The animal-assisted therapy

The animal-assisted therapy.
People undergoing chemotherapy and emission for cancer may get an irrational lift from man's best friend, a new study suggests. The study, of patients with employer and neck cancers, is among the first to scientifically test the effects of therapy dogs - trained and certified pooches brought in to lessen human anxiety, whether it's from trauma, maltreatment or illness. To dog lovers, it may be a no-brainer that canine companions bring comfort grills. And cure dogs are already a fixture in some US hospitals, as well as nursing homes, social service agencies, and other settings where relations are in need.

Dogs offer something that even the best-intentioned human caregiver can't very much match, said Rachel McPherson, executive director of the New York City-based Good Dog Foundation. "They give unconditional love," said McPherson, whose format trains and certifies remedial programme dogs for more than 350 facilities in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts as example. "Dogs don't size up you, or try to give you advice, or tell you their stories," she pointed out.

Instead psychotherapy dogs offer simple comfort to people facing scary circumstances, such as cancer treatment. But while that sounds good, doctors and hospitals present scientific evidence. "We can assume for granted that supportive care for cancer patients, like a healthy diet, has benefits," said Dr Stewart Fleishman, the cord researcher on the new study. "We wanted to categorically test animal-assisted therapy and quantify the effects". Fleishman, now retired, was founding pilot of cancer supportive services at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City - now called Mount Sinai Beth Israel.

For the reborn study, his team followed 42 patients at the clinic who were undergoing six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation for head and neck cancers, mostly affecting the embouchure and throat. All of the patients agreed to have visits with a therapy dog thorough before each of their treatment sessions. The dogs, trained by the Good Dog Foundation, were brought in to the waiting room, or health centre room, so patients could spend about 15 minutes with them.