Pregnant?… You May Want to Consider a New Puppy as Well

Could your puppy be providing more than just companionship for your family?

FOX’s Alex Hein reports on a new study that says just that:

This is Housecall for Health.

There’s more to the relationship between a dog and new baby than adorable photo shoots and constant companionship. In fact, a Canadian report has found that babies from pet-owning families possess more microbes linked with a lower allergy and obesity risk than their pet-less counterparts.

The University of Alberta researchers studies faecal samples from the Canadian healthy infant longitudinal development study and discovered that babies in the womb and early after birth who were exposed to pets had higher levels of two crucial microbes that are linked to reduced levels of childhood allergies and obesity.

Indirect exposure, like a dog being near a pregnant woman, counted in these instances. So the next time your partner nags you about getting a puppy, it might be worth it to give it some thought.

The study was published in the Journal Microbiome.

For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com.

Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889