Seizure-Alert and Response Dogs
“A service dog is a canine service animal that generally serves a single individual with a physical or mental disability” (Ensminger definitions xi).
SEIZURES AND EPILEPSY
“Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by repeated occurrences of seizures” (Varsavsy et al. 313). Seizures can cause a person to fall, shake, walk, or lose consciousness (Fetty 7). “The symptoms of epilepsy are very diverse and these depend on the region of the brain that is affected. An abnormality may cause seizures the via the same mechanisms, but affect the epileptic person differently depending on its location” (Varsavsy et al. 13). A seizure results from the brain sending abnormal signals to the body, which proceeds to generate …show more content…
Seizure-response dogs do not detect and warn their handler about an incoming seizure. Instead, they assist the human once the seizure begins. This generally consists of circling around their owner, moving nearby objects, or pushing a button that notifies emergency services. In these ways, the seizure-response dog refrains their handler from walking into safety hazards, falling, or allowing one of their frequent seizures to convert into an abnormal emergency (Fetty 8). …show more content…
Yet, the dog alerts Joel about an oncoming seizure by running into whichever room Joel is presently in, and either hugs his owner’s leg or attempts to be very near his face. Joel then takes medication to block the oncoming seizure (Fetty 24).
EXPLANATIONS FOR CANINES’ ABILITY TO SENSE ONCOMING SEIZURE
Deborah J. Dalziel states in Seizure-alert dogs: a review and preliminary study: Because a dog’s primary form of communication is body language and facial expressions, it is plausible that a seizure-alerting dog is cued by the patient’s most minute gestures or posturing. However, with reports of dogs being out of sight of their handlers and then suddenly approaching them and alerting, one has to consider the possibility of a scent, auditory cue or some other signal independent of visual cues. It seems possible that any one or combination of these senses play an important part in alerting behavior (Dalziel 115).
“Some dogs appear to detect physiological changes in the bodies of humans, such as the imminent onset of a seizure, or falling glucose levels. The basis of this skill remains uncertain. Dog may smell a chemical shift in the handler’s body or sense a subtle change in the handler’s behavior” (Ensminger 64).
SKEPTICISM FOR CANINES’ ABILITY TO SENSE ONCOMING
“A service dog is a canine service animal that generally serves a single individual with a physical or mental disability” (Ensminger definitions xi).
SEIZURES AND EPILEPSY
“Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by repeated occurrences of seizures” (Varsavsy et al. 313). Seizures can cause a person to fall, shake, walk, or lose consciousness (Fetty 7). “The symptoms of epilepsy are very diverse and these depend on the region of the brain that is affected. An abnormality may cause seizures the via the same mechanisms, but affect the epileptic person differently depending on its location” (Varsavsy et al. 13). A seizure results from the brain sending abnormal signals to the body, which proceeds to generate …show more content…
Seizure-response dogs do not detect and warn their handler about an incoming seizure. Instead, they assist the human once the seizure begins. This generally consists of circling around their owner, moving nearby objects, or pushing a button that notifies emergency services. In these ways, the seizure-response dog refrains their handler from walking into safety hazards, falling, or allowing one of their frequent seizures to convert into an abnormal emergency (Fetty 8). …show more content…
Yet, the dog alerts Joel about an oncoming seizure by running into whichever room Joel is presently in, and either hugs his owner’s leg or attempts to be very near his face. Joel then takes medication to block the oncoming seizure (Fetty 24).
EXPLANATIONS FOR CANINES’ ABILITY TO SENSE ONCOMING SEIZURE
Deborah J. Dalziel states in Seizure-alert dogs: a review and preliminary study: Because a dog’s primary form of communication is body language and facial expressions, it is plausible that a seizure-alerting dog is cued by the patient’s most minute gestures or posturing. However, with reports of dogs being out of sight of their handlers and then suddenly approaching them and alerting, one has to consider the possibility of a scent, auditory cue or some other signal independent of visual cues. It seems possible that any one or combination of these senses play an important part in alerting behavior (Dalziel 115).
“Some dogs appear to detect physiological changes in the bodies of humans, such as the imminent onset of a seizure, or falling glucose levels. The basis of this skill remains uncertain. Dog may smell a chemical shift in the handler’s body or sense a subtle change in the handler’s behavior” (Ensminger 64).
SKEPTICISM FOR CANINES’ ABILITY TO SENSE ONCOMING