Comments on: Seizure Dogs http://www.damninteresting.com/seizure-dogs/ A collection of Damn Interesting things Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:45:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lil_Kat http://www.damninteresting.com/seizure-dogs/#comment-24106 Lil_Kat Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:42:28 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=630#comment-24106 Why is it that someone with Epileptic seizures gets help from, for example, a dog. But someone with Psuedo Seizures gets no help at all. I have it, have had it sence I was about 5, that was over 15 years ago. I know no different, the doctors are trying to help, and well they are. But at the same time I am treated like someone with Epileptic Seizures, yet I can't find any type of help like an assistant dog. I just am having a hard time understanding that one. Oh and if you are wondering I got the Psuedo Seizures from aquired brain damage. Well if you got any type of suggestions or info that would be awsome. :S Why is it that someone with Epileptic seizures gets help from, for example, a dog. But someone with Psuedo Seizures gets no help at all. I have it, have had it sence I was about 5, that was over 15 years ago. I know no different, the doctors are trying to help, and well they are. But at the same time I am treated like someone with Epileptic Seizures, yet I can’t find any type of help like an assistant dog. I just am having a hard time understanding that one. Oh and if you are wondering I got the Psuedo Seizures from aquired brain damage. Well if you got any type of suggestions or info that would be awsome. :S

]]> By: Hiland http://www.damninteresting.com/seizure-dogs/#comment-22664 Hiland Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:35:12 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=630#comment-22664 The articles quoted bear out what I'm saying. That is hereditary epilepsy is rare, and if you have epilepsy caused by a head injury, or some other non-hereditary form, the chances of your child getting it is virtually the same as any other person in the population. The last two the sentences below, taken from those sources, say it all. "Epilepsy is not a single disorder, but a collection of many disorders that all have in common the tendency to cause a person to have seizures. When individual characteristics are caused by single genes, they are called "simple" genetic traits. Only a few rare types of epilepsy are caused by alterations in single genes. Most seem to be caused by a complex interaction among multiple genes and environmental influences." By environmental influences they mean a head injury, spinal meningitis etc. People who have non-hereditary epilepsy should not be afraid to have children. This is not to say it is not possible to bear a child that has epilepsy. A child can be born that has epilepsy to parents not having the disease, just as easily as one born with epilepsy to a parent that has the disease. The odds are the same if you discount heredity epilepsy, which is, by all the articles you quoted above, rare. Check with a qualified high-risk OB/GYN specializing in epileptic mothers as we did. Your fears will be put to rest as ours were. The worst risk is in the fact that the mother must stay on her epilepsy medications which doubles the rate of birth defects from a 3% national average to 6%. Still a small risk for those who want children. As far as the seizure detection dogs go, if you call the epilepsy foundation, as I did, and they will tell you that they don't endorse them. Dogs are not easily trained to detect seizures in advance. It is estimated that 90% of seizure detection dogs are purchased as pets and later show signs of detecting seizures on their own. If you reward them when the seizure is over, this will encourage their prediction abilities. Because most of these dogs are trained at home, the number of dogs who detect seizures in advance is hard to say. Many people get them confused with seizure response dogs. If you are considering the purchase of a trained seizure detection dog, be careful. There are lots of people out there making outlandish claims with nothing to back them up. The articles quoted bear out what I’m saying. That is hereditary epilepsy is rare, and if you have epilepsy caused by a head injury, or some other non-hereditary form, the chances of your child getting it is virtually the same as any other person in the population. The last two the sentences below, taken from those sources, say it all.
“Epilepsy is not a single disorder, but a collection of many disorders that all have in common the tendency to cause a person to have seizures. When individual characteristics are caused by single genes, they are called “simple” genetic traits. Only a few rare types of epilepsy are caused by alterations in single genes. Most seem to be caused by a complex interaction among multiple genes and environmental influences.”
By environmental influences they mean a head injury, spinal meningitis etc. People who have non-hereditary epilepsy should not be afraid to have children. This is not to say it is not possible to bear a child that has epilepsy. A child can be born that has epilepsy to parents not having the disease, just as easily as one born with epilepsy to a parent that has the disease. The odds are the same if you discount heredity epilepsy, which is, by all the articles you quoted above, rare. Check with a qualified high-risk OB/GYN specializing in epileptic mothers as we did. Your fears will be put to rest as ours were. The worst risk is in the fact that the mother must stay on her epilepsy medications which doubles the rate of birth defects from a 3% national average to 6%. Still a small risk for those who want children.
As far as the seizure detection dogs go, if you call the epilepsy foundation, as I did, and they will tell you that they don’t endorse them. Dogs are not easily trained to detect seizures in advance. It is estimated that 90% of seizure detection dogs are purchased as pets and later show signs of detecting seizures on their own. If you reward them when the seizure is over, this will encourage their prediction abilities. Because most of these dogs are trained at home, the number of dogs who detect seizures in advance is hard to say. Many people get them confused with seizure response dogs. If you are considering the purchase of a trained seizure detection dog, be careful. There are lots of people out there making outlandish claims with nothing to back them up.

