How To Get A Service Animal For Epilepsy

An epilepsy service dog can be trained to perform sure tasks if y'all accept a seizure. Larn what they can do, how to get ane and what it will toll.

Dogs are often called man's best friend - and if you lot have epilepsy they can be even more helpful!

Epilepsy service dogs are specially trained canines that respond in certain ways when y'all take a seizure. They can exist taught to do things which will proceed you safe or alert people around yous.

Here is everything you need to know about epilepsy service dogs.

Epilepsy service dog looking at camera in classroom

What is an epilepsy service dog?

An epilepsy service dog is an animate being which is trained for around two years to respond when its owner has a seizure. After 2 years of training it will and then practise a few more weeks of instruction with you so it can larn to recognize the kinds of seizures you have.

How do service dogs alert seizures?

These support dogs can exist trained to perform many different tasks including:

Barking and alerting other people that you are having a seizure
Pressing warning buttons or pedals
Lying or sitting near yous in a way that might forbid you from injuring yourself

Many people with epilepsy have reported that their dogs seem to know in advance that they're going to have a seizure. A contempo report of epilepsy service dogs suggests that the animals can detect a specific smell that is given off when their owners are having a seizure. More research is needed, simply this might mean that dogs can be trained to give advance warning and mean you can go to a prophylactic place.

Where to get a service canis familiaris for seizures

If you have epilepsy, yous might be able to get a service dog. If you lot are interested, the commencement matter to do is to speak to your treatment squad to find out if they think it would be suitable for you. They volition then be able to introduce you to service dog preparation centers near where you lot live.

How to get a service dog for seizures

Not everybody is able to get a service dog for epilepsy. There are often long waiting lists to get these kinds of canines, and each animal costs several thousand dollars to train. There are other requirements too:

Yous will need to accept frequent seizures (normally at least once a month)
They are mainly for people with seizures that cannot be treated with medication
Your seizures need to exist 'visible' to the canis familiaris (such as tonic clonic seizures)
You accept to be above a sure age (unremarkably at to the lowest degree 12 years old)
Y'all need to exist able to look after the canis familiaris, such equally feeding it and taking it for walks
Yous are not normally allowed another dog in the home

How much does a service dog for seizures cost?

If you wish to directly purchase an epilepsy service dog, you can expect to pay between $15,000 and $thirty,000 considering of how much time it takes to train the animals. Sometimes people choose to set up a fundraising drive to help cover the cost of buying a service dog - you may be able to get support from your local customs or philanthropists to pay for the beast.

If you lot are not in a position to spend that much coin on a service canis familiaris, the good news is that there are several non-profits which provide the animals for gratis (or a small fee). There will usually be waiting lists for these animals. Good places to start your search include:

Paws With a Cause
Little Angels
CPL
Service Dogs for America
Aid Dogs International

Like any kind of dog at that place are many costs involved in looking afterward the beast including vet bills, insurance, food, injections, toys and and so on. These costs tin add up to several g dollars per year.

A faithful friend

For certain people, an epilepsy service canis familiaris tin can exist hugely beneficial. Not but practice they help you when you lot are having seizures, but they tin exist a large emotional support too. If you'd like to learn more about your options, attempt talking to your medico well-nigh getting an animal at your side by side appointment.