Dogs becoming a key support for sufferers of severe epilepsy

Dogs are now helping New Zealanders with severe epilepsy in ways that medication cannot, including warning their owners they are about to have a seizure.

Erica and Casper. Photo: Beatrice Randell

One in 10 New Zealanders are affected by epilepsy and according to New Zealand Epilepsy Assist Dogs Trust founder Andrea Hawkless, around 10 percent of this group has severe epilepsy.

E-dogs are provided by the NZEADT, providing companionship for sufferers. However, about half of the 12 e-dogs in New Zealand can sense a seizure before it occurs.

Seizures can occur up to 5 times a day for these people and medication does not always help manage them.

In 2000 Ms Hawkless set up the NZEADT after becoming aware of similar organisations overseas.

Her son Richard, who passed away not long before she set up the trust, had struggled with severe epilepsy.

“He really had been through everything . . . none of the drugs worked for him. I realized there were lots of people like this.”

E-dogs are trained by professional trainers and undergo an access test before working in public places.

They wear an official purple coat identifies them as an e-dog.

Dogs of NZADT clients that sense on-coming seizures alert their human friends in different ways – nudging, licking, sitting and staring or running around are some examples.

The alert allows the person having a seizure to get into a safe position and make those around them aware of the situation.

Ms. Hawkless says the impact of this has been hugely positive.

Severe sufferers are “quite lonely sometimes” but with the independence the dog gives them, they  develop in confidence and feel safer.

In 2008, Erica Tiedemann was aged 30 and studying neuropsychology when she developed epilepsy.

She saw top neurologists but “ none of the medication really made a difference”.

She became dependent on her parents. “They never let me out of their sight. I found that quite frustrating . . . but I could also understand.”

“It really just became a really depressing state,” she says.

At the 2012 Brain Day, she came across the NZEADT stand and within a few months she was bonded with e-dog Casper.

She was independent again and “everything eased up”.

Casper blocks her from crossing roads and stands rock solid during her seizures, as a cushion for when she falls.

His purple coat, which Erica calls a “social bridge”, encourages people to talk to her.

“He’s my buddy to the extent . . . I can just do anything with him.”

Ms Hawkless hopes that with more awareness of epilepsy and increased funding, more people like Erica will readily get e-dogs and gain independence.

This week is Brain Awareness Week and NZEADT will have a stand at Brain Day on Saturday.

Purple Day for epilepsy awareness is on March 26.