animal-assisted therapy

animal-assisted therapy,

a nursing intervention from the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) defined as purposeful use of animals to provide affection, attention, diversion, and relaxation. See also Nursing Interventions Classification.

---

therapy

the treatment of disease; therapeutics. See also treatment.

---

animal-assisted therapy

the treatment of humans, usually for mental or psychological illness, which incorporates familiarization with a companion or pleasure animal. Called also pet-facilitated or pet-assisted therapy. See also animal facilitated therapy.

anticoagulant therapy

the use of drugs to render the blood sufficiently incoagulable to discourage thrombosis.

heat therapy

see hyperthermia (2).

immunosuppressive therapy

treatment with agents, such as x-rays, corticosteroids and cytotoxic chemicals, which suppress the immune response to antigen(s); used in organ transplantation, autoimmune disease, allergy, multiple myeloma, etc.

inhalation therapy

see aerosol.

neoadjuvant therapy

given before the primary treatment, such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation therapy.

oxygen therapy

the administration of supplemental oxygen to relieve hypoxemia and prevent damage to the tissue cells as a result of oxygen lack (hypoxia). See also oxygen therapy.

physical therapy

use of physical agents and methods in rehabilitation and restoration of normal bodily function after illness or injury; it includes massage and manipulation, therapeutic exercises, hydrotherapy, and various forms of energy (electrotherapy, actinotherapy and ultrasound). See also physical therapist.

radiation therapy

treatment of disease by means of ionizing radiation. See also radiotherapy.

replacement therapy

treatment to replace deficient formation or loss of body products by administration of the natural body products or synthetic substitutes.

serum therapy

serotherapy; treatment of disease by injection of serum from immune animals.

substitution therapy

the administration of a hormone to compensate for glandular deficiency.

vaporization therapy

see aerosol.