Children With Asthma May Not Need to Get Rid of Their Household Pets

BOSTON (CBS) - Even if your child has asthma you may have not have to get rid of your household pet.  A new study from Nationwide Children's Hospital found that once a child's asthma is under good control, having a household pet around doesn't seem to make it worse.

Nearly 400 children with asthma were followed at a pediatric asthma center. More than half were exposed to a dog or cat at home.

Researchers found that when children were treated according to asthma guidelines, having a dog or cat at home didn't seem to significantly affect improvement over time. Nor did their exposure to secondhand smoke.

The researchers concluded that adherence to asthma treatment protocols is much more important than certain types of environmental exposures.

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