The Effects of Animal-Assisted Therapy in Dogs on Depressed Patients

Depression has emerged as one of the most widespread health concerns in contemporary culture. In addition to pharmacological interventions, psychological counseling, physical therapies, and animal-assisted therapy (AAT), which frequently employs dogs, these modalities are commonly utilized in hospitals, psychotherapy centers, and social welfare agencies for the treatment of individuals with mental health issues. This research presents a systematic literature review on the utilization of dogs for the treatment of depression. The age range of the depressed patients examined in this article encompasses children, teenagers, and elderly adults. The result shows AAT in dogs has different impacts for diverse aged depressed patients, older adults have the most significant effect, through high frequency and stable periods looking at, talking to, or playing or walking with them; conversely, children and adolescents have varied outcomes on depression from slight to significant. Future research should investigate the efficacy of dog-assisted therapy, especially for elderly individuals.