What are the most loyal animals on the planet? I’m pretty sure the answer is a dog! You can find evidence of dogs’ unwavering dedication and devotion to their masters. This is the story of a service dog who wouldn’t be ready to leave her mother’s hospital room until she got what she wanted.
When Shauna Darcy first got Ruby, she got her as a service dog to help her cope with her (ᴀɴxɪᴇᴛʏ, ᴅᴇᴘʀᴇssɪᴏɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɢᴏʀᴀᴘʜᴏʙɪᴀ).
During her training to become a service dog, Shauna noticed that she was becoming more aware of her own heart rate changes. Shauna sees her as a kind of guardian angel. Throughout her entire life, she really was close to her adopted mom. In addition, she acts as a human friend for her.
Shauna said, “While she was training to be a service dog I noticed that she started picking up on changes in my heart rate and would act funny — for example, paw at me, try to get my attention, get on top of me, etc.”
Choosing to listen to Ruby’s cues, Shauna went to see a doctor and quickly learned that she was experiencing health issues she hadn’t known about, including a rare heart condition called vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Ruby had already known something was wrong even before Shauna did, and as a service dog, she quickly switched focus to Shauna’s cardiac issues.
More than that, this special dog also helps her human companion during her panic attacks, she carries groceries or picks up dropped items.
“When I pass out she gets on top of me and applies all her pressure on me and licks my hands and face until I come around.”
Ruby had saved Shauna’s life!
Last week, when Ruby started alerting her that something was wrong, she had no idea why. Shauna was feeling fine but chose to trust Ruby and call an ambulance – just in case.
“It turns out my heart was going into atrial fibrillation,” she said. “By the time the paramedics came, I was in pain and barely conscious.”
Shauna can retake a deep breath because of her devoted and unique dog. On the other hand, Ruby’s love does nothing to help her. During her mother’s stay in the hospital, she was unable to leave her side. However, Shauna was confident of one thing: the connection she had with them got her life back. She said, “I wouldn’t be here now if it weren’t for her.”
