David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Pet therapy: Man's best friend as healer
By Mayo Clinic staff
Retrieved September 12, 2012
Animal-assisted therapy can help healing and lessen depression and fatigue.
Jack is a miniature pinscher and service dog at Mayo Clinic
Is medicine going to the dogs? Yes, but in a good way. Pet therapy is gaining fans in health care and beyond. Find out what's behind this growing trend.
What is pet therapy?
Pet therapy is a broad term that includes animal-assisted therapy and other animal-assisted activities. Animal-assisted therapy is a growing field that uses dogs or other animals to help people recover from or better cope with health problems, such as heart disease, cancer and mental health disorders.
Animal-assisted activities, on the other hand, have a more general purpose, such as providing comfort and enjoyment for nursing home residents.
How does animal-assisted therapy work?
Imagine you're in the hospital. Your doctor mentions the hospital's animal-assisted therapy program and asks if you'd be interested. You say yes, and your doctor arranges for someone to tell you more about the program. Soon after that, an assistance dog and its handler visit your hospital room. They stay for 10 or 15 minutes. You're invited to pet the dog and ask the handler questions.
After the visit, you realize you're smiling. And you feel a little less tired and a bit more optimistic. You can't wait to tell your family all about that charming canine. In fact, you're already looking forward to the dog's next visit.
Who can benefit from animal-assisted therapy?
Animal-assisted therapy can significantly reduce pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue in people with a range of health problems:
Pet therapy is also being used in nonmedical settings, such as universities and community programs, to help people deal with anxiety and stress.
Does pet therapy have risks?
The biggest concern, particularly in hospitals, is safety and sanitation. Most hospitals and other facilities that use pet therapy have stringent rules to ensure that the animals are clean, vaccinated, well trained and screened for appropriate behavior.
It's also important to note the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has never received a report of infection from animal-assisted therapy.
Animal-assisted therapy in action
Jack, known as Dr. Jack by his colleagues, is a miniature pinscher and the first facility-based assistance dog (service dog) to join Mayo Clinic's team in Rochester, Minn. A fully credentialed service dog, Jack has worked at Mayo Clinic since 2002.
Jack spends time with patients helping them work toward their recovery goals. For example, Jack and his trainer worked with a 5-year-old girl recovering from spinal surgery. Jack helped her relearn how to walk, taking a step backward each time she took a step forward. She also gave Jack a "checkup" each morning, which helped keep her moving. Eventually, she took Jack for walks with the help of a walker.
In addition to Jack, more than a dozen certified therapy dogs are part of Mayo Clinic's Caring Canines program. They make regular visits to various hospital departments and even make special visits on request.
References
By Mayo Clinic staff
Retrieved September 12, 2012
Animal-assisted therapy can help healing and lessen depression and fatigue.
Jack is a miniature pinscher and service dog at Mayo Clinic
Is medicine going to the dogs? Yes, but in a good way. Pet therapy is gaining fans in health care and beyond. Find out what's behind this growing trend.
What is pet therapy?
Pet therapy is a broad term that includes animal-assisted therapy and other animal-assisted activities. Animal-assisted therapy is a growing field that uses dogs or other animals to help people recover from or better cope with health problems, such as heart disease, cancer and mental health disorders.
Animal-assisted activities, on the other hand, have a more general purpose, such as providing comfort and enjoyment for nursing home residents.
How does animal-assisted therapy work?
Imagine you're in the hospital. Your doctor mentions the hospital's animal-assisted therapy program and asks if you'd be interested. You say yes, and your doctor arranges for someone to tell you more about the program. Soon after that, an assistance dog and its handler visit your hospital room. They stay for 10 or 15 minutes. You're invited to pet the dog and ask the handler questions.
After the visit, you realize you're smiling. And you feel a little less tired and a bit more optimistic. You can't wait to tell your family all about that charming canine. In fact, you're already looking forward to the dog's next visit.
Who can benefit from animal-assisted therapy?
Animal-assisted therapy can significantly reduce pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue in people with a range of health problems:
- Children having dental procedures
- People receiving cancer treatment
- People in long-term care facilities
- People hospitalized with chronic heart failure
- Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder
Pet therapy is also being used in nonmedical settings, such as universities and community programs, to help people deal with anxiety and stress.
Does pet therapy have risks?
The biggest concern, particularly in hospitals, is safety and sanitation. Most hospitals and other facilities that use pet therapy have stringent rules to ensure that the animals are clean, vaccinated, well trained and screened for appropriate behavior.
It's also important to note the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has never received a report of infection from animal-assisted therapy.
Animal-assisted therapy in action
Jack, known as Dr. Jack by his colleagues, is a miniature pinscher and the first facility-based assistance dog (service dog) to join Mayo Clinic's team in Rochester, Minn. A fully credentialed service dog, Jack has worked at Mayo Clinic since 2002.
Jack spends time with patients helping them work toward their recovery goals. For example, Jack and his trainer worked with a 5-year-old girl recovering from spinal surgery. Jack helped her relearn how to walk, taking a step backward each time she took a step forward. She also gave Jack a "checkup" each morning, which helped keep her moving. Eventually, she took Jack for walks with the help of a walker.
In addition to Jack, more than a dozen certified therapy dogs are part of Mayo Clinic's Caring Canines program. They make regular visits to various hospital departments and even make special visits on request.
References
- DeCourcey M, et al. Animal-assisted therapy: Evaluation and implementation of a complementary therapy to improve the psychological and physiological health of critically ill patients. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing. 2010;29:211.
- Cangelosi PR, et al. Walking for therapy with man's best friend. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services. 2010;48:19.
- Walsh F. Human-animal bonds I: The relational significance of companion animals. Family Process. 2009;48:462.
- Friesen L. Exploring animal-assisted programs with children in school and therapeutic contexts. Early Childhood Education Journal. 2009;37:261.
- Barker SB, et al. The benefits of human-companion animal interaction: A review. Journal of Veterinary Medical Education. 2008;35:487.
- Jack the dog at your service. In the Loop (blog). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 22, 2010. http://idealab.mayo.edu/intheloop/2010/04/22/meet-the-real-jack-the-service-dog Accessed July 2, 2012.
- Dr. Jack will see you now. MayoClinic. Dr. Jack will see you now. Accessed June 11, 2012.
- Adamle KN, et al. Evaluating college student interest in pet therapy. Journal of American College Health. 2009;57:545.
- Matuszek S. Animal-facilitated therapy in various patient populations: Systematic literature review. Holistic Nursing Practice. 2010;24:187.
- Marcus DA. Complementary medicine in cancer care: Adding a therapy dog to the team. Current Pain and Headache Reports. In press. Accessed July 2, 2012.
- Marcus DA, et al. Animal-assisted therapy at an outpatient pain management clinic. Pain Medicine. 2012;13:45.
- What is a therapy dog? American Kennel Club. American Kennel Club - AKC Therapy Dog? Program. Accessed June 25, 2012.
- Theimer SM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 10, 2012.
