http://goo.gl/rV26US
A Pilot study from the International Journal of MS care published recently endeavored to test the efficacy of using service dogs to improve mobility for 44 M.S. patients who showed “identifiable gait abnormalities secondary to MS who were able to ambulate safely without the use of an assistive device even if they used one intermittently or on a regular basis to compensate for imbalance or motor deficits”
Statistical analysis showed that walking with a service dog improved the speed of the participant significantly.
The study’s author cites numerous examples of the other benefits of service dogs including higher self-esteem, reduced anxiety and stress, and lower blood pressure and cholesterol.