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Therapy Dog Visits for Patients Hospitalized With Traumatic Injuries
Sponsor: Boston Medical Center
Summary
Animal assisted therapy (AAT) with dogs has been shown to be beneficial for a wide range of patients with both acute and chronic illnesses, including spinal cord injuries, heart failure, myocardial infarctions, strokes, cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression. Studies have also demonstrated that even in healthy adults, the presence of dogs is associated with physiologic changes such as increased pain threshold, decreased blood pressure, and decreased heart rate. However, few studies have investigated the role of AAT in the post-operative course in adults. This study will investigate the impact of therapy dog visits on pain and anxiety scores for trauma patients at Boston Medical Center (BMC).
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
80
Start Date
2025-06-04
Completion Date
2026-06
Last Updated
2025-06-06
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Therapy dog visits
2-3 ten-minute visits by a trained therapy dog and the dog's handler
Dog handler visits
2-3 ten-minute visits by a dog handler
Locations (1)
Boston Medical Center, Trauma Inpatient Service
Boston, Massachusetts, United States