I’m not sure about many of you with Epilepsy and those parents of kids with Epilepsy, but I have deja-vu auras. And, to add to this interesting feature of my disease…I even have different types of deja-vu. It can be quick, leading up to a seizure, or it can be sort of long and drawn out, hours before the seizure or seizures begin. I always consider it interesting, but sort of frightening…because I know something big’s about to happen! Yesterday afternoon–and into last evening–was one of those times. We were in the car, heading to Northern Michigan for the long weekend, my husband on the phone, Hayden watching DVDs…and every car on the highway looked like one I used to own throughout my lifetime.

As soon as we got out of the car, our black lab, Tucket…was glued to my side. Let me explain a bit more about Tucket. He was actually my husband’s dog before we met and married, and when I became sick in early ’03, we made some remarkable discoveries about Tucket. He knew when I was about to have a seizure. He’s not a trained seizure dog and never could become one. He’s actually been trained to bird hunt with my husband, and at the time I got sick, he was too old.

Our black lab, Tucket...9 years.

Still, we began to notice this incredible devotion and attachment Tucket had to me, all the time-yes, but especially when I was about to have a seizure.

Last night was one of those times. To put it plainly I could not get him off of me.  

I’ve asked many doctors and a veterinarian or two how this can be possible. Can my lab really detect a seizure as it’s about to happen? The answer. Yes.

They detect the scent of a seizure. And, given his attachment to me as his owner, he reacts. There’s some great information on this site: How Dogs Can Be Trained to Detect Seizures.
So, I always consider my pup one of those (fur) people I can count on…as I’ve said before, you have to select your ‘team’ carefully. So what if one of them has fur?