Animal Assisted Therapy

Animal Assisted Therapy
Rachel Ann Rodriguez
Candidate Number: 00243-014
May 2012
Word Count: 3636
Abstract

Animal Assisted Therapy, a type of therapy that involves the use of different animals with specific characteristics, can be a natural aid in a patient’s treatment, as this approach successfully addresses a variety of physical, emotional, and psychological illnesses. Drug treatments and other means of healing are effective; however, they often have negative effects on the patient’s body. Drugs may lead to addiction, severe physical side effects, and potentially to death. Animal Assisted Therapy, on the other hand, deals with the use of specially trained animals with handlers and does not have any negative medical side
effects. Animal assisted therapists make the decision at to what animals to use based on the needs of the patients and what each animal has to offer, directly dealing with the patient’s problems without causing any negative side effects. Thus, Animal Assisted Therapy should be the preferred form of therapy whenever such is possible, as patients suffering from a variety of conditions and disorders can benefit significantly from exposure to such creatures as dogs, cats, horses, and dolphins. Animal Assisted Therapy currently includes the use of these animals, and patients’ exposure to them typically results in the rehabilitation of humans suffering from physical, emotional and psychological disabilities.

Table of Contents

Abstract 2
Table of Contents 3
Introduction 4
Feline Rehabilitation 5
Canine Rehabilitation 8
Equine Rehabilitation 11
Dolphin Rehabilitation 14
Conclusion 17
References 18

Introduction By using animals in human rehabilitation and therapy, researchers have opened up new areas of study specifically devoted to physical, emotional, and psychological human conditions.
Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a newly developed form of therapy that uses the long existing human-animal bond as an aid. Animals can be used in place of traditional medications and can serve as a form of motivation in different types of rehabilitation for people requiring physical, emotional, and psychological rehabilitation and therapy. Animal Assisted Therapy is now being employed in many different contexts, from in-home pets, to feline and canine visits to facilities, to therapeutic equine facilities, and lastly to aquatic environments. The bond between humans and animals is something AAT enforces by encouraging maximum interaction with therapy animals. Such therapy is performed by trained professionals who have studied the field and are certified to be working with both the patient and animal on physical, emotional, or psychological patients. This paper intends to examine the extent that “animal therapy” involving felines, canines, equines, and dolphins has resulted in physical, emotional and psychological rehabilitation of human beings, and how effective is this fairly new
approach.

Feline Rehabilitation A domesticated feline accepts people for who they are, not for physical appearance, how old they are, or their physical condition. Human beings feel a sense of acceptance when they are interacting with felines; therefore feline visits are very rewarding to the physical rehabilitative patient. By enjoying the company of a feline, one ‘s risk of cardiovascular disease, risk of heart attack, risk of stroke, triglycerides, cholesterol, and blood pressure are all lowered. An improvement of the immune system, prevention of asthma in children, and a decreased chance of developing allergies all occur. Stroking a cat gives the human’s body an overall calming sensation and physically helps it amplify its survival rate and lower its risk of disease. A study from the University of Minnesota1 found that humans who own or interact with felines had over a fifty percent chance of cardiovascular disease not being their cause of death. Due to the reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, the risk of heart attack is also reduced. Another study done at the University of Minnesota2 showed that being in the presence of a cat for an extended period of time cut a patient’s risk of getting a stroke by one-third3. Although triglycerides are a type of fat that are an important source of energy to the body, having high triglycerides can put a human at risk for heart disease and coronary disease. Studies show that felines can reduce high triglycerides, and boost a person’s health. A 2006 study done in Canada showed that contact with felines is more effective at lowering cholesterol than a person’s use of medications alone. According to a study conducted at the State University of New York in Buffalo, simply stroking a pet lowers a person’s blood pressure. The feelings a human receives through his or her relationship with felines can give one’s immune system a boost; moreover, these pets keep a person company, as well, when one is ill. Through regular exposure of children to felines, a number of respiratory problems can be prevented, including asthma. There are studies that show that newborns living with felines are more likely to avoid developing allergies. Petting a feline also encourages the use of hands and arms, as well as stretching and turning of the muscles. Felines not only help the external physical condition of a patient, but they also help the human internally. In addition to healing patients asymptomatically, contact with cats can distract a person from discomforts associated with injuries and illnesses, ease tension between people, and leave behind experiences not only from the visit but also from the past. Felines are unique animals that have a tendency to do unique things while in the presence of people. They offer entertainment to emotionally suffering patients, and also foster a sense of openness and trust. People often talk to felines and share with them thoughts and feelings that they may not feel comfortable sharing with others. In facilities, sometimes it can be difficult to enable two patients to interact. Yet, by having a feline in the room, two people may share a common interest that provides a focus of a conversation. Petting and other means of interacting with a feline are calming. Interacting with animals and constantly considering the well being of another creature takes a person’s mind off his or her worries, ultimately boosting emotional health. Visits from cats encourage changes in routines and boost the overall atmospheric mood in emotional rehabilitative centers and support increased activity and responsiveness in rehabilitative patients. “Kitty Angel Foundation Inc.” for human wellness4 takes specially selected felines to people in need of rehabilitation. This foundation has proven that animal visits with people help psychological patients to feel less lonely and less depressed. A feline has not been proven to cure depression; however it has been proven to help depressed patients feel better and more in control of their lives by taking their minds off problems and helping them focus on something else; a feline offers love that can be soothing to the mind. Many psychological patients suffer from the feeling of loneliness, and companionship has been demonstrated to be a good way to rehabilitate them. Felines help psychological patients feel connected to another living creature. Overall, contact with cats soothes the mind and mentally helps the patients become stable again. Feline species that are used for physical, emotional, and mental rehabilitation are carefully selected rather than trained. It is difficult to train a reactive feline (a cat the reacts before thinking) to be a therapy feline. Most therapy cats are laid-back, steady, calm and very tolerant. They must be able to tolerate unusual or out of the ordinary gestures or noises. Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) is the field of study the feline assisted therapy is part of. To become an AAT certified worker, different organizations require certain training and certification prior to employment; this training can be a program of study that one can pursue while in college. The value of felines in medical, psychiatric, rehabilitation, and special education facilities around the world is becoming more commonly recognized.

