Tyler TX — A study done in Finland sparked interest all the way here in East Texas.  The study states that researchers followed 397 children from pregnancy to one year old to find out how they reacted to having pets in their home.

The study showed that children who were brought up in a home that had either a cat or a dog developed an immunity to respiratory infections.  These children had less infections, and the study suggests it was due to having pets in the home.

A local vet, Dr. Laura Cauthen of the Animal Clinic of Tyler told KETK that indoor and outdoor pets bring dust, dirt, and bacteria into the home that a child needs to be exposed to and can develop an immunity to if exposed at a young age.

A Tyler allergist, Dr. Jack Richard Harris, MD, told KETK that many suggest America is "too clean" which ultimately hurts small children growing up who are later exposed to the world and don't have a strong immune system.

Both doctors felt that this study shows that there are back up evidence as to why this has been a "wives tale" for so long.

Some even suggest that chihuahuas help with children who have asthma!

However,  many parents often think that when they are expecting a child they should get rid of their pets, but this study shows that if you are expecting it might be a good idea to add a four-legged family member as well!