The effect of the presence of a companion-animal on physiological changes following the termination of cognitive stressors

Abstract The effect of the presence of a traditional and non-traditional companion animal on blood pressure and heart rate reductions after termination of mild cognitive stressors was tested on 50 adult normotensive males and females. Blood pressures and heart rate were monitored continuously and measures recorded every minute, during task and rest periods in three conditions. Cognitive tasks employed to induce arousal included mental arithmetic, coding and a cancellation task. Each task was used within one of three conditions: pet absent, pet present and visual interaction allowed, pet present and tactual interaction allowed. To control for possible effects of task difficulty and condition sequence. each task was employed in each of the three conditions an equal number of times and each condition was presented as the first. second and third in the sequence an equal number of times. Data showed an increase in cardiovascular responses during cognitive tasks in all conditions, particularly when the pet was present. Repeated measures ANOVA indicate that reductions in blood pressure and heart rate measures during the rest period following termination of the cognitive stressor were significantly greater in the condition where a pet was present but no tactual interaction was allowed. Patting the animal resulted in a significant reduction in heart rate but blood pressure was not significantly different from when the pet was absent. Results indicate that the mere presence of an unknown friendly pet. traditional or non-traditional, can aid the reduction of blood pressure and heart rate following termination of cognitive stressors and this is independent of subjective reports, gender and general attitudes (positive versus neutral) towards pets.