Whether it’s a clue they’re able to see, sniff, or sense, some very special medical alert dogs help reduce the fear and risk associated with epileptic seizures.

Man’s best friend continues to inspire and amaze. As if their

companionship and capacity for unconditional love weren’t enough to endear them to us, their intelligence and loyalty can come into play in literally saving our lives.

Last month, Tonic brought a story of some remarkable retrievers whose sense of smell provides their diabetes-afflicted keepers with an alert signal to let them know if their blood sugar has reached a dangerous level. And from the UK’s The Telegraph comes word of another group of remarkable pooches, trained to predict the imminent arrival of an epileptic seizure. This warning gives the individual enough time to find a safe place to sit or lie down, minimizing the risk of a fall-related injury.

As The Telegraph points out, it’s not certain precisely how these dogs that are trained to provide this highly specialized and invaluable service can do what they do. These seizure alert dogs have a finely-tuned sense of smell that can pick up the biochemical change that precedes a seizure; they have an ability to pick up cues in gesture or expression; and they can detect very subtle shifts in the central nervous system’s electrical field that foretell an imminent seizure.

Interestingly, the dogs that make the best candidates for being trained for this duty might otherwise be difficult to find permanent homes for. The Telegraph features 3-year old Eddie the terrier mix whose rambunctiousness was too much for his previous owners to handle, prompting them to surrender him to a local Sheffield shelter.

But according to Katie Burns, the Sheffield Support Dogs trainer who works with these animals until they’re ready to be matched with a person in need, this heightened level of energy and vigilance positions them to make ideal candidates for seizure alert training.

~Courtesy of www.tonic.com

Written by: David Bois

Tags: Body, Dogs, Health & Wellness, Pets & Animals, tonic