MANILA, Philippines?In Norway, on the way to the countryside, we passed by a ?farm clinic? where horses and other farm animals are used to assist in the treatment of mental disorders such as depression, excessive anxiety and even frank psychosis.

It was the first time I?ve heard of such a clinic and I didn?t realize it was already a scientifically validated type of animal-assisted therapy. Doctors Bente Berget, Oivind Ekeberg and Bjarne Braastad of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and University of Oslo have actually done well-designed studies (randomized, double-blind interventions) showing that farm animals, especially horses, improve the coping ability, disposition and overall quality of life of persons with psychiatric or mental disorders.

One good reason

This can be one good reason to have a farm especially for retirees, who are more prone to have episodes of depression. Researches have long established that a major problem in the elderly which can occur more frequently than any individual physical problem is loneliness. This can lead to depression which ultimately results in all sorts of medical problems.

Recently, we had a retired professor in his 70s who was so depressed following the death of his spouse. In less than a year, he was diagnosed to have a cancer and he died before therapy could be initiated. He simply didn?t have the will to live anymore.

If owning a farm is not possible, pets such as dogs and cats have also been shown to be effective in alleviating psychological disorders.

Cats and dogs of any size should be beneficial in animal-assisted therapy but some studies have shown that cats and smaller dogs appear to be better because they can be lifted and can be made to stay on the laps. A big dog however may be preferred as an animal companion for someone in a wheelchair, who may find some enjoyment in stroking the animal?s fur.

Not only adults can psychologically benefit from pet animals, but even children as well. Children who were abused or neglected, or had undergone traumatic experiences find release of their fears and mental anguish as they communicate these emotions to their pet animals, which never tire of ?listening? to their human friends. The pets give unconditional love, providing a security blanket to the emotionally disturbed child.

Remarkable improvements

Mary Kelly, a child-life specialist at the Children?s Hospital in Oakland, California, has documented on video camera the remarkable improvements in their children-patients. An almost instant incredible connection occur between child and animal in many cases.

?We?ve had very dramatic visits where a dog brought a child who has not spoken for months out of depression,? she reports her observations. ?Most kids can relate to animals, so seeing and touching the pets brings them a sense of normalcy,? adds Kelly.

Although cats and dogs are the more popular pets, experts in animal-assisted therapy have shown that other pets such as fish, birds, reptiles, rabbits, guinea pigs, goats, horses and even pigs are also effective healers. Pets in general have been found to lower blood pressure, reduce stress levels, encourage patient interaction, allow communication and offer a sense of security.

Study findings

Even heart-attack patients seem to benefit from animal-assisted therapy. In one study, researchers have shown that patients discharged from a coronary care unit with a diagnosis of myocardial infarction (heart attack) or unstable angina (chest pains) had fewer deaths after a year if they had pets at home. Eleven of 39 who did not own pets died within a year of admission to the hospital while only three of the 53 pet owners died. The limitation of the study was that the patients in the two groups were not randomized so they may not have had the same severity of heart disease.

In another study (Anderson, 1992), men who owned pets had significantly lower systolic blood pressure than the nonpet owners, and they also had significantly lower blood levels of triglycerides and cholesterol levels. Similar findings were noted in the women group. The explanation given for these results is that pet owners exercised more than the nonowners.

The researchers concluded that the pet owners in their study had lower levels of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and this was not explicable on the basis of smoking, diet, weight, or socioeconomic profile.

Pet ownership was also shown to cause significant benefits on general health of senior citizens in a yearlong study of 938 Medicare enrollees (Siegel, 1990). The pet owners had fewer visits to the doctor within that year.

Help speed up recovery

It may be stretching it too far but some advocates of pet-assisted therapy recommend that it should be started even while the patient is confined. They theorize that it can help accelerate recovery of hospitalized patients since pets can provide a home-like atmosphere. They are noted to have an uplifting effect on patients, visitors and staff. Benefits include the reduction of stress and anxiety associated with hospitalization.

I?m not too sure if allowing pets in the hospital is a sound thing to do since it can just increase the incidence of hospital-acquired infections. This recommendation will surely encounter a lot of objections from hospital administrators and physicians, although a pet-friendly hospital can perhaps attract a lot of patients who are pet lovers.