Research shows that the human-animal bond helps veterans with PTSD. Emergency medicine resident Dr. Andrew Vierra shares his experience with Anna, his service dog.
When emergency medicine physician Dr. Andrew Vierra completes his residency in the summer of 2026 at McLaren Oakland Hospital in Pontiac, Mich., it will be thanks in part to his canine companion. Dr. Vierra’s service dog, Anna, was by his side throughout his medical school studies at American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine and through his years of emergency medicine residency.
Dr. Vierra lives with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) since he returned from military service as a missile technician on a Navy submarine patrolling the Pacific. During his time beneath the ocean, he experienced about five to seven fires, leaks, and losses of power that caused PTSD. Upon his re-entry as a civilian, he found daily life almost impossible. Whenever he heard an alarm, he felt extremely anxious and unsafe.
Determined to fulfill his lifelong ambition to become a physician, he sought relief from debilitating symptoms. Through therapy and years of “not so successful treatments,” he learned about service dog programs.
These programs are increasingly backed by research.
A June 2024 National Institutes of Health study found that veterans with PTSD get significant benefits from service dogs. It demonstrated that for military members and veterans with PTSD, adding a service dog to their usual care could reduce the severity of their symptoms and lower depression while enhancing their quality of life.
Dr. Vierra found that Anna also brought a level of comfort to his fellow med school students, doctors, hospital staff, and patients.
“During our four-hour exams, she worked the room, walking around and helping students feel calm,” says Dr. Vierra. “She does that now at the hospital with my co-residents and attending physicians.”
Having Anna at his side has also made Dr. Vierra a more empathetic physician.
“We had a homeless individual in the emergency room and had to make a judgment call on whether or not to allow his pit bull to accompany them,” says Dr. Vierra. “I realized that the dog was all they had in the doorway where they slept and how important it was for them to have the dog with them.”
In an era marked by the need for innovative treatments for mental health conditions, the comforting presence of animals has emerged as an increasingly recognized mode of healing.
“Anna has helped me realize the need to educate other people on the healthcare teams about mental illness,” says Dr. Vierra. “My relationship with her has opened my eyes to being more receptive to the situations patients walk in the door with.”
For more information, email the Adtalem Global Communications Team: adtalemmedia@adtalem.com.
