Between Paws and Affections: dog-assisted therapy for fibromyalgia
Between Paws and Affections: Impact of Dog Assisted Therapy on Pain, Emotional Symptoms, and Functioning in Fibromyalgia
This project will test whether a 10-session dog-assisted therapy program, including weekly sessions and monthly booster relaxation sessions with dogs, helps reduce pain, anxiety, and depressive symptoms and improves function and quality of life in Portuguese adults with fibromyalgia followed at ULS Alto Ave.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Minho Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Guimarães) |
| Trial ID | NCT07356206 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is a prospective, non-randomized clinical trial with a control group conducted at the Day Hospital of the Psychiatry and Mental Health Department of ULS Alto Ave. Participants receive group-based interventions: a 10-session dog-assisted therapy program (4 weekly DAT sessions plus 6 monthly guided-relaxation booster sessions with dogs) or an active control program providing identical psychoeducation and relaxation without dogs. Outcomes are measured immediately after the intervention, at 6 months, and at 12 months to examine both short-term effects and maintenance. The design follows up on a pilot of 34 women that showed initial benefits but partial erosion of gains at 6 months, motivating the prolonged protocol with boosters.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults (18+) with a confirmed diagnosis of fibromyalgia who are followed at ULS Alto Ave, can read and write Portuguese, consent to participate, and are willing and able to attend the 10 group sessions and scheduled follow-up assessments.
Not a fit: Patients with dog allergy or marked fear of dogs, a history of oncological or confounding systemic/rheumatologic disease, decompensated psychiatric disorders, severe cognitive impairment, or those unable/unwilling to attend sessions are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could provide a non-drug option that reduces pain, anxiety, and depressive symptoms and helps maintain functional and quality-of-life improvements over a year.
How similar studies have performed: Small pilot studies, including the investigators' own 34-participant pilot, reported improvements in pain and anxiety but showed partial loss of benefit over months, and larger randomized trials of prolonged dog-assisted protocols remain limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 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 * Willingness and ability to participate voluntarily in the 10 session program and all scheduled assessments (T1-T4) * Provision of written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * 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 * Decompensated psychiatric disorder or severe cognitive impairment that may compromise comprehension of the protocol or adherence to the intervention * Refusal to participate or withdrawal of consent at any point
Where this trial is running
Guimarães
- Unidade Local de Saúde (ULS) Alto Ave — Guimarães, Portugal (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Filipa Martins-Alves, Psychiatric Hospital Assistant — Psychiatry Department, Unidade Local de Saúde (ULS) Alto Ave
- Study coordinator: Armando Almeida, Associate Professor
- Email: aalmeida@med.uminho.pt
- Phone: +351 936615717
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.