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Therapy dogs’ salivary cortisol levels vary during animal-assisted interventions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

LM Glenk ,
OD Kothgassner ,
BU Stetina ,
R Palme ,
B Kepplinger  and
H Baran
LM Glenk*
Affiliation:
Karl Landsteiner Research Institute for Neurochemistry, Neuropharmacology, Neurorehabilitation and Pain Treatment, Landesklinikum Mauer, Austria Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
OD Kothgassner
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Psychology, Health, Development, Enhancement & Intervention, Working Group Clinical Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria
BU Stetina
Affiliation:
Workgroup Counselling Psychology, Department of Psychology, Webster University, Vienna, Austria
R Palme
Affiliation:
Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
B Kepplinger
Affiliation:
Karl Landsteiner Research Institute for Neurochemistry, Neuropharmacology, Neurorehabilitation and Pain Treatment, Landesklinikum Mauer, Austria SeneCura Neurological Rehabilitation Center, Kittsee, Austria
H Baran
Affiliation:
Karl Landsteiner Research Institute for Neurochemistry, Neuropharmacology, Neurorehabilitation and Pain Treatment, Landesklinikum Mauer, Austria
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: [email protected]
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Abstract

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Beneficial effects of human-animal contact on human health have contributed to the wide distribution of animal-assisted interventions (AAIs). While considerable effort has been devoted to the study of human welfare during AAIs, potential effects on therapy animals have been addressed less frequently. The aim of this study was to determine baseline and work-related levels of cortisol, a glucocor-ticoid hormone that mediates physiological responses to arousal, in certified therapy dogs and therapy dogs in training. All dogs (n = 21) participated in weekly group-AAIs in adult mental healthcare. Saliva samples were collected over the course of AAIs and on non-working days and analysed with a cortisol enzyme immunoassay. Analysis of the results revealed that according to their cortisol responses, both therapy dogs and therapy dogs in training were not stressed by AAIs. However, cortisol levels during work in certified therapy dogs performing AAIs on- and off-lead varied significantly, suggesting that further investigation into the use of a lead or other methods of giving therapy dogs opportunities to approach or avoid human contact is needed.

Keywords

animal-assisted interventionsanimal welfarecortisoldogsleadtherapy
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 22 , Issue 3 , August 2013 , pp. 369 - 378
Copyright
© 2013 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

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