Children get sick less if there is a dog in the house

Until now, babies raised around pets were thought to be at increased risk of respiratory infections. However, a study conducted at the University Hospital in Kuopio, Finland, states that children in the first year of life who grow up with dogs have less otitis.

Scientists conducted a developmental study of 397 infants whose parents reported weekly any symptoms of infections and contact with animals during the first year of life, starting at the age of nine weeks. During the total 17124 weeks of the study, fever was observed in 71.8% of children, otitis media – in 39.5%, rhinitis – in 96.7%, cough – at 84.4%. Systemic antibiotics were used in 47.6% of cases. Among children who did not have contact with animals, antibiotics were used in 75.5% of cases. In addition, multivariate analysis showed that only contact with dogs that were in the home for no more than six hours a day was statistically significant (p<0.001) for better overall health in infants. Dogs that are out most of the time carry more bacteria, scientists say.