Animal Therapy Research Paper

Animal therapy can improve patients stress levels by distracting patients from their condition and by making the patients feel a sense of normalcy through the discomfort caused by the illnesses that are affecting them. The sense of normalcy and making the patient feel that their recovery is progressing reduces much of the stress that patients are in. Stress shows itself in many ways including raised blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and tightened muscles. All of these can make a patient feel more anxious and have abnormal vital signs. “Interacting with animals has been shown to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, decrease anxiety and improve a person’s sense of wellbeing” (Miller). A therapy session that can result in this effect

In the article “Perioperative Nursing and Animal-Assisted Therapy” it mentions a cardiac patient who is to undergo surgery the next day. The patient is experiencing increased blood pressure and a raised heart rate. The treatment team suggested an animal therapy session to help calm the patient. The canine that was used, was able to provide assistance and allow the patient to get her feels about the surgery out. This allowed for a stable set of vital signs to be obtained and the surgery was successful (Miller). When therapy animals are used, patient find comfort in speaking to the animal and tell it was is troubling them. All patients, especially children may be nervous or upset about being in the hospital or having to get surgery. Children specifically shut down and do not want to talk with nurses or doctors to express what is wrong. Having an animal present can comfort the patient and make them feel secure. This feeling sometimes allows for the patient to state what they are feeling. This grants doctors and nurses the ability explain to the patient what is happening and reassure them that it will be

The patient’s hand was placed on the canine’s head in order to stimulate a reaction if possible. the patient’s response was the slightest movement of the fingers of the hand that had been placed on the dog’s head. Although it was slight movement, the patient’s family members began to cry, as it was the first sign to them that their mother was “still in there” (Katzanek). Patients in hospitals are a lot of the time in an incredible amount of stress or anxiety because of their medical situation and possible upcoming procedures. Animal therapy brings comfort to many of the patients. Some find that they can talk to the animal causing them to feel better, because they were given the chance to express their emotions. For family members, hospitals can be a very uncomfortable place. However, when they see that their family member has shown improvement or even has displayed a smile, it makes them feel comforted. The benefit of therapy animals stabilizing vital signs can provide improvement and stability that is key to a patient’s