Having Pets May Reduce Asthma Risk in Children

Asthma can be triggered by almost anything, including common things like mold, pollen, and dust mites. Unfortunately for pet lovers, even pet dander can set off an asthma attack. While there are ways to prevent asthma attacks while keeping pets, many people decide to give up their pets just to be on the safe side.

It’s widely believed that having pets at home can cause asthma in children, leading parents to avoid dogs, cats, and other furry animals. However, a new study shared in Medical News Today suggests the opposite might be true. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, found that kids living with dogs actually had a lower risk of developing asthma. This study was presented at the 2012 General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

The researchers explained that the dust in homes with dogs might protect against infections from a respiratory virus linked to asthma in children. Kei Fujimura, one of the researchers, detailed their process. They collected dust mites from homes with dogs and fed them to mice. They found that these mice were protected against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common infection in infants and children that can increase the risk of developing asthma.

In the study, they used three groups of mice. The first group was fed dust mites from homes with dogs before being exposed to RSV. The second group was infected with RSV but not given dust exposure. The third group served as a control and was not infected with RSV. The first group showed no RSV-related symptoms like mucus or inflammation. They also had a unique gut bacteria composition, which might be protecting them from RSV.

Kei Fujimura believes this study could help identify which microbes can protect against respiratory infections like RSV. The findings could also help develop new treatments for RSV and reduce the risk of childhood asthma.