# Question on medical aid and service dogs



## CainGSD (Nov 15, 2003)

Does anyone have experience or knowledge of what would happen to a disabled person's service dog in the event of them needing emergency medical aid? What happens to the dog when the person is transported to an emergency department?


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

Can't speak for what happens in the event of an ambulance ride as I never encountered that, but I worked a DOA with an older female GSD guide dog from leader dogs for the blind. The man lived alone, dog was inside when he died. The family was contacted and arrived on scene, but sadly would not take possession of the dog, even temporarily. Dept policy doesn't allow the dog to be taken by an officer. So animal control had to be called and she was taken there.

I personally raised a dog for the same group this dog was from, so I contacted them the following day (this happened late one evening, I contacted them the following morning) with the situation and they got into contact with the mans family who did end up taking possession of her from the shelter. I told them if they needed someone to take her in if the family wouldn't take her, that they could contact me, and they (the organization) were very grateful.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

When I was a medic, if there was someone handy to either come pick up or just take the dog and they weren't someplace like home to leave the dog, I would take the dog with and let the ER deal with finding someone to come take the dog.


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## CainGSD (Nov 15, 2003)

Thank you both for your replies.


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## ladylaw203 (May 18, 2001)

When I arrested someone with a dog, I allowed them to call a friend to pick up the dog. If the person was not coherent, we would take the dog to the 24 hr vet for board . We had a k9 unit and one of us was always willing to transport. I would suggest that someone have a note by their driver's license with phone numbers and instructions for first responders. If someone is not consicious,the DL is the first thing that we look for


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

ladylaw203 said:


> I would suggest that someone have a note by their driver's license with phone numbers and instructions for first responders. If someone is not consicious,the DL is the first thing that we look for


I have a question related to this. I have an alert card in my wallet. I have it in one of the card slots, I chose the one I stuck it in because it sticks out pretty far. So is this a good spot for it and if I was unconscious responders would check my wallet? I worry that no one would even notice it. I'm at risk for dilation and dissection of the aorta and other vascular tears, which is abnormal so if that happened and I was unconscious someone finding the card and knowing to check for those could mean life or death.


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## GSD_Xander (Nov 27, 2010)

Lin said:


> I have a question related to this. I have an alert card in my wallet. I have it in one of the card slots, I chose the one I stuck it in because it sticks out pretty far. So is this a good spot for it and if I was unconscious responders would check my wallet? I worry that no one would even notice it. I'm at risk for dilation and dissection of the aorta and other vascular tears, which is abnormal so if that happened and I was unconscious someone finding the card and knowing to check for those could mean life or death.


Could you get a MedicAlert bracelet/necklace, etc? 

I know they know to look for those...


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

I've looked into those. The thing is you can't put all the relevant information (that I'd need) on the cheaper engraved ones, and I can't afford the more expensive ones where you're paying for a service and the responder calls the number to get your medical info. Also due to allergies I can't get cheaper metals, which goes back to I can't afford one currently..


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

All I ever looked for was med bottles in the purse, a drivers license, insurance card, and either a med alert necklace or bracelet. I don't know anyone that looked at anything else as we not only didn't have time, but it's snooping into things that's none of our business.

My best suggestion is to get the bracelet and say something short and to the point like "at risk for vascular tears." Don't need much more than that out in the field and the ER will pull up your record once you get there.


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

Agree with the above....although in the photo it's pretty obvious, on scene there usually isn't time to really dig through things like that. It's not out of laziness, it's simply just too hectic at the time. They'll scan for a DL and that's about it. Any way to secure that card directly by your DL, in plain view? Strong double sided tape or something of the sort? Or if you really wanted to, laminate the card and somehow secure a light necklace to it, and wear it under your clothing?


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Its a hard card, like a credit card. No way would I be able to tolerate wearing it lol. 

Guess I need to save up for an alert necklace..


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Couldn't you have something made that stayed primarily with the dog? Like a compartment on the collar that housed your instructions for the dog in the event you can not respond?

I suppose if you were at home and the dog didn't wear a collar at home that wouldn't work.


