WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and SportsMedical service dog now needs her own medical help after accident

Medical service dog now needs her own medical help after accident

Cornell (WQOW) - A medical service dog is looking for her own medical help after an accident left her partially paralyzed.

The dog's name is Roo. For Gina Niemeyer, Roo is much more than a just a pet.

"She is a lifesaver. She has saved my life many many times," says Gina, Roo's owner. 

Gina suffers from a seizure disorder. She can experience up to 12 seizures a day, with one lasting anywhere from a minute to several hours. Roo is trained to sense seizure symptoms coming, and then help Gina.

"As it progresses and I haven't been listening to her, it can be as much as pushing me down and sitting on me until it happens and it's over," says Gina. Or if she's driving, Roo can alert her that the seizure is coming so Gina knows to pull over ahead of time.

A few weeks ago, Roo had a medical emergency of her own. While playing fetch in the backyard, Roo suddenly collapsed. The accident left the dog's back legs partially paralyzed. Now for Roo, a dog who's done so much for her family, it's now she who needs help. A role Gina says is a little different, "It's almost like having a guardian angel. And right now instead of her being mine, we're looking at me being hers. It's gone full circle."

But the accident hasn't stopped Roo from trying to keep Gina safe. While News 18 was interviewing Gina, she began to have a seizure. And using her specific yelps and bark, Roo was right there to let her owner know it was time to take a break.

Gina's husband John says, "Her biggest thing is, she's bonded so strongly to Gina, that being without her just kills her. It really does. Because helping Gina's been her life. You know, she lives for it."

People wishing to help with Roo's recovery can leave donations at the RCU Bank in Chippewa Falls. The money will be used to buy a canine wheelchair and help cover other medical expenses.