[Rio_]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6919063.stm

...

A woman in Wiltshire said her Chihuahua detected her breast cancer on three occasions, while a Dalmatian kept smelling a freckle that the owner discovered was a malignant tumour.

The work of dogs in epilepsy is more advanced. The charity Support Dogs has provided 45 seizure alert dogs to epileptics such as Tony Brown-Griffin, 35, from Kent.

Twelve years ago, prior to her getting her first alert dog, she was suffering 12 major seizures a week and countless minor ones, so was housebound and childless. Now she is independent and a mother of two.

Ajay, a golden retriever, licks her left hand 40 minutes before a major seizure, which only happens twice a week now, so she can get herself out of harm's way.

"It's a major stress reduction. I don't have to worry about epilepsy at all unless my dog alerts me. Before I was thinking 'Do I have time to cross the road, will I have a seizure?'"

But neither Tony nor her husband knows exactly how Ajay is doing it, because the slight changes in Tony's behaviour prior to a seizure are imperceptible to them.

"He doesn't get a crystal ball and headscarf and say 'I predict you will have one three weeks on Tuesday' but whether it's a change in blood pressure or body temperature or whether I sweat or smell differently, or a combination of things.

"In the early days it was very difficult to go with the dog because I would feel so well but he was 100% accurate, 100% of the time."

...

(Sorry if this has been posted before, I just found out about it today.)

I think it is fabulous. My dog (nothing like cancer) smelled an intruder who was three rooms away and on my cement porch. I don't "think" she heard him first, I think she smelled him. That was her first sign and when she did that, all of my cats picked up on it and ran for cover. I am amazed on a daily basis how smart they are.

To be able to tell a woman that she's going to have a seizure is so wonderful......Hurry for animals!!

[MyBestKids2]

I read an article somewhere about dogs assigned to individuals with severe mental health illness..

I can't remember where I saw it. But these dogs are amazing!!!

[pachyderm]

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fayerody said:
I think it is fabulous.

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Especially if true.

it has been proven, here in U>S>, that a man's golden retriever alerted him when he was going to have a heart attack. the dog saved his owner's life and has alerted him since then.......they live in Colorado.

there are many cases here of dogs working for people who have seizures and heart problems.....dogs have picked up on cancer many times here......it's a proven fact............