Can Service Dogs Help Lyme Disease Patients?
Watch a 13-second video of a Lyme patient with a service dog
Many patients with Lyme disease experience fatigue, dizziness, pain, or neurologic symptoms that can make everyday activities difficult. For some individuals living with chronic illness, trained service dogs may provide practical assistance and emotional support.
Service dogs, the authors explain, can assist people with functional physical disabilities such as visual impairment or medical conditions requiring monitoring for diabetes or seizures.
“Mobility service dogs can assist those with physical disabilities by performing tasks such as retrieving dropped items, opening doors, or pulling a wheelchair,” writes Rodriguez.
In some cases, service dogs may also assist individuals with balance problems, retrieve medications, or provide stability during episodes of dizziness or fatigue.
In addition to physical assistance, service dogs may improve an owner’s psychosocial health and quality of life. “Since receiving a service dog, individuals require less assistance from others, have greater confidence and self-esteem, and are more able to participate in social activities.”
Individuals with both physical and “invisible” disabilities are often subject to social isolation, low self-esteem, and significant challenges when navigating their social environment, the authors point out.
The researchers studied 97 individuals who were placed with a mobility or medical service dog. Participants’ disabilities were primarily seizure disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, or neuromuscular disorders.
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The study compared these individuals with 57 people who were placed on a waiting list for a mobility or medical service dog.
“Service dogs were primarily purebred or crosses between Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and Standard Poodles,” Rodriguez explains.
The results were mixed. Compared with those on the waiting list, individuals with a service dog exhibited significantly better psychosocial health, including higher social, emotional, and work or school functioning.
However, there was no significant effect of having a service dog on anger, companionship, or sleep disturbance.
The presence of a pet was not found to be a factor. In fact, there were more pets in the control group than in the service dog group (65% vs. 45%).
Although this study did not specifically evaluate Lyme disease, the findings suggest that service dogs may provide meaningful support for individuals living with chronic or disabling medical conditions.
Some Lyme disease patients report that service dogs help them manage fatigue, mobility limitations, or neurologic symptoms that interfere with daily activities.
Patients with persistent symptoms of Lyme disease may face similar physical and psychosocial challenges addressed by trained service dogs.
Editor’s Question:
Some Lyme disease patients in my practice have reported benefits from having a service dog. Have you found a service dog helpful in managing your Lyme disease symptoms?
Although research specific to Lyme disease remains limited, service dogs may provide meaningful support for individuals living with chronic medical conditions.
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References
- Rodriguez KE, Bibbo J, O’Haire ME. The effects of service dogs on psychosocial health and wellbeing for individuals with physical disabilities or chronic conditions. Disabil Rehabil. 2019.
Dr. Daniel Cameron, MD, MPH
Lyme disease clinician with over 30 years of experience and past president of ILADS.
Symptoms • Testing • Coinfections • Recovery • Pediatric • Prevention
We are currently awaiting a service dog for our grand daughter who is 14. We have been given the tentative month of August 2020 for her dog. She has been treated for neurological lyme, encephalopathy and a whole number of other diagnoses. She has mobility issues along with a paralyzed lower arm and hand. While she has progressed much in the last year, she was as others, was misdiagnosed for years. She discontinued IV antibiotics in January this year. after about a year of taking them. We are hoping that the service dog can assist her in her daily activities and school. We still have hope that she will regain function in her arm and hand. If anyone has experienced long term paralysis from lyme, any recommendations are welcome. Will provide feedback related to the service dog after we get him/her.
Yes! My service dog has been wonderful. She helps with mobility and does psychiatric alert for me (panic attacks and anxiety). If my heart rate rises from co-infections or from psychological things that got worse with my Lyme, she alerts and does deep pressure therapy before it gets too bad to slow my heart rate down. She also helps with mobility which is huge because a majority of my pain is in my lower back, hips, knees, and ankles. She’ll “brace” so if I was down on the ground I can use her to steady myself to get back up if I don’t have something to hold on to, and she helps with stairs.
As for other chronic illnesses, I have friends with service dogs for their chronic disabilities/illnesses and they also agree that having a service dog has greatly improved their quality of life.
It is so great to hear that your service dog has been able to help with those things. I have late stage Lyme disease and have many of the same symptoms that impact my life. I’m getting a puppy in a few months and would like to train it to help me with bracing and heart rate monitoring as well. Did you train yourself or work with a trainer? Any info on how to get started would be really appreciated!
I am a 70 year old female with late Lyme disease. I have a hard time walking. My self esteem is very low to the point I do not want to go out.
I am a 70 year old female with late Lyme disease. I have a hard time walking. My self esteem is very low to the point I do not want to go out.