Study: Animal-Assisted Therapy Helps Reduce Need for Pain Meds

A new study out of Loyola University in Chicago has found that patients recovering from surgery require less pain medication when they also receive animal-assisted therapy, or AAT.

During the study, patients were divided into two groups. One group received daily visits from specially trained dogs for an average of five to 15 minutes. The other group did not receive visits. When study data was evaluated, it was determined that the need for oral pain medication was significantly less (28 percent) in the animal-assisted therapy group.

According to the study's lead author, "The animal-human connection is powerful in reducing stress and in generating a sense of well-being. This study further demonstrates the positive influence animals can have on human recovery."

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