Service Dog for Heart Condition - DogForum.net

**skunkstripe** · 07-03-2007, 07:41 AM

I read this on Sunday and fortunately it is online.
Ther is a woman with a heart condition that causes her to faint unexpectedly. She now has a service dog named Adele, a Black Lab, who somehow knows when she is about to faint (they still don't know whether the dog is picking up on a smell or maybe on an irregular heartbeat) and Adele "tells" her owner not to move until she thinks it is ok.
I find this amazing!

A woman's best friend, and lifesaver
Dog can warn of fainting

Quote:

Harris suffers from a chronic fainting disorder caused by an irregular heartbeat. Adele, a black Labrador retriever, is her heart service dog, trained to alert its owner about an impending problem. The agency that placed Adele with Harris has placed only one other heart alert dog, and the director says she knows of no others in the country.

source: http://www.boston.com/news/local/art...and_lifesaver/

dlambertz · 07-03-2007, 07:44 AM

I do daycare for a little one whose mom does the same thing. She is at home but can not watch her child due to a condition like this.(there are two older children who are old enough to be home but not old enough to watch the sibling)

I know Kim has ended up at the bottom of the basement stairs and if she had a dog that could alert her she would at least have time to get away from the steps.

KatzNK9 · 07-03-2007, 09:13 AM

These stories always amaze me. Dogs (and cats) can detect so many things. I do wonder if all dogs have senses like this and we just don't know it or if there is something special about those dogs who do sense such things.

phantomfishy · 02-15-2013, 11:51 AM

I have a life-threatening form of Grave's Disease that has left me with permanent heart conditions including atrial fibrillation and tachycardia. My German Shepherd, Jasmine, was the first to notice the heart problems. She will actually block me from moving (in a herding manner) and has physically pushed me back into my seat a few times. I keep a heart monitor with me and noticed that it was only when my heart rate was around 140+ bpm. I have since trained her to bring me my bottle of beta blockers and had her registered as a service dog. I have heard that cardiac assistance dogs are rare and I think it might be partially due to a need for a particular type of connection with their handler. Or maybe sometimes they're just born into it

Who knows? But I am eternally grateful for Jasmine, Best German Shepherd on Earth <3

PMR · 02-15-2013, 05:17 PM

That's quite amazing, you're lucky to have her. Welcome to the forum

07-03-2007, 07:44 AM	#2
dlambertz Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Midwest; USA Posts: 1,824 Rep: 63 Unique Rep: 22	I do daycare for a little one whose mom does the same thing. She is at home but can not watch her child due to a condition like this.(there are two older children who are old enough to be home but not old enough to watch the sibling) I know Kim has ended up at the bottom of the basement stairs and if she had a dog that could alert her she would at least have time to get away from the steps. __________________ ~D~

07-03-2007, 09:13 AM	#3
KatzNK9 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: USA Posts: 13,352 Rep: 315 Unique Rep: 88	These stories always amaze me. Dogs (and cats) can detect so many things. I do wonder if all dogs have senses like this and we just don't know it or if there is something special about those dogs who do sense such things. __________________ The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue. - Anonymous I've been sprung, scorched, boo'd, hugged, sniffed, admired, gobbled, frosted & HoHoHo'd.

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Service Dog for Heart Condition

02-15-2013, 11:51 AM	#4
phantomfishy Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 1 Rep: 10 Unique Rep: 0	I have a life-threatening form of Grave's Disease that has left me with permanent heart conditions including atrial fibrillation and tachycardia. My German Shepherd, Jasmine, was the first to notice the heart problems. She will actually block me from moving (in a herding manner) and has physically pushed me back into my seat a few times. I keep a heart monitor with me and noticed that it was only when my heart rate was around 140+ bpm. I have since trained her to bring me my bottle of beta blockers and had her registered as a service dog. I have heard that cardiac assistance dogs are rare and I think it might be partially due to a need for a particular type of connection with their handler. Or maybe sometimes they're just born into it Who knows? But I am eternally grateful for Jasmine, Best German Shepherd on Earth <3

02-15-2013, 05:17 PM	#5
PMR Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 616 Rep: 20 Unique Rep: 3	That's quite amazing, you're lucky to have her. Welcome to the forum

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