Comments on: Of roller coasters and dogs http://www.medrants.com/archives/2582 Internal medicine, American health care, and especially medical education Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:15:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kathleen Weaver http://www.medrants.com/archives/2582/comment-page-1#comment-92360 Kathleen Weaver Thu, 17 Nov 2005 12:47:32 +0000 http://medrants.com/?p=2582#comment-92360 I actually participated in a Therapy Dog program at a rehab hospital for almost 10 years with one of my dogs. This was a long term facility, and one of the reasons the program was started, was that patient families were sneaking in dog visitors to see the patients. At first one dog came and visited several patients, (before my time) but after a time, the dogs themselves became a modality for treating patients. We were very careful to make sure that all patients included actually wanted to be with a dog before they were scheduled for the program. It was an extremely succesful program, and the only reason I am not doing it now, is neither of the two dogs I have at the moment are suited for therapy work. And I agree with you, with patients didn't like animals it would be an imposition, not a help. I actually participated in a Therapy Dog program at a rehab hospital for almost 10 years with one of my dogs.

This was a long term facility, and one of the reasons the program was started, was that patient families were sneaking in dog visitors to see the patients.

At first one dog came and visited several patients, (before my time) but after a time, the dogs themselves became a modality for treating patients.

We were very careful to make sure that all patients included actually wanted to be with a dog before they were scheduled for the program. It was an extremely succesful program, and the only reason I am not doing it now, is neither of the two dogs I have at the moment are suited for therapy work.

And I agree with you, with patients didn’t like animals it would be an imposition, not a help.

]]> By: Laurie, RNP http://www.medrants.com/archives/2582/comment-page-1#comment-92354 Laurie, RNP Thu, 17 Nov 2005 12:08:00 +0000 http://medrants.com/?p=2582#comment-92354 If we choose to ride, maybe we should ride roller coasters with our dogs; if we have dogs, we might presume that (mostly) we like them :>) If we choose to ride, maybe we should ride roller coasters with our dogs; if we have dogs, we might presume that (mostly) we like them :>)

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