Service Dogs For Sleep Apnea?

[Julie]

I agree that you need a better or different machine, but would also keep the dog!

[Sir NoddinOff]

I'VE ALWAYS LOVED THIS OLD THREAD... QUITE A FEW BIG LAUGHS... THANKS FOR BRINGING BACK.

[Goofproof]

I havea Pitbull Sleep Apnea Service Dog, if I go to sleep without using my XPAP, he's trained to bite me on the throat, and shake me. Every sinceI seen his training film, I've never forgot to mask up, so I guess he was worth the money. Jim

[zoocrewphoto]

I havea Pitbull Sleep Apnea Service Dog, if I go to sleep without using my XPAP, he's trained to bite me on the throat, and shake me. Every sinceI seen his training film, I've never forgot to mask up, so I guess he was worth the money. Jim

Can you teach my cat that? I've tried to tell them to wake me if I fall asleep without my cpap, or if I take it off in the middle of the night. But none of them will. I used to have a cat who would paw at my face and wake me up, i suspect when I was making worse than normal sounds. I'm sure I was still quite severe as he wasn't preventing events, but I think he prevented the worst of the choking, gasping fits. I found I had a lot more of those after he died, and that is part of the reason I finally got serious about getting diagnosed and starting treatment. Perhaps I would have gotten treated sooner though, had he not been preventing the worst attacks.

Service animals are awesome, but they can't prevent events or oxygen deprivation, except to wake you up. Anybody severe would have to be awakened all night long to prevent events, and that would mean sleep deprivation. Total failure.

[Too tall]

That's funny. A pit bull service dog.

But seriously folks, I cannot see any usefulness of a dog as related to sleep apnea. I can surely understand why one would want their dog along on a cruise however. Or anywhere. But as far as having a dog to wake you up, just get a good oximeter with an alarm. I have a nonin you can set audible alarm for just about any thing it can measure. Probably much better than a dog.

[palerider]

I have a nonin you can set audible alarm for just about any thing it can measure. Probably much better than a dog.

and it almost never pees on the carpet!

[BlackSpinner]

That's funny. A pit bull service dog.

But seriously folks, I cannot see any usefulness of a dog as related to sleep apnea. I can surely understand why one would want their dog along on a cruise however. Or anywhere. But as far as having a dog to wake you up, just get a good oximeter with an alarm. I have a nonin you can set audible alarm for just about any thing it can measure. Probably much better than a dog.

Your cabin mate would love that - alarm going off 30 or more times an hour! I think you would end up swimming home before the first night ended!

[Goofproof]

That's funny. A pit bull service dog.

But seriously folks, I cannot see any usefulness of a dog as related to sleep apnea. I can surely understand why one would want their dog along on a cruise however. Or anywhere. But as far as having a dog to wake you up, just get a good oximeter with an alarm. I have a nonin you can set audible alarm for just about any thing it can measure. Probably much better than a dog.

While you XPAP machine and maybe service dog keep you alive, a dog gives you the love to keep on living. Jim

[pepperchris4340]