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

Go to better be safe then sorry on this one. Carry a card in your wallet, have a copy in your dog's vest (love the ones with a secure pocket and marked *info*), wear a med alert bracelet/necklace if possible with just a reference to your medical status, and for those times at home - have info inside of a well-marked envelope on the side of your refrigerator. 

Different agencies and areas have different ways of dealing with various situations. I know on scene we first sized up the safety situation, did we need to grab the person (smoking car / danger from location) before seeing to their medical needs or do basic on the scene evaluation and care before transporting. There are times when responders are able to go through a wallet or purse when situation is outside of a home or if at home check a key location in the house and times when they don't. 

~~ I know people who wear med alert braclets just to state "Service Dog should stay with handler". That is good to give the heads up to emergency responders that dog is a SD and not just a pet - especially if dog is not caped or in harness.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

I'd never really thought about what would happen with Tessa if I was unconscious before this thread. If we were out and about since she's wearing her working gear she would probably automatically stay with me correct? If something happened at home I'd be fine with her being left at home and have another dog... I don't live alone, so thats a plus if something was to happen. 

I really need to get an alert necklace I guess! And print something up to stick in Tessa's pockets. If I'm to shell out the money for the necklace though, I don't want one with just the vascular warning. Its the most serious warning yes, but I also have some drug allergies and other things. 

Along with that, Rerun since you read this thread if I ever pass out at training its not likely to be the vascular tear  Much more likely to just be from a minor heart condition I have.


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

> she would probably automatically stay with me correct?


I'm going to assume that you aren't talking about her training and that she would stay with you as I'm sure your dog is trained well enough to do so ... so you are talking about if an emergency responder would allow her to stay with you. .... Depends ...

Some areas train their responders ie. Rescue drivers/EMTs to allow the SD to remain with the patient if at all possible while some are lax on this. 

Going from some official points and some unofficial fact gathering here that I have in speaking to my local responders and with various PWDs from around the country:
1) SDs are allowed in rescue transport if the handler is able to control them ie voice commands or physical. This would be in the case of when entering transport you were able to tell the dog to lie down and stay.
2) There is room in the transport. In some cases you may have more than one EMT/First Responder in the back working with the patient and there isn't much room to begin with.
3) There isn't expected to be very invasive procedures to be done on the patient while in transport. Even a very well trained dog can not be expected to just lie there and not try to *protect* their handler in certain cases. 

This is why besides a request not to seperate the SD from the handler there needs to be backup information such as who to contact and how to secure the dog if needed. In the case of a traffic accident or other situation where a team may be away from home, some agencies will just as a matter of course go beyond the minimum in keeping the SD in a suitable location others will just contact the local animal control facility and the dog may be placed in the local shelter along with strays etc. often sharing a run with another dog. 

You must always think and plan for these different events and then make sure family members and friends (great also for reliable neighbors) know what they need to do. Also write down instructions for those times when you are instructing strangers on how to see to your dog's safety and care.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Yea, I meant the responders allowing her to remain with me. Hmmm. If anything happened in an emergency my dad is my contact and I'm sure he would come down to pick up Tessa... I'll have to put that info in something to stick in her bags. I have written instructions in case I was to die, but for some reason this never occurred to me. 

I do have her microchip information on her service dog ID (and she wears a tag), and my dad is connected to that as my emergency contact... So thats something at least!


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

One of my "hope someday dreams" is to have somewhere in my county to shelter animals such as a SD in those cases where there will be a delay in the emergency caretaker to take charge of the dog along with a safe place to keep pets of women taking refuge in a shelter, or even pets of families in the first several days after a tragedy such as losing their home to a fire and no where to place their pet short term. We are still tossing ideas around but it will be several years before we can go forward toward this goal. So much red tape, laws, and liability issues in something like this.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Purdue has a program like that. The website doesn't talk about it but I know the fliers I'd read in the past said they took animals in while people were in the hospital and such as well. I looked into it before, but my dad was able to come petsit for me. 

Center for the Human-Animal Bond


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

Lin, if your dad isn't local, you can always put us as an emergency contact for her/you. Good to know about the heart condition (well not "good" - but you know what I mean), I was getting a big worried given what you've written thus far!


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