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Canine is First Responder for Kearney Teen
Ethan Polk's dog Buzz goes everywhere with him - to school, church, stores, even when Ethan eats out.
For the Kearney teen, Buzz is more than just a companion, he could be a lifesaver.
The 3-year-old yellow lab has been trained to alert Ethan and his parents, Doug and Janice, of an oncoming seizure. Ethan, 14, suffered a stroke either before or during birth and had his first seizure at about 10 months. He has seizures about every 55 to 60 days.
The seizures can last a couple of hours, sometimes requiring a trip to the emergency room. Doug said Ethan's seizures can't be stopped with medication, but if his family is alerted soon enough, they might be able to give him medication to reduce the effects.
Alert dogs can sense a change in their owner when a seizure is coming on, possibly through scent. Since Ethan has only had the dog a few months, Buzz is still bonding with Ethan and becoming familiar with him enough to detect a seizure and alert someone.
Ethan and his family had to go through an intense week of training with Canine Assistance Rehabilitation Education and Services Inc. in Concordia, Kansas, before bringing Buzz home. The dog went everywhere with them, including noisy malls and restaurants.
The family had to learn about Buzz's diet and grooming requirements, and Ethan and Buzz had to pass a test to be a licensed service dog team.
His special education teacher joined them for part of the training. "That made the transition a lot easier," said Janice. "KPS (Kearney Public Schools) has been very receptive."
After brain surgery five years ago, Ethan went about a year and a half without a seizure, but they gradually came back.
He has to be the one to care for Buzz so the two will bond, a responsibility he sometimes gets tired of.
His church, St. Luke's Episcopal, helped raise money for Ethan to get Buzz.
As a service dog, Buzz is allowed in any public place. He can even go into the emergency room when Ethan does have a seizure.
One of the most difficult aspects of having Buzz for Ethan and his brother, Ben, is not being able to pet and play with him, except when the harness is off at night.
Because he is working, people shouldn't try to pet or play with him, Doug said. "Working dogs should not be bothered when they have their harnesses on."
Posted August 13th, 2007
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| Ethan Polk has spent the last few months bonding with his dog, Buzz, so Buzz can detect when Ethan has a seizure and can alert his family. |
The 3-year-old yellow lab has been trained to alert Ethan and his parents, Doug and Janice, of an oncoming seizure. Ethan, 14, suffered a stroke either before or during birth and had his first seizure at about 10 months. He has seizures about every 55 to 60 days.
The seizures can last a couple of hours, sometimes requiring a trip to the emergency room. Doug said Ethan's seizures can't be stopped with medication, but if his family is alerted soon enough, they might be able to give him medication to reduce the effects.
Alert dogs can sense a change in their owner when a seizure is coming on, possibly through scent. Since Ethan has only had the dog a few months, Buzz is still bonding with Ethan and becoming familiar with him enough to detect a seizure and alert someone.
Ethan and his family had to go through an intense week of training with Canine Assistance Rehabilitation Education and Services Inc. in Concordia, Kansas, before bringing Buzz home. The dog went everywhere with them, including noisy malls and restaurants.
The family had to learn about Buzz's diet and grooming requirements, and Ethan and Buzz had to pass a test to be a licensed service dog team.
His special education teacher joined them for part of the training. "That made the transition a lot easier," said Janice. "KPS (Kearney Public Schools) has been very receptive."
After brain surgery five years ago, Ethan went about a year and a half without a seizure, but they gradually came back.
He has to be the one to care for Buzz so the two will bond, a responsibility he sometimes gets tired of.
His church, St. Luke's Episcopal, helped raise money for Ethan to get Buzz.
As a service dog, Buzz is allowed in any public place. He can even go into the emergency room when Ethan does have a seizure.
One of the most difficult aspects of having Buzz for Ethan and his brother, Ben, is not being able to pet and play with him, except when the harness is off at night.
Because he is working, people shouldn't try to pet or play with him, Doug said. "Working dogs should not be bothered when they have their harnesses on."
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