A study at the University of Arizona is investigating whether pet dogs may help cultivate probiotics in their owners. My first thoughts were around how you’d study this whilst following the principles of Good Clinical Practice.
The study is the first conducted under the University of Arizona's new Human-Animal Interaction Research Initiative. The initiative aims to bring together researchers across disciplines to explore the mutual benefits of human-animal relationships for health and well-being.
I think we can safely assume that the participants will not be put at unnecessary risk during the trials but how about the all-important blinding process?
Participants in the study, will be paired with a canine companion from the humane society and live with the dog in their home for three months.
But what about the control group?
Maybe a random selection should be paired with other animals or with artificial dogs. I find myself picturing a blind trial participant with a researcher moving about their house whilst a recording of dog noises plays in the background.
I’m being flippant of course, but this trial is a good illustration of just how difficult it can be to test a hypothesis like this rigorously.
Existing research shows that dogs and their owners share much of the same gut bacteria over time. In addition, some studies have shown that dogs enhance immune functioning in children, reducing the risk for immune disorders, such as asthma and allergies.
At the beginning of the study, researchers will evaluate the human participants' gut bacteria, diet, physical activity levels and immune function. The dogs' gut bacteria and physical activity levels will also be measured.
Follow-up evaluations will take place after one, two and three months to look for any positive impacts on gut microflora in either the humans or the dogs. Researchers also will note any changes in the mental health and emotional well-being in both the humans and the animals.
I would be interested to see if artificially altering some animals’ gut fauna at the start of the trial has an effect on health benefits. Obviously work like this has to start somewhere and as a pet owner myself, I’ll await the results with interest.
Although it is likely to be a while before they start examining the effect of keeping house rabbits.
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