Over 2 years ago I posted a comment on this sight regarding the service dog for sleep apnea. I was bashed so badly with no looking outside the box from CPAP users I pulled my comment. Time has gone by and I find more and more are hearing Teddy"s story and their are training schools teaching service dogs to help those who can't use CPAP. BEFORE I BEGIN REMEMBER THIS!!! I FIRMLY BELIEVE CPAP IS THE BEST MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR SLEEP APNEA. I was a nurse before becoming disabled. I USED CPAP FOR OVER TEN YEARS BEFORE A MEDICAL CONDITION MADE THE USE OF CPAP MORE DAMAGING THEN GOOD. IF I COULD USE IT I WOULD IN A HEARTBEAT.
I have sleep apnea along with severe arthritis and other issues. I use O2 4-6 liters with a nasal canula and yes a service dog who ensures my O2 level does not drop below 85%. Teddy is licensed as an alert and mobility service dog and he has gone through 120 hrs of public access training and passed the test many years prior to the 1st time I tried to post on here. Teddy has gone through many sleep studies right along side me. When I stop breathing during REM Teddy startles me enough I take a couple breathes but not so much as to break my REMM sleep. Doctors have found that his ability is similar to dogs that alert to seizure disorders. My service dog "yes is for sleep disorders" and has been asked to be brought back to the pacu unit after surgeries to help keep my O2 levels up after the breathing tube is pulled. He's been at my bedside as an inpatient as well as traveling to a from doctors and hospitals. Along with Teddy's license I also carry a letter in his carrier from my pulmonary specialist stating what Teddy does and that he's a service dog for breathing disorder. It is not just 1 Dr. Teddy has earned the respect of Doctors around western PA as well as the Cleveland Clinic.
No...a service dog for apnea is not the best way, CPAP is by far. But for the very few who can't use CPAP for a MEDICAL REASON it nice to know the medical community is considering other options.
Don't throw stones. A day may come when you need to find another solution and it's nice to know options are being considered.

I posted

That's funny. A pit bull service dog.

But seriously folks, I cannot see any usefulness of a dog as related to sleep apnea. I can surely understand why one would want their dog along on a cruise however. Or anywhere. But as far as having a dog to wake you up, just get a good oximeter with an alarm. I have a nonin you can set audible alarm for just about any thing it can measure. Probably much better than a dog.

While you XPAP machine and maybe service dog keep you alive, a dog gives you the love to keep on living. Jim

pnea. I pulled my comment after I was bashed over an over and at that

[chunkyfrog]

This forum is called,"Cpaptalk". It is not called,"dogtalk".
If dogs were an effective alternative to cpap, there would be such a forum.
But there is not. Sorry we are unable to reinforce your delusion.

[palerider]

This forum is called,"Cpaptalk". It is not called,"dogtalk".
If dogs were an effective alternative to cpap, there would be such a forum.
But there is not. Sorry we are unable to reinforce your delusion.

I'm unclear on how anybody in something even approaching their 'right mind' can think that having a dog/cat/whatever wake them up constantly all night long when they quit breathing is a good way to get needed rest.

[chunkyfrog]

PR, I have a possible scenario:
There has been the occasional story about an extremely sick kid, for some reason or other,
cannot or will not use cpap; where as a last resort, caregivers will bring in a service animal,
mostly for palliative reasons, and the patient has improved (however temporarily)
Of course the family gets all excited and the press literally wets themselves in all the excitement of a "breakthrough"
It is a tragic situation for everyone directly involved, as well as horribly misleading others clutching for a straw, however weak. Once again, journalism has caused harm in its mindless quest for accolades.

[palerider]

Once again, journalism has caused harm in its mindless quest for accolades.

if it bleeds, it leads... or, er, something like that...

if it barks, it, er. help me out here.

[Goofproof]

It does seem, the press does have weak bladders, it seems to match their minds! Jim

[zoocrewphoto]

I have a little personal experience with this. You see, I had a cat who would wake me up some nights. Only once in a night, but after awhile I was able to figure out that he was reacting to my breathing. He would paw at my face, then leave once I was awake. At first, I was annoyed, then I was thankful as I realized I wasn't having the choking/gasping fits that would wake me up, cause me to choke until I vomit, and then leave me sitting there for hours sipping water to soothe my burning throat. At the time, I thought he was helping. But this was before cpap.

After he died, I started having the choking/gasping fits more often, sometimes 2-3 times a week. It was one of the reasons I decided I needed to do something about my sleep apnea. When I got tested, I had an ahi of 79. Probably worse as they stopped the diagnosis after 2 1/2 hours, and I did not reach REM.

So, while I can confirm that a dog or cat can stop a really bad event, in some ways, they make things worse by not allowing us to see just how bad we really are.