The Role That Service Dogs Play In The Lives Of People With Epilepsy

 

Service dogs are extremely important to many people with various types of disabilities, and this includes epilepsy! “Seizure Dogs”, as they’re commonly called, are quite popular among the epilepsy community. And for good reason!

So today, we’re going to talk about the relationship between seizure dogs and the people they serve. Including some of the benefits of someone who has epilepsy owning a service dog.

But first…

What is a service dog?

A service dog is a dog that’s trained to help people with disabilities, and they can be custom trained to fit a person’s specific lifestyle and unique needs. They’re more than just pets, because although they still provide companionship to their owner, they have a very important job.

These dogs are allowed to go places that regular pets can’t go, and they often wear harnesses or vests that show they’re service animals.

How do service dogs work with epilepsy?

Service dogs that specialize in assisting those with epilepsy are called seizure dogs, and they usually perform one of two functions..

• There are seizure predicting dogs, which are adept at recognizing when a seizure is about to occur. These types of service dogs will display certain signs when they sense their owner is about to have a seizure.

• And there are seizure response dogs, which have been trained to help their owner during and after a seizure. Some examples of what they might do is… alert other people to the seizure, protect the person while they’re seizing, comfort them afterwards, and sometimes even break their fall.

Now, it is possible for a dog to predict and respond to a seizure. But there’s no way to ensure this happens, because there’s no way to ensure that a dog will be able to predict a seizure. As I said, seizure predicting dogs just have a natural ability to sense that a seizure is coming. There’s no way to train a dog to do this!

In fact, many people with epilepsy who own regular dogs have reported that their pets have gradually started to show certain behaviors right before they seize. My daughter’s beagle has shown this ability on several occasions.

But as of now, there isn’t enough research to prove that domestic pets can actually sense seizures, and there’s no way to replicate it or cause it to happen. So it’s a very inconsistent phenomenon.

Which breeds can be seizure dogs?

It’s important to note that any breed of dog could be a service animal if they have the correct training. But some breeds are definitely used for this more often than others. Such as the following…

• Labs and retrievers

• Poodles and doodles

• German Shepards

• Collies

• And Newfoundlands

How do you get a seizure dog?

Obtaining a seizure dog can be a long, and potentially expensive, process. And everyone’s journey might look a little different.

The first main route is to find a dog trainer to train a service dog that will meet your needs, and the second option is to go through a non-profit that helps place service dogs with patients who need them.

But be aware that service dogs can take up to two years to train, and this training can cost as much as $40,000!

Additionally, be wary of who you get your service dog from. Because some trainers will issue false promises, such as lying and telling you that the dog can detect seizures when they can’t. Remember, nobody can promise that a dog will predict your seizures before they happen. So that’s a red flag to look for.

What are some alternatives if you can’t have a seizure dog?

Now, there are multiple reasons why someone might not be able to have a seizure dog. Ranging from financial issues, to a dog allergy! So here are some alternatives to service dogs…

• Seizure Detection Devices - Firstly, there are some very reliable seizure detection devices on the market that can notify your loved ones if you’re having a seizure; as well as track the seizure activity.

• Learning Your Auras - One way that some people are able to predict their seizures (at least in certain scenarios) is if they have auras. Not everyone with epilepsy has auras, but for those that do, this can serve as a form of seizure detection. Albeit a slightly unreliable one.

• Having A Seizure First Aid Plan - And if you wanted the service dog for first aid purposes, you can create similar security for yourself by creating a first aid plan and keeping a copy of it on you at all times.

• Other Types Of Pets - Lastly, you could consider getting a different type of pet for the emotional support aspect of having an animal around. Cats are a great option, but it could be anything you want.

Conclusion

As you can see, service dogs can be a massive help to those with epilepsy. But they can also be very expensive and hard to obtain. So having some alternatives in mind can be helpful in case owning a service dog isn’t for you, or to use while you’re waiting for your seizure dog to be trained!