Pet Therapy: Some Hospitals Allow Patients' Own Dogs to Visit

[Are_grits_groceries]

Madison Fleaks had been in Texas Children's Hospital in Houston for over six months waiting for a heart transplant. She was born with a congenital heart condition.

Not yet two years old, she may have forgotten much of her life at home. But she still remembered her two dogs; their photograph sat framed next to her hospital bed.

"If you said anything about the dogs, she would point and want to kiss the picture," said her mother, Tabitha Fleaks. Madison has been in and out of hospitals, she said, enduring multiple surgeries.
"She has been sick her whole life. All she knows is me, her dad, and the two dogs."

So when her dog Kodiak showed up in her hospital room one day, Madison was thrilled.
"It was amazing," Fleaks said. "She just lit up. She literally screamed when he walked into the door."
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http://news.yahoo.com/pet-therapy-hospitals-allow-patients-own-dogs-visit-230142986--abc-news-wellness.html

Good on them!

[hlthe2b]

1. The Europeans are so far ahead of us on this score, but thank heavens we are starting...

to appreciate the importance and benefits of doing so.

[pnwest]

2. i have no children. but ive said for a long time,

if I'm ever in a coma, just sneak one of my dogs into the hospital to visit me, I KNOW that will pull me back to the world.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

3. I used to have a hospital therapy dog

She was a Great Pyrennes named Abigail. Think of a Newfoundland, only white. Extremely intelligent, good looking, patient, gentle dog who really liked people. She obviously enjoyed going to the hospital to visit patients, and she truly loved visiting children.

I noticed that when visiting patients who were hooked up to monitors, when Abbie would come to the bed and put her head on it, almost always the heartrate would slow and the blood pressure would drop. She was calming influence.

Unfortunately, my current Pyr, Madison, who is a rescue dog, had been abused by her previous owners and simply does not trust people she does not know. She would be completely unsuited for hospital work.

[doc03]

4. Our prisoners at the local Ohio Penatentury train theopy dogs, the nursing

home where my mother was had one. The nursing home people just love the dog. You can also buy them from the Pen, they make great pets.

[mopinko]

5. children's hospitals should at least have their own therapy dogs.

even if they can't visit all parts of the hospital. but sick kids+dogs? no brainer.