Susan, I enjoyed reading your post, and especially “breaking the ice” with patients because I also bring pet conversations in my patient care to reduce anxiety and lighten the mood. Pet owners know all mental and physical health benefits and happiness the pets bring to their lives. Many studies have established the benefits of “therapeutic animal visits for mixed medical and surgical patients and patients with pervasive developmental disorders, cerebral palsy, speech disorders, cardiovascular disease, depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and spinal cord injuries” (Marcus et al., 2013, p. 43). The patients, from children to old age, from hospitals to rehabilitations to clinics, gain comfort and happiness in pat’s company.
