
next to you when you’re napping is very comforting,”
says Goldman, a volunteer with PAWS in San Francisco. Today
Rebel, now 12-years-old, comforts Goldman when he becomes
ill from one HIV problem or another. And he encourages him
to get out of the house for walks.
Rebel, who’s only six-and-a-half
pounds, has marched with Goldman in San Francisco’s gay
pride parade for the past 11 years under the PAWS banner.
He’s the “official” pet of the National AIDS
Update Conference held by AmfAR (American Foundation for AIDS
Research) each year in San Francisco. He’s there to be
petted and adored, and of course, help the conference goers
feel better.
As a PAWS volunteer, Goldman
has many pet stories to tell. He remembers one man with non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma whose doctor encouraged him to give up his two birds.
He gave them up, then died six months later. “He was
heartbroken the entire six months,” Goldman says. Another
man who had had his cat for 18 years at the time of the cat’s
death was thinking of looking for a boyfriend to keep him
occupied, until a friend asked how many of his boyfriends
lasted for 18 years. He went out and got two cats.
“In my mind the
epidemic really is an equal component between physical health
and mental health. Now that it’s more of a chronic illness,
we need a shift to dealing with mental well-being, of which
pets are a part,” says Goldman. “Mental health pushes
the physical health. And I believe research will find some
magical, mystical substance in dog saliva that we benefit
from when they lick our face.”
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Pet tips
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While there are
a number of diseases that can be caught from animals,
cases of people with HIV/AIDS who have contracted
infections from their pets are rare.
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Remember that some
cats can be very affectionate.
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Puppies and kittens
(less than nine months old) should be avoided because
they have a tendency to harbor more infections.
Also, puppies may be too much work for someone with
advanced disease. Plus, with older animals, you
can see whether their size and temperament agree
with you.
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Most birds pose
a minimal risk for transmitting disease.
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PAWS recommends
that people at risk do not keep or handle reptiles.
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Although caution
should be exercised when changing cat litter boxes,
people with HIV disease are more likely to be exposed
to toxoplasmosis from ingesting undercooked meat
or through contact with oocyst (egg)-contaminated
soil than from contact with litter boxes. In fact,
HIV positive people contract infections more often
from contaminated food, water, soil, or even other
people than from pets.
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Precautions apply
for children as well as adults. However, children
may want to snuggle more with their pets. Some pets,
like cats, may bite or scratch to get away from
children. Adults should be extra watchful and supervise
an HIV positive child’s handwashing to prevent
infections.
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San Francisco has
a certification process for people with disabilities
whereby pets can be considered “animal companions.”
As such, they are akin to seeing eye dogs and must
be allowed in housing otherwise off-limits to pets.
They can also be taken along on public transportation,
among other privileges. Check your local laws if
this idea interests you.
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Volunteers at the
Pet Loss Hotline help you grieve for your pets.
Call 1-509-335-5704 or e-mail plhl@vetmed.wsu.edu.
Due to lack of funding, phone calls are returned
collect. Hours are generally during the school semester
on Mondays through Thursdays from 6:30 to 9 p.m.,
and Saturdays from 1 to 3 p.m., Pacific Time.
Pet safety
-
Feed your pet a
commercial diet that is designed for your animal
and his or her stage of life.
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Don’t feed
your pet raw or undercooked meats or unpasteurized
milk. Keep in mind that microwaving may not heat
the meat sufficiently to kill organisms in it.
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Never let your
pet eat their own or another animal’s feces.
Do not allow birds to fly freely, in order to avoid
droppings.
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Provide plenty
of clean, fresh water. Don’t let your pet drink
from the toilet or root through the garbage.
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Prevent your pet
from hunting or eating other animals.
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Have all new animals
examined by a veterinarian.
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Take your pets
to the veterinarian for a check up at least once
each year and keep vaccinations current.
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Have your pet’s
feces checked by a veterinarian periodically for
parasites. Have your cat (particularly a new cat
or an outdoor cat) checked for the Feline Leukemia
Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).
These cats are more susceptible to infections.
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Keep your animal’s
toenails trimmed to minimize the risk of your being
scratched. If necessary, ask your vet about rubber
caps that can be placed on your cat’s nails.
-
Use good flea control.
A clean environment is important. Keep your pet’s
living and feeding areas clean. Wash your pet’s
bedding regularly.
-
Stay away from
animals that have diarrhea.
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Neuter pets to
avoid roaming and discharges.
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Keep the litter
box away from the kitchen and eating areas.
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Change the litter
box daily. It takes the toxoplasma parasite at least
24 hours to become infectious. If possible, have
someone do it who’s not at risk.
-
Use disposable
plastic liners and change them each time you change
the litter.
-
Don’t dump!
If inhaled, the dust could possibly infect you.
Gently seal the plastic liner with a twist tie and
place in a plastic garbage bag for disposal. Use
rubber gloves. Remove disposable gloves inside out
to avoid spreading germs.
-
Disinfect the litter
box at least once a month by filling it with boiling
water and letting it stand for five minutes. This
will kill the toxoplasma organism.
-
Always wash your
hands after cleaning the litter box (soap up for
at least 30 seconds, use warm water).
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Wear rubber gloves
when cleaning an aquarium or when handling fish.
Fish suspected of having Mycobacterium or any fish
showing unusual lumps should be killed and the aquarium
should be disinfected before new fish are introduced.
-
Rinse a bite wound
or scratch right away with plenty of cool running
water. Wash the area with a mild soap or with a
tamed iodine solution such as Betadine solution
(not Betadine soap) that has been diluted with water.
After this first aid, always contact your physician.
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Always wash your
hands well with soap and water after playing with
or caring for animals, or their care items, and
especially before eating or smoking. In the event
of an accident, clean up the mess with a disinfectant
(an ounce of bleach in a quart of water works nicely
to kill many infectious organisms), then wash your
hands thoroughly. Better yet, wear gloves, or have
someone not at risk clean it up.
-
Don’t let
your pet lick your mouth or a wound on your face
or body. You never know where that tongue has been.
Taken primarily from
Safe Pet Guidelines by Pets Are Wonderful Support
and HIV/AIDS & Pet Ownership by Tuskegee
University College of Veterinary Medicine. The suggested
donation for each PAWS brochure is $1, including the
ones on different animals. Contact PAWS Education Department,
3248 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103; (415) 241-1460;
e-mail: pawssf@dnai.com
or visit www.pawssf.org.
Also visit the website of the Gay & Lesbian Veterinary
Medical Association, www.lgvma.org,
which includes a link to the Healthy Pets, Healthy People
website, established for immunocompromised people.
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