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Therapist in a Lab coat
A doctor's canine
companion helps put patients at ease
Troy -- Dr. Eric Gross walks from his office to an
examination room, trailed by a four-legged, tail-wagging
shadow.
The physician's companion is Willie, a chocolate
Labrador retriever and registered therapy dog.
Gross, who's part of an internal medicine practice in
the city's Lansingburgh neighborhood, started bringing his
dog to work last spring. His patients have been touched by
Willie's canine magic.
"He leans right up against me and almost melts in
my lap. He's such a beautiful dog and makes me feel
good," said Marion Tyll, 79, of Troy, a diabetic who
brings a rawhide bone as a treat for Willie each time she
makes an office visit.
"I love him and he loves me. We both look forward
to our time together," said Tyll. "Just petting
him brings back happy memories of when we had dogs when my
kids were small."
The 4-year-old, 90-pound dog accompanies Gross to work
several days each week wearing a red vest and
identification card as a registered member of Therapy Dogs
International. The group was formed in 1976 and has dozens
of chapters nationwide. The dogs bring good cheer and a
healing quality to residents of nursing homes, patients in
hospitals and others.
A private medical practice is an unusual setting for a
therapy dog.
"I haven't heard of a therapy dog in a doctor's
office before, but it's wonderful. It will open doors for
others," said Michele Traynor, a nurse at Our Lady of
Mercy Life Center in Guilderland and therapy dog owner.
"Having a therapy dog in a doctor's office will
help people relax and take the scariness away," said
Traynor, who brings her cocker spaniel and beagle to work
with the nursing home residents.
For several years, she organized the Mercy's Caring
Canines chapter, which had about a dozen therapy dogs that
visited the nursing home residents. The chapter has since
disbanded after one of Traynor's dogs died and others grew
old and infirm.
"Patients have responded very well to Willie and
he's been a great asset," said Gross, 53, of
Slingerlands. He and wife, Maureen, jog a few miles with
Willie each morning to keep him fit. The dog also romps
with their two children.
"If he's at home, he's pretty lazy and just sleeps
all day," Gross said. "But when I bring him into
the office, he really works the crowd."
Willie wears a tag on his collar that reads, "I'm
a therapy dog." A patch notes: "Ask to pet me.
I'm friendly." Few patients need that reminder.
"The older patients just love him to pieces,"
said Becky Bederian, an office assistant. "When we're
drawing blood, he'll just rub up to their legs and help
them relax."
"Patients schedule their visits for a day when
Willie's going to be in the office," said Teri
DiSarno, a lab technician.
Many patients bring Willie treats. A driver with a
courier service delivers a dog bone with the office mail
and packages each day.
As Willie saunters between examination rooms or makes
rounds with Gross at the practice's other office in
Clifton Park, the Lab has a way of spurring conversation.
"Willie makes a great introduction," Gross
said. "When patients stop to pet him, they typically
end up telling me their dog stories."
Reprinted with
permission of
PAUL
GRONDAHL, Staff
writer, Times Union
First published:
Tuesday, December 17, 2002
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