A new study suggests that a pet dog could protect children from breathing problems in early life.
According to a study published in the US journal Pediatrics children with dogs at home are healthier than those without.
From 2002 to 2005, Finnish researchers analysed whether children who had contact with pet cats and dogs from birth were are more or less likely to have respiratory symptoms or infections.
“Our findings support the theory that during the first year of life, animal contacts are important, possibly leading to better resistance to infectious respiratory illnesses during childhood,’ says the report from Kuopio University Hospital in Finland.
According to Reuters, researchers suggested that the dirt and allergens brought in by pets could be good for babies' immune systems.