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.

Top 10 Cost-Cutting Tips for People with Chronic Illness

1) Cut your current cell phone bill in half by switching to a pre-paid plan like one of the Straight Talk Cell Phone Plans from Walmart. Pre-paid plans allow you to avoid all those pesky local and federal taxes while still getting quality service and reception (pre-paid providers use the same cell-phone towers the four major nationwide providers do) so your clarity and strength of signal shouldn't be sacrificed. Also, pre-paid plans offer a refreshing flexibility that standard contract plans don't: you can adjust your plan on a month-to-month basis to meet your talk/text/web needs. For instance, save more money during the months you don't plan on using your phone as much by opting for the $30 plan (1000 min, 1000 text, 1000 MB of web usage). Otherwise, enjoy unlimited everything without fear of overage fees for a clean $45 per month. For many people, an unlimited cell phone plan is sufficient and they choose to discontinue their land line phone service altogether and rely on their cell phone. However, if you still need a land line phone for emergency and local calls, contact your local phone company to determine if they offer a reduced rate for people with disabilities or low incomes. While you're at it, call your local city or county offices to find out if they participate in the utility tax refund program which qualifies eligible low income customers to be reimbursed for the amount of tax paid on utilities throughout the year--could be as much as a few hundred dollars by the end of the year depending on where you live.

2) Cut your cable bill significantly by switching to basic cable (sometimes as low as $10 a month for about 30 basic channels) and consider enrolling in Netflix for as little as $7.99 per month to enjoy unlimited streaming of new release DVDs and TV on DVD. Enjoy unlimited online streaming and DVD rentals delivered directly to your doorstep from Netflix for just $9.99 a month. Or, simply enjoy streaming thousands of your favorite programs from sites like hulu.com for free and at your convenience.

3) Cut your car insurance premium without sacrificing coverage by calling your agent to inform them that you are no longer commuting and have your policy switched to a "pleasure driving" policy. You may also qualify for the pleasure use rate if you live within a certain mileage radius of your job (varies depending on your insurance company). However, if you are no longer commuting to school or work, there is no need to pay the commuter rate anymore so be sure to let them know and you could potentially save hundreds of dollars per year.

4) Consider grocery delivery from Safeway.com, available in many communities nationwide. Where I live, it only costs $6 extra to have your groceries delivered right to your door. This not only saves gas and time, it can also save the headache of feeling woozy or sick while waiting in line at the store or carrying groceries in and out of the car. If you ask me, that's worth an extra $6 any day. Also consider participating in a local produce club like Local Harvest or Terra Organics that provides a box of fresh, seasonal organic produce to your door for as little as $20 per week. This option ensures that you will eat fresh, healthy foods and also provides some much needed variety, flavor and excitement in your diet. The selection varies weekly and takes the guesswork out of that inevitable, daunting question, "What do I feel like eating this week?" It enables you to try new, healthy, whole foods while supporting local farmers and the local economy. It also encourages you to attempt new recipes.

5) Take advantage of free shipping and coupon codes from online retailers. Online shopping also enables you to search for the best deals (which can often be tediously time and energy consuming) without ever leaving the couch in the comfort of your own home. Seize the opportunity to read product reviews from other customers gauging their satisfaction with the product before you purchase--one smart and surefire way to predict whether or not you will be happy with the product. That's one advantage conventional shopping doesn't offer. Most retailers offer a free shipping incentive if you purchase over a certain dollar amount, so make sure you prioritize and group items accordingly in order to qualify for free shipping.

6) Consignment stores offer quality new and gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories at nearly half of department store retail prices. The shopping experience at a consignment store is also much more pleasant and much less tiresome and overwhelming than at a department store or the mall. Think: small, cozy store brimming with unique boutique-like items and personalized attention from the store owner vs. long lines, either pushy or hard-to-find salespeople, and high prices. Many consignment stores will also consider trading items in their store for items you bring in, purchasing items from you outright for cash, or placing items on consignment until they are sold where you will then get anywhere between 40 and 60 percent of the profit.

7) For free or reduced-cost haircuts, manicures, pedicures, and facials, consider going to a local beauty school to reap the talents of beauty-industry newcomers. Don't be afraid, usually trainees are fully supervised by their instructors during the procedures, and if you are not satisfied with their work, someone else will step in and fix it to meet your specifications and you won't be out any money.

8) Save on prescription drugs through participating prescription drug discount programs like the ones offered by Rite Aid and Walgreens pharmacies. This is a great option if you find yourself without insurance or in need of a little extra assistance. Many states also have prescription assistance programs you can enroll in for free if you meet eligibility requirements.

9) Call your local Department of Social and Health Services office to check your eligibility for social programs if you haven't done so already. Even if you don't qualify for direct cash aid, you may still qualify for other valuable programs like food assistance or childcare, especially if you are already on disability. Also, keep in mind that if you owe debt due to medical bills, the state or the hospital itself may offer financial aid programs: sometimes all you have to do is inquire and simply tell them your situation and they will forgive a portion or sometimes even all of the bill without it adversely affecting your credit score.

10) If your physical health has deteriorated significantly and you find yourself struggling with basic tasks at home or in public, you may benefit from having a service dog around. Although they can be very expensive because of their years of extensive training, there are many programs out there offering low-to-no-cost service dogs to eligible candidates.

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.