A recent study suggests that specially trained service dogs can help alleviate PTSD symptoms in U.S. military veterans, providing a potential alternative to traditional treatments.

Researchers hope these findings will lead to expanded options for veterans coping with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Currently, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers talk therapy, medications, and a pilot program involving service dogs for veterans with PTSD.

The VA prescribes service dogs to veterans diagnosed with visual, hearing, or significant mobility impairments, including eligible veterans with PTSD, and covers some associated costs.

However, the agency continues to review the effectiveness of service dogs in treating PTSD, according to VA press secretary Terrence Hayes, who emphasized the department’s commitment to evidence-based care for veterans.

Maggie O’Haire, co-author of the study and a researcher at the University of Arizona’s veterinary college, explained that one of the study’s goals was to provide scientific evidence to support a practice that has gained popularity without a strong research foundation.

In the study, service dogs were provided by K9s For Warriors, a nonprofit organization that pairs trained dogs with veterans through a three-week group training class.

The dogs are taught to recognize signs of distress in veterans and can interrupt panic attacks and nightmares with comforting nudges.

The researchers compared 81 veterans who received service dogs with 75 veterans on the waiting list for a dog. PTSD symptoms were assessed by psychology doctoral students unaware of which veterans had received a service dog.

After three months, PTSD symptoms improved in both groups, but veterans with service dogs showed more significant improvements on average than those on the waiting list. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, was published in JAMA Network Open.

Whether simply spending time with any dog would yield similar benefits remains unclear, as about 40% of veterans in both groups owned pet dogs.

Additionally, all participants had access to other PTSD treatments, suggesting that service dogs should complement, not replace, existing therapies.

“When you add it to existing medical practices, it can enhance your experience and reduce your symptoms more,” O’Haire said.

According to the VA, PTSD affects up to 29% of Iraq war veterans over their lifetimes, compared to lower rates in civilians.

Common symptoms include nightmares, flashbacks, numbness, and constant feelings of being on edge.

Veteran Dave Crenshaw, who served with the Army National Guard in Iraq and was diagnosed with PTSD in 2016, shared his experience.

He struggled with symptoms like night sweats and numbness, and although antidepressants provided some relief, they weren’t enough.

In 2019, Crenshaw was paired with his service dog, Doc, a pointer-black lab mix. The immediate connection brought him peace, which he described as “joy and wholesomeness.”

“Doc senses when I’m upset, often before I even notice,” Crenshaw said. He credits Doc with helping him get his life back on track, allowing him to retire from the military and law enforcement without the need for antidepressants. “It’s the greatest medicine with the least side effects,” he added.

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