Seizure-alert dogs: a review and preliminary study

Dalziel, D. J.; Uthman, Basim M.; McGorray, Susan P.; Reep, Roger L.

doi:10.1016/s105913110200225x

Cited by 82 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…13,14 In addition to detecting cancer, there is now mounting evidence to suggest that some dogs can reliably predict the on-set of epileptic seizures in their human owners, in some cases up to 45 min in advance of an event. [15][16][17][18][19] This ability appears to be inherent in some animals. However, many dogs are now being trained by specialist organizations (e.g., Support Dogs, UK) to monitor their owners for outward signs of an imminent seizure and to react in an appropriate manner (e.g., barking or pawing) if a seizure is predicted.…”

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confidence: 99%

Canine Responses to Hypoglycemia in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes

Wells¹,

Lawson²,

Siriwardena³

2008

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

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Objective: Anecdotal evidence suggests that domestic dogs may be able to detect hypoglycemia in their human caregivers; scientific investigation of this phenomenon, however, is sorely lacking. This study thus aimed to investigate how pet dogs respond to the hypoglycemic episodes of their owners with type 1 diabetes. Methods: Two hundred and twelve dog owners (64.2% female) with medically diagnosed type 1 diabetes participated in the study. All participants owned at least 1 dog. Each person completed a purpose-designed questionnaire developed to collect information on their dogs' responses (if any) to their hypoglycemic episodes. Results: One hundred and thirty-eight (65.1%) respondents indicated that their dog had shown a behavioral reaction to at least one of their hypoglycemic episodes, with 31.9% of animals reacting to 11 or more events. Canine sex, age, breed status, and length of pet ownership were unrelated to hypoglycemia-response likelihood. Thirty-six percent of the sample believed that their dogs reacted most of the times they went "low"; 33.6% indicated that their pets reacted before they themselves were aware they were hypoglycemic. Dogs' behavioral responses to their owners' hypoglycemic episodes varied. Most animals behaved in a manner suggestive of attracting their owners' attention, for example, vocalizing (61.5%), licking them (49.2%), nuzzling them (40.6%), jumping on top of them (30.4%), and/or staring intently at their faces (41.3%). A smaller proportion showed behavioral responses suggestive of fear, including trembling (7.2%), running away from the owner (5.1%), and/or hyperventilating (2.2%). Conclusions:The findings suggest that behavioral reactions to hypoglycemic episodes in pet owners with type 1 diabetes commonly occur in untrained dogs. Further research is now needed to elucidate the mechanism(s) that dogs use to perform this feat. 1235

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confidence: 99%

Canine Responses to Hypoglycemia in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes

Wells¹,

Lawson²,

Siriwardena³

2008

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

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“…Dogs can also reliably predict the onset of epileptic seizure in their human owners [4], and hypoglycemia in dog owners may be accompanied by behavioral reactions of their dogs [5]. How dogs detect these emergencies and other life-threatening situations like in our cases is unclear.…”

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confidence: 89%

Life-saving dogs

2012

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AbstractDogs can play an important role in their owners’ lives. As well as providing a source of comfort, emotional support, and entertainment, there is now evidence suggesting that dogs may promote their owners’ health. The mechanisms of these beneficial effects, however, are unclear. The important role of dogs in their owners’ medical emergencies is illustrated by two cases of patients admitted to our intensive care unit, in whom untrained domestic dogs saved lives by alerting the family. Companion dogs may react to emergencies of their owners and save lives. Clarifying how dogs perceive medical emergencies might stimulate design of emergency alarm systems.

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“…5 The authors conclude that although their numbers were too small to study statistically, further study, with dogs accompanying their owners during VEEG, was warranted, so dog responses might be better studied.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…[1][2][3][4][5] Canine companions may have an additional stress reduction benefit that can lead to decreased seizure frequency. 5 In this report we describe a dog that warns of psychogenic nonepileptiform events (PNES) and critically examine the SAD literature.Case study. According to the couple that owns her, their 2-year-old Blue Heeler can both alert and respond to seizure activity.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Wag the dog: Skepticism on seizure alert canines

Doherty¹,

Haltiner²

2007

Neurology

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Some dogs can signal human seizure activity. Seizure response dogs (SRDs) recognize and respond to ongoing seizure and postseizure compromise, whereas seizure alert dogs (SADs) may warn of impending seizure. [1][2][3][4][5] Canine companions may have an additional stress reduction benefit that can lead to decreased seizure frequency. 5 In this report we describe a dog that warns of psychogenic nonepileptiform events (PNES) and critically examine the SAD literature.Case study. According to the couple that owns her, their 2-year-old Blue Heeler can both alert and respond to seizure activity. The owners (who gave permission to use and publish these data) report that she lies upon the wife, across her chest, both prior to and during her convulsive seizures. Her husband, who also has seizures that the dog can predict, says the dog fetches help from neighbors after seizures or in times of crisis.The wife underwent video EEG telemetry (VEEG). Her recorded events included anterior-to-posterior plane pelvic bucking, head-bobbling movements, psychomotor unresponsiveness, and postevent flaccidity. Her Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory was filled backward and as such was uninterpretable. The diagnostic consensus at our multidisciplinary epilepsy conference was that her events were PNES. The dog was not present during the telemetry, and although the husband seized during his wife's stay, his event was not captured on video.Discussion. This Blue Heeler is perhaps the third with an ability to predict PNES. 2,4 Unfortunately, SAD studies have never objectively shown that dogs can predict seizures and fail to address data contamination with patients with PNES. 2,4 The largest SAD survey, self-reported via parental survey of children with epilepsy, studied a population in which patients with PNES are less likely. From this study, 20% (n = 9) of the family dogs warned of impending seizures without any prior training. The authors state the dogs' "anticipatory behaviors were never demonstrated without a subsequent seizure" (i.e., specificity was 100%), whereas sensitivity was 80%. 3 These outstanding figures suggest a need for retesting using different study designs and demographics.In a different study of 63 adults with epilepsy, 29 had dogs, and of those dogs, 31% responded to seizures and 10% (n = 3) alerted prior to seizures. 5 The authors conclude that although their numbers were too small to study statistically, further study, with dogs accompanying their owners during VEEG, was warranted, so dog responses might be better studied.In a different study and the only one in which dog responses were studied objectively and independently, two dogs were observed during their owner's VEEG stays: The first failed to warn of impending events for seven of eight seizures; the second alerted the patient prior to a documented psychogenic event. 4 These objective data are different from the 100% specific and 80% sensitive abilities of the SAD discussed in the pediatric survey. 3 The authors cautiously conclude that the EEG telemetr...

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Seizure-alert dogs: a review and preliminary study

Cited by 82 publications

References 14 publications

Canine Responses to Hypoglycemia in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes

Canine Responses to Hypoglycemia in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes

Life-saving dogs

Wag the dog: Skepticism on seizure alert canines

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