Service dog helps sniff out gluten for 6-year-old diagnosed with celiac disease Updated: 5:06 PM EDT Jul 18, 2018 By Haley Rush Gresham, OR — A boy with celiac disease is getting help from man's best friend in a unique way. One peek inside the Hardesty home and it won't take long to realize their dog, Hawkeye, truly is man's best friend. Or in this case, boy's best friend. Six-year-old Toby and 2-year-old Hawkeye do everything and go everywhere together. But once out the door, Hawkeye quickly goes from friend to protector because Toby has celiac disease, which involves an autoimmune response to gluten. "If he were to bite into a cookie or a bite of a sandwich, something like that, he would have flu-like symptoms that would last for a week or two," Toby's mom, Amy Hardesty, said. "He'd get fatigued, his belly gets swollen, he gets headaches, but then on top of all that, he gets what's called gluten ataxia, which is the whole right side of his body shuts down like he's had a stroke." Hardesty said it took years just for Toby to get a correct diagnosis from a doctor. "He's been through so much in such a short amount of time," she said. She said it took even more years to get it under control. "We found very quickly making peanut butter sandwiches and using the same knife in and out of the jar and putting it on Toby's sandwich was making him sick, so it was just scary," she said. "Once we learned what to avoid and how to care for him, it was super daunting for a while and we got it under control and we were like 'Yes! We got it! We know how to do this!' and then we had to start thinking about school and that so many external factors play into it." That's where Hawkeye’s efforts came into play. "We just realized we need some extra support," Hardesty said. "It's not fair to send him to school and expect everyone else to know how to take care of him and it's also not fair to put that responsibility on a 6-year-old, because he's six so we started looking for service dogs." Hardesty said the community immediately surrounded them, helping to raise the $16,000 for the specialized trained service dog. Hawkeye is trained to sniff out gluten before Toby even touches something containing the substance. "Initially that sounds like a lot of money, but when you think about it trainers are often training only one to two dogs at a time and our trainer, she only trained one dog at a time and it took a year," Hardesty said. Since getting Hawkeye, Hardesty said the change in Toby is undeniable. "We've really seen just growth and development in him because he's not getting sick as often and he's now able to learn more," she said. "So, he can now say his alphabet, learn his numbers and colors, things that just a year ago he wasn't doing." "She's a life-giver," Hardesty continued. "Yeah, she's breathed life and confidence into Toby that we haven't seen in a really long time." "I do love Hawkeye," Toby said. Hardesty said she hopes by middle school, Toby can attend without Hawkeye. She said the plan is then for him to use her only as needed.
I never knew that about ham. hmph. ______________________________________ What is and isn’t OK to feed your pets during your Thanksgiving feast BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - There are some things you should never feed your pets, like chocolate, for example. It can be toxic. But some of your favorite Thanksgiving dishes could also have dangerous side effects. At a time when families and friends typically slow down and give thanks, veterinarians are working around the clock. Besides the usual annual checkups, Brent Green, DVM, says the doors at Sherwood South Animal Hospital are open 24/7 for emergencies. He was treating a beagle, Charlie, during our visit. “She’s nervous and got into some stuff that she shouldn’t have. She’s on IV fluids. This is what we are trying to prevent,” Green said. Veterinarians say food-related illnesses are quite common during the holidays. Dr. Carter Ward says most of the visits this time of year are a result of pets eating table scraps. “We’ll see your typical vomiting, diarrhea, upset stomach, not wanting to eat very well,” Ward said. You probably already know not to feed your dog turkey bones or anything else that could get caught in their throats or intestines, but the doctors warn stuffing, casseroles, or anything else with onions or garlic, ham, mashed potatoes, desserts, and artificial sweeteners can make an animal sick. If someone else made it, Dr. Ward says don’t risk it. “Stay away from that, because you may not know what is in it if some other family member made it, and you don’t know what they put in it,” Ward said. If you just can’t resist those sweet puppy dog eyes, there are a few things you can share with your pets. Dr. Green says think boiled and bland. For example, unseasoned turkey, chicken, veggies, and rice. If for some reason someone at the table breaks the rules, keep a close eye on your pet. “If your dog does start to vomit or has loose stool or is lethargic or anorexic, that’s what we tell people to watch for. If that happens, bring them in. Maybe we catch it early and then we don’t have to stay in the hospital,” Green said. The doctors say it’s probably best to keep your pets outdoors or in another room during your feast. That way they don’t get a taste of what they might be missing out on. NOT OK Fried turkey Ham Salad Alliums (onion, garlic, scallion, shallot, leek, chives) Stuffing Casseroles Mashed potatoes Dessert Alcohol OK Bland chicken Unseasoned vegetables Boiled rice Mac and cheese Cranberry sauce Source - American Veterinary Medical Association
I am immortal! Counting all the dogs I have shared my home with I'm good for the next 100 years right now!
I knew about the onions, garlic, scallions, etc. but I had no idea about ham. What's the issue with ham, I wonder. The salt content? The glazing?
I own 7 dogs. so do I get 70 years added to my life? I love dogs and they are so entertaining they are all mutts that no one wanted and were going to be euthanized. 3 of them love to swim so I enjoy going out to the backyard and watch them run across the shore line and jump in trying to catch waves, especially if its caused by a boat.
Pets bring not only joy, but also give a good mood and well-being. With them, people do not feel lonely, respectively, they have no stress or depression