Keegan, the terrier who keeps the peace on wards

DOGS have long been used in healthcare – they have the ability to sniff out diseases such as Parkinson’s and spot diabetic attacks before they happen.

Their latest role is to soothe sick children undergoing hospital treatment.

Sheffield Children’s Hospital has employed a ten-year-old West Highland Terrier called Keegan, pictured left with a patient, who pays frequent visits to wards.

If a patient is known to be particularly anxious, Keegan will meet them in the car park and stay beside them during appointments with doctors.

Children can pet Keegan and get him to perform tricks – or take him with them when they undergo anxiety-inducing procedures such as blood tests.

Nurses recently took photographs of the dog inside an MRI scanner to help a young patient feel less intimated by the machine.

One parent said: ‘Without Keegan, my daughter’s anxiety was so severe that we wouldn’t have been able to get through the hospital doors.

‘She was prescribed medication to help calm her down on the day, but she didn’t need it in the end because of Keegan. The dog gave her something to look forward to and comfort before being admitted.’