Pets Have Healing Powers

Powerful Patient, 2010 Week 38

Host: Joyce Graff, http://powerfulpatient.org, editor@vhl.org 800-767-4845

Beginning October 7, 2010 Listen Program guide for this show

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Every day, the presence of your own dog exerts a healng influence over you -- and you are not even aware of it. Sharon Sakson, author of PAWS & EFFECT: The Healing Power of Dogs, has tracked down scientific research that proves there are at least five ways the pet by your side is healing to you. Dogs can sniff out low blood sugar levels in diabetics, help autistic children, sense when a seizure is coming on, and provide natural, holistic relief for those living with mental and physical illness. Sharon will share which canine breeds have the strongest healing abilities. "You may listen more closely the next time your dog tries to tell you something," says Betty White, actress and author. Come chat with Sharon and Joyce about dogs.

About our Guest:

Sharon Sakson is the author of PAWS & EFFECT: The Healing Power of Dogs.  She is also a journalist and television producer, columnist for Dog News magazine, an internationally known dog show judge, and an expert on all aspects of dogs.

About Dogs for Medical support

Sharon has found that there are five major things that a pet provides that are beneficial to our from a medical perspective. 

• Lower blood pressure
• Reduced heart rate
• Begin muscle relaxation from petting
• Power of touch
• Gaze upon, release of oxytocin

Her specialty is dogs, but cats can provide these five benefits as well.  If you adopt a pet, you need to make sure that it will fit into your lifestyle and that you will be able to meet your commitment to the animal as well as to benefit yourself.  Many senior residences now permit pets since so much scientific evidence has emerged that people who have pets live longer, healthier lives.

“Therapy dogs” are specially trained dogs who visit sick people in hospitals and nursing homes to provide an opportunity to pet and interact with a calming animal.  The Delta Society and Therapy dogs International provide certification of a therapy dog, and arrange for the dog and its owner to visit the sick.

http://www.deltasociety.org
http://www.tdi-dog.org      

        
We all know about guide dogs for the blind, or hearing dogs for the deaf.  In addition, there is a broad new class of specially trained medical support dogs.  Sharon and Joyce talk about:

• Seizure response dogs
• Diabetes response dogs
• Cancer and biodetection dogs

Dogs learn to respond to changes in the behavior and/or smell of the person, and alert the person to the changes they are trained to watch for.

One dog actually warned his master of an impending heart attack.

Animals have different perceptions than humans, and nonverbal rather than verbal communications.  We need to learn more about what they have to say to us, and how to listen.

For more information, see healingpowerofdogs.com and her book,
Paws & Effect: The Healing Power of Dogs, by Sharon Sakson.

To see a review of Sharon's book: click here