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Dog Repeatedly Breaks Into The Nursery In Order To Warn Parents That There’s Something Wrong With The Baby, Saves Her Life (Plus 30 More Pet-Hero Stories)
When we’re sick, we often brush off our symptoms on things like allergies or the AC. However, when things get real, there's one sign we can’t ignore—our cute pets resting by our side and trying to nurse us back to health. They seem to have a 6th sense when it comes to our well-being and sometimes that intuition can save lives.
Kelly Andrew shared a story of how her hero dog Henry, an 8-year-old Boston terrier, saved her daughter’s life. Both parents knew that their baby had a cold, but the pet could sense that things were getting worse. He "kept breaking into the nursery and waking the baby", which made her feel a bit fed up with the dog. Until her 9-month-old daughter stopped breathing.
The post went viral, touching the hearts of thousands and sparking a conversation about how pets make our lives better. Make sure to read the whole story below and if your four-legged friend has done something heroic as well, share your experience with us in the comments.
Kelly Andrew, a writer from Boston, tells a story about how her four-legged friend Henry saved the life of her 9-month-old daughter
Image credits: KayAyDrew
Image credits: KayAyDrew
Image credits: KayAyDrew
In an interview with Good Morning America, Kelly Andrew mentioned that every time she shooed Henry away, he would go back in as soon as her back was turned. Fortunately, this behavior was not usual for their pet, so it captured their attention just in time for them to rush their baby to the hospital: "She wasn't clearing her airway. She started to turn blue and go rigid, and she just really couldn't get air."
At the hospital, doctors were able to clear the baby girl’s airways and made sure that she was well enough to come back home. The couple didn’t spare kind words towards their furry friend and mentioned that he will receive an additional gift this Christmas.
Image credits: KayAyDrew
Image credits: KayAyDrew
"[We're] definitely spoiling the dog a little bit more," said her husband Jeff. "He was allowed to sleep in bed with me last night, and he's got a steak in his future." Both parents are very proud of the Boston terrier who acted on his intuition: "He's never done anything quite so heroic before," Kelly said.
The post quickly went viral, receiving thousands of likes and retweets with users sharing their own stories. Apparently, there are plenty of pets who did heroic acts in order to assist their humans. Whether it's saving a child from SIDS, helping people cope with depression and mood swings or dealing with seizures, people flooded the thread with tales about their little friends.
Her story went viral and many users started tweeting similar experiences
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The question is, how do our pets know that there might be something wrong with us? Well, dogs are known for their sense of smell and people have taken advantage of this ability for hundreds of years—from hunting, detecting drugs and explosives to tracking down diseases. According to science writer Mia Rozenbaum, "Dogs’ sense of smell is so subtle that they can notice the slightest change in human scent caused by disease."
Dogs are already known for detecting cancer, malaria, Parkinson’s disease, COVID-19 and more. For example, "Canines proved to be able to correctly pick out the scent of children infected with malaria parasites 70 percent of the time, from socks they had worn all night," she wrote.
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Apparently, they are able to sniff out signs of illness even before a person gets sick. Rozenbaum said there’s been research where dogs were able to pick up biochemical changes in the body that would lead to a narcoleptic moment. They notified the humans in advance so that they would get to a safe place and avoid getting injured. Also, when it comes to people who have diabetes, dogs can assist with knowing when the blood sugar level is spiking or dropping.
Even though there’s been plenty of research showing that dogs are able to bring different diseases to light, it will take a while for them to be used in the clinics. "Researchers mostly still don't know exactly what chemical compounds dogs detect to alert to the presence of the disease," Rozenbaum explained.
"Knowing more precisely what the dogs are noticing would allow their training to be standardized, but even then the skepticism of the medical community might prevail. Not all doctors would want to rely on a dog to make a diagnosis."
Since it might take some time before we see our furry friends dressed in lab coats and writing down their conclusions, we can enjoy their company at home. Such friendship definitely has its perks, because it appears that canines keep you in good health.
#9
Dog owners have a lower risk of heart disease and are more resilient to stress because having one running around your house means you have to make some lifestyle changes. When you get a dog, you have to take it for a walk at least twice a day, and there’s no way of avoiding it. Increased physical activity strengthens your body and spending more time outside makes you calmer and generally happier.
Our four-legged friends are truly one of the greatest things that happened to humankind. Our pets not only improve our well-being and protect us from different dangers but also spread joy in the whole house. So while we might "not deserve them", we are sure lucky to have them.
