Canine and Equine Therapy for Mental Health: A Review of Clinical Effectiveness [Internet]

Excerpt

Animals have been used for medicinal and therapeutic purposes throughout much of the course of human history.^, Formal research into the use of animals for therapeutic purposes being in the 1960s, where work investigating the use of pet psychotherapy for treatment of behavior disorder in children was published. More recently, animals have been incorporated into a number of “animal-assisted interventions”, including animal-assisted activities, animal assisted-therapy, and service animal programs. The most common forms of animal-assisted interventions for the treatment of mental health conditions involve dogs or horses, often described as canine or equine therapy (or hippotherapy), respectively.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders (including generalized anxiety disorder; GAD), and major depressive disorder (MDD) are common mental health conditions associated with disability, decreased quality of life, increased mortality, and economic burden.^– PTSD is a persistent mental health condition that may occur in individuals who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, such as exposure to death, actual or threatened serious injury, or actual or threatened sexual violence. GAD, which is estimated to affect approximately 1 in 40 Canadians aged 15 years and older per year, is characterized by persistent and excessive fear, worry, and feelings of being overwhelmed. Finally, symptoms of MDD (also known as clinical depression or major depression) include sadness, insomnia, loss of interest in hobbies, and feelings of worthlessness or guilt. A formal diagnosis of MDD requires the persistence of symptoms over a period of at least two weeks. Treatment strategies for PTSD, GAD, and MDD often include clinical care with pharmacologic agents (e.g., antidepressants), psychotherapy, or a combination of both approaches.

The objective of the current report is to summarize and appraise the available evidence on the clinical effectiveness of canine therapy and equine therapy versus other forms of psychotherapy for the treatment of individuals with PTSD, GAD, MDD. This report compliments a 2012 CADTH Rapid Response Report on the use of therapy dogs and horses for patients with mental health conditions.