Epilepsy dogs can detect seizures

ogs who can sense the onset of a seizure up to 20 minutes before they occur are helping change epileptics' lives.

Andrea Hawkless, who founded the New Zealand Epilepsy Assist Dog Trust, says when the trained golden retrievers and labradors have been around someone who suffers from numerous seizures long enough, they can tell when one is coming and let their owner know.

Ms Hawkless knows of a dog that can tell its owner is having a seizure 20 minutes before it occurs. The dog runs around and licks the owner's face until the owner sits down.

She also knows of a mother with epilepsy whose dog rounds up the children before the mother has a seizure. The dog knows how to pull the plug from a bath and turn off the shower if there are children in there at the time, Ms Hawkless says.(...)

Stress and a lack of sleep are believed to contribute to seizures so the comfort of having a helpful and protective dog could sometimes reduce them, she says.

People who suffer frequent seizures can qualify for the dogs, which wear purple coats to show they are Epilepsy Assist Dogs and can be taken anywhere.

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