Service dogs alert to ptsd

[Grama-Herc]

I recently discovered an article on the work being done with service dogs aiding in the treatment of PTSD.

Apparently, the dogs are able to sense when a panic/anxiety attack is in the early beginning stages. They let their owner know what is coming, just like the seizure alert dogs work.

There is a woman out there, somewhere, who is proving these dogs free of charge to our guys who are suffering.

I have not been able to locate this person or the article that identifies her and her organization, but she IS out there. So with further research I hope to find the information to post here.

But I find this inspiring to think that we could have a way to detect the onset of our worst symptoms and be able to prepare for them. Apparently this IS a possibility, at least for our veterans

 

[Deleted member 541]

Herc I removed the link because it was live. I will email it to you....Sorry

 

[Deleted member 541]

I talked to Herc and will try this again....UGH!!!!!!


Ok I give up!!!! I unchecked parse link so I don't know. Anthony or Rachel will have to fix it. Sorry!!!!

iaadp.org/psd_tasks.html

 

[Jet]

I actually had a service dog for a while. His name was Loki and he was the most amazing creature...

I was a little unsure about the whole thing to begin with...my best friend also has PTSD and she got a service dog...she was the one who said that I should look into it. She did her dogs training herself through a facility here in Washington called Pawsibilities. Dana and Larry have been working with dogs and their people for many years and are wonderful people. The training of service dogs can be quite costly and waiting lists can be long but with Dana and Larry you provide the dog and then sign up for obedience classes (which are relatively inexpensive) and then you can take service dog classes for free.

Anyway, I went with her to one of the classes and talked to Dana for a bit. By coincidence there was a lady visiting the class (she worked with developmentally disabled adults and one of her clients had found a job in a vets office so she was there learning how to handle dogs) who had found a dog that was thrown out of the back of a truck onto the freeway.

I had told myself that if I were to do this then I would not take the first dog to come along...I would look around for a bit and not rush into anything. But the minute I saw him I knew he was perfect.

Loki was a cattle dog mix...he was a handful and a nutball. When he came to me he did not even walk on a leash. But he was smart and learned quickly. Within a month he went everywhere with me and was very well behaved. Wore his pack with pride. More then once he got me out of stressful situations before I even knew a panic attack was coming.

But the most amazing thing he ever did was not even for me....when we rode the bus we had a routine...we got on and paid and then loki would scoot under the handicapped seats in the front of the bus. But this one day he broke the routine and as I was paying he walked over to this guy who was sitting in the front seat and started sniffing at his knee and whining...he was nosing his knee rather insistently. I made him get under the seat and apologized for my dogs rude behavior. The man said it was no big deal and told me I had a beautiful dog.

About 2 months later we got on the bus and ran into the same man...who proceeded to tell me that my dog had saved his life....apparently his knee had been hurting rather bad that day and had been bothering him for a while but he had been putting off going to see the doc. After Loki had done his sniffing and crying the man thought that maybe he had put it off long enough and made an appointment. Turned out he had cancer and ended up having to have his leg amputated....however the doc said that if he had waited much longer it would likely have spread and he may not have lived.

Loki was only with me for about 8 months before he passed away but he will always be in my heart...he gave me back my life and touched the hearts and lives of many others. He is greatly missed.

 

[Deleted member 541]

Jet,

I have heard and read articles on dogs that not only can smell cancer, but they also alert their owners to heart attacks, and strokes that are going to happen within a short time. Totally amazing what dogs can do.....

 

[Grama-Herc]

I had always knew of service dogs for epilepsy, parkinsons and other health issues I just had never heard of one for PTSD and the way they can alert to oncoming panic.


Animals are amazing and we have only touch the surface of their true abilities

 

[Mina]

Neat concept :smile:

I was just giggling about it, though, thinking about it in my particular context. My PTSD is from a dogbite...so I'm picturing me kinda freaking out about being around the dog, and the dog trying to warn me that I'm going to freak out. Rather circular. I can't stop giggling, so I guess that's good progress!! :wink:

 

[Grama-Herc]

Hey, my day has to include 2 things to be complete. #1 I need to learn 1 new thing every day and #2 I strive to make at least 1 person laugh every day.

I'm glad you were able to enjoy a laugh. It is a rather funny concept for you, isn't it?

 

[bratgrrl]

I have a service dog that goes with me everywhere! She can sense my panic coming. She uses her body to push into me and grounds me. She also wakes me from the nightmares! She wasn't trained to do this. One day she just started to paw me in my sleep and continued to do so until I woke. She barks if she hears anything at night. She has been the best thing for my PTSD, allowing me to go out more. I am working on stepping out the front door, just her and I. She has made it possible for me to work in my garden without someone else out there with me. As I know she will alert me to anyone!!!
Gracie is truly amazing!!!!

 

[nemofightsfire]

During recovery efforts in South Texas for Hurricane Rita FEMA had supplied our base camp with service dogs who would wander the hallways with thier handlers. The handlers are trained Critical Incident Stress counsellors. The dogs were there as a tool. We didn't have to speak the humans....The dogs were more than enough so many times.

 

[Grama-Herc]

WOW Guys, how inspiring to hear. Thanks for sharing your experiences with the special animals in your lives .

 

[popeye]

I have been researching PSD training here in my area. A lot of the trainers have never heard of psychiatric service dogs. I myself have a 3 year old Chocolate Lab that I love very much but has his issues. I am considering either training him to be a PSD or getting a dog to be a trained PSD. Either way I am looking into this because I am going to be returning to work here in the near future and I am afraid my Meds will not be enough. My PTSD has to do with the workplace so I am much easier to trigger at work. I was hoping for a dog that I can take with me to work to help keep me focused on work and grounded in case I have another Panic attack. Not sure how that will work out but I figured I would post something about this.