Between Paws and Affections - Impact of Dog-Assisted Therapy in Fibromyalgia Patients
ConditionFibromyalgia (FM)
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorUniversity of Minho
About this trial
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and medium-term maintenance of a structured dog-assisted therapy (DAT) protocol, "Entre Patas e Afetos" (Between Paws and Affections), in reducing pain, anxiety and depressive symptoms and in improving functional status and quality of life in Portuguese patients with fibromyalgia (FM) followed at ULS Alto Ave, with systematic outcome assessment in the immediate post intervention phase (T2), 6-month follow-up (T3) and 12-month follow-up (T4).
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Age 18 years or older
Confirmed diagnosis of fibromyalgia
Being followed at ULS Alto Ave by the Multidisciplinary Pain Unit, Internal Medicine (Auto immune diseases), Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine or Neurology
Ability to read and write Portuguese and to understand the study procedures
Disqualifiers
Allergy to dogs or marked fear of dogs
History of aggression towards animals
History of oncological disease
Concomitant systemic or rheumatologic disease that may confound pain and functional assessment
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Behavioral: Dog Assisted Therapy (DAT - "Between Paws and Affections")
- Behavioral: Psychoeducation and Relaxation without Dogs (Control)
Treatment groups
60 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsLocations
1Unidade Local de Saúde (ULS) Alto Ave4835-044, Guimarães Portugal
Sponsors and collaborators
University of Minho
Lead sponsor
Unidade Local de Saúde do Alto Ave, EPE
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov