In Spain there are 13 million registered pets, according to the latest data (from 2018). But, with a pandemic in between that has sent adoptions skyrocketing, the figure is likely to be much higher. The National Association of Pet Food Manufacturers speaks of 29 million total. The majority of domestic animals, according to both sources, are dogs (far ahead of cats), but there are also numerous fish, birds, and reptiles. Some of the benefits that pets bring to people, and especially to children, are the improvement of socialization skills or less likely to have anxietybut there are also risks: from bites to more or less serious infections.
A vital support: less anxiety and more social skills
“There are many benefits and if we have more and more pets it is because we are very comfortable with them,” says Cristina García de Ribera, primary care pediatrician and member of the Health Promotion Committee of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics. Among them, the fact that, if, as in the case of dogs, you have to take them out for a walk, “they keep you very active”. But, in addition, “they give you a lot of company, increase endorphins, which make us feel well-being, and reduce stress. some study says that in children who have difficulties with their parents, having a pet can help them improve attachment”, he explains.
And they also help the development of childrenboth on a social and personal level. Having continuous contact with your pet gives them socialization skills, capacity to love, empathy and compassion towards all speciesin addition to being supportive, increasing their confidence and even their self esteem.
“The fidelity that a dog has makes the bond with the human, in this case with the child, be like that. In addition, children are very demanding of attention. Many times, human beings end up getting tired of this demand for continuous attention, but the animal, the dog, continues to play with it, which creates a very important bond and brings benefits to the child”, explains Álvaro Olivares, professor of Ethology of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Complutense University of Madrid.
Both children and adolescents and adults, companion animals can help them prevent anxiety, depression and other mental health problemsalthough these benefits are little studied in the smallest and some studies acknowledge that research is lacking. However, as the UCM veterinarian clarifies, “more and more hospitals they have animal-assisted therapy units, both with the elderly and adults and children with various pathologies”. And, according to García de Ribera, “it has been seen that it is very good for autistic children and for those with attention deficit disorder.”
A push to be more responsible
Having a pet “is something very educational because, since they have to take care of it, feed it, clean it, etc., children learn to have small responsibilities”, explains García de Ribera. Plus, they learn to have respect for living beingsconnect with nature and experience life lessons, such as childbirth, illness or grief.
Vaccination and deworming, keys to avoid zoonoses
There are diseases that can only be transmitted between the same species and others that can pass from one to another, as is the case of zoonoses, which are transferred from animals to humans. These infections include, for example, rabies and salmonellosis. According to Álvaro Olivares, “it has been a long time since there have been a number of important cases of rabies, although there have been some in some area of Spain”, and it is precisely the vaccines that prevent its transmission.
Along with vaccination, the most important thing to avoid risks is deworming: “Many times deworming is not done well or is done insufficiently. This is the problem we see in many parks. If we look closely, the access of dogs to children’s parks is prohibited because, if those dogs defecate in the park and a child arrives and touches that land with the dog’s feces and the eggs of the parasites that it may carry, it is when the typical worms appear”, explains the teacher.
As for salmonellosis, María González Garrido, a pediatrician at the Mirasierra health center in Madrid, explains that “bacteria such as salmonella occur mainly in birds and reptiles”, and adds: “There really are all kinds of of infections, but they are not as frequent. It also depends on whether it is an animal that does not leave the house and is not in contact with others, such as some cats. That implies fewer risks.”
Olivares asks if it is really dangerous that, for example, a child gives a kiss on the nose to his dog, and if this can transmit a disease. “The answer is: if the dog has all the appropriate health checks, which are basically deworming, vaccination and regular veterinary check-ups, there is no problem. None”. Although, as the pediatrician explains, “contamination through the mouth can cause diarrhea or abdominal pain.”
“Many times, when there is a fever or some type of infection, I ask if they have pets, in case it could be the origin, especially if it is not the usual type of infection,” adds the doctor. According to an analysis by the Ontario government authority, Canada, “children are more vulnerable than adults to infection from animals due to a lack of awareness of the risk of transmission, less than desirable hygiene habits, a propensity to finger in the mouth and to their natural curiosity and attraction to animals”. They are also more vulnerable to infections that lead to more serious illnesses because their immune systems are not fully developed.
García de Ribera explains that, in this sense, greater precautions must be taken in the case of immunocompromised children; even more so if the pet is a reptile.
The hygiene of pets (apart from that of the child) is essential
Álvaro Olivares explains that, if the owner lets the dog move as it pleases “and smells all the poop of other dogs, as many do, when he gets home he must clean his snout, his legs, his mouth and his bum well. . Appropriate measures must be taken.”
“If the other dogs are dewormed, they won’t catch anything, but if it gets stained and we don’t clean it, it’s just as serious as if you take the child to the park and he starts playing with another dog’s poop. Is the same. It is common sense that your dog does not go anarchically poking his nose everywhere, ”she insists.
Ribera’s pediatrician insists that children should be explained that they should not kiss dogs on the nose, “especially if they have been poking around”, and that they should wash their hands well.
watch out for bites
Bacterial infections can also occur from bites or licks, apart from the consequences of such an accident. According to the World Health Organization“Studies suggest that dog bites cause tens of millions of injuries each year and children are the most affected population group.”
According to the journal Primary Care Pediatrics, dog bites tend to affect the head and neck more than the extremities; something that increases the danger, according to information from the WHO, although the publication clarifies that the hospitalization rate is very low.
“We evidenced a higher incidence of bites in children under six years of age, associating greater severity. The majority location was the facial region and there is a relationship between younger age and this location, probably due to short stature, larger skull size, tendency to play on the ground and curious attitude. The self-defense capacity, the interpretation of the actions of the dogs by the children and the way of relating to them also play a fundamental role”, explains the study of the publication. Although most injuries are not serious, more than half of the accidents leave permanent scars, 10% usually require sutures and between 1 and 5% hospitalization. In addition, most cases are caused by their own pets.
To avoid accidents, the WHO warns that children should not be left alone in the presence of a dog. If we talk about cats, on the contrary, the little ones are not the most affected by their bites, but the adult women.
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