Chapter 109: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Qian Kou and the veterinarian he sent, Zheng Wubin, were both seasoned professionals with over a decade of experience. Upon seeing Banban, the Samoyed, Zheng discreetly confided to Zhang Congwen that the dog’s condition did not look promising. However, they refrained from immediately examining the Samoyed and instead observed its usual behavior.

Samoyeds are often called “smiling angels,” but there was no trace of that in this dog. Zhou Xingxing’s home was located on the rural outskirts of the city, and her house was quite large. Normally, a dog in such a spacious environment would be lively, yet this Samoyed was an exception. It always appeared listless, slowly wandering the yard without much vitality.

Fortunately, from observing its gait, Zheng Wubin concluded that the dog’s legs and joints were not physically impaired. Yet, just as Zhou Xingxing had described, the dog disliked any close approach. Even from a distance of ten meters, if it saw someone raise a hand, it would uncontrollably twitch. This reaction held true even when the person was Zhou Xingxing herself.

Zhou Xingxing wanted to get closer to the Samoyed, so she held out a freeze-dried treat, extending her arm as far as possible, waiting for Banban to come forward. At first, Banban was hesitant and fearful, reluctant to approach. But the allure of the treat eventually overcame its fear. Slowly, the Samoyed edged nearer but dared not bite down fully; it only grasped the very end of the treat with its mouth. As a result, the treat slipped from its grasp and fell to the ground.

Instinctively, Zhou Xingxing reached to pick it up, and at that moment, Banban’s spasms flared up again. Torn between the instinctive fear of a raised hand and the desire for the treat, the dog froze, twitching uncontrollably. It would tentatively move forward to reach for the treat, then recoil spasmodically, caught in this agonizing indecision. The scene, under normal circumstances, might have seemed comical, but none of those present could find humor in it now; all they felt was profound pity.

Tears welled in Zhou Xingxing’s eyes. She could only step back, leaving the dog to finally feel safe enough to eat the treat fallen on the ground. At that moment, she nearly wept openly but, perhaps feeling embarrassed in front of so many, she stifled her tears and retreated indoors.

Zhou Xingxing longed to grow close to Banban. Unable to touch the dog, she stood on the balcony, separated by a glass door, interacting with it from a distance. As long as the glass stood between them, Banban showed no fear, regardless of what she did. This barrier was the only way she had found to engage with Banban closely after all this time. Though they could see each other, they could not touch.

Sitting before the glass door, she played with the Samoyed, but eventually, the tears she had held back began to flow freely. Life had changed so drastically. Banban had become her only family, and yet when her family needed help, she was powerless. The helplessness was indescribable, beyond words, leaving her utterly alone.

Having fully assessed the dog’s condition and Zhou Xingxing’s predicament, Zhang Congwen and Zheng Wubin decided to conduct a physical examination to determine if the symptoms were due to a medical issue. Zheng, experienced and methodical, adopted Zhou Xingxing’s approach—holding a piece of meat in one hand to coax the dog closer while using the other hand to examine it.

Though Zheng’s movements triggered the dog’s spasms, his small, careful gestures and the safe distance he maintained prevented Banban from fleeing, even as it trembled uncontrollably. After the examination, Zheng subtly shook his head at Zhang. Initially, he had suspected damage to the dog’s cervical spine or brain causing the seizures and spasms, but the tests showed that the dog’s bodily functions were normal. The spasms were not due to physical injury.

“It behaves like a normal dog when there are no external stimuli,” Zheng summarized. “You can understand it as the dog only exhibits symptoms when triggered by outside factors.” In other words, Banban’s condition was more likely psychological than physical.

Given the dog’s current state, a detailed physical examination was impossible, so this was only a preliminary diagnosis—with over eighty percent certainty.

After a brief discussion, Zhang and Zheng reached a consensus: the dog might be suffering from PTSD—Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This condition could plausibly be linked to the traumatic experiences Banban endured during the time it was lost. However, no one knew what the dog had gone through during that period, so they couldn’t make a definitive diagnosis.

Zheng patted Zhang’s shoulder. “You should take a look. You probably understand this better than I do.”

Zhang nodded and decided to have Zhou Xingxing perform a small test. He instructed her to hold out her palm, positioning her hand slightly lower than the dog’s head, extending it toward Banban. What happened next was astonishing.

As Zhou Xingxing stretched out her hand, Banban showed no sign of fear or spasms; it did not try to flee or tremble uncontrollably. Instead, it cautiously sniffed her slender hand.

“How can this be?” Zhou Xingxing was filled with joy and repeated the gesture multiple times. Without exception, the dog remained calm, without the previous uncontrollable trembling.

Even Zhang stepped forward and extended his hand toward Banban. The dog met the unfamiliar hand calmly, showing no abnormal reactions.

Until—

Zhang flipped his palm, raised his hand upright, and lifted it higher—

Banban suddenly trembled uncontrollably again. The seizures intensified so severely that the dog collapsed onto the ground, convulsing violently. Zhang quickly withdrew his hand, waiting for the Samoyed to calm down.

“Trainer Zhang, why does Banban react like this?” Zhou Xingxing was bewildered. The dog had seemed fine moments ago; how had it suddenly relapsed?

She had been overjoyed when Banban no longer feared her hand, believing the dog might finally be saved. But seeing this relapse shattered her hopes, plunging her back into despair.

Zhang explained, “From what we observe, Banban’s brain receives a fear signal whenever it sees a hand raised above its head or notices something suspended high above. Dr. Zheng and I believe the dog has developed some form of post-traumatic stress disorder. During its time as a stray, it likely witnessed events so shocking or unbearable that it triggered this trauma—or it could be a stress disorder caused by extreme pressure. In short, it’s probably a psychological issue, not a physical one.”