How Two Service Dogs Help Me Manage Epilepsy, Diabetes, and Chronic Illness

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About 3 years ago, in Jacksonville, Florida, Jaime Simpson's Australian shepherd, Echo, likely saved her life.

Jaime was swimming in her family's pool when she had a seizure and slipped underwater.

Echo, a trained service dog, immediately sprang into action, barking and running back and forth between the pool and the house. Jaime's parents rushed outside and pulled her out of the water just in time.

"I don't think I would be here without Echo, if I'm being honest," Jaime says.

Echo, who is now 5 years old, is trained to detect oncoming seizures and bring Jaime her medication during emergencies.

How Echo helps manage dangerous heart rate changes

Jaime Simpson says her Australian shepherd, Echo, saved her life. (Photo courtesy of Jaime Simpson)

Jaime relies on Echo for much more than seizure alerts. In addition to epilepsy, he helps her manage vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).

"When I stand up, my autonomic [nervous] system basically goes haywire," Jaime says. "I start sweating, and my heart rate goes up."

Echo can sense the chemical changes in Jaime's body even before she notices something is wrong. By giving her an early warning, Echo allows Jaime time to take her blood pressure medication, lie down, or move to a safer location.

Service dogs can alert you before you notice anything's wrong

Echo has also helped Jaime avoid crises in public.

One time, Jamie was at an amusement park about to get on a roller coaster. "And Echo says, 'Hey, you're about to have a POTS moment,'" Jamie recalls. "The worst thing I could do would be to get on that roller coaster. It's super helpful in that way. He can tell me when I need to get to a safer location."

Jaime also has mast cell activation syndrome, which causes severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Echo has been trained to recognize the body language and sounds - such as heavy breathing and coughing - that indicate Jaime is experiencing anaphylaxis.

"We've practiced the things that can be most obvious to a dog," Jaime says. "And then, he gets really excited, and he's, like, 'This is my time to shine. I'm gonna bring her her EpiPen.'"

Her other dog helps her manage diabetes and navigate crowds

Jaime's second service dog, a 3-year-old golden retriever named Everest, plays a different but equally vital role in her life. Jaime has Type 2 diabetes and peripheral blindness, too. Everest alerts her to changes in her blood sugar levels and guides her through crowds and dark places.

"I'm sure Echo could do the things that Everest does," Jaime explains. "But because epilepsy can kill you, I would prefer that all his energy be focused on if I'm going to have a seizure."

What it takes to train a service dog

Jaime, who has family members that train service dogs, started working with service dogs when she was 8. At 18, she began training service dogs herself. She trained both Echo and Everest.

To teach Echo how to detect seizures, Jaime collected scent samples after her episodes.

"I'd swab my mouth after a seizure" to capture the scent, she says. Then, she taught Echo to associate that scent with a command to bark.

Echo is also trained to use a Bluetooth-connected emergency button that calls Jaime's husband or 911. The button is big enough that a dog can step on it. Jamie trained Echo to react to her having a seizure by first clicking the button and then bringing her her seizure medication.

One time, when she had a seizure at a hotel, Everest saw Echo alerting her and pressed the button himself, because he figured it out on his own, Jamie says.

Tips for finding the right service dog

If you're considering getting a service dog, Jaime recommends doing your research.

You can train your own dog, adopt one from a trainer, or work with an organization that specializes in service dogs, Jamie says. A few organizations that may be able to help are:

• Guide Dogs for the Blind

• Canine Companions

• America's VetDogs

The breed you choose also matters. Jaime explains that different breeds have different temperaments and strengths. A calm retriever might be perfect for someone who needs a steady companion. But a high-energy dog like an Australian shepherd could overwhelm some people, she says.

Jamie also emphasizes the importance of vetting trainers. "You want to make sure your trainer is going to do justice for that dog," she says. "You really have to research."

The bond between service dogs and their handlers

Jamie is a certified service dog trainer who publishes content about her medical conditions and service dogs on Instagram and TikTok. She says the connection between a service dog and their handler is key to the dog's success.

"Whatever you put into them, you'll get out," Jamie says.

"Service-dog handlers and their dogs have a bond that helps the dogs become good service dogs," she adds. "If a dog doesn't want to do something, they're not going to. But because they love their handlers and love doing their job, they save people's lives."

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