An Alberta boy who recently went through a liver transplant is recovering with help from a therapist named Kya.

Duncan Joslin, 15, said Kya -- a labradoodle from the Pet Therapy Society of Northern Alberta -- has helped keep him calm.

His mother agrees, saying Kya reduces his anxiety.

“When the dogs arrive in the room, you can see the heart rate go down on the monitor.”

Joslin and Kya are part of a pilot program that has been running for nine months at the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton.

Joslin and other Stollery patients have been receiving the pet therapy twice a week.

Stollery Child Life Specialist Melody Duncan said the dogs help in multiple ways. They encourage kids to be more mobile, reduce anxiety about things like tests and can form part of “medical play,” which helps children understand things about their illness, she said.

With a report from CTV Edmonton