March 2 (iVillage Total Health) -- You may not have to get rid of the family dog when your newborn comes home if you are concerned about asthma risks, according to the results of a new study.

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health studied 253 children for the relationship between pet ownership and asthma diagnosis in children with and without dogs. Parents who owned dogs when their babies were born were less likely than non-dog owning families to have children who developed asthma by the time they were six years old. Dog-owning 3-year-olds were also less likely to have asthma by age six than children without dogs, according to the study.

Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the body's bronchial (airway) tissues that afflicts millions of people in the United States. People with asthma experience shortness of breath, chest tightness, coughing and wheezing. These symptoms intensify during an asthma attack, which occurs when triggered by allergens (i.e., pollen, dust, pet dander).

The researchers found that owning a cat at birth and at three years of age did not significantly relate to whether the child would develop asthma by age six. They concluded that exposure to dogs early in life may reduce asthma risk.

Dog allergies -- caused by dog dander, skin, saliva and urine -- are a common form of allergy in the United States. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), nearly 10 million pet owners are allergic to their animals. Dogs can cause allergic reactions in people with allergies specific to dogs and in people with allergic asthma, a condition in which asthma symptoms are triggered by an allergic reaction.

The research was presented in February during the annual meeting of AAAAI in San Diego.

Copyright 2007 iVillage Total Health.