Our dogs are our family members and we love them as much as any other. We give them the best food, the best toys, the best vet care, grooming, etc. In fact, pet care (largely focused on dogs) has become a multi-billion dollar industry that includes high end retail and specialty shops, doggy daycare, and special doggy-cam systems. We love our canines and will do anything we can to make them happy and comfortable companions.
Taking Great Care of Your Dog
In 2016 Fortune Magazine wrote about this on National Dog Day (August 26). The trends have not changed. If anything, people are even more invested today in the quality of how we care for our dogs. This is not just emotional; there is actually evidence that the better care the dogs receive, the longer and healthier their lives are. (Source). This includes diet, exercise, hygiene, and veterinary care – similar to what helps people live longer lives.
The added benefit of taking really good care of your dog, extending her life and good health, is that it does the same for you. There are a number of studies published, and many articles written, espousing the benefits to human health (both physical and mental) of having a companion dog. Time Magazine even ran with a headline, “Its Official, Dog Owners Live Longer Healthier Lives.”
The Health Benefits of Taking Care of Your Dog
What are the health benefits of owning a dog? “According to a new study of more than 3.4 million people, owning a dog is linked to a longer life. The research, published in Scientific Reports, is the latest in a growing body of research suggesting that canine companions may be good for human health—especially for people who live alone.”
The author of the study, Tove Fall, a dog owner himself, veterinarian, and associate professor of epidemiology at Uppsala University in Sweden, noted that often people who take care of their dogs are prompted to take better care of themselves. The study itself looked at 3.4 million people in Sweden and compared the health of those with dog ownership and those who are dogless. Dog owners were found to have lower risks of death, lower obesity rates and cardiovascular issues across all socioeconomic categories. People with high energy (hunting and herding) breeds in particular, were healthier. This is attributed to the higher energy level required to keep them exercised.
This is not to say that all people everywhere who have dogs are exceptionally healthy, and certainly Sweden has less issues overall with obesity-related disease than Americans do. However, in the aggregate people who take care of their pets well are conscious about their own needs (contrary to the stereotype of the crazy cat lady). There are also enormous psychological benefits that come from pet ownership, especially from bonding with and caring for a dog. In the modern urban centers, these dogs have begun to replace children for some people and are loved as fur-kids or fur-babies. Other people have working relationships with their dogs and use them to hunt, herd, or protect. Either way, they are an important part of contemporary human life, and the more their owners do to keep them fit and healthy, the more they will get out of them in return.
Using Oil to Help Your Dog’s and Your Skin
Your dog has more in common with you than you might initially realize. You know that you share a bond and that you can communicate. You might enjoy the same favorite snacks and have the ability to communicate in an uncanny way. You may even look a little bit similar (there are entire websites dedicated to people who look like their dogs). However, the biggest similarities are at the cellular level.
Dogs, like people, are mammals. In fact, 84% of our DNA is shared with them. This means that at a cellular level there are more similarities between us than there are differences. Like people, dogs have skin, and inside of both of our skins we have many of the the same mechanisms. For instance, inflammation occurs in both humans and canines the same way and is triggered in both by many of the same things. Allergies, scrapes or scratches, and insect bites are three of the commonalities that occur in both of our species the most. And, Delta-5 can take care of all of them.
“Although developed for human skin, there is no reason that Delta-5, by SciaEssentials shouldn’t work on your dog” says Dr. Alvin Berger, who has studied the anti-inflammatory mechanism of the oil for 30 years. Delta-5 is a high quality, natural, non-toxic oil derived from conifers. He advises using a drop or two on the immediately affected area, warning that the only potential for irritation is if it gets into the eyes. “No oil mixes well with eyes though,” he reminds us, “but it is otherwise perfectly safe for topical use on people and pets.”
So the next time you and or your dog get a mosquito bite while you are out on a walk, or get scratched by a stick on a hike, or have an allergic reaction to a plant that contacts your skin, reach for your bottle of Delta-5. Your dog will thank you for it!.
