TDNet Discover

Medications such as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) have become a mainstay of first line treatments for many common mental health illnesses from anxiety to dementia. If SSRIs are unsuccessful, there are a myriad of other classes and brands to consider. Clinicians are exploring the use of animals to aid in the treatment of mental illness. This research analyzed the efficacy of using personal pets as viable monotherapy or supplemental treatment to mental illness medication. This was executed using a systematic literature study design to search scholarly resources such as PubMed, EBSCO, and Google Scholar. The search was limited to peer-reviewed publications conducted within the last 10 years, and utilized search words such as “pet ownership,” “United States,” “mental health,” and “health benefits.” The search and review performed by three independent researchers resulted in six publications, including two systematic reviews, two observational studies, one mixed-methods study, and one cross sectional survey. Results of the qualitative analysis uncovered that pet ownership has a positive effect on numerous aspects of mental health including improved attention, extroversion, mood, and reduced stress. Clinicians can use this information to help devise other means to effectively treat patients. This research also found an imbalance in the studies that have been conducted, which stems from studies being too broad in scope. Despite some gaps in the literature, this research presents evidence that pet ownership is an effective and complimentary therapy to traditional treatments that clinicians can consider and discuss with their patients.