Therapy Dogs During In-Office Laryngologic Procedures: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between interaction with a certified therapy dog prior to awake, in-office laryngologic procedures and patient-reported anxiety, depression, and pain compared with standard care. METHODS: This was a prospective pilot study of adult patients undergoing in-office laryngologic procedures. Participants completed pre- and post- assessments of anxiety, depression, and pain. Patients who were seen with certified therapy dogs comprised the canine group and were compared with a control group of patients who were not seen with therapy dogs. Group differences were assessed using independent-samples t tests or Mann-Whitney U tests for nonparametric data. Within-group changes were analyzed with paired t tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Group × time interactions were assessed using mixed two-way ANOVA. RESULTS: Fifty patients were included (31 canine, 19 control). Baseline demographics were similar between groups. In the canine cohort, anxiety and depression decreased significantly following the procedure, while pain showed a nonsignificant reduction. In the control group, anxiety decreased significantly, but pain and depression did not change significantly. Post-procedure pain and depression were significantly lower in the canine group compared with controls. "Significant group × time interactions were observed for anxiety, pain, and depression." CONCLUSION: Patients who interacted with therapy dogs was associated with lower patient-reported anxiety and depression, supporting the use of therapy dog programs to improve patient experience during in-office procedures. These findings support further investigation of animal-assisted interventions using randomized study designs and validated outcome measures.