Therapy Dogs Greenville SC

We all know our dogs have an innate gift for brightening bad days and healing emotional wounds. But perhaps no one has studied this ability more intently than Dr. Aubrey H. Fine, who has spent more than 25 years researching animal-assisted therapy (AAT). A licensed psychologist, editor of “The Handbook on Animal Assisted Therapy,” and a professor at California State Polytechnic University, Fine has invested the bulk of his professional career into the field of AAT.

“Afternoons with Puppy: Inspirations From a Therapist and His Animals” (Purdue University Press), by Fine and co-author Cynthia J. Eisen, delves into Fine’s firsthand observations of AAT with his own animals and patients. The book focuses on one animal in particular: Fine’s beloved Golden Retriever, Puppy.

“‘Afternoons with Puppy’ pays tribute to the therapy dog that changed my approach to psychotherapy. Puppy’s initial role was simple: make everyone feel comfortable and wanted. But through my experiences with this wonderful, sensitive dog, I learned the deep value of incorporating animals into the fabric of my therapeutic technique. … She became not only my first therapy dog, but also the matriarch of my practice and was involved in making the difference not only in the lives of many, but also in my life,” Fine writes.

The book contains many moving stories, like that of ADHD-afflicted Charles, an isolated and melancholy boy whom Puppy helped to communicate his feelings. “I told her it’s hard to be me,” ...

Copyright 2009 BowTie Inc.

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A new study of therapy dogs shows these canine workers do more than share smiles; they can also share bacteria commonly found in hospitals.

In a paper titled, “Contamination of pet therapy dogs with MRSA and Clostridium difficile,” published online on March 28, 2009, in the Journal of Hospital Infection, researchers from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, reported that methicillin-resistant staphylococcus (MRSA) and C. difficile may have been transferred to the fur and paws of these canine visitors when patients handled or kissed the dogs, or through exposure to a contaminated healthcare environment.

Investigators examined 26 therapy dog-and-handler teams between June and August 2007. Twelve teams visited acute-care facilities and 14 visited long-term care facilities. Prior to each visit, the dog’s forepaws and their handlers’ hands were tested for MRSA, vancomycin-resistant enterocci and C. difficile. In addition, the investigator sanitized her hands, handled each dog, then tested her hands for the same pathogens.

Testing was repeated on departure from the facility. The dog-and-handler teams were observed at all times during the visits, and all interactions with patients and staff were closely monitored.

Prior to the visits, none of the tested pathogens were found on the hands of the investigator or the handlers, or the paws of the therapy dogs. But after visiting an acute-care facility, one dog was found to have C. difficile on its paws. It...

Author: By Wendy Bedwell-Wilson

Copyright 2009 BowTie Inc.

Click here to read the rest of this article from Dog Channel