The document discusses how service dogs are used to help veterans suffering from PTSD. It describes how dogs can help lower veterans' anxiety and depression symptoms by tasks like sensing when anxiety levels are rising. The document also explores why dogs are particularly effective as service animals for PTSD compared to other animals, and notes some studies that have found service dogs can help reduce PTSD symptoms and medication use in veterans. It provides several sources used in the document that describe individual veterans' experiences with service dogs.

1. Veterans With PTSD And How Service Dogs Affect Their Conditions By: Jonathan Rizzi5/10/10 This image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/truthout/4151422400/.

2. The Book This image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/cowfish/377822279/sizes/o/.

3. How were animals affecting veterans with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?This image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/truthout/4156128954/.

4. Why are dogs specifically used instead of other animals?This image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/soldiersmediacenter/4068945550/. .

5. EffectsThis image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtcatbagan/3028561311/.

6. SuicideThis image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/truthout/4522309210/.

7. DepressionThis image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/soldiersmediacenter/4268435571//.

8. Two Sides This image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenpoff/2874657376/.

9. ProgressionThis image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkadog/3575282130/.

10. HopeThis image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/angells60640/3785734714/sizes/o/.

11. Value This image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/angells60640/4505324795/.

12. AttachmentThis image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/angells60640/3702146320/.

13. ResultsThis image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/mc4army/4479126670/sizes/l/.

14. This image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/ilonameagher/2788132157/sizes/o// . Getting Help

15. ReflectionsThis image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/insightimaging/2574891852/.

16. What I Learned This image is used in association with a creative commons license from http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkadog/3574300516/.

17. Works Cited Donohoe, Shannon. “Dogs perform healing tricks for PTSD veterans.” Medill Reports. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. <http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/washington/news.aspx?id=84485>. The Iraq war is likely to produce the highest number of soldiers suffering from PTSD. Some say the VA isn’t prepared to give returning soldiers the care they need. That’s when Joan Esnayra, the president of psychiatric service dog society, steps in. Gardner, Amanda. “Service Dogs Help Traumatized Veterans Heal.” U.S. News and World Report. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. <http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2009/09/03/service-dogs-help-traumatized-veterans-heal.html>. Iraq war veteran Jennifer Pacanowski was unaware that she was racing dangerously down the freeway at 85 miles an hour when she felt a wet nose nudge her elbow. She immediately slowed down. The wet nose belonged to Boo, Pacanowski’s 110-pound Bull Mastiff, warning her that her anxiety levels were rising, a dangerous state given that Pacanowski has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from her experiences as a medic in the war. Hagerman, Chris. “Dogs Help Veterans Combat PTSD.” Interview by Marianna Favro. Dogs Help Veterans Combat PTSD. NBC. 14 May 2006. www.redOrbit.com. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. <http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/top_news/2/dogs_help_veterans_combat_ptsd/30260/index.html?src=mrss>. Dogs Help Veterans combat PTSD. This video is about a dog named Venuto. He is learning to open doors for veterans. Hochstein, Dayna. “Psychiatric Service Dog Society.” Psychiatric Service Dog Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2010. <http://www.psychdog.org/news_innovative_therapies.html>. This webpage portal has many different articles pertaining to different specialists each dealing with comparable forms of PTSD. Kirkham, Jim. “PTSD Therapy Dogs Helping Veterans.” Interview by Phil Shuman. PTSD Therapy Dogs Helping Veterans. Fox News. FOX, n.p., 22 Dec. 2009. myfoxla.com. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. <http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/news/local/trained-dogs-helping-veterans-with-ptsd-20091222>. The government says about 300,000 combat vets in Iraq and Afghanistan will suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. To help ease the burden, Congress is trying to make it easier to pair “man’s best friend” with returning soldiers. Kopelman, Jay. “Military Dogs with PTSD.” CBS News. 19 Nov. 2008. Bing.com. Web. 23 Apr. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/military-dogs-with-ptsd/2eb473bfb343136d2b1d2eb473bfb343136d2b1d-1601640398957>. Author Jay Kopelman tells Chris Wragge his book “From Baghdad To America” is the story of living with a rescued dog suffering from a psychological disorder common in military. Lou, JoAnna. “Government Funds PTSD Service Dog Study.” The Bark. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. <http://www.thebark.com/content/government-funds-ptsd-service-dog-study>. The U.S. Department of Defense is financing a $300,000, 12-month study that will look at the effects of service dogs on changes in PTSD symptoms and medication use. Researchers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. will compare soldiers with PTSD who have a service dog with a control group of dog-less soldiers. Some of the dogs being trained for the study will be rescues, making this program even more compelling. Perino, Dana. “The Power of a Puppy.” Foxnews.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. <http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/03/18/dana-perino-petsvets-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-pit-bull-puppy-veterans/>. Dave Sharpe came home from serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and realized his life would never be the same. Unfortunately, due to what he experienced while fighting for his country, he struggled to re-acclimate back into his post-deployment world. He told me he lived in a state of constant despair and could not see a way back to happiness. His official diagnosis was Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a condition affecting millions of our nation’s veterans. Schwartz, Allan, Dr. “Veterans, PTSD and Pyschiatric Service Dogs.” Mentalhelp.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2010. <http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=28873&cn=109>. Puppies Behind Bars (New York City) is one of the organizations that trains and places these dogs with injured Iraq and Afghan war veterans. This organization uses Labrador Retriever puppies that are paired with carefully selected prisoners who are taught to raise and train the dogs from eight weeks to fifteen months.