A study of more than 900 children recently conducted in South Australia lends further support for the health benefits of pet ownership. The results from the study indicates that living in a household with a dog or a cat can be associated with a reduced risk of gastroenteritis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between dog and cat ownership and gastroenteritis in young children. The study involved 965 children aged between 4-6 years and data was collected on pet ownership, drinking water and other risk factors for gastroenteritis.

Does dog or cat ownership lead to increased gastroenteritis in young children in South Australia?,”J. S. HEYWORTH”,”H. CUTT”,”G. GLONEK”,Epidemiology and Infection,Volume 134,Issue 05,01Oct2006,pp 926-934,DOI,06Sep2006