AI Image
Dog Acting 'Obsessive' Around Baby May Have Saved His Life
Newser • • world
Key Points:
- A Doberman named Saraya exhibited unusual behavior by pacing, whining, and licking the face of baby Alexander, which prompted his mother Kim Reynolds to seek emergency medical care.
- Doctors diagnosed Alexander, aged 5 to 6 months, with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a congenital heart condition causing dangerous arrhythmias and a heart rate near 300 beats per minute.
- Medical staff initially attempted to lower Alexander's heart rate with icy water immersion before administering medication via IV, which successfully stabilized him; he spent two nights in the hospital and is now on beta blockers.
- Pediatric cardiologists suggest dogs may detect medical issues early by sensing changes in smell or sound, and Reynolds credits Saraya for potentially saving her son's life by alerting her to the problem.
- Reynolds advises parents to trust their instincts, noting Saraya also seemed aware when Alexander developed tonsillitis recently.