Canine Rehabilitation
Canine visits to physical therapy or rehabilitation centers help patients with illness and injuries become healthy again. Sensory stimulation through touch and enhanced participation are just the beginning to what impact canines have on physical rehabilitation. Canine use in physical therapy help to lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, reduce the risks of seizures, detect hypoglycemia in diabetics, and improves fitness. Canine visits help encourage patients to be active and to interact not only with the visitor but also with the other patients, as well. When humans interact with canines, their blood pressure is more regulated, and their readings are noticeably lower. A study done in Buffalo New York showed that pet owners who were put into stressful situations did experience an increase in blood pressure, but the increase was half as high as that experienced by those without canines. Moreover, those who have dogs have their blood pressure return to normal twice as fast as those without canine companionship.
Canines are also helpful to those who suffer from chronic conditions, such as seizure disorders, diabetes, paralysis, and blindness. Along with reducing the risk of seizures, canines have been trained to alert epilepsy patients minutes before they are going to have seizures so that they can get to a safe places. When blood chemical changes occur in diabetic patients, canines are trained to bark and alert surrounding people. Canines are also kept around health centers to help alert doctors and nurses of the patients’ well being; and service dogs are used to help disabled humans complete their daily tasks more easily and more independently. Seeing eye dogs help visually impaired people become mobile; mobility dogs help their handlers to retrieve items, open doors and push buttons; autism service dogs help alert their handlers of certain behaviors to minimize negative effects; and medical alert/response dogs help to signal the onset of medical conditions such as heart attack, stroke, diabetes, epilepsy, panic attack, anxiety attack, and post traumatic stress disorder. Every type of dog, whether it is involved in service or serves simply as a companion, helps patients improve physical fitness. Canines motivate patients to exercise with them because the people are not alone. Canine visits at physical rehabilitation centers result in improvements in patients’ health issues; and these conditions would otherwise have required medication to control. Dogs keep patients alert to their medical conditions, and generally keep patients’ bodies healthy. Dogs have been shown to improve trust in humans, help with social interaction, reduce feelings of loneliness, ease the feeling of loss, help create feelings of security, and encourage relaxation and emotional healing. Lisa Wood, a public health instructor at the University of Western Australia5, has done research that proves canine visits help to make life friendlier. She found that those exposed to canines regularly gain trust faster, are better at making connections with others, and are more willing to help others. Canines typically exhibit quiet, nurturing, and accepting personalities, and a lonely mental patient would find comfort in canines because of the animal’s desire to please and to be loved. Through playing, petting and interacting with canines, patients become relaxed and more at ease. The more a patient pets a canine or the more a canine looks at the patient, the more the patient’s body releases oxytocin, a hormone that aids in relaxation6. In psychological rehabilitative cases, canines have helped to reduce depression, ease loss, and reduce anxiety. Therapy dogs are often used to encourage communication among withdrawn, isolated, or nonresponsive psychological patients. By taking care of a canine, a psychological patient discovers a reason to want to live; this derives from the need to take care of the canine. Dogs must be fed, walked, and groomed. When patients perform these tasks, their depression is lessened, and they enjoy life more. Canines are often used at funeral homes; they circulate around the room, and they stop when they sense that their presence is needed. For a few minutes, canines help distract people who have lost someone and allow these mourners to share memories about family pets. Unlike feline species, canines are more open to training methods and are therefore trained into their area of work. Physical, emotional, and psychological rehabilitation patients benefit from owning a dog or having frequent regular visits with them. In order to be a certified therapy dog, the canine must meet highly specific requirements: usually the dog must be more than one year old, be in good health, and exhibit good character. Therapy dogs have calm, laid-back personalities, but they are not lazy; they are able to run, jump, and interact with patients, and they know when to desist from such behavior. Canine assisted therapy is an area of study within the realm of assisted-animal therapy; and those interested in pursuing careers in this area can study such in college and obtain the required certifications at agencies throughout the United States. Dogs used in rehabilitation have physically, medically, emotionally, and mentally aided to patients’ conditions and have helped in their rehabilitation processes.

