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By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
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Service dogs are often seen in videos showing off their impeccable training, but how many of us have seen what they do during a real medical emergency?
Under the handle @embracingecho, Jaime Simpson regularly shares videos of her service dog, Echo, on social media. While many of her clips are lighthearted, Simpson wanted to show people that Echo's work is serious, too—even lifesaving.
Simpson—who has epilepsy and postural tachycardia syndrome, which affects her heart rate—started to feel a "tingling sensation" in her neck, she said, and when Echo came to her side, she "knew something was off." When she began having a seizure, Echo "did everything he was taught to do" in an emergency, she told Newsweek.
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During Simpson's epileptic seizure, Echo initially brought over her medication. Then he lay on top of her instead, to "prevent dislocations" and stop her from falling off the couch, Simpson said.
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"Seizures are not something I can really predict. I might get an aura, also known as a partial seizure, a couple of seconds before. But even that's rare," Simpson said. "My feet and arms started to feel numb, and his barking only confirmed my fear.
"Echo alerts before seizures, and typically, I can take rescue medication beforehand. This time, a seizure came all too fast. When I woke up, I had no recollection of any of it, and I still have no memory of what happened during the grand mal seizure. Echo was the only individual thinker in the room at the time, and I couldn't be more proud of him," she continued.
Epilepsy is a brain disorder that can cause seizures. Though its cause is sometimes unknown, it can be a result of a stroke, brain tumor, head injury, or central nervous system infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are about 3.4 million people living with epilepsy in the United States, of which 3 million are adults.
How dogs can detect a seizure remains unknown, but Service Dog Training School International suggests they may recognize a specific scent that's released or learn the behavioral patterns that occur during a seizure.
Dogs can be trained to perform various tasks to help their handlers—including using an alarm or device, barking to alert family members, bringing a drink or medication, or bringing the phone to contact help once the seizure is over. They can also prevent injuries by standing between their handlers and the floor in case they fall.
The Social Media Response
Simpson said it was a difficult decision for her to share the footage on social media, but that she wanted to do so for "the advocacy it might give for service dogs and epilepsy."
Since Simpson posted it on February 20, the clip has been viewed more than 29.9 million times and received over 3 million likes on TikTok, with users praising her for her transparency.
Simpson told Newsweek: "When I posted the video, I was hesitant. I felt that I looked so odd and that I'd be judged, but as the responses flooded in, I was in tears. I felt validated and thought of the impact sharing such a vulnerable moment would have on others.
"I received messages from parents of epileptic children thanking me for sharing my perspective, and messages from epileptics thanking me for advocating. The video opened up a realm of topics that I never knew needed to be discussed with the world."
Simpson said she had no idea her content could have such an effect on others, but now she aims to continue advocating and raising awareness. "It's so easy to think that your single voice doesn't have an impact, but it does, and the response to that video is proof," she added.
Some of the 28,800 comments on the TikTok post also commended Echo for his work during Simpson's seizure.
One commenter wrote, "I cried not only [because] of your situation but the fact that your dog making sounds worriedly & sounding like he's begging for [your] suffering to stop."
Another added, "Thank you so much for sharing this!"
"As an epileptic myself, it always hurts to see someone have a seizure. I'm so glad you have such an incredible guardian," a user commented.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our "Pet of the Week" lineup.
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