]]> By: Anizamara http://www.damninteresting.com/seizure-dogs/#comment-22658 Anizamara Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:48:14 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=630#comment-22658 My epilepsy was caused by a head on car accident and didn't start till 7 years after the fact. I have NO family history of it, was told by a national university doctor that it is. But it doesn't matter. We will just have to respectfully agree to disagree. Useful links about epilepsy being hereditary: http://www.epilepsy.dk/Handbook/Hereditary-uk.asp http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/epilepsycauses.htm http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/about/types/causes/genetics.cfm "I have epilepsy. Is my child likely to have seizures, too? Certain types of epilepsy do seem to run in families. Some studies have shown that the risk of epilepsy in brothers, sisters and children of people with seizure disorders ranges from 4-8% (that is, between about 1 in 25 and about 1 in 12). The risk in the general population is about 1-2% (between 1 in 100 and 1 in 50). However, it's important to remember that although the risk is higher than in the general population, most people with epilepsy do not have any relatives with seizures, and the great majority of parents with epilepsy do not have children with epilepsy. Which types of epilepsy are most likely to be inherited? People who have a generalized epilepsy (one where the EEG pattern shows both sides of the brain involved at the beginning of a seizure) seem somewhat more likely to have other family members with seizures than those with a localization-related epilepsy (also called partial or focal, where the EEG pattern shows seizures beginning in a single area of the brain). Parents with a history of generalized absence (childhood petit mal) seizures are more likely to have children with the same condition than those with other generalized seizures or focal seizures." Anyways the article was about dogs, and it was excellent. It's awesome that dogs can be trained to help out with seizures and have met many people through support groups that have them. They can truly work wonders! My epilepsy was caused by a head on car accident and didn’t start till 7 years after the fact. I have NO family history of it, was told by a national university doctor that it is. But it doesn’t matter. We will just have to respectfully agree to disagree.

Useful links about epilepsy being hereditary:

http://www.epilepsy.dk/Handbook/Hereditary-uk.asp
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/epilepsycauses.htm

http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/about/types/causes/genetics.cfm

“I have epilepsy. Is my child likely to have seizures, too?
Certain types of epilepsy do seem to run in families. Some studies have shown that the risk of epilepsy in brothers, sisters and children of people with seizure disorders ranges from 4-8% (that is, between about 1 in 25 and about 1 in 12). The risk in the general population is about 1-2% (between 1 in 100 and 1 in 50). However, it’s important to remember that although the risk is higher than in the general population, most people with epilepsy do not have any relatives with seizures, and the great majority of parents with epilepsy do not have children with epilepsy.

Which types of epilepsy are most likely to be inherited?
People who have a generalized epilepsy (one where the EEG pattern shows both sides of the brain involved at the beginning of a seizure) seem somewhat more likely to have other family members with seizures than those with a localization-related epilepsy (also called partial or focal, where the EEG pattern shows seizures beginning in a single area of the brain). Parents with a history of generalized absence (childhood petit mal) seizures are more likely to have children with the same condition than those with other generalized seizures or focal seizures.”

Anyways the article was about dogs, and it was excellent. It’s awesome that dogs can be trained to help out with seizures and have met many people through support groups that have them. They can truly work wonders!

]]> By: Hiland http://www.damninteresting.com/seizure-dogs/#comment-22656 Hiland Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:41:18 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=630#comment-22656 I did not say that there is no epilepsy that is hereditary, but that it is RARE. The facts are that less than 1% of epilepsy is the hereditary type, which makes it a rare form. Most epilepsy is caused by injury to the head and that should make people stop and realize that all people can be at risk for getting epilepsy. Even head injuries years old have brought on epilepsy later. Our OB/GYN for my wife's high risk pregnancy pointed out that she would not pass on the disease to her child because her epilepsy was caused by spinal meningitis, not the rare hereditary form. Our child had the same chance of getting epilepsy as a child born to parents who didn't have epilepsy. The fact the he was rated in the top 10 high risk OB/GYNs in the United States and taught at a major university hospital makes me believe he knows what he is talking about. I did not say that there is no epilepsy that is hereditary, but that it is RARE. The facts are that less than 1% of epilepsy is the hereditary type, which makes it a rare form. Most epilepsy is caused by injury to the head and that should make people stop and realize that all people can be at risk for getting epilepsy. Even head injuries years old have brought on epilepsy later. Our OB/GYN for my wife’s high risk pregnancy pointed out that she would not pass on the disease to her child because her epilepsy was caused by spinal meningitis, not the rare hereditary form. Our child had the same chance of getting epilepsy as a child born to parents who didn’t have epilepsy. The fact the he was rated in the top 10 high risk OB/GYNs in the United States and taught at a major university hospital makes me believe he knows what he is talking about.

