Ask the Vet: How Service Dogs are Helping Veterans with PTSD with Dr. Maggie O'Haire

In this episode of Ask the Vet, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Maggie O'Haire, a noted researcher in the field of human-animal interactions. Dr. O'Haire's work is paving the way for understanding how service dogs can make a tremendous difference in the lives of veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Tune in as they discuss:
· How the Organization for Human-Animal Interaction Research and Education was named
· Dr. O'Haire's inspiration to study human-animal interactions
· The ways Dr. O'Haire persisted in studying a relatively new field with few opportunities
· The difference between service dogs, emotional support dogs, and therapy dogs
· What is cortisol and how does it relate to post-traumatic stress disorder?
· How having a service dog impacted veterans' stress physiology in Dr. O'Haire's study
· How Dr. O'Haire hopes her work will improve health care for veterans
· The pros and cons of a national certification or registration body for service animals
· Dr. O'Haire's next project
· In addition to veterans, who can service dogs help?
Also on this month's show:
· Viral trending animal story about Albert, the "gentle giant" 750 pound alligator seized from a home in New York state
· Animal news, including new research showing that 25% of Labrador · Retrievers carry a genetic mutation that predisposes them to obesity
· Pet Health Listener Q&A
Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [e-mail] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.