Mayo Clinic Study Finds That Pets Help Relieve Stress During Cancer

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

ROCHESTER, Minn. — A new study has found that many cancer patients who are pet owners believe that their pets play an important role in relieving stress during cancer, and that their pets help make them healthier. The results were recently published in the Journal of Cancer Education.

"There's no doubt that our pets are important to us," says the study's lead investigator Aminah Jatoi, M.D., Mayo Clinic medical oncologist. "Our study observed that our patients feel the exact same way and in fact that they rely heavily on the companionship of their animals during their cancer treatment."

The researchers studied 309 cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, 170 of whom owned pets. Sixty-one percent of respondents were receiving chemotherapy with non-curative intent. Researchers found that 45 percent of patients believed they were healthier because of their pet, and 48 percent found their pets to be helpful in relieving stress. Additionally, 80 percent of cancer patients were receiving help caring for their pets from friends and family.

The findings support the growing association between pet companionship and medical care, says Dr. Jatoi.

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