[Dog-assisted therapy for the treatment of eating disorders]

The hospital unit of the Vaud center for the treatment of eating disorders (abC), which is part of the Department of psychiatric liaison at Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), has used dog-assisted therapy for one and a half years. As evidenced by the literature, this approach has only very rarely been used in the treatment of eating disorders (ED). Jam, a three-and-a-half-year-old Golden Retriever, participates in various individual and group activities. This therapeutic approach aims to quickly provide access to fundamental dimensions in the treatment of EDs: sensorially, emotionality, relations and quality of attachment. This article sheds light on these dimensions and the current practices in AAT (animal assisted therapy).