Nov 3, 2009 4:42 pm US/Eastern
Dogs Recruited To Fight War On Allergies
Specifically Trained Animals A Godsend To Small Children
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
For people with severe food allergies even the slightest exposure can mean a trip to the hospital. And peanut allergies can be lethal, especially for children. But now there's a new weapon to help sniff out danger.
Four-year-old Chase Cygan is getting to know his new dog "Slinky," but this Labradoodle is much more than a family pet; he's a lifesaver.
Slinky protects Chase and gives his mom, Toni, peace of mind. She depends on Slinky to sniff out hidden dangers that could kill him.
"With him going to school we've had more incidents," Toni said.
Chase suffers from life threatening food allergies, so his parents got Slinky, a one-of-a-kind service dog trained to make sure Chase's surroundings are safe.
Slinky finds trouble right away. He detects cheese crackers made from several ingredients Chase can't eat. Before Slinky was in charge the day's Halloween fun surely would have ended with a trip to the emergency room.
"He's had wheezing. He's had hives, trouble breathing. So we don't leave home without an EpiPen and Benadryl," Toni said. "People really don't understand that these kids can die from these food allergies."
It's an amazing start for Slinky, who just graduated days before from the Angel Service Dogs Academy in Colorado.
Sherry Mers founded the program earlier this year after training a dog to help protect her own highly allergic daughter, Riley.
"As a mom who been there I couldn't say no. I know what it's like," Mers said. "This is a constant stress on the family, a constant stress on the child. They don't socialize they way normal kids do."
Logan Gonzalez's condition is so severe playing with other kids is nearly impossible.
"Logan's allergy is airborne so if someone eats peanuts and breathes on him or touches him it causes a reaction," Judie Gonzalez said. "Logan's had some really scary trips to the hospital. I would do anything to keep him safe."
So, "Roxy," another Labradoodle, will warn him when peanuts are nearby.
"I wont have to go to the hospital that much," Judie said.
Jessie Rines hopes "Nicco," a Portuguese water dog, will give her 5-year-old son, Ethan, the chance to attend school.
"When he was 11 months old he took a bite of peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They told us when we walked in the hospital he wasn't going to make it," Jessie said.
Riley's dog, "Rocco," sweeps a room just like a police dog. But he detects peanuts, even the smallest traces.
"Whenever he does a good job, I say 'Good Boy!'" Riley said.
In one drill, peanuts and wheat bread are hidden. When the dog detects their scent he sits. It looks like play, but it's serious business.
"Dogs classify odors kind of like the way we classify things through our eyes with vision," dog trainer Sean Hartley said. "They walk through the world recognizing millions of odors every day and they classify them appropriately."
"If it was peanuts I would have swelled up. Once my lip swelled up and it pushed my nose up," Riley said. "It's kind of scary trusting your life with a dog."
Even with the extra protection the dogs provide, these moms must remain vigilant.
"We're not supposed to be changing the way we're actually living our life. We're still going to be in a bubble. It's just hopefully going to expand the bubble a little bit," Jessie Rines said.
"This dog is amazing," Toni Cygan said. "I can't believe how much he's changed our lives."
Training these dogs doesn't come cheaply. Non-profit Angel Service dogs help families with fundraising. But the cost starts at about $10,000.
So far they've received more than 2,000 applications.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
2009 Celebrity Deaths
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments