Dog Medicine: How Dogs Improve Your Health

Does everyone have the ability to be moved by an animal?
Roughly 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression, a the silent epidemic. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. behind cancer and heart disease, and yet society still doesn't address the possible reasons and cures for depression the way they do about other diseases.

When Julie Barton was so depressed she couldn't go on, it was her puppy's love and need for her that made her feel her own life was worth saving. Bunker needed her; she had to be there for him, and so she stayed.

How can a dog help ease symptoms of depression?

Listen in as Barton shares her personal story on how her dog saved her life.

Additional Info

  • Segment Number: 1
  • Audio File: health_radio/1549ml5a.mp3
  • Featured Speaker: Julie Barton, Author
  • Book Title: Dog Medicine: How My Dog Saved Me From Myself
  • Guest Bio: Julie BartonJulie Barton is a writer, mother of two and dog lover who lives in the Bay Area of Northern California. Her writing has been published in numerous magazines and journals, including BrainChild, The South Carolina Review, Louisiana Literature, Two Hawks Quarterly, Westview, as well as the Huffington Post. She holds an MFA in fiction writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and an MA in women's studies from Southern Connecticut State University.
  • Length (mins): 10
  • Waiver Received: No
  • Host: Melanie Cole, MS