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Animal-Assisted Therapy in Palliative Care
Vanessa Quintal1, Paulo Reis-Pina2
1Unidade de Cuidados de Saúde Personalizados Sete Rios. Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde de Lisboa Norte. Lisboa. Portugal.
Acta Medica Portuguesa
|September 21, 2020
Summary
Animal-assisted therapy, using a dog, significantly improved symptom management for a patient with advanced colon cancer. This approach offers a valuable complementary option for enhancing quality of life in palliative care.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care Medicine
- Integrative Oncology
- Animal-Assisted Interventions
Background:
- Traditional medical care faces limitations in managing symptoms for patients with advanced or devastating diseases.
- Palliative care focuses on improving quality of life for patients with serious illnesses.
- Exploring complementary therapies is crucial when conventional treatments are insufficient.
Observation:
- A case report details a 76-year-old woman with stage IV colon adenocarcinoma admitted to a Palliative Care unit.
- A six-year-old Yorkshire terrier participated in the patient's care.
- The interaction between the patient and the therapy dog was observed within the clinical setting.
Findings:
- The presence and interaction with the Yorkshire terrier contributed positively to the patient's symptom management.
- Animal-assisted therapy demonstrated potential in alleviating suffering and managing pain.
- The intervention appeared to enhance the patient's overall quality of life during palliative care.
Implications:
- Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) can be a valuable adjunct in palliative care settings.
- Integrating AAT may offer a non-pharmacological approach to improve patient well-being and comfort.
- Further research into AAT's role in symptom management for advanced cancer patients is warranted.
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