Dogs Suffer After War Just Like Soldiers

Post traumatic stress disorder applies not only to humans, but also to animals used in battle.

…the four-legged, wet-nosed troops used to sniff out mines, track down enemy fighters and clear buildings are struggling with the mental strains of combat nearly as much as their human counterparts.

By some estimates, more than 5 percent of the approximately 650 military dogs deployed by American combat forces are developing canine PTSD. Of those, about half are likely to be retired from service, Dr.[Walter F.} Burghardt said.

Symptoms vary.

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.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.