Dog Saves the Day When Silent Killer Strikes
Jennilee Cudmore - The Journal Pioneer
When they say a dog is a man's best friend they could well have been talking about Jeff Campbell and his best friend Heatley.
Photo: Jeff Campbell was thankful his dog Heatley persisted in trying to warn him something was wrong after he was overcome by carbon monoxide fumes. (Jennilee Cudmore/ Journal Pioneer)
Campbell, like many Islanders, was without power following this week's ice storm. He had borrowed a generator from a friend and set it up in his basement.
Campbell turned his lamp and TV on at about 5 p.m. He started to feel sleepy and sick around 7 p.m., putting it off to something he had eaten earlier.
What Campbell didn't know was that the generator was releasing carbon monoxide, a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas and it was slowly poisoning his body.
At midnight he felt a wet nose nudge his arm. Campbell awoke to his dog, Heatley. The canine continued his nudging - even though he knew Campbell hated it.
"He was acting really weird, it was like he knew something was wrong," said Campbell of the German shepherd/huskly cross's behaviour.
Weak, dizzy and nauseated, Campbell managed to make it to his bed. To his surprise, the usually obedient Heatley laid down on the bed too.
"He knows he's not allowed to do that; it was like he was a totally different dog," said Campbell.
Early Wednesday morning Campbell awoke to Heatley yelping and again nudging him with his nose.
Campbell's girlfriend called and he told her he might have food poisoning. She offered to take him to the hospital but Campbell thought he could sleep it off.
Heatly wouldn't let that happen. He kept yelping, making Campbell take him out. Once Campbell came back inside he collapsed.
"I just hit the floor. I was so weak and my whole body was shaking."
Luckily Campbell collapsed by a phone and managed to call his girlfriend who contacted 911.
Campbell said Heatley wouldn't leave his side and laid with his head on his master's chest until EMS arrived.
At the hospital Campbell found out he had carbon monoxide poisoning.
"The doctor said if I had waited an hour longer it would have been a different story."
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