War can give military working dogs PTSD

A USA Today article about military working dogs and their vital role in the current military conflicts also talks about how the trauma of war can give these canines PTSD:

"...incidents of canine post-traumatic stress disorder are on the rise, said Lt. Col. Richard A. Vargus, chief of the law enforcement branch at CENTCOM.

"Our biggest issue that we have with canines is canine PTSD," he said. "We've seen a significant issue with that because when you're standing 10 feet away from an explosion, the dog has emotions and the dog is affected as well."

If the dog is fearful, it may bite the handler, run and hide, or cower behind the handler if it thinks the team is preparing to go on patrol, Vargus said.

Read more:
Canine programs expand to save more troops

Study: Living in captivity gives chimpanzees PTSD

Two new studies reveal that chimpanzees, one of our closest non-human relatives, can get post-traumatic stress disorder from living in captivity, or from the traumatic events that led to their being in captivity in the first place. Many chimpanzees in zoos are rescues of the (often illegal) animal trade, in which young chimps are often torn from their mothers and placed in restrictive cages.

Earth Times has the story:

Can Chimps Have PTSD?

PTSD Virtual Retreat Members Speak: Fearless Nation in Second Life

This amazing video shows how the Fearless Nation PTSD Support virtual retreat has helped several people with PTSD. Check it out:



We have lots of new stories coming up on PTSD News in the coming week or two. Stay tuned.

Biofeedback and PTSD

The Alternative Health blog points us to a study from Walter Reed Army Medical Center that says Biofeedback is not helpful for people with PTSD.

Not all research supports this conclusion. A program (PDF) developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network suggests that biofeedback can be helpful, although its results have not been fully analyzed.

Other biofeedback research often seems tied to EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), which we have heard extremely conflicting reports about.

You know what we have found to be the most effective form of biofeedback? A dog. When you're happy and relaxed, so is your dog. When you're stressed and anxious and fearful, your dog tells you so.

Do you have any thoughts or experience with biofeedback or EMDR? Share them here!

How one military dog overcame PTSD

People aren't the only ones vulnerable to PTSD. Animals can get it, too. Take the case of Gina, a military working dog whose experiences during combat left her in pretty tough shape:

In the war, Gina was riding with her handler when an IED went off in the vehicle behind hers. It spooked her. Then, the constant patrols, flash bangs, the sounds of kicking in doors and the IED booms got to her.


"When Gina came back from the Middle East she was so messed up, she didn't want to see anybody," said Master Sgt. Eric Haynes, 21st SFS noncommissioned officer in charge of the military working dog section. "She wouldn't walk through front doors, she didn't want to go inside buildings. She was terrified of everything."

Read more about Gina and her "long, arduous rehabilitation program" here:

Man's best friend not immune to stigmas of war; overcomes PTSD

Dogs help soldiers make gains against PTSD

The Columbia County News-Times has a great story about how dogs are being used by one therapist to "break the ice" and "build bonds of trust."

Local War Vet Hosts Horse Therapy Clinic for Soldiers with PTSD

Florida's WCTV has the story, with video!