Many assistance dogs or service dogs are easily recognized these days. Most people understand about guide dogs for the blind, hearing-ear dogs for the hearing impaired, assistance dogs for the mobility-impaired, seizure-alert dogs for individuals with a seizure disorder, and even cancer-sniffing dogs but many have never heard of dogs for diabetics.
Dogs4Diabetics is an organization which specifically trains dogs to help their partner with balancing blood sugar levels and managing diabetes by alerting on scent changes in body chemistry when blood glucose is low – changes that the partner is not aware of.
How Dogs4Diabetics Started
Mark Ruefenacht, a diabetic, and puppy trainer for Guide Dogs for the Blind, first came up with the idea of dogs for diabetics in 1999. Explaining an incident when he had experienced blood sugar problems and was awakened by his puppy who would not leave him alone until he took his medication, he felt that perhaps dogs could be trained to assist diabetics.
The first diabetic assistance dog came from Guide Dogs for the Blind and had already received socialization and basic training. His name was Armstrong
How Dogs for Diabetics are Trained
Training for diabetic assistance dogs usually begins in the early months and involves first identifying swatches of sweat, called bucket training. The swatches are placed in buckets and the dogs learn to identify the ones that have been taken from a person when blood sugar levels were low. After learning the scent of hypoglycemia, the dog transitions to identifying it in humans. So that there is no mistake in the alert signal, dogs are taught to pick up a bringsle, a special object for this purpose, to signal significant blood sugar changes.
How Serious is Diabetes?
Type 1 juvenile diabetes is different from Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks the pancreas and it produces little or no insulin. Type 1 diabetes cannot be controlled with diet and exercise so persons with Type 1 must have insulin every time they eat, to keep blood sugar levels in a safe range.
Type 1 diabetes can impact major organs of the body, including the heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys. According to the Mayo Clinic website, keeping blood glucose at safe levels as much as possible is important in reducing risk of complications.
Low blood glucose can be very dangerous, causing seizures, coma, and death. High blood sugar levels can cause health issues including dehydration, body acid imbalance, seizures, coma, yeast and fungus infections, and vision problems.
Dogs for Diabetics
The mother of a child with Type 1 Diabetes says of their dog, Rochelle, "…every day has been like walking a tightrope as I've tried to balance insulin, carbohydrates, exercise, and blood sugar testing…our lives have completely changed since we have received our amazing dog, Rochelle, from Dogs4Diabetics.”
Crystal explains, “Life with diabetes is exhausting,” then speaks lovingly of her constant companion, “Dela is always working and always right.”
Dogs4Diabetics was incorporated in California in 2004 and granted nonprofit status in 2005. The organization hopes to expand outside California and eventually be able to place assistance dogs free of charge with diabetics throughout the United States and Canada.
Related Reading:
Some Seizure Alert and Seizure Assist Dogs are Shelter Rescues
Sources:
Joy Butler - Writer, retired lab tech, mom, and animal lover with over 20 years' experience rescuing, kenneling, training and showing dogs.
Join the Conversation