I spent a lot of time on social media, reading posts from other pet lovers. The main thing that I’m bothered by is how many posts from cat owners reporting a lost pet. Usually, cats sneak out of their homes because a door opened. In fact, that happened to one of my neighbors at my condo. Fortunately, this story has a happy ending – her cat snuck out when she and her dog went outside for a walk.

My neighbor didn’t actually know her cat had snuck out! What happened was her cat had been wandering the hallway, and a good samaritan knocked on my door asking if the cat belonged to me. I went out to the hallway, caught the cat and brought him into my unit. When my neighbor returned, I knocked on her door and asked if she was missing a cat... As a veterinary professional and…

Brief Introduction:

As a Pet owner with MS (PwMS), my Chihuahua Min door dashing would be a personal nightmare. For my own peace of mind, I decided to play a game with her to teach her door manners.

"Where a door opening tells Min to sit or lie down on a mat or dog bed at a distance away from the door."

So seeing door opening and/or hearing the sound is Min’s cue to do a sit-stay or a down-stay. As I mentioned, as a PwMS my dog door dashing is a personal nightmare. I imagine the rest of you might share that nightmare or you might feel panicked when a family member opens a door, which is why I wrote this article.

Watch the full video:

I am hoping this article will contribute to Navigating Mobility Challenges: Strategies for an Active Life.

This article was inspired by a recent conversation I had with another PwMS who commented on a video I had posted on social media about the importance of teaching a large breed dog (a Doberman Pinscher) to walk on loose leash as a Person with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS). The individual mentioned that she owned a Labrador Retriever who had pulled her down a few years ago so her able-bodied son had taken over walking the dog. She noted that her dog continues to pull on leash, but this PwMS was under the impression that her son can handle that though she voiced regret about being unable to walk the dog anymore. 

How fortunate she was to have a family member step in, though I realize that might not be an option for other…

Presenting both pros and cons– neither choice is incorrect!

Research sings praises regarding interactions with pets including pet ownership among the chronically ill, such as persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Across different health conditions, pet ownership is proposed to improve mental and physical health. Benefits mentioned include decreased loneliness and increased physical activity (1-6). At the same time, because I am a scientist, I must present recent work that raises questions regarding pet ownership and benefits on MS (7).

As an animal lover, I personally support pet ownership. However, as a PwMS who is also a veterinary professional and accredited pet training instructor, I have a deep understanding about the pros and cons regarding pet ownership for PwMS. In the following paragraphs, I would like to present both to existing pet owners and PwMS considering pet ownership.

Neither choice is incorrect–just what fits you and your life!