[nagdu] Guide Dogs in Health Care Facilities, (MRI)

Angie Matney angie.matney at gmail.com
Mon Aug 31 16:06:55 UTC 2009


I once heard (perhaps on this list, I don't remember) about a woman who
received a dog with a metal pin in its leg. The school did not tell her
about the pin; a vet told her when the dog was examined. I think all parties
involved should be glad that this dog was never taken into an MRI room.

Angie



-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Peter Donahue
Sent: Monday, August 31, 2009 9:46 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: [nagdu] Guide Dogs in Health Care Facilities, (MRI)

Good morning everyone,

    Each year I have an annual MRI scan and always take my dogs in the room 
with me for the reasons Tracy gave. Johnny's harness remained on him and he 
was tied to a grab bar near the machine, but far enough away from it to 
mitigate any issues with metal. On another occasion I left my keys in my 
pocket and didn't discover it until the scan began. I have more trouble with

Nuclear Medicine techs and so-called "Nurses" more interested in discussing 
their recent divorce with me and not concentrating on locating veins in my 
arms to inject the contrast agent than the issue of Johnny being in the MRI 
room with me. The newer MRI machines can produce the same high-quality 
images with low-power magnets further reducing issues with metal harming 
patients or hospital staff.

Peter Donahue

 ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, August 31, 2009 7:14 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Service Animals in Health Care Failities


I'm not Nicole, but...
No metal object is allowed past a certain point in the MRI rooms, because
of the powerful magnet that makes the MRI work.  A few years ago, a child
was killed in an MRI machine because someone left a soda can in the room,
and when they turned on the machine, the can flew into it.
My dog has 2 metal objects on him when he's working, his harness and his
collar.  So he can't come into the MRI room; he has to stay outside,
possibly in the changing room.  But there won't be anyone there to watch
him, and he could bother the next patient to come in, because she's
getting ready while I'm still being scanned.
For these reasons, I either bring someone with me to watch the dog in the
waiting room while I get the MRI, or I'd leave the dog at home if no one
could come with me.
Tracy

> Nicole,
>     I can understand why you would not bring the dog in a hyperbaric
> chamber
> but not sure why not in an MRI room. Could you share more about this?
>
> Marion
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Nicole B. Torcolini" <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, August 30, 2009 10:43 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Service Animals in Health Care Failities
>
>
>> To answer your question, an MRI room and a hyper baric  chamber.  No, it
>> is
>> not safe for the dog to go in a hyperbaric chamber.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf
>> Of Marion & Martin
>> Sent: Sunday, August 30, 2009 4:24 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: [nagdu] Service Animals in Health Care Failities
>>
>> Nicole,
>>    Your message raises another question for me. What is the type of area
>> at
>> your doctor's office in which you are restricted from taking your dog? I
>> feel it is important for everyone to know that, according to the Centers
>> for
>> Disease Control's guidance on this, there are very few areas in which a
>> service animal "poses a direct threat that cannot be mitigated by a
>> modification of policies, practices, and procedures". These places are
>> those
>> in which everyone must take "universal precautions, i.e., wear gloves,
>> gowns, & masks. It is not reasonable to expect a service animal to
>> undergo
>> such precautions. The entire document is attached to this message.
>>
>> Fraternally yours,
>> Marion
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Nicole B. Torcolini" <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>
>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, August 30, 2009 3:34 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] The Requirement of a Harness
>>
>>
>>> For those times that Lexia is out of the harness, but I still need
>>> people
>>> to
>>> know that she is a guide dog, she has a vest that I bought and sewed
>>> two
>>> patches on; I don't remember what the patches say.  .  An example of a
>>> time
>>> that I would use it is I take her to the doctor with me and have to
>>> leave
>>> her with someone because she can not go into a certain area.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf
>>> Of Julie J
>>> Sent: Sunday, August 30, 2009 8:04 AM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] The Requirement of a Harness
>>>
>>> Marion,
>>>
>>> *let's consider our stays in hotels. During convention, I always give
>>> my
>>> dog
>>> a day off in the middle of the convention. However, our policy requires
>>> us
>>> to not leave our dog unattended in the rooms. Therefore, I allow my dog
>>> to
>>> accompany me out of harness. From your perspective, would this be
>>> unethical?
>>>
>>> *
>>> For me this is not something I would do.  When I went to convention
>>> with
>>> Belle I did give her time off, but I did have her harness on while I
>>> used
>>> my
>>> cane and took her along on leash.
>>>
>>> *suppose I want to relieve my
>>> dog. Should I be required to harness my dog to take her out if I do not
>>> wish
>>> to work her? * Again for me it would depend on where I was, how far it
>>> was
>>> to the place to relieve her and what I would have to go through to get
>>> there.  At a large, no pets hotel, with a long way to go to get
>>> outside,
>>> yes
>>> I would probably put the harness on whether or not I was working her or
>>> using my cane.
>>>
>>> *And, if while I am out, I decide to stop into the restaurant to get a
>>> couple of cups of coffee to take back to my room for merry and me,
>>> should
>>> I
>>> be restricted from entering into the restaurant if my dog is not in
>>> harness?
>>> * Restricted, I don't know.  Again I would not be comfortable taking my
>>> guide dog into a restaurant out of harness.
>>> *Does my dog pose any greater threat to those in the restaurant if she
>>> is
>>> not in harness?* No, not at all.  But I don't think that is the issue.
>>>
>>> *    While I am at work and the dog is lying under my desk, should I be
>>> required to keep my dog in harness to satisfy some ethical
>>> consideration?
>>> *
>>> no.  That is your space.
>>>
>>> *Some schools and even more users train their dogs to guide on leash
>>> without
>>> the harness.  Again, if I am at work and wish to get a drink or step
>>> outside
>>> for some fresh air, should I be required to put the harness on my dog?*
>>> Required? no, I don't think so, but again I think I would put the
>>> harness
>>> on
>>> to do these things.  I also teach my dogs to leash guide, but even if I
>>> am
>>> using leash guiding in a public situation, I still have the dog in
>>> harness.
>>>
>>> I don't think it's an easy distinction to make, when to put on the
>>> harness
>>> and when not to.  I think Ann Edie said it all better than I could ever
>>> explain in her post from last week or the week before.  I don't think
>>> that
>>> we should be required to have our dogs in harness in particular
>>> situations.
>>> I do think we need to make every effort to make sure that the public
>>> knows
>>> that our guide dogs are guide dogs.  I think this is best done by
>>> having
>>> them wear their harnesses.  Incidentally I also think that other types
>>> of
>>> service dogs should wear a vest or other identifying equipment, not
>>> because
>>> it is required, but because it is an easy way to identify them as
>>> service
>>> dogs.   It's like a name tag.  Sure people can do a job without a name
>>> tag,
>>> but doesn't it make things easier for the public when you can be easily
>>> identified?
>>>
>>> I definitely don't think we need more rules about when or where or how
>>> to
>>> handle our guide dogs, but at the same time I think we need to do
>>> everything
>>> in our power to help the public understand what is what so that no one
>>> feels
>>> that more rules are in order.
>>>
>>> Of course this is JMHO
>>> Julie
>>>
>>>
>>>
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