Dogs

It has recently been documented that some dogs seem to sense when their epileptic owners are going to have a seizure. It is as yet unclear just how they know this. It may be that the person’s scent changes or they may be picking up changes in electrical activity in their owner’s brain. It may even be as simple as subtle change in body language.

As yet there are no scientific studies confirming that dogs will alert consistently to every seizure, although there are owners who swear they do. Many owners describe how their dog often stares and paws at them, whines and generally behaves out of character.

Owners soon learn that if their dog behaves in this way, they are about to seizure and can then seek help, or sit or lie down so that they do not get hurt by falling with the onset of the fit.

The dogs, otherwise known as epilepsy-alert dogs, have an innate ability which is enhanced by training. The dog’s natural behaviour is reinforced and it is disciplined to do things such as fetch a pouch of medication or seek help. The dog also has to learn to trust other people to approach and assist its owner.

Epilepsy-alert dogs need to be strongly bonded to their owners. A dog that is kept outside and only has limited contact with its owner is unlikely to alert during the onset of a seizure or help its owner feel secure.

The training procedure for these dogs involves teaching them how to behave in public areas, namely, how to be calm and focused on their owner in a crowded restaurant or on public transport. It also teaches them to accept that other people carrying medical equipment may need to approach their extremely vulnerable owner in a rushed and threatening manner.

The alerting behaviour of the dogs is reinforced, and they have a daily practice routine that may involve fetching objects or finding a particular person who may assist their owner, such as a family member. Having a dog opens up a new world to people suffering from epilepsy.

When Jackie, an attractive, vivacious 78-year-old studying to become a social worker, was diagnosed with epilepsy, her world collapsed. She was having four seizures daily, and couldn’t drive, work or study. Her medication made her tired and depressed. She became afraid to venture outside.