Benefits of Dog Therapy for PTSD Patients

Research Question: Does a dog therapy program in the US improve the mental health status of military PTSD patients?

Krause-Parello, C., Sarni, S., & Padden, E. (2016). Nurse Education Today. Military Veterans and Canine Assistance for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Narrative Review of The Literature, 47, 43-50. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2016.04.020

This journal is a recompilation of different studies that examine various elements of why canine services for veterans diagnosed with PTSD are important, some concerns, and future directions of the treatment. The authors also express the worries regarding lack of protocols, financial assistance, and possible obstacles that this approach can be facing in the coming years, and also, it helped to prepare for further required research for animal welfare. Computerized database searching was the primary measure used to connect with appropriate information. In conclusion, this lecture focus on examining a promising new method critically by analyzing the effect that canine therapies have on military mental health and wellness. Understanding this lecture would give the population a necessary knowledge and outline future guidance for medical professionals and improve the quality of health and wellness of Veterans with PTSD as the result of the use of canine services.

Yount, R., Olmert, M., & Lee, M. (2012). Service Dog Training Program for Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress in Service Members. The Army Medical Department Journal, 63-67. Retrieved from http://www.cs.amedd.army.mil/amedd_journal.aspx

This reading summarized the advantages for service members to use the Service Dog Training Program. The lecture explains how this new approach started, when Rick Yount who was a social worker specialized in working with infants in the foster care system, used his golden retriever dog to calm an 11-year-old kid who was removed from the side of his biological mother. Yount noticed that the puppy could soothe the kid even in one of the hardest time of his short life. Later, the man trained his puppy as a therapy dog, and he started to go with him to work every day. In 2008, Youth began a program to help soldiers to transition from the combat zones and trauma of war to their homes. This new approach was perceived as a safe, efficient, nonpharmaceutical intervention to assist the symptoms of PTSD and traumatic brain injury.

Yount, R., Ritchie, E., St. Laurent, M., Chumley, P., & Olmert, M. (2013). The Role of Service Dog Training in the Treatment of Combat-Related PTSD. Psychiatric Annals, 43(6), 292-295. http://dx.doi.org/10.3928/00485713-20130605-11

This report gave us different cases demonstrating the positive outcome of canine services, and how much this approach can help psychological and social development. They also proved that the primary purpose and intention of the young service puppies might be the cause of improvement in the neurophysiological systems that are dysregulated in PTSD. Another advantage of the human-dog therapy is that can facilitate the natural increment of circulating oxytocin levels in individuals. It is necessary to provide further research, to establish psychological and behavioral success with the canine training program. A better scientific awareness of pros and cons of canine services will support scientific, objective direction for the adequate training for therapy animals and regulations that balance the decisions of when therapy animals can serve as a positive tool to improve the emotional and physical health of veterans and active duty soldiers.

Saunders, G., Biswas, K., Serpi, T., McGovern, S., Groer, S., & Stock, E. et al. (2017). Design and Challenges for a Randomized, Multi-site Clinical Trial Comparing the Use of Service Dogs and Emotional Support Dogs in Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Contemporary Clinical Trials, 62, 105-113. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2017.08.017

This study provides a detailed methodological description and the obtained outcomes of a clinical trial investigating the effect of canine therapy on the lives of Veterans with PTSD. Typically, people who have PTSD suffer comorbid mental health conditions such as mood, anxiety, personality, drug, and alcohol use disorders. The results of these conditions are a disability, deterioration of mental health, poor quality of life, and especially many issues to incorporate themselves into society. It has been suggested that canine therapies can provide complementary treatment to improve effects of PTSD, but there is narrow published research on its efficacy. It has known that service dogs can help patients with panic disorders, and can help people with PTSD to improve flashbacks, nightmares, and anxiety. Research shows the positive outcomes in general psychological and social well-being, but it can’t conclude the benefits of animal therapy for a particular condition. These are not well determined because published investigations are very low quality and have many defects. In conclusion, this will be the first well-measured study executed to analyze the effect of canine therapy on the functioning of Veterans with PTSD.

Yarborough, B., Owen-Smith, A., Stumbo, S., Yarborough, M., Perrin, N., & Green, C. (2017). An Observational Study of Service Dogs for Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Psychiatric Services, 68(7), 730-734. http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201500383

This research, as well as the others, purposed that service dogs could be a beneficial tool for veterans to overcome effects of PTSD, but still further studies need to be evaluated to consider the effectiveness. This study tried to recruit 123 veterans with self-reported PTSD and letters and authorizations from physicians and psychologist supporting the patient with the need for a service dog for PTSD-related signs. They used questionnaires to analyze the experiences of the participants. The results demonstrated that service puppies could be feasible support for patients with PTSD, and also showed that the service dogs therapies could prevent panic attacks, nightmares, and flashbacks and other related to symptoms to PTSD. This research counted with small sample size and lack of randomization which can prevent the study from being accurate. 

Kloep, M., Hunter, R., & Kertz, S. (2017). Examining the effects of a novel training program and use of psychiatric service dogs for military-related PTSD and associated symptoms. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 87(4), 425-433. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ort0000254

This research followed an intensive three-week program for canine services related to military patients with PTSD and associated symptoms. Participants reported depression, anger, perception of social support, and their quality of life one month before the trial, at the beginning of the training, and six months after the study was executed. Studies demonstrated that the symptoms of PTSD reduced significantly before treatment as well as after the six-month follow up. Patients informed experienced a decrease in anger and improvement in perceived social support and quality of life. Some of the restrictions of the investigation include lack of a well-controlled group and a small sample size. Regardless of limitations, the results of this experiment show that the use of psychiatric service dogs can be beneficial for an intensive trauma resilience training program for veterans with PTSD symptoms.