Medicine going to the dogs

We love our canines.

It seems everyone on the block or at the corner coffee house has one or two
of them. Every year millions of Americans watch the Westminster Kennel Club
competition and other national and international shows with fascination and
delight.

So why do we often use the term "going to the dogs" in a negative manner?
In fact when it comes to medical care, nursing and compassion, why can't
we be more like our dogs?

The joy of dogs is well known. They are our pets, best friends,
unconditional loves. They aid us in war, police work and hunting. They comb
the debris in tragedies such as Oklahoma City and sift the snow in
avalanches.

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But there is another noble calling we need to talk about more. This is in
care-giving. They do much better than most of us in dealing with people who
are handicapped, sick, elderly, mentally ill, disabled and mentally
retarded.

This is partly because they see further, better, wider, and have better
night vision than we do. They give sight, life, heart and hope to the
blind. They also hear over greater distances, at higher frequencies, and better localize
sound than we do. They are the ears for many of the deaf.

Their noses smell better, stronger and sense trouble earlier than we do.
They daily save many disabled masters from fire and danger. They "speak"
louder and more emphatically than we. They are able to speak for those who
cannot.

Rover loves the elderly and gives them something to live for. Dogs go to
hospitals to bring happiness to the ill and speed their recovery. They give
kids with cancer a warm and fuzzy hope. The mentally ill and depressed
respond positively to visiting dogs. People with cerebral palsy and
retardation smile at the sight of a canine friend.

Although dogs have faults, it is more noteworthy that these special
friends provide their care gladly, patiently, sincerely and lovingly. They
serve us well 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year -- without
complaint and asking for pay, perks or days off. So loyal are dogs that
there is a story of a Skye Terrier in Scotland who lay at his master's
grave for 14 years after his death. Dogs don't discriminate against the
sick, mentally ill, disabled or retarded.

A colleague swears that dogs are the cure for "airline rage." During a recent eight hour
delay, her speckled hound patiently worked the airport crowd of children
and adults, calming tempers, providing diversion and bringing smiles under
stressful conditions.

The canines have much to teach us. Medical service dogs give their
companions advance warning for seizures, and some are being trained to
sniff out cancer cells. We're not sure how they do it, but we should study
what makes them so caring and good.

Sometimes a healer is wrapped in a furry coat and walks on four legs. So
the next time someone tells us we are going to the dogs we won't be upset
for long. In fact, we intend to take it as a compliment.