Physiological and behavioral effects of animal-assisted interventions on therapy dogs in pediatric oncology settings

Research outcomes indicating that working salivary cortisol concentrations are similar to baseline measurements gathered on non-working days parallel previous data from Glenk et al., Ng et al. and Koda et al.

“Research outcomes indicating that working salivary cortisol concentrations are similar to baseline measurements gathered on non-working days [13,14,15,20,22] parallel previous data from Glenk et al. [25,26], Ng et al. [27] and Koda et al. [28].”

Findings by McCullough et al. and Clark et al. further substantiate the effect of dog age and experience on welfare indicators which was previously reported in a review of the literature by Glenk.

“The findings by McCullough et al. [14] and Clark et al. [18] further substantiate the effect of dog age and experience on welfare indicators which was previously reported in a review of the literature by Glenk [2].”

In McCullough et al., no significant differences in dogs' salivary cortisol were detected when working concentrations were compared to pre-working levels at the hospital site or at home.

“No significant differences in the dogs′ salivary cortisol were detected when working concentrations were compared to pre-working levels at the hospital site or at home.”

In McCullough et al., during AAI sessions, higher salivary cortisol was associated with an increased frequency of stress behaviors and a reduced frequency of affiliative behaviors.

“However, during AAI sessions, higher salivary cortisol was associated with an increased frequency of stress behaviors and a reduced frequency of affiliative behaviors.”

In McCullough et al., more stress-related behaviors were seen if the child put a bandanna on the dog, and fewer affiliative behaviors were found if the child used a stethoscope to listen to the dog's heartbeat, played a game on the dog's vest, or drew a picture of the dog.

“For instance, more stress-related behaviors were seen if the child put a bandanna on the dog and fewer affiliative behaviors were found if the child used a stethoscope to listen to the dog′s heartbeat, the child played a game on the dog′s vest or drew a picture of the dog [14].”

McCullough et al. findings suggest that only mild expressions of distress in dogs were observed.

“The findings suggest that only mild expressions of distress in dogs were observed; however, notably, incidences of stress and affiliative behaviors were linked with certain activities.”

In McCullough et al., dogs with higher scores of stranger-directed fear in a behavior-centered questionnaire (C-BARQ) displayed fewer affiliative behaviors in AAI sessions.

“In dogs that exhibited higher scores of stranger-directed fear in a behavior-centered questionnaire (i.e., C-BARQ), fewer affiliative behaviors were displayed in AAI sessions.”

Dogs displayed more stress-related and fewer affiliative behaviors if recipients carried out actions directly on the dog.

“Additionally, dogs displayed more stress-related and fewer affiliate behaviors if recipients carried out actions directly on the dog [14].”

Increased canine stress behaviors and perceived canine stress levels rated by the handler were positively correlated with salivary cortisol.

“However, it emerged that increased canine stress behaviors [14] and perceived canine stress levels rated by the handler [22] were positively correlated with salivary cortisol.”