Study Finds Hounds Heal Hearts [View All]

Study Finds Hounds Heal Hearts
Dogs Found to Help Heart Patients, as Well as Lift Spirits

Feb. 19, 2006 — Researchers at the hospital studied the effects of dog therapy on nearly 80 heart patients. They inserted a long catheter into the heart to measure a change in stress levels before and after the dog visits. After just 12 minutes with the dogs, the patients improved.

"The results of the study validated what we thought to be true all along and what we could see with our own eyes but we just didn't have it tangible," said Kathie Cole, a cardiac nurse at UCLA.

'The Dogs Keep Our Hearts Alive'

The researchers found that anxiety levels fell 24 percent and stress hormone rates fell 17 percent. Pulmonary pressures dropped 10 percent.

"It means that the patients will have less trouble breathing, will have a better prognosis," said Dr. Joshua Goldhaber, director of the hospital's coronary care unit. "Those are the key things from a patient's perspective — plus they'll feel better mentally."