Barcelona: Joel Bueno shed tears of joy as his four-legged guests entered the intensive care unit where he had been admitted due to a blood clot.
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Bueno, 34, said that being showered with affection by therapy dogs, Vida and Lu, reminded him of his dog back home.
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"It's great to have someone that loves you more than anything else," he said with a broad smile. "They give everything for you, no matter how you are with them."
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The visit was part of a trial launched by the Hospital del Mar in Barcelona and the Affinity Foundation, which specialises in pet therapy, to improve the emotional wellbeing of patients in intensive care units (ICU).
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Patients in the programme receive two visits each week of 15 to 20 minutes each.
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"For now, it's just a perception, but it seems to us that there's a benefit for patients," said Lucia Picazo, an ICU doctor.
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The project will analyse saliva samples collected from patients before and after a therapy session to check whether stress indicators like cortisol decrease. At the same time, those related to wellbeing, like oxytocin and serotonin, increase, she said.
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Patients aren't the only ones benefiting from the project: Maribel Vida, who leads Affinity's animal therapy projects, said many members of staff in the emergency ward also enjoy having the canines around and bonding with them.
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Bueno has no doubts about the benefits of the trial. He said that the news that some dogs might pop by for a visit was an immediate morale boost.
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