A baby’s life was saved after his racing heartbeat was detected – by the family dog.
Mum Kim Reynolds, 41, was baffled by her pet Doberman Saraya’s unusual “needy” behavior towards six-month-old Alexander.
Saraya wouldn’t leave the baby’s side and cried every time she was taken away that morning.
Alexander then felt upset and looked ill and his mother rushed him to the A&E department at Royal Bournemouth Hospital.
Doctors discovered that Alexander was suffering from a dangerously fast heart rate, at 280 beats per minute.
Two days later, he was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
Kim, a former canine hydrotherapist and first-time mum, said: “Saraya knew her heart rate was higher than it should have been.
“I had no idea. She felt it. I’m afraid to think what would have happened if I had just tucked her into bed and walked away.
“Doctors say SVT is not dangerous, but sustained SVT is.
“Saraya’s behavior was like a noise echoing in my mind.
“It bothered me that she was trying to tell me something was wrong.
“I didn’t understand why she was so needy and obsessive.
“It definitely added to my worry and forced us to go get checked.”
When she went to the emergency room in September for seven-month-old Alexander, Kim worried they were wasting the professionals’ time because he had stopped crying.
Then she discovered how fast her heart was beating.
In order to get Alexander’s heart rate back to normal, they had to “soak” him in a large bucket filled with cold water and ice.
Kim, of Shepton Mallet, Somerset, said: “They put him inside and the scream was horrible, that’s all I hear now.
“They did it twice and his heart rate still hadn’t gone down.”
After submerging his head for 10 seconds, Alexander’s heart rate remained elevated and he was placed on Kim’s lap.
She then decided that “enough” was enough and she wanted them to try intravenous medication.
Three doses of the drug eventually brought his heart rate down and the family were transferred by ambulance to Poole Hospital.
Kim stayed two nights and received his diagnosis of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
Kim described the syndrome as “excess tissue in his heart, which basically means electrical impulses can go where they shouldn’t. That’s when he can’t calm his heart rate.”
Alexander now takes the beta-blocker propranolol three times a day using a syringe.
Kim said he “knew he needed it” and drank from the syringe himself “without hassle”.
This month, Saraya started acting differently around Alexander again.
Kim said: “He was in his deck chair and she was next to him, licking his hands and looking at me.
“My first thought was, ‘Oh my God, are we going to go back to SVT?’
After checking his pulse, she noticed his throat was red and took him to the emergency room.
He was diagnosed with bacterial tonsillitis and prescribed penicillin.
Kim said: “I trust Saraya 100%.
“She’s not a trained or registered service dog. But for me, every opportunity I get, she’ll be by my side.”
Kim’s sister Francine introduced her to the small charity Tiny Tickers, which works to improve early detection and care of babies with serious heart conditions, while supporting their families.
The couple are taking part in the 100 mile challenge in October to raise money for Tiny Tickers.
Kim said: “I didn’t realize the work they were doing. It really became, pardon the pun, close to my heart.
“I went to a doctor to weigh him a few weeks later and they had no idea what SVT was.
“I’m a first-time mom and it’s been quite an experience. It’s really important to raise awareness. We wonder how many babies have it and don’t realize it.
“I had never heard of his syndrome when they scanned him. It was not detected at birth or during previous hospital visits.
“I have to say his care at Bournemouth and Poole was impeccable.
“I know some babies have much more serious heart conditions, but it’s just as important, and the charity has helped me understand that.”
Gn Health
