Paws for healing: therapy dogs may ease anxiety in kids with cancer
NCT ID NCT03471221
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looked at whether visits from specially trained therapy dogs could reduce distress and anxiety in children aged 5-17 who were hospitalized for cancer treatment. The researchers also checked if the visits increased germs on the children's hands, even with hand sanitizing. The goal was to see if these visits could safely improve the hospital experience for young cancer patients.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- therapy dog visits
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could support using therapy dogs to ease distress and improve hospital experience for children with cancer.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed trial with only 26 participants, so results may not apply to all children. There is also a small risk of germ transmission despite hand cleaning.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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26 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Mar 2018
- Finished
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Apr 2020
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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5 to 17 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: English-speaking patients aged 5-17 years who have been admitted to the Seattle Children's Hospital Cancer Care Unit and who are on the oncology service irrespective of specific oncologic diagnosis, sex, race, and ethnicity. Exclusion Criteria: Are allergic to dogs or have a sensitivity to dogs; Are afraid of dogs; Are on the bone marrow transplant service; Have isolation precautions in place per Infection Prevention policies (e.g. viral respiratory precautions, contact precautions, etc.); Skin on hands not intact (e.g. moderate to severe eczema involving the hands or other generalized skin breakdown); Have no English-speaking parent/legal guardian; Have no parent/legal guardian able to provide written consent; For observational study, unwilling or unable to pet the dog with both hands.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
Seattle, Washington, 98101, United States
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Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
Seattle, Washington, 98126, United States