Effects of Dog‐Assisted Occupational Therapy on Upper Limb Functions in ALS and Other Neuromuscular Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Introduction/Aims The beneficial effects of animal‐assisted therapy (AAT) on balance, walking endurance, and mood symptoms in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have been previously demonstrated. In this study, we aimed at expanding upon these findings by further evaluating its effects on upper limb (UL) functions and mood symptoms both in ALS and other neuromuscular disorders (NMDs). Methods Sixty‐eight patients participated in a regular 2‐week occupational therapy program once a day. For three days a week, in place of the traditional treatment, the AAT group ( N = 34) performed a session in interaction with the therapy dog. Outcome measures included hand grip strength, manual dexterity, and mood symptoms. Differences between baseline and post‐treatment values were assessed using the Wilcoxon Signed‐Rank Test, and one‐way analysis of covariance was used to examine between‐group differences in post‐treatment values, adjusting for baseline measurements. Results Both groups improved in hand grip strength ( p = 0.004–0.03), whereas mood symptoms improved exclusively in the AAT group ( p = 0.0003–0.03). Post‐treatment values were significantly better in the AAT group ( p = 0.01–0.03). When ALS patients were analyzed separately, the improvement of hand grip strength and mood symptoms was observed only in the AAT group ( p = 0.001–0.04), which accordingly showed better post‐treatment values ( p = 0.0007–0.05). Discussion Our findings indicate that AAT has greater beneficial effects than traditional treatments on UL strength and mood symptoms. These findings have the potential to facilitate more effective rehabilitation strategies both in ALS and other NMDs.