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Therapy Dog Visits for Patients Hospitalized With Traumatic Injuries
Who can join
Ages 18 and older · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients admitted to the Trauma and Acute Care Surgery (TACS) service following a trauma * English or Spanish speaking * Able to provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Fear of dogs, allergy to dogs * Immunocompromised * Contact precautions * Delirious, intubated, or otherwise unable to consent
About the study
Animal assisted therapy (AAT) with dogs has been shown to be beneficial for a wide range of patients with both acute and chronic illnesses, including spinal cord injuries, heart failure, myocardial infarctions, strokes, cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression. Studies have also demonstrated that even in healthy adults, the presence of dogs is associated with physiologic changes such as increased pain threshold, decreased blood pressure, and decreased heart rate. However, few studies have investigated the role of AAT in the post-operative course in adults. This study will investigate the impact of therapy dog visits on pain and anxiety scores for trauma patients at Boston Medical Center (BMC).
What is being tested
- Therapy dog visits (other)
- Dog handler visits (other)
Sponsor: Boston Medical Center · Participants: 80 · Started: Jun 4, 2025
Contact the study team
- Sabrina Sanchez, MD MPH · Phone: 617 414 4861
- Sara Myers, MD · Phone: 617 638 9191
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06812247
Locations in the U.S.
| Massachusetts | Boston Medical Center, Trauma Inpatient Service, Boston |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 29, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.