Veteran PTSD Study Expands Service Dog Research

University of Arizona researchers are widening their study of service dogs as a treatment aid for veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Veterinary Medicine

Veteran PTSD Study Expands Service Dog Research

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Should service dogs be a standard part of veterans' PTSD treatment?

University of Arizona researchers have expanded their study of service dogs and veterans with PTSD, backed by more than $325,000 in funding from the Dogtopia Foundation since 2023. The work builds on a 2024 study led by Maggie O'Haire that found veterans paired with psychiatric service dogs reported fewer PTSD symptoms after three months than veterans receiving usual care.

Why it matters

PTSD remains a difficult condition to treat, and the research is examining whether service dogs can complement existing care for veterans. Researchers are also looking at whether the dogs can help patients stay engaged in prolonged exposure therapy.

The 2024 study found PTSD symptom scores nearly 12 points lower for veterans with service dogs than for the comparison group after three months. Results from the ongoing 15-month national randomized clinical trial have not yet been reported.

The players

University of Arizona

A public research university in Tucson whose College of Veterinary Medicine is conducting the service dog and PTSD research.

Maggie O'Haire

A University of Arizona associate dean for research and professor who leads the study of service dogs and veterans with PTSD.

Dogtopia Foundation

A charitable foundation funded by Dogtopia franchisees, employees and customers that supports research and veteran-service dog partnerships.

The details

The research, led by Maggie O'Haire at the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine, is funded in part by the Dogtopia Foundation, which has raised more than $5.8 million and supported more than 850 veteran-service dog teams. Additional studies have linked service dog partnerships to healthier morning cortisol patterns, improved emotional functioning, more positive social interactions and reduced odds of panic attacks.

2023: Dogtopia Foundation funding of the research began.
2024: O'Haire's study was published in JAMA Network Open.
Nov. 5, 2026: The foundation announced the expanded research efforts.
Nov. 11, 2026: Veterans Day, ahead of which the announcement was made.

Roadmap

The expanded work extends the 2024 JAMA Network Open study led by Maggie O'Haire, which found veterans with psychiatric service dogs reported fewer PTSD symptoms than those receiving usual care. A national randomized clinical trial now following veterans for 15 months is designed to test those findings at a larger scale.

Veterans with PTSD who are considering service dogs may eventually have clearer evidence on their benefits and how the dogs fit into treatment plans. Researchers have not yet determined which veterans benefit most or whether the dogs can keep patients engaged in therapy.

The takeaway

Service dogs are being studied as a potential complement to established PTSD treatment rather than a replacement for it. Veterans considering this option should discuss it with their care providers, since the larger clinical trial results are still pending.