HealthLinks Charleston Jan/Feb 2023

16 | www. Char l es tonPhys i c i ans . com | www.Hea l thL i nksChar l es ton . com McMillan recounted one child’s chemotherapy experience. “Ten minutes in,” McMillan said, “she would get so anxious, so sick, they would have to stop the treatment and try again another day.” When Agnes was brought in, the child was able to stay calm enough to make it past the first 10 minutes. The second time Agnes came in, she and the patient were lying together on a stretcher as the IV dripped. “Right at the 10-minute mark, Agnes turned around, laid her head on the child’s lap and reached out her paw. It was amazing,” said McMillan. “It was like she was able to pick up on the exact moment the child’s anxiety began. I used to try not to read too much into things like this, but the dog’s intuition was undeniable. She knew when she was needed. A total empath.” Visits, which can be anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, are timed depending upon need. The dogs get lunch breaks and bathroom breaks, just like everyone else. “The only difference between a facility dog’s workday and everyone else’s is the number of snacks they receive,” Jeffcoat joked. It’s not only the children who benefit from the presence of these happy creatures. Sometimes, Jeffcoat calls on Baskin to help with staff support. “In our line of work, especially in pediatric ICU, things can get stressful for staff,” Jeffcoat explained. “Witnessing their interactions affirm the value of these dogs’ presence. Simple statements like that speak so large.” Though she’s in “semi-retirement,” Donohue still has her eyes on the future of the program. “The goal that gets tossed around is 10 working facility dogs,” she said. “Realistically, due to the demand, we’ll probably be able to get four to five more dogs over the next couple of years.” They are also evaluating using facility dogs in the Child and Adolescent Unit of MUSC’s Institute of Psychiatry. “There’s a possibility to expand,” Donohue stated. “We are learning more all the time and the program evolves with it.” “I’m looking forward to the program’s growth,” said Jeffcoat. “As a matter of fact, we have a new dog coming on board.” In mid-November, a golden retriever, Cher, a littermate to Sonny, joined the dog family that assists children in the Cancer and Blood Disorders Unit. Any patient – young or young at heart – can request a visit from a Paws4TheKids staff member. FAST FACTS: Therapy Dogs vs. Full-Time Facility Dogs MUSC has a host of volunteer therapy dogs that visit the hospital on a regular basis. These dogs are owned by private citizens who handle them and schedule visits when time allows. Facility dogs are owned by the hospital system or a program under its umbrella. While facility dogs are pets, they are employees first, and they often have access to areas of the hospital and procedures that privately-owned therapy dogs don’t – including IV placement, blood draws and imaging placement.

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