Gina, the bomb sniffing German Shepherd treated for PTSD

Andrieski/APGina, a highly trained bomb-sniffing dog with the U.S. military, joins Staff Sgt. Chris Kench on a sofa at the kennel at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. She has been diagnosed with PTSD.

Depressed dog Gina gets treated for post-traumatic stress disorder after coming home from Iraq
BY Aliyah Shahid
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Tuesday, August 3rd 2010, 11:22 AM


Poor pup.

Soldiers aren't the only ones being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Some dogs are too, according to The Associated Press.

Gina, a highly-trained, bomb-sniffing German Shepherd is being treated for the disorder after she came home from Iraq and refused to enter rooms.

Once she went inside, the terrified dog would tuck her tail between her legs and crouch to the floor. She'd then hide under furniture to avoid humans.

Gina used to be a people-friendly canine. But at 2-years-old, she was sent to Iraq to search homes. She would frequently observe loud explosions. She was once in a convoy when another vehicle got bombed.

When Gina came back to Colorado after a six-month stint abroad, a military vet diagnosed Gina with PTSD, which animal experts say can affect dogs just like humans.



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