Emotional support dog as pain management?

[misslissa]

need some advice from someone with a tad bit more knowledge then me.

My great aunt has a heart condition and fibromyalgia in the past she has been allowed to keep her 100+ pound pitt bull in her apartment because her doctor signed a paper saying that he helped her with pain management thus keeping her from getting depressed.
he also helps keep her heart rate and blood pressure down keeping her from having another heart attack or so the story goes
now Bug is a great dog and he really dose help her with her pain it seems like being near him helps she is always in pain at family dinners wear he is not welcome(we are a small dog family and he scares us) you can see the pain on her face.

now however she is going to a new doctor and he says that because she dose not have a mental disorder he will not sign the paper saying Bug is a Emotional support dog .
Can he do that? Is it true?
If anyone can enlighten me a tad i would love it she needs the new papers before her lease expires in January or she will have to move.

[J_is_my_initial]

What specialty is the dr she is seeing? Maybe her old dr can recommend someone who support her in this?

[misslissa]

Well her old doctor retired and this is the guy who he recommended.
She is looking around for a new doctor but she is afraid a new doctor would take to long to long getting to know her and her specific case.
I guess my real questions is, is it legal?
Can she use a emotional support animal as pain management?

[J_is_my_initial]

I have heard of instances where it has been done. Usually if a dr prescribes something and she is denied having or doing whatever, it could be a case of discrimination. ck out this (it in adobe) http://www.bazelon.org/LinkClick.asp...c%3D&tabid=245
it might help, not sure. Good luck.

[YorkieZoo]

Originally Posted by misslissa

need some advice from someone with a tad bit more knowledge then me.

My great aunt has a heart condition and fibromyalgia in the past she has been allowed to keep her 100+ pound pitt bull in her apartment because her doctor signed a paper saying that he helped her with pain management thus keeping her from getting depressed.
he also helps keep her heart rate and blood pressure down keeping her from having another heart attack or so the story goes
now Bug is a great dog and he really dose help her with her pain it seems like being near him helps she is always in pain at family dinners wear he is not welcome(we are a small dog family and he scares us) you can see the pain on her face.

now however she is going to a new doctor and he says that because she dose not have a mental disorder he will not sign the paper saying Bug is a Emotional support dog .
Can he do that? Is it true?
If anyone can enlighten me a tad i would love it she needs the new papers before her lease expires in January or she will have to move.

OMG, I just saw a video on using dogs in a hospital (for those that don't know, this is actually the hospital that I was downsized at-still love them)...this is a link to a tv show here in Indy each Sat morning. The episode is 30 minutes, but if you go to the video at 17:35sec is the start of the dog therapy portion.

There is also a great story prior of a TWO legged dog. It's a great site and the trainer listed on the side bar "Fernando" is our neighbor.

You could probably contact the hospital at 317-338-CARE and ask about the lady in the video, she might know what it would take to get the little guy "qualified" or meeting the criteria. She mostly uses Westies and Cairn Terriers.