Seizure response dog

For dogs that experience seizures, see Epilepsy in animals § Dogs.

A seizure response dog (SRD) (also known as seizure dog) is a dog demonstrating specific assisting behaviour during or immediately after a person's epileptic seizure or other seizure.^[1][2] When reliably trained such dogs can serve as service dogs for people with epilepsy.^[3]

A Seizure Response Dog can be brought to restaurants or other businesses.

Service dog for a boy with autism and seizures calms him during hospital stay.

Tasks

Tasks for seizure dogs may include, but are not limited to:^[4][5][6][7]

• Find someone to help
• Activate an emergency response system
• Stimulate a person to help them "wake up" after a seizure
• Use body weight to keep the person in a specific position
• Act as a brace to help the person up
• Retrieve a phone or medication
• Physically remove the patient from an unsafe situation (e.g., the middle of a street)

Seizure alert dog

A dog demonstrating specific behaviour prior to a person's epileptic seizure is also referred to as seizure alert dog (SAD).^[2][8][9] Reports suggest that some dogs can be trained to anticipate epileptic seizures.^[3][8] However, this ability has been questioned.^[10][11][12]

Seizure response and seizure alerting behaviour may spontaneously develop in dogs living with children and adults with epilepsy.^[1][2][9]

See also

• Dogs portal

• Working dog – Dog trained to perform practical tasks
• Working animal – Domesticated animals for assisting people