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Between Paws and Affections - Impact of Dog-Assisted Therapy in Fibromyalgia Patients

Key facts

Who runs it
University of Minho
Where
Portugal1 site in 1 countryChoose a country to see its sites
Trial code
Status
Recruiting
People taking part
60 people, planned
Started
22 Jan 2026
Expected to end
30 Jun 2029
Type of study
Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets an existing treatment, for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • Behavioral: Dog Assisted Therapy (DAT - "Between Paws and Affections")
  • Behavioral: Psychoeducation and Relaxation without Dogs (Control)
Record updated
5 May 2026

Who can take part

Age
18 years and older
Sex
Women and men
Healthy volunteers
Cannot take part

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 12 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • 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

Who cannot take part

  • Concomitant systemic or rheumatologic disease that may confound pain and functional assessment
  • Allergy to dogs or marked fear of dogs
  • History of aggression towards animals
  • History of oncological disease
  • 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

This trial has no sites in United States.

It has sites in one country. Choose a country to see its sites.

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

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).

The 2 groups in the trial

  • Behavioral: Dog Assisted Therapy (DAT - "Between Paws and Affections")Treatment being tested

    Intervention group that will receive a total of 10 group sessions at the Psychiatry Day Hospital of ULS Alto Ave, organized into 4 weekly structured sessions (combining psychoeducation on fibromyalgia and chronic pain, functional training and self care, lifestyle counseling and guided relaxation, all mediated by trained therapy dogs and a professional dog handler), followed by 6 monthly guided relaxation "booster" sessions with the dogs.

  • Behavioral: Psychoeducation and Relaxation without Dogs (Control)Existing treatment, for comparison

    New active control group that will receive the same 10-session program, with structure, duration, and content identical to the DAT arm (4 weekly structured psychoeducation and functional/self-care sessions plus 6 monthly guided relaxation "booster" sessions), but delivered entirely without dogs.

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
Between Paws and Affections: Impact of Dog Assisted Therapy on Pain, Emotional Symptoms, and Functioning in Fibromyalgia
Record updated
5 May 2026