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Baby's best friend - research shows pets can help children stay healthier

Babies that live in homes with pet cats and dogs are less likely to get ill according to a new study, meaning animals can actually help to boost a child’s immune system.

Showing that dogs are no longer just a man’s best friend, researchers studying infants between nine weeks and one years and found that babies who lived with cats and dogs had fewer ear infections, coughs and runny noses than those without pets.

The research revealed that on average infants without pets were healthy for 65% of the recorded weeks, compared to those with dogs who were healthy for up to 76% of the study.

Helping to spark the cat versus dog debate – the study showed that dogs can keep kids healthier than cats can, with dog-lovers suffering with even less illnesses.

Researchers suggest that the dirt and allergens brought in by pets can help to build-up a baby’s immune system before their first birthday and act as a guard against coughs and colds.

Does your family have a pet cat or dog? Do you think homes with pets make a better environment for a baby to grow up in?