Retired master sergeant David Crenshaw and his K9 service dog Doc join ‘Fox News Live’ to bring awareness to veterans suffering mental health issues in honor of Veterans Day weekend. This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
The positive impact of service dogs on the mental health of U.S. military veterans has been widely recognized.
The first clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in June looked into exactly how pairing service dogs with PTSD-diagnosed veterans improves symptoms. FDA PANEL REJECTS MDMA-ASSISTED THERAPIES FOR PTSD DESPITE HIGH HOPES FROM VETERANS The University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine partnered with K9s For Warriors – the nation’s largest provider of trained service dogs, based in Florida – to study over 156 military veterans over three months, based on their self-reported symptoms and doctors' assessments. The largest nationwide survey of its kind analyzed service dog partnerships in 81 vets compared to those who received traditional care without a dog.
Marine Corps veteran Bill Lins, a sergeant from 2004 to 2016, is pictured here with his dog, Link. Lins suffered from PTSD and a traumatic brain injury after he left the service. (K9s for Warriors) The study looked at each participant's PTSD symptoms, including psychosocial functioning, quality of life and social health.
Veterans with.