By Landis Lum
Special to The Advertiser
Entertainment may not be the only thing pets provide; studies have shown that for various conditions (depression, cancer, heart disease) pets may actually prolong life.
In addition, pets teach keiki responsibility, especially those ages 6 to 12. By age 10, kids may rely on supports outside their parents, and pets will love them no matter how bad their grades are or how mean their classmates.
Hyperactive children respond positively to pets and are more able to follow goal-oriented tasks and rules. Pets draw and hold the child’s attention and, after adopting, learning about and caring for a pet, hyperactive children show improved learning in areas involving the mastering of skills.
Seriously ill children show an improved sense of well-being and reduced loneliness and isolation when they are able to have pets. Overweight children are more likely to exercise than spend all their time watching TV if they have a dog (walking or playing with the animal, for example).
Schools support the ownership of pets - they stimulate interest in animal behavior and biology.
But animals can carry disease and exacerbate allergies, so care must be taken.
Reptiles, such as turtles, can carry salmonella, and infants under 1 are at high risk for serious infections and even meningitis from this germ. Hand-washing after handling reptiles is mandatory. The least likely of the small animal pets to spread disease are mice, hamsters, gerbils, rats and rabbits. But with all pets, children should be told to wash their hands, not to put their fingers in their mouths and not to kiss the animals.
Which pet to choose? Dogs are the most sociable and therefore the most therapeutic for sick, depressed, overweight, hyperactive or stressed-out kids. Before a pet comes into the house, however, toddlers should be able to walk; preschoolers should ask for a pet and school age kids should be committed to helping with care.
Birds are generally boring for keiki. Open aquariums are a safety hazard; guinea pigs play late at night, which may keep children awake, and they may also eat their young, which would be hard for young people to handle. Hamsters and gerbils bite, and ferrets are too aggressive.
The most dangerous hazard of pets are bites. Dogs may attack infants merely sleeping in the crib; two babies die each year from such unprovoked attacks. However, in general, most dog bites occur to keiki 2-19 years of age. Male dogs and unneutered or unspayed dogs are more likely to bite. Children are more likely to be bitten on the face (especially lips) and scalp than adults.
Most dog bites are by dogs in the family. Cat bites are almost always provoked, while many dog bites are not. Dog bites get infected 25 percent of the time; cat bites have a high risk of infection because of mouth bacteria being injected deep into the tissues, and therefore usually require preventive antibiotics, even if it you see only small puncture marks. Tetanus shots may be necessary.
Therefore, always watch kids and pets; never leave them alone together. Train your dog in socialization: submissive behaviors (roll over to show stomach, take food away without growling). Don’t play aggressive games with your dog. Spay or neuter dogs, and model appropriate behavior with dogs. Teach your keiki never to run from a dog or to scream; the animal is more likely to attack. Teach children to roll into a ball and lie still, if they’re knocked down. Instruct them not to disturb a dog while it is eating, sleeping or caring for puppies.
Ask a vet which breeds are best for kids. A great video from the Humane Society is "Dogs, Cats and Kids: Learning to be SAFE With Animals," which costs $24 (call 1-800-611-2734).
Families with pets have a higher risk of asthma and hay fever. Asthmatics should wash their hands after petting and not let a pet sleep in a bedroom. Studies suggest that exposure to cats and birds (especially parakeets) during the five years before puberty increases the chance of developing rheumatoid arthritis later in life.
Choose and take care of your pets carefully, and they may well end up taking care of you!
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