Equine Rehabilitation Physical rehabilitation involving the equine species has includes a program called “Therapeutic Riding7,” a smaller area of study that has evolved from “Hippotherapy8.” Hippotherapy is the Greek translation of “therapy with the help of a horse” and Therapeutic Riding is the physical aspect of therapy with the help of a horse. Therapeutic Riding helps humans who suffer from paralysis, cerebral palsy, amputations, autism, brain injuries, Down Syndrome, hearing impairments, learning disabilities, mental retardation, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, and visual impairments. By experiencing the movement of the horses after being placed on their backs, these patients are stimulated in several different ways. The movement of a horse is very similar to that of a human; in fact, in certain ways horses’ moves mimic the motions of a human. Interestingly, a horse’s pelvis is shaped very similarly to that of a human. Therefore, when a patient is placed onto a horse and the horse begins to walk, the patient experiences the sensation of walking by feeling the movements of the horse that is carrying him or her. Therefore, a rider who is recovering from a stroke and is unable to walk unassisted can experience “walking” through a horse, improving his or her flexibility, balance and muscular strength. A horse’s movement can also assist with or mitigate sensory integration issues. For example, a smooth-gaited horse with a consistent walking pace will help a rider establish rhythm. A rough-gaited horse will provide stimulation needed by the rider for his or her body to organize and integrate sensory input. When a human body is exposed to different types of movements while on a horse, the patient’s overall body awareness is improved9. A cerebrally palsied child is naturally motivated to move, to explore, and to touch through the horse. The heat of the horse’s body, combined with the motion, improves the rider’s blood circulation and reflexes and exercises the rider’s spinal column, joints, and muscles. The horse’s movements can also help to improve the coordination needed for breathing, swallowing and sound production. Patients are encouraged through the use of the horse to establish verbal communication skills because the horse needs to be directed and told what to do and where to go. Moreover, hippotherapy as a whole has been proven to improve a person’s posture, motor skills, coordination, and muscle tone, respiration, thinking skills, balance, and speech. When the equine species is used in emotional rehabilitation with emotional therapy patients, the rider experiences only positive effects. As a rider overcomes his or her fear of being on or near a horse, that process increases a rider’s self-esteem and rewards the individual with an increase in personal confidence. Patients who feel they are emotionally bullied or taken advantage can learn to control these large animals by making the horses do what they want the animals to do. As the people gain a sense of human power over the horses, the riders begin to apply the lessons they learned to their everyday lives; they gain self-confidence. Patients who have stressful lives are involved in various activities that create angst, and the barn environment, the process of bonding with animals, and the development of new skills all lead to the patients’ leading less stressful lives. A patient involved in emotional rehabilitation also learns that a horse can be affected by the mental emotions of the rider. If the rider is unsure, afraid, fearful, only trying to survive the ride on the horse’s back, the horse will sense these emotions and become just as unsure, afraid, fearful, and concerned about survival. As riders begin to understand this, they also learn to become more confident about how they behave in other situations and they begin to understand how their emotions affect others. A different form of equine rehabilitation is Equine Assisted Psychotherapy10 (EAP), which targets psychological patents. EAP uses a horse as a tool to promote psychological growth in struggling human beings, rather than using the horse as the focus of the therapy. This type of psychotherapy is focused on working with the horse from the ground, rather than using the horse for movements and control on top. EAP requires collaboration between a licensed therapist and an equine specialist with the goals being to generate positive engagements with the patient. Through relating experiences with the horse to other people and with their own psychological issues, patients begin to examine their bad habits and behaviors and to discover ways to change them. The patient learns that safely and effectively working around a large animal requires trust, compassion, awareness, and self-confidence. As he or she gains experience with horses, the patient begins to feel more accomplished and starts to change harmful behaviors into more positive ones. The atmosphere of the stable in which the horses used in EAP reside provides natural settings that are different from the workplace or doctor’s office, providing the patients with a sense of relief from close supervision by their bosses or their therapists. Some uses of EAP include breaking down defense barriers, challenging patients in a non-threatening manner, promoting a motivating learning environment, building relationships and companionships, erase the feeling of depression and loneliness, decrease the feeling of hopelessness, encourage responsibility, teaches empathy, develops social skills, stimulate creativity, empowers self control, and better teaches communication skills. Horses are best used in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy as a metaphor of life, with positive attitudes, and behaviors on display. Equine therapy does not only work well with those who suffer psychological disorders: they are also effective in physical therapy, as well. Horses naturally walk in a rhythmic way and vary their stride as needed. However, in order for a horse to be a rehabilitation/therapy horse, it must be able to tolerate unusual sounds, movements, and feelings. Therapeutic Horseback Riding is currently being studied and used by therapists who specialize in physical, occupational, and speech therapies. Therapeutic Horseback Riding is its own area of study under Equine studies; it can be pursued in college by anyone who wants to become certified to be a therapeutic trainer. The large size of horses and their apparently natural affinity for humans has allowed all these equine therapies to benefit many people; and these somewhat new approaches have significantly impacted the rehabilitation world in a by offering many possibilities for the use of horses in the treatment of a plethora of disorders.

