Back again, where did September go! This month, our Tinnitus Support Group discussed and tried out animal therapy. A very special thanks to Lynda and Lana from East Central Therapy Dogs for coming in to see us. 

It is the hope that through this group, anyone with Tinnitus can join in to find support from others who have Tinnitus, learn about new therapies to try, possibly test out some of them out, and ultimately find hope in knowing they are not alone. 

Let’s dive into this month’s topic!

This Month’s Group

This month we were joined by 3 individuals with Tinnitus and their spouses, as well as Lynda from East Central Therapy Dogs, who also happens to have Tinnitus herself. 

These individuals have all had Tinnitus for a number of years and tried out a variety of therapies to bring down the ringing. Aside from Lynda, one member of our group has utilized animal therapy with a neighbour’s dog.

What is Animal Therapy?

There is something about having a dog around.

 

 

 

With East Central Dog Therapy, a session looks a little like this. The individual gets about 15 minutes petting the dog and talking with the handler. In their program, handlers are trained in how to carry on a conversation and facilitate the time with the client and dog.

 

 

 

 

The simple act of stroking a dog, cat, or other animal can change a number of things in your body. The connection to the animal brings down your heart rate, your blood pressure decreases, and can alleviate stress. Lynda, who is Lana’s owner and handler, noted that even in herself, she notices the subtle changes in her body after spending time with Lana or the other dogs. Apparently, looking into a dog’s eyes also gives off the same hormone released when a mother looks at her baby – it makes us feel calm and happy. 

For others, the interaction with the dog (or cat) is a distraction from the Tinnitus, which brings the ringing down. Like many other therapies with Tinnitus, it about finding something you enjoy and that takes your mind away from the ringing. So, if you’re an animal lover this might be for you!

Can Any Pet be a ‘Therapy’ Animal?

For your own personal use, you can absolutely get the same effects from petting your furry family member. However, true therapy dogs are specially selected and trained animals. A few things Lynda noted about their therapy dogs:

• They can be any breed (Lana is a wired hair fox terrier), but there tends to be a lot of golden retrievers and labs.
• Look for the calmest disposition – therapy dogs have to be easy going and friendly. No aggression or they are removed from training.
• First, they are pets and then they receive special training. 
• In training, dogs are taught not to jump, bark, etc. so they are calm in all situations and don’t startle clients.

Can’t have a pet?

In the Peterborough area, East Central Therapy Dogs visit “the Peterborough Regional Health Centre, VON Day Care Centres, Community Living, and Group Homes.” Unfortunately, at this time they don’t do home visits. 

Alternatively, if you want to have some ‘animal therapy’ of your own, but don’t or can’t have a pet, here are some ideas:

• Borrow the pet of a family member, friend, or neighbour
• Volunteer to be a dog walker or dog sitter
• Volunteer with the Peterborough Humaine Society, Lakefield Animal Welfare Society (LAWS), Animal Rescue Krew (ARK), etc.

If it has fluff, pet, and see if it works for you!

Next Month’s Group Topic

We’ll be back November 13th to discuss Neurotherapy, specifically a technique called Bio-Feedback. Jennifer, a neurotherapist from MettaMorphosis Neurotherapy Centre in Peterborough, will be with us to give an overview and answer any questions about the effectiveness of Neurotherapy on Tinnitus. 

Please give us a call if you have questions or to let us know you’ll be attending – 705-749-0707.

If you missed last month’s group, that’s okay, check out our recap blog!

Special Bonus

For those who wanted the recipe for the Pumpkin Bars I made…

• 1 can of pumpkin puree
• 4 eggs
• 1 container of cottage cheese (medium-sized container)
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 & 1/4 tsp of pumpkin spice (OR 1 tsp each of cinnamon and ginger and 1/4 tsp each of nutmeg and cloves)
• Mix in a blender till smooth
• I used a small amount of gram cracker crumbs and butter for a crust. Press into a pan or pie dish. 
• Pour pumpkin mixture over
• Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until middle doesn’t look goopy
• Serve warm with ice-cream OR let it sit in the fridge till the next day and serve cold.

Enjoy!