#18
Micheal Sharp 4 years ago (edited)
@TwirlyMcSwirl Nope sorry.. I strongly disagree... I honestly believe your story is just as impressive as the others... I think any story where an animal saves a human life is just extraordinary and just goes to show how insanely smart animals can be and also when it comes to saving lives it's not just limited to domesticated animals, which I think is pretty damn cool... Hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year...
#19
Pheebs 4 years ago
My parents had a dog when my older bro was an infant. Things the dog did: 1, refused to let my grandfather anywhere near my bro when being loud; 2, jumped through a window (shattering it) because he wasn’t allowed to accompany my bro outside; 3, got hit by a car saving my bro. Mind you, the dog also ran away from my other grandparents’ house a few years before all that, walking about 10 miles to my parents’ new home because he wanted to live with them. He’d never been to the new home.
#20
Amy Taylor 4 years ago
they really are wonderful creatures. When my mom died, my cats wouldn't leave my side, and I was pregnant at the time, and couldn't take my anxiety meds, and he would lay his head on my belly and wrap his arms around it.
#28
Pheebs 4 years ago
My cat does rounds every evening - 3 circles around the inside perimeter at bedtime, checking each person/animal/door/window. She likes to sleep cuddled up to one of us, but will only sleep for a short time if no one else is awake so she can do rounds. If someone is awake, she’ll zonk right out. As soon as you go to bed, she’s up and patrolling.
#30
Kathy Ditmars 4 years ago
I have two rescue kitties. One is almost 8 and my other is just a baby, 5 months old. I rescued both of them. In October, I got covid. I couldn't do much but sleep. I woke up one time and my boyfriend said, do you know the kitten doesn't leave your side until you wake up. He told me that she gets up on my side and stares at me the whole time I asked him, why is she doing that.. He looked at me and said, she knows your sick.. They both do it when you sleep, they want to make sure your ok. You saved them both, they love you. 🤗
#34
That_One_Harry_Potter_Nerd 4 years ago
Such a sweet-faced wonderful kitty. I am so sorry for your loss.
#36
Sabrina Fisher 4 years ago
I am so sorry for your loss. I am a mom to 3 angel babies. And with every pregnancy my cats have always tried to lay on my belly. Even my grouchy old lady who doesn't like to cuddle with me at all. This is the only time they will lay on my stomach otherwise they prefer to keep up on the pillow or beside me. If purrs and love could keep my angels here... they never would have left.
#37
Violet Jensen 4 years ago
I got a snake a bit ago after a fit of depression (we can’t have mammals my brother is allergic) and the dude was super cuddly and helps me overcome my fear of being touched…. In fact I got a bit of confidence and got a gf a few weeks later
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What do you think ?
Miukuu 4 years ago
When I was a teenager, I was deeply depressed. Every night, when everybody else were sleeping, I would cry for hours and often harm myself. Our dog started to sleep next to me every single night. If my door was closed, she would cry until I let her in. If I was crying, she sat in my lap and licked my face. She made me feel less lonely and she was always ready to cheer me up when I needed it the most. I'm sure she knew how much I needed that. She passed away year ago and I miss her so much. I would give anything to see her again, even for a minute. She was my best friend and she saved me.
Agnes Jekyll 4 years ago
Hello Miukuu--what a lovely friend. I'm so glad she was with you when you needed her.
Load More Replies...
Jef Bateman 4 years ago
I remember that people used to try to convince us that having pets was not safe. I had a person like that in my extended family. Now we know that pet ownership signify lowers mortality rates - particularly among people with cardiovascular issues, but for other people, too. It is safer to have a pet than not to have one.
Agnes Jekyll 4 years ago
Wow. These stories are amazing. I couldn't read it all--too many onion ninjas.
Miukuu 4 years ago
When I was a teenager, I was deeply depressed. Every night, when everybody else were sleeping, I would cry for hours and often harm myself. Our dog started to sleep next to me every single night. If my door was closed, she would cry until I let her in. If I was crying, she sat in my lap and licked my face. She made me feel less lonely and she was always ready to cheer me up when I needed it the most. I'm sure she knew how much I needed that. She passed away year ago and I miss her so much. I would give anything to see her again, even for a minute. She was my best friend and she saved me.
Agnes Jekyll 4 years ago
Hello Miukuu--what a lovely friend. I'm so glad she was with you when you needed her.
Load More Replies... Jef Bateman 4 years ago
I remember that people used to try to convince us that having pets was not safe. I had a person like that in my extended family. Now we know that pet ownership signify lowers mortality rates - particularly among people with cardiovascular issues, but for other people, too. It is safer to have a pet than not to have one.
Agnes Jekyll 4 years ago
Wow. These stories are amazing. I couldn't read it all--too many onion ninjas.
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