# guide dogs an ers

Category: Animal House

## Post 1 by turricane (happiness and change are choices ) on Thursday, 24-Sep-2009 6:57:32

This probably should go on the rave board, but since it has to do with a guide dog, figured I'd put it here. Hope it's ok.
Tuesday night my daughter got extremely ill with a stomach bug of some type. don't worry, I won't go in to the grisly details. Suffice to say, it was the sickest I've ever seen anyone in my life with that complaint. Since she got very dizzy and was losing consciousness, I called 911. when they got there, I was so impressed. her dog was sitting right beside her. the paramedics said that her pup could come on the vehicle with her. we decided not to do this as the way her mommy was acting was making the pup very upset.
whenwhen we got to the ER at the takoma park, md, adventist hospital, they told the nurses that she had a guide dog. They were like, you know you could have brought her. They are always welcome here. I was so impressed as I had no idea how a hospital would react.
I'd be curious to know what others have experienced and what they have done in similar situations. the fact that they said "welcome" instead of "the law requires her bla bla bla..." really impressed me. I'd never been to this hospital and was so impressed with the way my daughter was treated. our blindness was taken in stride. no hemming and hawing as I've seen in other places. oh yes, they gave her fluids and meds and she's home on the mend. when we walked through the door, you should have seen that happy puppy.

## Post 2 by SilverLightning (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Thursday, 24-Sep-2009 11:03:59

Well, in point of fact, the law says that guide dogs are welcome in waiting rooms and such. it is the hospitals decision to allow them into patients rooms, and they are not allowed in steril rooms like operating rooms and xray rooms. That is how the law stands. I've never had to go to the hospital since I had my guide dog, but I have had to take her into a hospital, I've never had a problem. the only places I've had problems is on a beach and in a few restaurants.

## Post 3 by icequeen (move over school!) on Thursday, 24-Sep-2009 11:16:15

hey glad to hear you had a positive experience - and no weird treatment/attitudes about the blindness thing.

## Post 4 by Daenerys Targaryen (Enjoying Life) on Thursday, 24-Sep-2009 11:43:46

I've never been to the ER, but I've taken my guide dog into hospitals and never had a problem. I've gone to a couple of restaurants where I had to argue about having my dog there, but got to stay and eat there in the end. I've never been to the beach with my dog either.

## Post 5 by djgfire (Generic Zoner) on Sunday, 11-Oct-2009 20:35:42

I'm looking into getting a guide dog. Is there anyone I can talk to about guide dogs? I've had a lot of experiences with dogs as pets, breeding dogs and cring and grooming for dogs, bu it's hard for me to trust a dog with guiding me. I would like to talk to someone about guide dogs, as I said.