The family dog could provide a cure for the respiratory disease asthma, which kills about 4,000 Americans a year.

Several studies have shown that exposure to dogs during a person’s early life – possibly even before birth – is associated with a strong protection against asthma and asthma-related conditions. A team of researchers from the University of Arizona has now received a two-year National Institutes of Health Challenge Grant of $937,302 to examine why this protective effect occurs.

The scientists hope that if they can identify why dogs offer protection against asthma, they might be able to build up a child’s immune system to prevent asthma before the baby is even born.

The investigation will be led by Serrine Lau, professor at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, who said:

“The purpose of our research is to learn more about the biological mechanisms responsible for the protective effects of dog exposure. Conceivably, this could be a step toward someday leveraging these mechanisms for treatment or even preventive purposes.”

Source – University of Arizona