A Study to Evaluate Animal-assisted Therapy in Stroke Rehabilitation

Mayo Clinic

Status: Completed

Conditions: Stroke

Treatments: Other: Stroke rehabilitative therapy sessions with therapy dog present

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05046574

21-005175

Details and patient eligibility

About

The investigators hypothesize that the presence of a Mayo Clinic certified therapy dog will provide additional benefits above typical treatment for patients currently enrolled in the Mayo Clinic Stroke Rehabilitation Unit.

Full description

The objectives of this study are to measure the effects of a therapy dog embedded in stroke rehabilitation sessions on the patients' functional recovery, depression, anxiety, motivation, and quality of life.

Enrollment: 52 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patient must be 18 years of age or older.
• Patient must be in the comprehensive in-patient stroke rehabilitation program.
• Patient must have a stroke from any cause.
• Patients must be able and willing to give informed consent.
• Patients must be able to speak English as the questionnaires being used are only available in English.

Exclusion criteria

• Patient who has a pacemaker.
• Patient who is pregnant.
• Patient who is deemed inappropriate to the study by the medical professional.
• Patient who is unable to give informed consent.
• Patient who is unable to speak English.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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52 participants in 2 patient groups

Therapy dog during stroke rehabilitative therapy sessions

Experimental group

Description:

Participants randomized to this arm will have a therapy dog present during their stroke rehabilitative therapy sessions.

Treatment:

Other: Stroke rehabilitative therapy sessions with therapy dog present

No therapy dog during stroke rehabilitative therapy sessions

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants randomized to this arm will have stroke rehabilitative therapy sessions per standard of care with no therapy dog present.