It has been well-documented that the human-animal connection provides a powerful healing bond. On July 17, 2013, that bond was evidenced during a heartwarming event at Penn Vet called the “Best Friends Bash.”

During this unique gathering, 20 craniofacial patients from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) had the opportunity to meet four Penn Vet canine patients with similar conditions. And the connections between the children and the dogs were immediate and inspiring.

“As I stood back and watched my patients and the dogs meet, I couldn’t help but feel that the dogs gave unspoken comfort to the children, almost as if they knew they had a common connection,” said Diana Sweeney, Parent Liaison in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at CHOP.

This specialized form of pet therapy aims to help patients better relate to animals with maladies like their own. Watching Corinne, a 15-year-old girl with a repaired cleft palate, interact with Lentil, a French Bulldog puppy (and Internet sensation) who recently had surgery to repair his cleft palate, was, in a word, magical.

“Meeting dogs that have similar disabilities and have gone through similar surgeries makes your own facial difference seem a little less scary,” added Corinne. “Even though the dogs can’t vocalize what they’re going through, I think you can tell that they were upset for a little bit and were in pain, but now they are fine.”

The event also brought children together with Georgia, a Gordon Setter who had a cancer removed from her upper jaw; Buddy, a Golden Retriever who had part of his lower jaw removed; and Rosie, a Golden Retriever therapy dog who had part of her foot removed due to a tumor, and is a member of CHOP’s Paw Partners pet therapy team.

“It was incredibly powerful watching these remarkable kids interact with these remarkable dogs,” said John Lewis, VMD, Associate Professor of Dentistry and Oral Surgery at Penn Vet. “Since both the dogs and children are dealing with the same problems and treatments, there’s an instant bond that allows the children to realize they are not alone.”

Other important connections were made at the event, as clinicians and nurses from CHOP’s Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery met with Penn Vet’s Dentistry and Oral Surgery Service to discuss cases and learn from each other’s techniques. Human and animal health is intrinsically linked, and veterinarians often transcend the animal world by applying their knowledge to develop better treatments for both animals and people.

“I think this is just the beginning of a very impactful partnership,” said Dr. Lewis.

Going forward, Penn Vet hopes that the “Best Friends Bash” is one of many events that allows two-legged and four-legged patients to be inspired by one another.

View more Best Friends Bash photos here>>