Your Dog May Just Save Your Life

Studies Indicate Dogs Can Sniff Out Some Diseases

Recently the Denver Post reported on a two-year-old golden retriever named Toby who saved his owner from choking to death. The saavy dog managed to administer his own version of a modified Heimlich maneuver. It all began when the dog noticed owner Debbie Parkhurst choking on a piece of apple. As the dog watched, his beloved owner attempted to dislodge the piece of fruit from her throat by beating on her own chest. Unfortunately, nothing worked.

Toby jumped in to save the day. He forced Debbie to the ground with his front paws. Once on top of her chest, the dog jumped up and down until the offending snack became dislodged, allowing Debbie to breathe once again. He then proceeded to lick her face to keep her from passing out. According to her physician, Toby very likely saved his owner's life.

I've always believed in the healing power of pets. My little puppy seems to inevitably know when I'm not feeling up to par. At those times, she sticks by my side as if to protect me. At first I thought it just a coincidence. However, after years of watching her response, I now know that she somehow "senses" when I'm ill; oftentimes even before I do myself.

That made me wonder just how helpful these powerful pooches might actually be. Research indicates that, indeed, animals may hold the key to helping "sniff out" diseases, save owners from accidents, and much more.

Oprah featured a story on an English Rottweiler, named Faith, who was trained to detect changes in her owner's body chemistry as an early warning sign that another epileptic seizure was about to happen. Leana, Faith's owner, reports that one night after she went to bed, her pet companion refused to let her sleep. Realizing that Faith sensed a problem, Leana got up from bed.

Moments later, while making herself a hot drink in the kitchen, Leana passed out, hitting her head on a cabinet in a grand mal seizure. Faith, realizing her owner was in deep trouble, ran for the phone, pressing speed dial for 911, using her nose. When the 911 operator answered, she was surprised to hear the incessant barking of Faith on the other end.