Service dog update

Hi All,

As some of you know, I have been looking for a service/seizure/cardiac alert dog for the fainting problem. I was informed that I was on the wait list last April.

This weekend, I went up to Pennsylvania to see the organization and observe team training. It went really well. The first time I fainted, three of the seizure dogs jumped up and started licking my face/hands. (They are supposed to do this anytime their owner/handler loses consciousness.) I also went on a field trip to TJMAXX with them. While we were there, I was standing next to another person who has a fainting problem and one of the trainers was also working on retrieval. The dog was supposed to pick up a small toy and hand it to the owner. However, once she dropped the object, the dog would not retrieve it, the dog just kept looking straight at me- giving me sort of a stern look. The trainer realized the dog was alerting to something. The dog's handler said, "well, it is not me." However, by the time she got the sentence out, I was on the floor. Then the trainer said- Well, the dog was alerting to sailing. The dog then picked up the toy.

The good news in all of this- we have found that dogs will alert to my fainting spells. In addition, the dog alerted in enough time for me tto get on the floor or somewhere safe. When I spoke with the trainers, they were very confident that they could find a dog for me. Hopefully, I will get a dog this summer.

I am just so glad that this went well. It also proves that something is going on- that it isn't in my head.

Pain free days,
sailingm

Sailing,

That is fantastic that he picked up on you!!! That poses so many questions though. WHAT is he picking up on? Is it a smell, do you suddenly put out a hormone that smells like sex hormones do; your look - maybe in your eyes, they go glazed? Could he hear an increase/decrease in heart rate?

This intrigues me absolutely. I do so hope that they find one for you soon. Please keep us updated.

Sailing, when you get your new friend, please post a photo of him or her.

Martin

This is quite amazing Sailing. I do hope that you not have to wait too long for your own dog.

It is of course quite different but your story reminds me of something I've read few month ago about dogs being brillant at detecting cancer. Here is the link to that story:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/CancerPreventionAndTreatment/dog-detects-colorectal-cancer-standard-screening-test/story?id=12805641
It is fascianting.

I think perhaps dog's sense is highly tuned, much more so then humans, but I have also foung that migraine make me much, much more sensitive to the surroundings then "normal humans".

For example, I can smell very, very faint smells days after an event and this is often a course, since other people do not know what I am talking about, when I say that I cannot bear to be in some rooms which seems completely fine for other people, just because someone used a scented candle few days ago, or used bleach to clean a bathroom etc.

I am also sensitive to a very faint noise (I can hear my own heart beating, the blood pumping away), lighting (halogen, and similar) I can often sense them, even before I see them and become restless and uncomofrtable.

I think I can understan dog's sensitivity - it is probably something similar but even more acute.

BTW do dog's get migraine, I wonder?

Hi All,

Thanks so much for the replies.

I am not sure what it is that the dogs pick up on, but they definitely pick up on something. Even our wonderful standard poodle, Max, jumps back a few seconds before I fall- though I think in his case it is a matter of self preservation. Dogs really are amazing.

Don't worry guys, I will definitely post pictures as soon as I get a service dog.

Pain free days,
sailingm

What an amazing story and great to hear some good news posted. It makes me think that I would like to work with service dogs in some capacity, maybe train puppies. I had wanted to train puppies in Australia, but we had a very small house and did not have the space.

Wow... that's incredible- amazing friends, dogs! I hope you get one soon, I know you have been struggling with the fainting for so long....
Holly