IT is a well-known fact that having a pet can boost your wellbeing, but as it turns out, owning a dog can reduce the chances of developing childhood asthma.

A study from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, found that babies who grow up with a pet dog are half as likely to develop the condition.

The researchers analysed dust samples from the homes of 1,050 babies aged three to four months and tracked them until they were five years old.

Over this period, 6.6% were diagnosed with asthma.

Analysis revealed babies exposed to higher levels of the allergen Can f1, which is shed in dog skin and saliva, had a 48% lower risk of developing the lung condition, compared with other babies.

“Early exposure to dog allergens could prevent sensitisation, perhaps by altering the nasal microbiome – the mixture of microbes living inside the nose – or by some effect on the immune system,” said study author Dr Jacob McCoy.

Unfortunately for feline lovers, the protective effect was only found to be present in households with a dog.

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