Dolphin Rehabilitation Dolphin Assisted Rehabilitation/Therapy, or (DAT)11, has become increasingly popular throughout the last decade. DAT aims to increase sensory activities through programs that take place in a pool with either captive or semi-captive dolphins, along with certified therapists who work with the patients. Those who would benefit most from DAT are patients suffering from different types of disabilities, such as, but not limited to, cerebral palsy and emotional disabilities such as Down Syndrome and autism. DAT has improved skills in speech and language, motor areas, and behavior. Patients are asked to swim with, touch, feed and/or pat the dolphins. Samples of blood that were taken before and after patients’ DAT sessions reveal that after swimming with the dolphins, the patients experienced a surge of important hormones. In fact, endorphins, enzymes and T-cell production had increased, and studies are still being conducted to explain how such a session could cause this. Being with dolphins is also used as a motivational tool, as a reward after a task has been correctly completed. A theory behind DAT is that patients will increase their attention to tasks if they can earn a meaningful reward. One desirable neurological state that is associated with increased awareness and learning ability, synchronization was also documented after DAT sessions. Synchronization reveals that there is a better connection between the left and right sides of the brain. Emotional disabilities such as mental retardation, Down syndrome, and autism also benefit from Dolphin Assisted Therapy. Encounters with dolphins during therapy release deep feelings and emotions, which in turn generate increased emotional responses from patients. Researchers have suggested that patients are more responsive to dolphin therapy because they are in a more pleasant environment and are therefore more motivated to complete tasks. They are happier and more willing to pay attention and follow their therapists’ directions. A dolphin shows unconditional love and support towards patients, and this may help mentally ill patients develop trust. Researchers believe that because dolphins seem to have human-like emotions and compassion, this helps the patients undergoing emotional rehabilitation to develop stronger self-confidence, social skills, and academic achievement. Psychological patients are also shown to benefit from Dolphin Assisted Therapy.
The rhythm and vibrational sounds that dolphins give off can alter the moods of patients. Dr. Cole, chairman of the Aquathought Foundation, found that by swimming with dolphins, patients experience physiological cell tissue changes in their bodies. Dolphins have natural sonar: they emit ultra sound waves to localize objects and to communicate with one another through a process called “echolocation.” The sounds generated by a dolphin are so strong that they can cause holes in the molecular structure of fluids and soft tissues. Dr. Cole believes that dolphin signal frequencies have a profound effect on the human brain by modifying the brain wave activity. Such modification may result in the development of stronger emotional states in
patients. Dolphin Assisted Therapy is studied by medical professionals and therapists who have experience working with dolphins. Therapy sessions take place in aquariums and rehabilitation facilities that are able to accommodate marine life. Dolphin Assisted Therapy is fairly new to the animal therapy field, but it has shown a great amount of success. DAT is not a treatment; rather, it is an aid in the healing process that may also used to strengthen a patient’s physical and psychological abilities. Researchers and scientists are working to develop more ways of using dolphins in human therapy.

Conclusion Animal Assisted therapy has changed the way some therapists and rehabilitation specialists go about their daily routines. These new therapies have provided alternative methods to dealing with physical, emotional, and psychological disorders with sometimes extraordinary results. Additionally, these new methods address the various needs of a diverse population and offer drug-free treatments. With new research and a committed team, Animal Assisted Therapy may continue to develop into mainstream rehabilitation and therapeutic practices. While Animal Assisted Therapy is another tool to enhance an individual’s well being, it also serves as a reminder of the multiple roles animals can play in different aspects of humans’ everyday lives. “Animal therapy” that involves felines, canines, equines, and dolphin, has resulted in a stronger, more hands on, active physical, emotional and psychological rehabilitation/therapy of human beings.
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