Related Links
National Epilepsy Foundation
American Epilepsy Outreach
Epilepsy.com
The Epilepsy Project
EpilepsyClassroom.com
seizuretracker.com
Information on Clinical Trials
Pacer Center
Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance
National Dissemination Center for Children With Disabilities
National Institutes of Health
Neuroscience For Kids
Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome Family Support
SEIZURE RESPONSE DOGS
There have been many reports in the media about dogs helping people with epilepsy in various ways – as faithful companions, as protectors when seizures occur, as warning systems to alert other family members when a child or adult has had a seizure and as being capable of warning their owners before a seizure occurs.
These reports – especially the ones that suggest that dogs can sense when someone is going to have a seizure - have created a demand for dogs with this skill. Some kennels and trainers have responded to the demand with promotional materials claiming that they can train dogs to recognize a seizure in advance and to respond appropriately when the seizure occurs. Such dogs may cost several thousand dollars.
Although many people are convinced that their dogs can sense when a seizure is about to happen, there is no scientific evidence that dogs can be trained to perform in this way. However, since there is currently no way of knowing what kind of training is needed to develop these skills in dogs, nor even whether it is possible to do so, the Epilepsy Foundation suggests that people should be cautious about purchasing “seizure dogs,” especially when large sums of money are involved and the dogs are “trained” in settings far from their new families.
Dogs that appear to be capable of sensing a seizure have their own ways of alerting their owners. A dog that normally plays peacefully with a favorite toy may instead violently shake the toy. Many dogs nudge or lean against their owner, or pace in an agitated manner. Other dogs start pacing and lick their owner’s hands, and pull at the owner’s pants wanting to get them down on the floor. Then, they may bring pillows from the bed and put them on the floor next to the owner. Many seizure response dogs protect their owners from hurting themselves by lying next to them or over them until the seizure ends. The surprising element is that while dogs may be trained to respond once a seizure is happening, there’s simply no reliable way to train a dog to “alert.”
While it remains a mystery as to how dogs may be able to sense an impending seizure, there are several theories. Some trainers and researchers think dogs respond to subtle changes in body odors that precede a seizure. Others believe they respond to a change in electrical brain wave activity. Dogs also pick up on physical changes. “We had a dog who alerted when he saw eye fluttering or lip smacking that tended to precede a client’s seizures,” says Mike Sapp of Paws with a Cause in Wayland, Michigan, which breeds, trains and places seizure response dogs. “One of our dogs alerts when his owner’s right hand clenches into a fist before a seizure.”
Only about one in every 100 dogs has what it takes to be a seizure response dog, explains Mr. Sapp. Most service dog centers train Labrador and golden retrievers, although trainers agree that breed is not as important as personality. Affection toward humans is the most pertinent characteristic. The gender, size and age of the dog don’t seem to matter either. Even people with seizure disorders who own untrained dogs report that their dogs help them when they are having a seizure. However only about five percent say their dogs alert them that a seizure is coming. A trained seizure response dog is far more likely than an untrained dog to “predict” oncoming seizures.
Dogs which appear to predict seizures tend to do so repeatedly and reliably - according to some people as much as 90% of the time. False alarms happen, but rarely. A dog’s alerting ability may suddenly stop when the owner changes seizure medication. They usually start alerting again after a brief adjustment period.
The key seems to be matching the right dog to the client. If the chemistry’s not there, it won’t work. To make the correct match, clients attend a training camp where they might work with different dogs. The choice is narrowed down, daily, until the dog picks the person or the person picks the dog. You may have a dog which won’t do anything for 11 people but when the 12th person tells the dog to turn off a light, it does. The dog then wants to know if that person wants the light on and if there is anything else he or she would like done.
Dogs with the closest bonds to their owners are the ones most likely to predict seizures. Some dogs stop alerting when, for whatever reason, their owners stop spending a lot of time with them. Seizure frequency also affects how reliably a dog responds or predicts. A dog may not respond if a person has several seizures per day because the dog thinks that’s normal. One seizure every couple of months may not be enough. About one seizure per week is enough for the dog to stay in the habit of knowing what to do.
Seizure alert dogs can predict all kinds of seizures, in men, women and children of all ages. People often have unrealistic expectations about what a seizure response dog can do for them. Many will never “predict” seizures. For that reason the agencies which provide the dogs never say they are providing “seizure alert” dogs.
Even if a “seizure response” dog never predicts seizures, owning one still is beneficial for the owner’s health and well-being. Many clients report having fewer seizures once they get a response dog. A 50% reduction in seizures has been reported by some sources. No one can say the decrease is due entirely to the dog, but seizure response dog owners say they have less stress and feel less vulnerable, factors which may help explain the reduction in seizure activity. Medical research has shown that a dog – any dog - may help people with chronic conditions live happier, healthier lives.
For more information about seizure response dogs or where to get one you may contact the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota Information and Referral at 651-287-2303 or 800-779-0777 ext. 2303.
Contributing sources for this article: Epilepsy Foundation of America,and "Living With Epilepsy" magazine
|
