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Dogs reduce stress in parents of autistic children
Beagle and child
Pet dogs can improve parenting stress associated with caring for an autistic child.

Significant decrease in stress in families who acquire a dog

Owning a pet dog can help to dramatically reduce stress levels in parents who care for children with autism, according to new research.

A team of psychologists and animal behaviour experts at the University of Lincoln found a significant decrease in parental stress in those families who acquired a dog.

Professor Daniel Mills, from the School of Life Sciences, said: “These families are often living under great stress, which can bring detrimental impacts to mental and physical health. This study focussed on the potential of pet dogs to alter parenting stress levels.

"Previous research has suggested that animal-assisted therapy (AAT) can reduce blood pressure and anxiety in a number of individuals. However, AAT typically involves short, structured sessions with a dog, without the additional burden of daily animal care.

"Given the added responsibility that comes with owning a dog, particularly a puppy, we wanted to assess whether parents living in stressful circumstances could still benefit from animal companionship, despite the increase in responsibilities and duties.”

Using a standardised assessment of parental stress, the researchers measured parent's stress levels before obtaining a dog, and at designated periods following that. At the same time, the team measured parenting stress in a control group of parents with a child with autism, who did not acquire a pet dog.

They observed a significant decrease in parenting stress in those families who acquired the dog and a significant number of these parents moved from clinically high levels of parental distress to within the clinically normal range.

"The results highlight the potential of pet dogs to improve parenting stress associated with caring for a child with autism," added Professor Mills. 

"As well as improving quality of life for these parents, reductions in parenting stress could also improve problematic child behaviours, with research from other teams suggesting that levels of parental stress can determine the success of autism treatments."

The study, published in the Journal of Autism and Development Disorders, was carried out in conjunction with charities Dogs for the Disabled and the National Autistic Society. 

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.