Get to know "Pet Therapy", How to Treat Cancer Through Pets

So far, you may only know radiation therapy or chemotherapy as a way to treat cancer. Meanwhile, in several overseas hospitals, pet therapy otherwise known as pet therapy is being applied as a treatment for cancer patients. How to apply pet therapy and how effective is this treatment for cancer patients?

What is that pet therapy?

Animals live side by side with humans, even become friends to humans. Starting from here, animal “services” were first assisted as therapy for mental patients in 1800. Animal therapy was then developed when Therapy Dogs International was founded in the United States in 1976.

This therapy uses specially trained animals to visit adults or children in the hospital to help them feel better emotionally and physically. At first this therapy using dogs. However, now therapy can also be done by cats.

Dogs or cats for therapy should be domestic domestic animals, not wild animals. The animal is first trained and must pass a certification to participate pet therapy.

The application of therapy is done in an easy way. Owners simply take their pets on regular visits to cooperating hospitals or cancer treatment centers. The visit usually takes less than 2 hours and the animals are allowed to play freely with the patient for 15 or 20 minutes.

The selection of a pet is usually adjusted to the patient’s condition, especially in dogs. Dogs of all kinds, such as poodles, pugs, chow-chows, beagels, and other types can be used as therapy animals. The agile dog is usually paired with a cancer patient who is still on the move. They can accompany the patient to run, pick up the ball, and play other games.

Meanwhile a calm dog gets paired with a must-do patient bed rest or not be able to do a lot of physical activity.

Potent pet therapy as a way to treat cancer?

Why can pets help cancer patients? A study shows that interacting with pets can relax the mind and thus reduce stress. Based on the study, patients who spent five minutes with dogs experienced decreased blood levels of cortisol and cotecolamine epinephrine, also known as stress hormones.

In fact, this hormone is useful for responding to “fight or flight” which makes a person more alert. However, if the levels are excessive, the risk of disease increases. Of course, cancer patients will also get worse and the symptoms will recur more frequently.

Apparently, a decrease in current stress pet therapy caused by the production of endorphins. This hormone can relieve pain and make a person more comfortable and happy. If concluded, pet therapy can help cancer patients in several ways, namely:

• Reducing pain, allowing the patient to reduce the use of painkillers
• Reducing stress due to illness and also the treatment that is carried out
• Reducing the symptoms of fatigue that usually affects cancer patients

However, not all cancer patients can participate pet therapy

Pet therapy may be a way of treating additional cancer. However, not all patients can follow this therapy. Here are some conditions for cancer patients that need to be considered by a doctor before doing pet therapy, including:

• Have allergies to furry animals
• The patient has a phobia with animals, such as dogs or cats
• Patients who are immunosuppressed (decreased immune system)

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