Arizona, service dogs may relieve some symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans, according to a study our team published in June 2024 in the medical journal JAMA Network Open.
For the past decade, our research group has been studying whether trained service dogs can help veterans with a mental health condition that some people develop after experiencing a traumatic event.
Based on our preliminary findings, we conducted the first and largest clinical trial of its kind to evaluate this complementary intervention.
We recruited 156 post-9/11 veterans from the waitlist of K9s For Warriors, a nonprofit that matches trained service dogs with veterans who have . Of that total, 81 received service dogs and 75 remained on the waiting list during the three months of the study. Most had been deployed and served in the military, three-quarters identified as men and the average age was 38 years old.
Initially, all veterans completed online surveys about their well-being and were interviewed by expert physicians about their symptoms. We followed up three months after they got a service dog or remained on the waiting list.
Those with service dogs had less severe symptoms and better quality of life. For example, they had milder depression and anxiety and better moods. They were also significantly less likely to continue meeting diagnostic criteria for .
These results provide the most definitive evidence to date that service dogs are more than just pets. Our findings suggest that partnerships with these trained animals can lead to life-saving benefits for current and former service members.
Because it is important
With more than 17 US military veterans committing suicide daily, their mental health is a pressing concern. Up to 29% of post-9/11 veterans have been diagnosed with this disease at some point. There are some treatments available, such as exposure therapy and medications. But barriers to care, stigma, and high dropout rates from treatment programs limit their effectiveness; therefore, there is a push to identify additional treatment options.
For example, there has recently been research on the use of the drug MDMA, combined with psychotherapy, for . However, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted in June 2024 against approving use of the drug as a treatment due to concerns about safety and potential for abuse.
Service dogs are trained in specific tasks to help with a disability. For veterans with , a dog's role might include interrupting a panic attack or lying on the veteran's lap to calm them down. People with disabilities have the legal right to be accompanied by their service dogs in public, whether in a supermarket or at a baseball game.
Our findings can inform policymakers, clinicians, and insurance companies about the value of service dogs to veterans, potentially increasing funding for groups that train and place service dogs and shortening wait times.
Whats Next
We are conducting a randomized clinical trial called the Service Dog and Veterans Experiences Study, or SERVES. It is being done in collaboration with K9s For Warriors and Canine Companions, another nonprofit that trains and provides service dogs to veterans.
In this upcoming study, a random group of veterans will receive a service dog early or remain on the wait list as a control. We will follow those veterans for 12 months, instead of just three months, after whether or not they receive a service dog.
The SERVES study will, in turn, be followed by another randomized clinical trial funded by the Department of Defense. Will investigate whether partnerships with service dogs can improve the effectiveness of prolonged exposure therapy, an existing gold standard treatment for. (The conversation) AMS
For the past decade, our research group has been studying whether trained service dogs can help veterans with a mental health condition that some people develop after experiencing a traumatic event.
Based on our preliminary findings, we conducted the first and largest clinical trial of its kind to evaluate this complementary intervention.
We recruited 156 post-9/11 veterans from the waitlist of K9s For Warriors, a nonprofit that matches trained service dogs with veterans who have . Of that total, 81 received service dogs and 75 remained on the waiting list during the three months of the study. Most had been deployed and served in the military, three-quarters identified as men and the average age was 38 years old.
Initially, all veterans completed online surveys about their well-being and were interviewed by expert physicians about their symptoms. We followed up three months after they got a service dog or remained on the waiting list.
Those with service dogs had less severe symptoms and better quality of life. For example, they had milder depression and anxiety and better moods. They were also significantly less likely to continue meeting diagnostic criteria for .
These results provide the most definitive evidence to date that service dogs are more than just pets. Our findings suggest that partnerships with these trained animals can lead to life-saving benefits for current and former service members.
Because it is important
With more than 17 US military veterans committing suicide daily, their mental health is a pressing concern. Up to 29% of post-9/11 veterans have been diagnosed with this disease at some point. There are some treatments available, such as exposure therapy and medications. But barriers to care, stigma, and high dropout rates from treatment programs limit their effectiveness; therefore, there is a push to identify additional treatment options.
For example, there has recently been research on the use of the drug MDMA, combined with psychotherapy, for . However, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted in June 2024 against approving use of the drug as a treatment due to concerns about safety and potential for abuse.
Service dogs are trained in specific tasks to help with a disability. For veterans with , a dog's role might include interrupting a panic attack or lying on the veteran's lap to calm them down. People with disabilities have the legal right to be accompanied by their service dogs in public, whether in a supermarket or at a baseball game.
Our findings can inform policymakers, clinicians, and insurance companies about the value of service dogs to veterans, potentially increasing funding for groups that train and place service dogs and shortening wait times.
Whats Next
We are conducting a randomized clinical trial called the Service Dog and Veterans Experiences Study, or SERVES. It is being done in collaboration with K9s For Warriors and Canine Companions, another nonprofit that trains and provides service dogs to veterans.
In this upcoming study, a random group of veterans will receive a service dog early or remain on the wait list as a control. We will follow those veterans for 12 months, instead of just three months, after whether or not they receive a service dog.
The SERVES study will, in turn, be followed by another randomized clinical trial funded by the Department of Defense. Will investigate whether partnerships with service dogs can improve the effectiveness of prolonged exposure therapy, an existing gold standard treatment for. (The conversation) AMS
