Click To Call The U.S. Department of Defense is launching a study to determine if specially trained dogs can help veterans with PTSD. Some veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder have already been helped tremendously by such dogs. If you are a disabled veteran who needs help appealing your VA disability rating please contact your Florida disability attorney at LaVan & Neidenberg today for your free consultation.
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Dogs Help Veterans with PTSD | Disability Attorney Florida


Posted on Sep 28, 2009

For centuries dogs have been used not just for companionship but to help people run farms and protect their families.  A new use for man's best friend is gaining popularity and support in the military community.  Some veterans with PTSD have been using dogs to help them deal with everyday life after war.

Psychiatric service dogs are used across the country to help veterans and others with other mental health issues.  The dogs are trained to help people deal with issues such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and PTSD. 

Joan Gibbons Esnayra is the president and founder of the Psychiatric Dog Service Association.  She has seen the difference a dog can make in the life of a person suffering from mental illness.

"If a dog observes when a person with PTSD is escalating, the dog will be able to signal that they are escalating and, given it's so early in the process, the person can manage and even prevent the escalation," Esnayra stated.

Iraq war veteran Jennifer Pacanowski knows firsthand how a service dog can improve one's life.  Pacanowski suffers from PTSD, a problem she has had since she returned from Iraq.  Her dog, Boo, has been specially trained to help her recognize the early signs of stress.

"Sometimes I forget where I am and will go back to the war in Iraq.  He brings me back to reality and makes me realize that I can't run people off the road," says Pacanowski. "He's a comfort.  I also know I'm not alone, and people can't just sneak up on me without his knowledge."

The Department of Defense recognizes the potential benefits that psychiatric dogs may have for veterans.  The DOD is beginning a 12-month study to determine how the dogs can help veterans.  The study will compare soldiers with PTSD who have the dogs and those without.

If you are a disabled veteran and need help appealing your VA disability rating please contact LaVan & Neidenberg today for your free consultation.

 

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