Should People With Chronic Illness Become Pet Owners?

A big thanks to guest blogger Sandra Scott of Simple Living for weighing in on an important topic I have been pondering for quite sometime myself. Although I don't have a dog or cat yet, it is definitely something I'd like to do within the year.

So you want to become a pet owner. The rewards almost always outweigh the amount of work and the risk that your new furry companion may ruin your favorite shoes, rug, or sofa. However, there are a few important factors to consider before committing your time, energy, and income to a new pet.

For starters, consider your personal energy level. If you suffer from a chronic illness, you may also experience pain or debilitating fatigue at times. Would you be able to walk a rambunctious dog everyday? Or would a calm and cuddly feline companion be more suited to your unique needs? Also consider the potentially negative effects of pet dander and fur on your health. As long as you are able to keep your house and pets clean, pet dander probably won’t pose a significant threat to your health (unless you are asthma and allergy prone). If you do happen to be dander-sensitive, consider a cute turtle or even a beautiful array of tropical fish.

Every pet is different, and some require more maintenance and attention than others, but every pet is worth it in their own special way. If you find it difficult to meet your dog’s grooming needs, there are plenty of places to take them in for doggy beauty treatments fairly affordably. That said, it is still important to factor your pet’s potential grooming and veterinary needs into the monthly budget along with their food to determine whether or not you can really afford an animal.

Although experts can’t seem to agree on exactly why this phenomenon occurs, it has been proven that pet owners enjoy better overall health and longevity than their petless peers. I would like to think it has something to do with the power of unconditional love and companionship. Even when your health fails, your pet will remain a loyal companion by your side no matter what. They expect love and attention in return, but as long as you are able to adequately meet the basic needs of your pet (food, water, clean shelter, and some exercise) then getting a creature companion may be a feasible and wonderful option, and may even serve to improve your overall health. Or at the very least, improve your mood. Who wouldn’t love to see a wagging tail and happy grin every time they’re feeling blue and under the weather? As far as I’m concerned, there’s no better way to brighten a day.

Pets for POTS

Lately I have been thinking it might be nice to have a furry companion around to take for brief walks, keep me company, and train to do tricks. I have researched several breeds and currently have my sights set on a cute Shiba Inu puppy like the one pictured above. Ideally I want a dog small enough to pick up with a good temperament that doesn't bark much. Shiba Inus are described as a very fastidious breed, meaning they like to stay clean and are easily housebroken, which is also a major bonus for me.

I know a lot of dysautonomia patients have really benefited from having pets in the home. Not just for the company, but also because animals are intuitive and often capable of acting in a service capacity to alert their owner when something's wrong. Check out this video of one dysautonomia patient's fainting spells caught on tape:

Although he doesn't alert her in quite enough time, Sarah's dog Walburg clearly recognizes that his owner is about to faint. Another obvious advantage of having a larger dog by your side is that if you happen to pass out in a public place, people probably won't mess with you while you're down.

Although I am not looking for a service dog, I would expect my future dog to be in tune to how I'm feeling. Even dogs that I don't know very well seem to instinctively seek me out and come sit on my lap when I'm not feeling well. There could be ten other people sitting around in the room and if there are dogs around, they will always come sit by me. To be honest it freaks me out a little bit. Dogs did not always flock to me like this. But since developing POTS I've noticed that animals have taken a liking to me.

So maybe that's a sign that it's time to get a pet. At this point it would be a whole lot easier than dealing with a needy boyfriend. Most of my friends are in the midst of getting married, getting a house, getting kids, and here I am contemplating getting a dog. For most of my old friends, getting a dog isn't even a big enough milestone to make it onto their Facebook newsfeed. They have bigger and better things going on in their lives. But to me, getting a dog is a big deal and an even bigger decision. I need to be sure I can adequately care for an animal and provide them with enough exercise to stay healthy. I need to be 100% sure I can give them the care they deserve or it would be rather selfish of me to get one.

Then again, getting a dog may help me feel better in many ways. Maybe it's the power of unconditional love or maybe it's just pure coincidence, but pet owners are said to have better health overall and recover more quickly from surgeries and injuries than non pet owners. Resilience is something all POTS patients could definitely use an extra dose of.

In January, a litter of Shiba Inu puppies from a local breeder are coming to town. So I have a little more time to mull this decision over. Any feedback from pet owners and non pet owners alike would be much appreciated.