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Sully9016

1y ago

Looking for Advice on Service Dogs for Medical Support

Is anyone on here a service dog handler? I've already made a post like this one on Vent (Paracosm9016) but I was wondering if anyone had advice or experience on here, too. The post on Vent is more in-depth, so if you look for it, it's pinned to the top of my page. Either way, I was looking into service dogs because my doctor has recommended a support animal. The service dog can assist me with my balance, sugar, anxiety, dissociating, retrieving, and hearing. A general summary of each category... Balance: I've had difficultly walking and standing since I was a kid. I'll sway in place (almost falling), stumble, trip over nothing, and constantly manage to get injured by doing so. I run into people a lot as well, so the dog would help both me and other people lol. Sugar: A service dog has shown to be intelligent enough to know when a human's blood sugar levels are low via scent. I often forget to eat as it is, and my hypoglycemia doesn't help that. I burn up a lot of sugar and energy when I'm at school per weekday, plus whatever after-school activities. I'll forget to eat more often if I'm busy. Anxiety: I was diagnosed with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder at 14. I've discovered that one of the main panic-attack triggers of mine are touch (someone touching my back specifically) or someone I don't know standing behind me in a line. Crowd control with a service dog (where they circle around you, sit between your legs, or stand/lay between you and the other person) can be very helpful with that and help me feel safe. Hearing: I have bad hearing. Its rather noticable to other people, too. I often miss sounds like the door being knocked on, (sometimes) car horns depending on the car, footsteps, whining animals, my name being called from afar, etc. It's been getting worse since I was 10. Dissociation: My dissociative episodes can get bad enough for me not to notice if I'd accidentally stabbed myself, to be blunt. I sort of lose the world and don't feel much of anything. Retrieving: I can't bend over well. It's not that I physically can't, but with my balanced issues and C-PTSD its not the most pleasant thing... I'm hoping to teach the dog to retrieve things I've dropped like I've taught my cat to climb my legs (My cat, Daydream, will stand on his hind legs and stretch his front paws up on my thighs for me to pick him up without falling over). This could also be helpful with my dissociation because I'll often lose muscle strength when a dissociative episode hits and probably drop the item I'm holding. As of when this post is being made, I'm very tired and can't exactly think of much. If I missed anything, it's on Vent. If you can't access Vent, message me or comment and I'll paste it.

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The content in this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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