Did You Know Your Dog Protects You Even Before You’re Born! (VIDEO)

Cats and dogs are already our best friends, companions, protectors, and family but now they may also be a vital component of your unborn child’s health! Here’s some good news for those looking to expand their human family while keeping their four-legged half of the family around. The video below explains how having a cat or dog around the mother of an unborn child and the infant shortly after birth may contribute to less allergies for that child in the future.

There are numerous studies that Support the video’s statements, including this one from 2007, that found a decrease in allergies among children who lived in homes with dogs versus those who did not. In fact, the study found that children in families without dogs had an allergy rate of 16.8-25 percent while families with dogs had allergy rates of 9.1-15.5 percent. That’s a significant difference!

It may be all about timing though, as this TIME article on the same topic discusses. Exposure of the baby to dogs and cats has to be at the right time. However, the exact effective exposure time is unknown but what is known is that the benefits only occur before the child’s first birthday.

Although evidence is beginning to Support the idea that pets may prevent allergies in children, most still leave room for further evaluation. Many studies state that there are too many variables to consider when evaluating a child’s allergy risk in the home that pets may not be the only factor. However, if anything, exposure to pets at an early age does seem to lower allergy risk for some individuals.

Check out the video for more details on how keeping our furry friends around may actually be like having a walking and living allegory vaccination in your home.