Last March, several news stories reported on the mental and physical health costs U.S. military dogs were paying [3] in the line of duty, including what behaviorists at the time mostly called “combat stress.” Now they're calling it canine PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and, according to a story in The New York Times [4], more than five percent of the approximately 650 military dogs deployed in combat are developing the condition.

The partnership between humans and dogs is a beautiful thing, but it’s upsetting to see our dedicated partners suffer in this way. If the Pentagon’s record on treating PTSD in veterans [5] is any measure, I’m not hopeful for these poor pups.