This is the heartwarming moment a gentle therapy dog comforted a sick patient at a hospital.

Summer, a five-year-old Golden Retriever, visited Noon, a cancer patient, after a chemotherapy treatment in Udon Thani, Thailand.

Footage shows the delighted elderly man gently patting the pooch seated on a chair in front of him on November 24.

The pet owner said: 'A nurse asked if we could surprise one of the patients. The elderly gentleman loved dogs and missed his own dog at home, so we visited him. He immediately jumped out of bed to greet us; it was very heartwarming.'

'However, for most patients undergoing therapy, we can't take photos of them, so we don't often share footage of the actual therapy sessions,' she added.

The woman and her dog work with therapists to design therapy plans together. The therapists provide the goals for each session, and they create activities suitable for the patients.

'These activities help with physical therapy or exercise specific areas without the patients realizing they are doing physical therapy. The care of the dogs is integrated as a therapeutic option. Many people still misunderstand that dog therapy is only for emotional healing and physical contact. In reality, it can heal both the body and the mind,' she explained.