Livestock Electric Fence Chargers

Ok, I've read through all kinds of the EMI stuff and can't find an answer, and my EP said " Hmmm, thats one I've never been asked before...I'm not sure. You can call Medtronic."
I have horses, goats, etc. and also have a one strand electric fence running around the bottom of a large fenced in dog area ( to keep mine from digging out, and neighbors Pitbulls from digging in).
I have two of these fence chargers ( just regular ones like you see at Lowes or feed and seed stores.) one will do up to like 10 acres or so, etc. They are intermittent.
Obviously I've not yet felt anything from them ( 8 days after implant) But my question is what could go on if I accidentally got into the fence while going under ( used to result in a nice sting in the back), but now not sure if it could mess up my PM. So could having the chargers nearby cause a problem and could getting into it accidentally harm the PM. Cause if getting into the fence could, then can I walk up to the box to unplug it?
Geeze,,,, so many things to wonder...
Thanks!
Christina

7 Comments

PS

by Crystyna - 2008-03-11 10:03:07

On the funnier side of this,
I have one dog who is hyper, a big male German Shepherd, who usually won't get off of me, follows me everywhere. I have 7 dogs in about an acre large fence with electric along the bottom. All the dogs usually follow me around, brushing against my legs and often jumping up on me when I'm the pen. I went into the pen two days after surgery and none of them touched me! Except the big shepherd, he walked up , put one foot on my toes ( big dummy) and just stood there. I laughed my butt off and told my husband " they think I'm electric or something.". He thinks it's because they could smell the incision or something. But it really said something for the strange intelligence of animals. They knew something wasn't right with mama. And I come home smelling of hospitals all the time as a nurse. Go figure.!

ekectric fence

by thomast - 2008-03-11 10:03:33

I don;t know for sure, but I think you should be very careful around that fence. used to have one before I had my PM, and it was no big deal if I touched it. I think it would be different now.

on another note . . .

by Harry'sMommy - 2008-03-11 11:03:39

sorry for the double post, but you might appreciate this as well . . .
Although we live close to a major US city (Cincy), it is quite rural in surrounding areas. Anyway, when my 4 year old got his pacemaker at 18 months, the EP explained that it would be implanted in his abdomen, and that when he was older, it would probably go in his shoulder, but we could probably choose which shoulder, in case we "hunt", and can't have rifle kick-back on his dominant side! Hmmm. . . .

It Actually Happened to Me!

by TwoCents - 2008-03-11 11:03:46

Wow, I thought no one but me would ever have this issue. We have horses and I hit the electric fence with my head. It knocked me completely OUT. I must have had a seizure because it was obvious that I bit my lip and I had a variety of bruises and scrapes. I was quite a mess and didn't realize what had happened right away as I thought the fence was off. I woke up on the ground and found my husband. It turned out the portion of the fence I hit with my forehead was ON. We called the doc and I had to go get the old pacmaker checked to see if any damage was done. It didn't register anything when it was interrogated and the tech said the current didn't go through the pm. However, I was told that it could seriously damage the pacemaker.I am pacemaker dependent, so I dodged that bullet so to speak. Bottom line...it can be an issue. Be careful. Best-Two Cents

we were advised . . .

by Harry'sMommy - 2008-03-11 11:03:59

Hi there! My 4 year old had a pacemaker implanted when he was 18 months. My mother's farm has electric fences (they have horses) and I was told to keep Harry at least 6 ft from it because of electric "arcs". Now I know darn good & well that he has been at least within 10 ft of it while it was on and had no issues, but he's never touched it (I would hate it if my "normal" 6 year old came in contact--ouchy! (I unfortunately know what that feels like!) Anyway, try to find an EP who deals with a rural crowd (ours is in Cincinnati, and while that is urban, there's alot of corn and horses surrounding it! Our farm is only 25 minutes from downtown.) I'm not sure if it will "mess up" your pacemaker permanently, maybe just "interfere" for the period you're in contact? Once again, I'd ask the professionals 'til you get an answer that makes sense for you and your situation.
Good luck!
Harry's Mommy

Electric fences

by ElectricFrank - 2008-03-12 01:03:50

I don't see any reason why being near the fence or controller would be a problem, but touching the fence is another matter. The worse thing would be to touch the fence with the arm on the side of the pacemaker. That would put the current path through tissue close to the pacemaker body. I'm not as concerned about damaging the pacer but the current could follow the leads into the heart wall. The question is whether it would act as a cheap ICD or whether it might start fibrillation.

My only encounter with an electric fence was in the late 60's. I was visiting a relatives farm in Iowa and decided the jump across a creek. I didn't notice the barb wire across the place where I jumped and not only go a nice gash in my forehead, but a jolt as well.

frank

To : TwoCents

by Crystyna - 2008-03-14 12:03:42

Wow! Was that an intemittent output charger or one of the older constants?
To : Electric Frank:
Thanks, I figure it's best for me to unplug it and not take chances when I'm working near it. But that was a nice explanation that I definitely will not be able to forget! LOL
I'm feeling a good deal better now from the surgery and tentatively thinking I have more energy..
Thanks guys,
Christina

You know you're wired when...

Your pacemaker receives radio frequencies.

Member Quotes

I am just now 40 but have had these blackouts all my life. I am thrilled with the pacer and would do it all over again.