A patient at a Brazilian hospital has had an emotional reunion with his dog after the loyal pet spent eight days in a hospital car park waiting for him.

Seco the dog waited patiently for his owner, homeless man Lauri da Costa, after he staggered into the hospital's emergency ward with brutal injuries from being beaten with a rock, local news site Radio Uirapuru reports.

But what was expected to be a few hours in hospital, in the small city of Passo Fundo, turned into more than a week after doctors found a melanoma on Mr da Costa's face and had to operate immediately.

Hospital staff began feeding and supplying water to Seco as the devoted canine waited for his owner, before a joyous reunion.

As da Costa is still recovering from surgery, it will be some while before he is fully discharged from hospital. Seco continues to wait.