Canine companions aren't only for people with low vision. Read at CNN.com about how some people with severe epilepsy are getting help from dogs who've been trained to get help right away, in the earliest stages of the master's seizure. Some claim that the dogs actually can predict seizure onset. Jennifer Arnold, who trains and places these dogs, is quoted in the CNN article:
"We have no understanding of what it is that alerts the dogs that a
seizure is oncoming," she said. "Is it a smell that the body produces?
We don't know to what stimuli the dog is responding."
By spending time with epilepsy patients, Arnold's dogs are taught what a seizure looks like and not to be frightened.
Some dogs are able to anticipate a seizure 20 to 40 minutes before it happens.
"If the dog feels that their person is going to have a seizure, they
tend to get very restless and distressed. ... They show signs of stress
and agitation," Arnold said. "Provided their human can read what that
means, you have a really good alert system going on there."
Thanks, Lassie.
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