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"They're an unusual duo in a fight against cancer.Zoey Vega is a spunky 4-year-old with long, black curls and a broad smile that only fades from her face when she has to go for chemotherapy.Watch report:\u00A0UC Davis Cancer Center studies effectiveness of dogs on patientsAngus is a 138-pound Newfoundland with long, black fur and a bib that he wears to catch his nonstop drool.The two have been meeting every week for the past month during Zoey's treatment sessions at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center.\"I like to hug him,\" said Zoey, who was diagnosed with kidney cancer in March. \"He always kisses me on the cheek.\"While therapy dogs have been used for years in hospital settings, there has yet to be conclusive evidence that they provide measurable benefits to patients' health.Zoey and Angus are part of a study paid for by an animal pharmaceutical company and the American Humane Association.The Canines and Childhood Cancer Study will last 12 months, examining whether pediatric cancer patients have lower stress levels if a therapy dog is present during their treatments.The study involves five hospitals across the country, including UC Davis.\"To me, if you're happy, it fights your sickness,\" said Corina Vasquez, Zoey's mother.Dr. Anjali Pawar, a UC Davis oncologist, said previous studies have shown lower stress levels lead to stronger immune systems.\"That's going to be a huge advantage in fighting cancer,\" Pawar said.The study also will measure the effect of the therapy sessions on the dogs.Following each meeting with Zoey, Mary Thorton, Angus' handler, swabs the dog's mouth and takes a saliva sample, which is tested for the stress chemical cortisol.Thorton said if the study shows dogs do experience stress during the sessions, handlers might begin using techniques to help the dogs cope.\"We've been doing this for years not knowing, and we continue to do it, so I don't foresee it stopping,\" Thorton said."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.kcra.com/article/uc-davis-studies-effectiveness-of-cancer-therapy-dogs/6413605>