]]> By: Anizamara http://www.damninteresting.com/seizure-dogs/#comment-22655 Anizamara Tue, 02 Sep 2008 07:01:03 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=630#comment-22655 [quote]Hiland said: She is perfectly "normal", epilepsy is not hereditary except for a very rare form. "[/quote] I also have epilepsy and I have the petite mal, absence seizures, which are not rare. I have been to many neurologists who have told me that epilepsy IS/CAN BE hereditary. I was told that by having children, it will up their percentage of possibly having seizures. My 2 year old daughter just last month had a seizure, we hope that she will not become epileptic in nature and hope it was just a "fluke". I would like to add a little information on how to help a person having a seizure. I know in my kind of seizures I appear normal, but I have no idea what is going on around me. I also occasionally have seizures where I will convulse on one side or the other of the body. After the seizures I am usually fuzzy and unable to grasp where I am and would not be able to answer the questions someone mentioned above. Don't be alarmed if someone can't start answering questions right after they stop seizing, it is very rare where a person can be logic after their brain just went haywire. [quote]Hiland said: She is perfectly “normal”, epilepsy is not hereditary except for a very rare form. “[/quote]

I also have epilepsy and I have the petite mal, absence seizures, which are not rare. I have been to many neurologists who have told me that epilepsy IS/CAN BE hereditary. I was told that by having children, it will up their percentage of possibly having seizures. My 2 year old daughter just last month had a seizure, we hope that she will not become epileptic in nature and hope it was just a “fluke”.

I would like to add a little information on how to help a person having a seizure. I know in my kind of seizures I appear normal, but I have no idea what is going on around me. I also occasionally have seizures where I will convulse on one side or the other of the body. After the seizures I am usually fuzzy and unable to grasp where I am and would not be able to answer the questions someone mentioned above. Don’t be alarmed if someone can’t start answering questions right after they stop seizing, it is very rare where a person can be logic after their brain just went haywire.

]]> By: a1c http://www.damninteresting.com/seizure-dogs/#comment-22440 a1c Sat, 09 Aug 2008 05:03:07 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=630#comment-22440 Dogs can apparently smell certain kinds of cancer through various means. Dogs can apparently smell certain kinds of cancer through various means.

]]> By: Cristina http://www.damninteresting.com/seizure-dogs/#comment-22407 Cristina Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:10:00 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=630#comment-22407 I wonder if dogs have their seizure sensing ability from the fact that dogs get epilepsy themselves? Though I don't have pearls of wisdome to share like most other commenters on this thread. When I originally opened this post, I thought it would about dogs who get seizures, which got me musing on my own experiences. I have had German Shepherds all my life (not that long, I'm only 24) and I've already lived with 3 dogs that have had epilepsy. One was fairly mild, she had epilepsy from a very young puppy, and every now and then she would get 'stuck'where she stood but then quickly wear off. While the one who unfortunately got the worst seizures did not start having them until 'adulthood' (about 3 years old). Over a very short period of time the seizures got more violent and lasted longer until one morning she had a seizure so bad she died of exhaustion before we could get her to the vet. Just a point of curiosity, does anyone know how many other species also get epilepsy? I wonder if dogs have their seizure sensing ability from the fact that dogs get epilepsy themselves?

Though I don’t have pearls of wisdome to share like most other commenters on this thread. When I originally opened this post, I thought it would about dogs who get seizures, which got me musing on my own experiences.

I have had German Shepherds all my life (not that long, I’m only 24) and I’ve already lived with 3 dogs that have had epilepsy. One was fairly mild, she had epilepsy from a very young puppy, and every now and then she would get ‘stuck’where she stood but then quickly wear off. While the one who unfortunately got the worst seizures did not start having them until ‘adulthood’ (about 3 years old). Over a very short period of time the seizures got more violent and lasted longer until one morning she had a seizure so bad she died of exhaustion before we could get her to the vet.

