Anyone else as an system alert dog or pat dog, K9 is my System Alert dog, I have diabetes & epilepsy he has alerted me several times when my sugar level has fallen very low, he has also alerted my husband on numerous occasions when I was going to have an epileptic seizure. K9 is also an child's treatment dog (Pat dog) he goes to the children's hospital & will sit next to them why they are having cancer/kidney treatment. K9 also goes to old people homes as a Pat dog he will either sit on the sofa/chair with them or go & sit with them outside.
There are more Staffies coming Pat dogs now, its nice to see these breeds getting possessive news, rather than the bad publicity they been getting
Pat dogs are wonderful little things they can make a huge difference to someones day... But alert dogs , well they are something special! Well done K9 for helping and saving your mammy
Its done by scent toondogs they use aniseed, chocolate & citrus scents as these are what normally people give off, when sugars are low its aniseed smell, when sugars are high its an chocolate smell & when seizure is coming on its an citrus smell (they use chocolate airspray not chocolate it self)
The comment that I marked in italics is of great interest to me because although I am not epileptic my dog is, and quite a few people on the epi List to which I belong have commented that their dogs have a different smell just before having a seizure. But as Pereg seizes either at night or when she is dozing I never have any warning, so have no idea if she gives off a different smell or not. K9 is absolutely adorable and I love that first photo!
Other dogs might be able to pick up your dog scent before she as an Seizure or even a cat can, some dogs do start acting funny up to a hour before they have a seizure, like whining, following you, making a nest, trying to go into a empty room. x
My dog was epileptic too, and I (and I think he) could always tell when he was about to have a fit - I don't remember if it was because of smell or something else now, as he was fit free from most of his life thanks to medication. I could always tell after he'd had one tho - the smell was quite unique, but difficult to explain.
As there are no other dogs or a cat around, just me, and as she goes from a full sleep or heavy doze straight into a full-blown GM there is no sign whatsoever that she is going to have one. There have been a few times when she acts a bit antsy and I am sure she is brewing up a seizure but always turn into nothing and she has never done so. The seizures just happen when they happen, with no prior warning. But I still love her oh so very much.
I did have Ziva trained as an system alert dog but unfortunately she would not allowed any first aider near me when I collapsed , so she is now a Pat Dog which is brilliant at, even bit crazy at time but the old people in the retirement village love her. Pictures of Ziva.