Effects of Pet Therapy on Pain in Cancer Patients

Completed · Phase 2

Conditions studied: Cancer

In brief

This study will examine how animal-assisted therapy (AAT) affects aspects of pain. It will explore the possible benefits of the National Institutes of Health's AAT program on distress in cancer patients receiving pain and palliative care at the NIH Clinical Center. A number of studies on the benefits of patients interacting with companion animals have shown a positive effect of both pet ownership and AAT for patients with chronic illness. However, few such experimental studies have been conducted with cancer patients. Patients 18 years of age and older who have been diagnosed with cancer and have been referred for consult with NIH's pain and palliative care team and recreation therapy may be eligible for this study. Participants have two study sessions, each lasting about 20 minutes on two different days. In one session, they visit with an animal assistant therapy dog and its handler. In the other session they engage in a conversation that the patient identifies as non-stressful. Patients are asked to fill out four forms before and after each session with questions and statements about their pain, attitude towards pets, symptoms they might be having, and demographic information, such as age, sex, marital status, and so forth. On four separate occasions, 1 teaspoon of blood is drawn and a swab of saliva is collected from the mouth up to an hour after the session.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00431639

Run by

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)

People needed

36

Starts

2005-02-04

Expected to finish

2018-12-21

Last updated by the study team

2019-04-11

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 110. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Ability to speak English and read at a 5th grade level
• 18 years of age or older
• Able to give informed consent
• Consulted to pain and palliative care team and Recreation Therapy
• Diagnosis of cancer
• Available to be at the CRC on two consecutive days in the morning hours.

You may not qualify if…

• Interruption of primary protocol
• Allergies to or fear of dogs
• Patient on strict contact, or respiratory isolation restrictions
• Neutropenic patients

Where it is running

• National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike — Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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