Actively Recruiting
Between Paws and Affections - Impact of Dog-Assisted Therapy in Fibromyalgia Patients
Led by University of Minho · Updated on 2026-05-05
60
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
179 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
U
University of Minho
Lead Sponsor
U
Unidade Local de Saúde do Alto Ave, EPE
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and medium-term maintenance of a structured dog-assisted therapy (DAT) protocol, "Entre Patas e Afetos" (Between Paws and Affections), in reducing pain, anxiety and depressive symptoms and in improving functional status and quality of life in Portuguese patients with fibromyalgia (FM) followed at ULS Alto Ave, with systematic outcome assessment in the immediate post intervention phase (T2), 6-month follow-up (T3) and 12-month follow-up (T4).
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Between Paws and Affections - Impact of Dog-Assisted Therapy in Fibromyalgia Patients
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- 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
You will not qualify if you...
- 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
AI-Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Unidade Local de Saúde (ULS) Alto Ave
Guimarães, Portugal, 4835-044
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
A
Armando Almeida, Associate Professor
CONTACT
F
Filipa Martins-Alves, Psychiatric Hospital Assistant
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
SINGLE
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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