"Despite the documented evidence of chess historian H.J.R. Murray, I have always thought that chess was invented by a goddess."
George Koltanowski, from Women in Chess, Players of the Modern Game
Even the most hardened soldier can escape grievous wounds on the battlefield
only to suffer deeply painful psychological traumas after returning home. And
unfortunately, the same pattern of psychic trauma seems to apply for the dogs
that help provide essential services for military men and women.
The relationship between military dogs and the service members who own them
is a complex one. In fact, as recently as March, the military was highlighting
the use of dogs to help treat human soldiers suffering from PTSD.
The study of canine PTSD is only about 18 months old, Dao reports, even
though animal behavior has been studied for centuries:
Like humans with the analogous disorder, different dogs show different
symptoms. Some become hyper-vigilant. Others avoid buildings or work areas that
they had previously been comfortable in. Some undergo sharp changes in
temperament, becoming unusually aggressive with their handlers, or clingy and
timid. Most crucially, many stop doing the tasks they were trained to
perform.
"If the dog is trained to find improvised explosives and it looks like it's
working, but isn't, it's not just the dog that's at risk," said Dr. Walter F.
Burghardt Jr., chief of behavioral medicine at the Daniel E. Holland Military
Working Dog Hospital at Lackland Air Force Base "This is a human health issue
as well."
Military dogs have reportedly become the most effective tool for detecting
improvised explosive devices (IED's) in the battlefield. IED's are typically
composed of chemicals, rather than metals--which makes them especially hard to
detect via conventional electronic monitoring systems.
And as Dao goes on to explain, testing the dogs for PTSD is a complex
process:
In a series of videos that Dr. Burghardt uses to train veterinarians to spot
canine PTSD, one shepherd barks wildly at the sound of gunfire that it had once
tolerated in silence. Another can be seen confidently inspecting the interior of
cars but then refusing to go inside a bus or a building. Another sits listlessly
on a barrier wall, then after finally responding to its handler's summons, runs
away from a group of Afghan soldiers.
Once a military dog is diagnosed with PTSD, Dr. Burghardt works directly with
veterinarians on treatment:
Since the patient cannot explain what is wrong, veterinarians and handlers
must make educated guesses about the traumatizing events. Care can be as simple
as taking a dog off patrol and giving it lots of exercise, play time and gentle
obedience training.
More serious cases will receive what Dr. Burghardt calls "desensitization
counter-conditioning," which entails exposing the dog at a safe distance to a
sight or sound that might trigger a reaction—a gunshot, a loud bang or a
vehicle, for instance. If the dog does not react, it is rewarded, and the
trigger—"the spider in a glass box," Dr. Burghardt calls it—is moved
progressively closer until the dog is comfortable with it.
Some dogs are even treated
with the anti-anxiety drug Xanax. That regimen permits them not merely to
recover from their trauma, experts say--it also helps them eventually return to
active duty. Those dogs unable to re-enlist are allowed to retire, either with
an adoptive family or an inactive service member.
HOW THE FLYING F CAN A DOG 'RE-ENLIST?' AS IF IT'S VOLUNTARY ON THE DOG'S PART?
Very informative. As what you said that some dogs are treated with the anti-anxiety drug Xanax, how much would it cost and how many days do dogs recover from trauma after giving such treatment.
"HOW THE FLYING F CAN A DOG 'RE-ENLIST?' AS IF IT'S VOLUNTARY ON THE DOG'S PART?"
ReplyDeleteYou know, like when you're in a group of friends, and someone "volunteers" you to do something... :D
Very informative. As what you said that some dogs are treated with the anti-anxiety drug Xanax, how much would it cost and how many days do dogs recover from trauma after giving such treatment.
ReplyDeleteDogs re-enlisting. Yes, I also found that rather curious.
ReplyDeletestop loss
ReplyDelete