Service dogs specifically trained to recognize dangerous allergic reactions can cost over $10,000. But Dominic Wiederin, 17, didn't even know he might need one when he rescued a malnourished, injured stray and begged his parents that he could keep it.
Dominic's parent agreed and he named him Jobe, after the biblical character who remained faithful in the face of misery. Jobe became a well behaved, loved part of the family. He finally had a home.
All was well for this normal Nebraska teenager with football and other activities until an extreme allergic reaction at a restaurant landed him in the hospital gravely ill.
According to an article at Omaha.com, he has been to the hospital about a hundred times since then with severe allergic reactions that didn’t develop until just a year and a half ago. Through medical tests and trial and error, Dominic has been diagnosed with allergies to paprika, peanuts, walnuts, tomatoes, rice, corn, agricultural pesticides and cats, among other things.
His sensitivity and the strength of the reactions have grown. Shaking hands with a cat owner can land him in the intensive-care unit.
The family takes numerous measures to counter the allergies, beginning with controlling his diet. They always have at hand EpiPens, emergency shots of epinephrine that can counter an allergic reaction. The whole family is trained to use them.
Jobe, the Hungarian Vizsla stray Dominic had found and taken in, senses when the teen is in distress and always alerts the family. Multiple times he has sensed that Dominic is having a reaction during the night and howls to alert the family.
The stray dog that was saved has on numerous times saved Dominic's life.
“When he comes home from the hospital and he’s so tired and weak from all the medicines, Jobe is right there for him,” Teresa said. “Dom can’t do a lot of things teenagers do, but he tells me ‘I’m not lonely. I’ve got Jobe."
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