Although often treated like two separate branches of science, the human and animal health are similar, and often connected. This page of resources highlights some of the ways that human and animal interaction is symbiotic, as well as some of the possible parallels between human and veterinary medicine.
CANINE COMPANIONSHIP AND HUMAN MENTAL HEALTH
It is easy enough to make the connection that, if a person likes dogs, interacting with a dog would likely increase happiness. The same could be argued for any enjoyable activity. So what is it that makes dogs, in particular, a source of mental health improvement?
THE CORTISOL CONNECTION
A cascade of hormone and immune dysfunctions might be behind many different maladies. If you or your pet suffer from any of the conditions mentioned in this article, it may be worthwhile to discuss testing and hydrocortisone with your veterinarian and/or personal health care practitioner.
MENTAL ILLNESS AND THE POSITIVE EFFECT OF PETS
Pets bring out the best in their owners and the people around them. It is common to find seeing-eye dogs and K9 police dogs, but what about service dogs for something even more common, mental health?
THE ONE HEALTH INITIATIVE
Understanding what is happening in human health might shed light on the maladies of the pet and vice versa. The “One Health” movement calls for active collaboration between the professionals caring for animals and the professionals caring for humans.
TECHNOLOGY AND PETS
Science has struggled to keep up with understanding the possible side effects of technology on health. For example, noise pollution may cause disease in humans. As researchers have learned about the effects of technology, they have also begun to address concerns that animals are also affected by “electronic pollution.”
TOXIC BLUE-GREEN ALGAE
Blue-green algae are a type of bacteria called cyanobacteria, which produce toxins called cyanotoxins. Exposure to water that contains these toxins is dangerous and potentially deadly to several species, including humans and their pets.
WHAT DOES YOUR PET SAY ABOUT YOU?
Psychologists note that people have distinctly different personalities when it comes to their pet preferences. Does a person’s personality influence their choice of pets, or does a person develop personality characteristics because of the pets they have chosen?
