Rescue dog frantically woke his owner from a choking dream — and he opened his eyes to find his shirt covered in blood

A rescue dog’s midnight alarm revealed a hidden danger his owner never knew was bleeding away his life.

PUBLISHED 1 DAY AGO

(L) Dog awakens man from sleep, (R) Mature man suffering chest pain. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L)FatCamera, (R) milorad kravic)

A rescue dog became a lifesaver when he alerted his elderly owner during a medical emergency that could have turned fatal. Owner Tom Braun was unaware of his upcoming emergency until his furry pal’s quick thinking alerted him right on time. While the life-saving act was commendable, Jack had endured several hardships in his long, tragic history with three families and an eventual return to the shelter. In an interview with ABC 6, Braun recalled his dog’s alarming response to his sudden health crisis that occurred in the middle of the night.

Man wakes from sleep because of dog. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | NoSystem images)

Braun lives alone in Eugene with the support of his caring neighbors and pet, Jack. One night, Braun was fast asleep, completely unaware that his T-shirt was soaking in blood. “I kind of had this dream like I was choking, then I felt this nudge on my T-shirt. Then he started barking really loud,” the owner said. Jack barked to wake him and draw attention to the blood on his mouth and shirt. Braun was both terrified and grateful at that moment. He realized the bleeding was from a previous periodontal treatment. “The bleeding was coming from behind my teeth. A blood vessel had opened up, up there,” Braun disclosed.

A service dog, walks with its owner, through and airport terminal. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Greggory DiSalvo) — A service dog, walks with its owner, through an airport terminal. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Greggory DiSalvo)

His next-door neighbor, Eli Holmes, spoke with the outlet about Braun’s near-death experience. "Luckily, Tom got taken to the hospital right away and Jack came over to my house, where he spent the next 48 hours while his dad was getting treated at the hospital," she said. Meanwhile, Braun would not dare imagine a life without Jack and acknowledged the key role his furry companion played during the medical emergency. Hoping for a quote from the hero himself, Jack was asked about his life-saving act. His response came in the form of a lick and a handshake.

A senior man with his service dog. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | ivanastar)

Braun mentioned that several of his friends have had similar experiences where their pups awakened them amidst a medical episode or an urgent situation. “I highly recommend having a dog if you're my age and live alone," he suggested. However, Holmes believes the most important thing is to have a plan in place to prevent the worst. “Just having each other's contact info—we know how to contact each other," she said. Jack, hailed as the savior, was not always the loved pet he is today. He was adopted from the rescue shelter, Lucky Paws, three times, but returned to the facility every time. Families apparently could not cope with his hyper behavior.

Dog licking an old man. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Yurikr)

Fortunately, Jack, now 1.5 years old, found his forever home with Braun and is leading a happy life with his owner. According to a report by St. Francisville Animal Hospital, dogs have an “uncanny” ability to sense their human companions. They mostly use their sense of smell to predict and act during medical emergencies. With ample anecdotal evidence and scientific theories, medical alert dogs and service dogs continue to save lives with their powerful senses.