Therapy Dogs Physically and Emotionally Benefit Children with Cancer

Therapy dogs are occasionally seen in hospitals visiting patients. It is believed that interacting with a dog can reduce stress and blood pressure and improve a patient’s health and quality of life. Researchers are now studying the benefits that these therapy dogs can have. The American Humane Association is leading research on the effects that therapy dogs have on children undergoing cancer treatment.

Amy McCullough is leading the research. McCullough and her team are studying weekly visits with therapy dogs on 51 children with cancer. Early results are showing that dogs are able to reduce patient stress and stabilize their blood pressure and heart rate. Therapy dogs are also decreasing anxiety, stabilizing moods, and increasing patient quality of life.

McCullough and her team are also studying therapy dog behaviour and saliva cortisol levels to examine the impact that these visits are having on the dogs. The knowledge gained from this portion of the study will hopefully benefit dog and handler training.

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Harvard Medical School Releases Report: Get Healthy, Get a Dog

The Harvard Medical School is selling Get Healthy, Get a Dog: The health benefits of canine companionship. The health report highlights the health benefits of dog ownership and can be purchased online.

The report overview highlights that dogs offer unparalleled companionship and compiles research that shows that dogs offer health benefits. Some of the key benefits of dog ownership are:

• Reduces stress, increases mindfulness.
• Increases the activity of children and helps them feel secure and develop responsibilities.
• Improves the quality of life for seniors.
• Decreases isolation and increases social behaviours.

Through petting a dog, people can have lower blood pressure and decrease heart rate. Petting can also have a positive effect on the dog. Just as petting can benefit both parting, obesity and low activity rates often affect people and their dogs. The report has suggestions on how to increase physical exercise.

If someone is interested in getting a dog, the report helps walk people through the process of getting a suitable dog. If someone is unable to own a dog the report also contains information about service dogs and how one can benefit from contact with an appropriate service dog.    

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