Just a point of curiosity, does anyone know how many other species also get epilepsy?

]]> By: Mirage_GSM http://www.damninteresting.com/seizure-dogs/#comment-22380 Mirage_GSM Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:22:07 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=630#comment-22380 Some very good advice regarding the treatment of seizures above. Just some minor points to add: - Most seizures are over relatively quickly. Most last less than a minute. However some seizures (especially among the elderly) might last for several hours if not treated. - Any seizure that lasts more than a minute is plenty reason to call a doctor! - Even after short seizures, the person should be advised to see a doctor, if he isn't already familiar with the condition. - Having a seizure is exhausting. Many people slip into unconsciousness after a longer seizure. In this case it is important to make sure that person can breathe unobstructedly. Also call a doctor! Basically you can't go wrong calling a doctor ;-) Some very good advice regarding the treatment of seizures above. Just some minor points to add:
- Most seizures are over relatively quickly. Most last less than a minute. However some seizures (especially among the elderly) might last for several hours if not treated.
- Any seizure that lasts more than a minute is plenty reason to call a doctor!
- Even after short seizures, the person should be advised to see a doctor, if he isn’t already familiar with the condition.
- Having a seizure is exhausting. Many people slip into unconsciousness after a longer seizure. In this case it is important to make sure that person can breathe unobstructedly. Also call a doctor!
Basically you can’t go wrong calling a doctor ;-)

]]> By: Hiland http://www.damninteresting.com/seizure-dogs/#comment-20211 Hiland Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:30:05 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=630#comment-20211 This is late but maybe it will help somebody. My wife has had epilepsy since she was eight. She is now fifty-one. She averages six petite-mal seizures a month. By the way, please don't call them "fits", this is offensive. We married at 30 and a year later she gave birth to our only child. She is perfectly "normal", epilepsy is not hereditary except for a very rare form. My daughter has wanted a dog for years, my wife did not (she dislikes dogs), but three years ago I bought a 6 month old Maltese that had been abused by the previous owners and their kids. We started noticing that Daisy would cling to my wife before she had a seizure. This is unusual because the dog knows my wife is not a "dog lover". Many times this occurs hours before a seizure happens. A couple of weeks ago she let us know five hours before it happened that she would have a seizure. She had a bad grand-mal at midnight. Daisy is a great seizure detection dog. The worst thing is that now that she is a service dog, people refuse to believe us. Maltese dogs are small, cute, and very much "people" dogs. She wears her vest when we go into businesses and people ask what she "does". When we explain, they many times say "riiiiiiiiight" and wink like we are sneaking a pet in. Please respect people's service animals. Don't touch them until you ask permission. A trained seizure detection dog can cost $10,000. With all of the discrimination my wife has had to tolerate because of her epilepsy, letting her take her seizure dog into businesses is small compensation. And by the way, in the U.S. it's federal law! This is late but maybe it will help somebody. My wife has had epilepsy since she was eight. She is now fifty-one. She averages six petite-mal seizures a month. By the way, please don’t call them “fits”, this is offensive. We married at 30 and a year later she gave birth to our only child. She is perfectly “normal”, epilepsy is not hereditary except for a very rare form. My daughter has wanted a dog for years, my wife did not (she dislikes dogs), but three years ago I bought a 6 month old Maltese that had been abused by the previous owners and their kids. We started noticing that Daisy would cling to my wife before she had a seizure. This is unusual because the dog knows my wife is not a “dog lover”. Many times this occurs hours before a seizure happens. A couple of weeks ago she let us know five hours before it happened that she would have a seizure. She had a bad grand-mal at midnight. Daisy is a great seizure detection dog. The worst thing is that now that she is a service dog, people refuse to believe us. Maltese dogs are small, cute, and very much “people” dogs. She wears her vest when we go into businesses and people ask what she “does”. When we explain, they many times say “riiiiiiiiight” and wink like we are sneaking a pet in. Please respect people’s service animals. Don’t touch them until you ask permission. A trained seizure detection dog can cost $10,000. With all of the discrimination my wife has had to tolerate because of her epilepsy, letting her take her seizure dog into businesses is small compensation. And by the way, in the U.S. it’s federal law!

]]> By: Tink http://www.damninteresting.com/seizure-dogs/#comment-9136 Tink Thu, 05 Oct 2006 10:52:16 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=630#comment-9136 <p>Never mind, I found links on the Nat. Geo. site. Thank you again! Will let you all know what happens. :)</p> Never mind, I found links on the Nat. Geo. site. Thank you again! Will let you all know what happens. :)

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