The dog doctor will see you now: Hospital reinstates pet therapy

Stony Brook Southampton Hospital has recently brought back dogs to their healthcare staff.

No, the pooches won’t be administering tests or evaluating illnesses. But their bedside-manner skills will be employed to help patients in recovery.

According to Robin Page, the director of volunteer services at the hospital, new updates to visitation policies after COVID regulations went into effect, means “pet therapy” teams will be back on the wards, making rounds.

“We’re delighted our pet therapy teams are back in rotation,” Ms. Page said. “The handlers and dogs brighten the day for everyone they greet.”

A report published in the National Library of Medicine in 2021 found that “the therapy dog intervention has a positive effect on reducing patient depression symptoms … This study’s findings align with research findings about the impact of therapy dog visits with various populations, including older adults in assisted living facilities.”

Using animals in therapeutic situations is not a new phenomenon. The international academic journal MDPI, has published research finding that, “Even before Florence Nightingale (1869) used animals in a therapeutic setting, the Quaker York Retreat in England, the first recorded use of animals in a therapeutic setting was in 1792, utilizing rabbits and poultry.”

Sigmund Freud was another pioneer in pet-assisted therapy, who used his dog, a chow named Jofi, when seeing patients to reduce their stress.

Research from the  Loyola University Health System came to the conclusion that many patients recovering from total joint replacement surgery, who received animal-assisted therapy (AAT) required less pain medication than those who do not experience this type of therapy.”

This is due, clinicians have found that the interaction with the animals trigger hormones such as oxytocin and serotonin, which reduces anxiety and can lower blood pressure in patients.

At Southampton Hospital, having dogs in the hospital isn’t just a friendly romp. According to Susan Appell who coordinates the hospital’s program, each therapy dog and its handler must undergo serious training. The team is then tested every 18 months to maintain official certification.

Once certified, they are screened by the hospital before being accepted.

“The dog must be well-trained, adaptable to new environments and comfortable being touched by strangers,” Ms. Appell said.

The dogs must be at least a year old and fully vaccinated before being considered for the program. Other requirements are that the canine candidate must have lived with the owner/handler for at least six months, and online and in-person testing are required.

According to the hospital, part of the testing includes interruptions to ensure the dog responds to commands even in the midst of distractions.

“We have wonderful volunteers and invite other pet owners who think they might like to quality for the program to contact me,” Ms. Appell said. “It is a rewarding experience for both the team and the patient.”

Anyone interested in the program, or to find out if you and your dog can qualify for the Stony Brook Southampton Hospital’s pet therapy program, can email Ms. Appell at [email protected].