Pet Therapy

Are you dealing with extreme levels of emotional stress, exhaustion or depression? If so, pet therapy might be right for you. Companionship is only one of the many benefits pet therapy provides. Keep reading to find out what pet therapy involves, which conditions it can help treat and why you might benefit from it.

What Is Pet Therapy?

You may have heard the term “pet therapy” before, but do you know what it entails? Pet therapy is a guided interaction between a trained animal and a person. It is often a good way to help the latter cope with a health problem or disorder. Cats and dogs are the most common animals involved in pet therapy, but others can also participate in the program. Horses, fish, guinea pigs and dolphins are just a few of the many animals known to assist in therapy.

What Conditions Can It Help Treat?

The first step in pursuing pet therapy is to visit your doctor to determine if this is the best treatment option for your needs. If pet therapy is appropriate for you, your doctor will recommend the next steps to take.

Individuals suffering from the following conditions have benefited from pet therapy:

  • Addiction
  • Cancer
  • Dementia
  • Emotional or behavioral disorders
  • Chronic pain
  • Psychiatric disorders

While pet therapy is known to assist individuals with any of the listed conditions, it is not limited to them. If you feel that you may benefit from pet therapy, please contact your doctor to discuss the matter further.

How Can It Help Me?

Pet therapy has been credited with many benefits that stem from cultivating a strong bond between a human and an animal. Here are some of the benefits associated with pet therapy:

  • Increased focus and attention
  • Reduced anxiety, fear and isolation
  • Reduced blood pressure, depression and risk of a heart attack or stroke
  • Improved social skills
  • Increase in trust and empathy

Another benefit of a pet therapy program is that it enhances a human’s ability to bond with animals, which promotes emotional awareness, compassion and social skills. As a result, participants are often less hesitant about undergoing medical treatments for their health condition.

Location


Office Hours

Open 7 days a week!

Monday:

7:00 am-6:00 PM

Tuesday:

7:00 am-6:00 PM

Wednesday:

7:00 am-6:00 PM

Thursday:

7:00 am-6:00 PM

Friday:

7:00 am-6:00 PM

Saturday:

7:00 am-6:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Testimonials

Feedback from our clients

  • "Great vet practice! Have experienced many other vet clinics in NE Ft Lauderdale area and Dr. Vaujin is the best. Knowledgeable, reasonable and the front desk staff is very friendly so not sure about some of the complaints. Everyone has a bad day now and again, don't take it personally and judge with such harshness. Caring, compassionate and excellent care-that's what matters. Won't go anywhere else."
    RubiR A.
  • "I am completely happy with Heroes. They take good care of my dog, Annie. Their pricing is fair and reasonable. Annie needed minor surgery to remove a growth from her neck and during the procedure the Doctor removed a second growth that was unknown to us at diagnosis at no additional charge. I find the staff to be accommodating and sensitive to Annie's high anxiousness during her visits. I highly recommend their services."
    Mark G.
  • "This place and these professionals are the epitome of true love for the care of all pets....They get 5 stars from me on there worst day. My best friend was looking at paralysis due to a chronic condition he has had for many years and they have found a way to limit his condition and to live a pain free full life.
    *****5 STARS *****"
    Michael L.
  • "I am truly amazed with the friendly staff and how they treated my dog
    They saved my dogs life and I'm very grateful that they found the time to do a emergency surgery without it my dog would have passed away.
    Other vets were charging 2500 to 3500
    Heroes did the surgery for 1/4 of the price
    Thanks again"
    Paul C.
  • "I took my cat in today without an appointment and everyone was so caring, helpful, and understanding of how emotional I was getting. They thoroughly explained exactly what she'd have to have done and were so nice. I really appreciate how sweet they were because I was so upset and worried before coming in. I'm glad to have found a new vet to take my pets to :-)"
    Kimmy W.