Pets as therapy

[nyapa]

I have often wondered how many institutions practise this. While I have never seen it in action, I have seen guide dogs come into the hospital, and the response from other patients is wonderful. The staff delighted in taking the animal out for toilet breaks during their own breaks...

[nyapa, RN]

Her doc wrote an order for her dog (cocker spaniel) to visit her.

How wonderful is that!

[lpnstudentin2010, LPN]

I am a patinet at a peds hospital. I do not know how it works but I have heard it is loved.

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

How wonderful is that!

Awesome, isn't it! He was an ENT surgeon and a really fine human being.

[Twitchi]

I think animal even when they are not being used in a medical therapy sense still have healing abilities. I have a cat and a dog and even on my worst days they can make me feel better. They either make me laugh or they will snuggle up next to me and let me know that they love me even if I feel the rest of the world is against me. I am 110% for pet therapy being used and it actually working in a beneficial and substantial way.

[KLeigh]

I work at the University of California San Diego Medical Center, and I often see "volunteer pets"--they actually have a "staff" made up of dogs lol--I'll explain. You all know the extremely wonderful and helpful volunteers who come around the floors helping out with various tasks (running labs down, handing out water pitchers, delivering flowers, etc)?

Well, one of the jobs done by specific volunteers is to bring volunteer dogs around the hospital and into patients' rooms. The dogs even have to wear name badges with their pictures on it, just like the human volunteers:lol2:! Although I do not know the specifics of the screening and training process the dogs must go through (and they do have to be screened, I know that much), I do know that I consistantly see the same dogs and human volunteers around (I've worked on various units in our hospital). The volunteer comes to the floor and first asks the nurses if it's okay to visit, then the nurse will ask the patient if he/she wants a furry visitor--usually people do! Some people even want the dogs to hop up into bed with them!

I think it is absolutely beneficial to patients have animals available to interact with. Obviously, some people have allergies and/or fears of dogs (the volunteer dogs at our hospital are all pretty small, though, which might eliminate some fear), but a volunteer would never enter a room with a dog without the patient's nurse first going in and asking the patient. I've heard that studies show that not only does petting an animal lower your blood pressure, but the simple fact of thinking about petting an animal can lower BP. So animals can have a lingering effect, since patients can actually physically benefit from remembering their interaction with the animal--isn't that amazing? I think it's wonderful :)

[bassandtea]

I haven't seen it done in a traditional health care setting, however I have know people involved in animal assisted therapy and the benefits of animals in a volunteer setting.

I volunteered with Radio for the Print Handicapped where a number of the people I worked with were blind and had guidedogs to assist them and I also worked for and volunteered with the RSPCA where we had a number of disabled volunteers and the interaction they had with the animals there was just so wonderful to see. One of the special volunteers used to walk the office cat for us and loved this job and seemed to make a huge difference for the volunteer by giving this person a specific task and job.

I've also seen the benefits that animals can have in stress management in my own life. When I was working for the RSPCA I was under a lot of pressure and had a very heavy workload I would take a break and go out to visit the animals up for adoption and my stress would just melt away.

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

I"ve seen it used in both pediatric and adult med-surg settings. Love the idea, and I personally wish we had more programs like this in adult settings. It seems like the adult med-surg floors are often forgotten about, and the pt's get depressed from chronic illnesses, no visitors, stuck in their room, etc. Pet therapy or other types of volunteer programs I think would really help to improve their outlook.

[JRD2002]

I have caught several patients that had family members sneak in their pets while they were on our med/surg floor. Although I am sure that it is not approved by my hospital I just turned my back. Granted these were tiny dogs that could fit into a bag easily. I may have to discriminate when I see that great dane walking down the hallway.

[handyrn]

The nursing home where I work loves animals! Many of our employees have dogs and we bring them to work with us all the time. The Dept of Health is ok with this as long as they are all current on their shots and there is record of that on file. Our residents love it! There are a couple of residents in particular that are on the call lights all the time for one reason or another, but bring in a dog to sit in their lap for them to pet and they are quiet for HOURS! Another resident used to have insomnia and ring her call light all night long. As long as I brought in my small dog and put in in bed with her she would sleep all night. It also helps to calm some of our alzheimer's/dementia patients. There are days in our facility when we have 3 or 4 dogs running around as you never know who will bring their dog in!

[BayouLPN]

My first job, and still prn, has a small dog in residence. A min-pin that showed up one day several years ago, hurt and sick. Some of the residents took a shine to him. They have him listed as a "therapy dog" with the state but he is really just the facility pet. He seems to know when a resident is dying. You will find in that room on a viligent watch. He, also, does not really like male visitors. Our facility does not have a large number of male residents. He will bark his head off at a man who comes in...but...he does not bark at a new male resident. Don't ask me how he knows the difference. He just does. Like one poster stated...he is very good with the dementia/alzheimer patients. He will sit in their lap for hours. Everybody loves him. We, also, encourge pets to visit. Especially if the new resident's pet is now living with a family member. As an avid pet lover, I think they make wonderful therapy companions and have seen first hand the difference they make in my residents quality of life.

[jelly221,RN]

Hey guys! I'm thinking about doing my thesis for my MSN program on AAT (animal assisted therapy), and I wanted to give this thread a bump and see what people are thinking about it lately.

There've been some great studies recently on AAT improving hemodynamics & neurohormonal indicators in CHF patients, as well as perceived stress, and also CHF pts ambulating farther with less perceived effort when they're walking with a therapy dog.