Big Paws Only Dog Forums
BPO General Forum => General Board for Big Dogs with Big Paws => : marinafb March 06, 2009, 09:56:38 AM
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I’m sure most of you have heard that dogs can sometimes smell chemical changes in a person’s body and alert them to seizures before they happen, or even detect cancer. I want to share a recent personal experience.
Like many of us, I’ve been under a great deal of stress lately. I was also born with a heart murmur. Whenever I get stressed, I get heart palpitations. Then I get even more stressed/worried over that.
The other night, I wasn’t feel great at bedtime and had severe heartburn. I was also having mild pain in my upper back, but was attributing that to a long trail ride I had taken the prior day. (It’s a fact that women do not experience heart problems the same as men. Women generally do not get chest pain but get pain in their upper back.) My husband and I went to bed. I fell asleep but woke up in a sweat. I could hear Phoenix (my 3-year old blue) at the bottom of the stairs crying. We keep a baby gate there to stop the dogs from coming upstairs at night. Phoenix had never done this before. She and Jade always lay on the couch and sleep and never cry to come upstairs.
Since I wasn’t feeling well and didn’t want to wake my husband, I went downstairs to sleep on the couch. Normally, Phoenix would curl up in the curve of my legs and go to sleep and not move until I got up. However, this night, she actually started spinning in circles as if she were chasing her tail. She started crying, and when I laid down, she put her nose against my face and starting yipping. Then she jumped on and off the couch near my legs, almost like she was trying to annoy me to get up. Then she started panting heavily.
My first thought was bloat! I went to the computer to get my list of bloat symptoms, and her only symptom was panting. Her stomach wasn’t tight or bloated, she didn’t seem in pain, and when I sat down at the computer to get my list, she laid down quietly at my feet. I went back and tried to lay on the couch, but she wouldn’t stop yipping in my face and jumping on and off the couch. I suddenly remembered a show I had seen about dogs saving their owner’s life… and I thought that maybe she was trying to tell me something. I had been considering going to the ER for the past 3 hours, but I hate to “cry wolf” and figured I would feel better soon. After remembering the show, I decided I’d better go to the ER – better safe than sorry.
I spent the next 7 hours in the ER (not waiting, but in care) hooked up to an EKG machine, having blood drawn, etc. and receiving some medication. The tests ultimately determined that it was just a stress attack but when I arrived my blood pressure was dangerously high. If Phoenix hadn’t been so persistent that something wasn’t right, well… who knows.
The next day, my son (who didn’t yet know I had spent the night at the ER), asked me what had been wrong with Phoenix the night before. He said he had heard her crying and went to let her outside to go potty, then gave her fresh water, then told her to lie down. Each time, she returned to crying at the bottom of the stairs looking up at my bedroom. When I told him what happened, his face went white. He too felt that Phoenix had known that something was wrong with me. The weird thing is, I’ve had my share of colds, the flu, sinus infections, etc. and she has never shown concern. But something about the other night put her in a frenzy.
Sorry this was so long… I just wanted to share the story of how I think Phoenix saved my life
Christine E.
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I read somewhere that dogs can hear our heart beat even through walls. He probably could "hear" a difference in your heart rythm and it bothered him. Anyway, glad to hear you are OK, you bought your bright boy something specail I am sure.
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That dog deserves a steak (or twenty)! Glad to hear you're ok.
I wish this my pup my friend sent it to me it was sent to him though a Doberman site. I thought it was amazing and wanted to share it Marina
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Absolutely amazing. I wonder if there is any way to show enough gratification to sweet Phoenix. And I wander if our pups expect anything from us when they do stuff like that...
I'm so glad to hear you are ok. Give Phoenix hugs and kisses from Sierra and me.
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So glad to hear Phoenix was on top of things, dogs know things even when we don't. Dogs are the best! I hope you are feeling better.
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Our dogs truly have our best interest at heart. They are there to love and protect us sometimes even from ourselves. You keep right on listening to Phoenix. Give that pupper a great big hug!!