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A diabetic alert dog is an assistance dog trained to detect high (hyperglycemia) or low (hypoglycemia) levels of blood sugar in humans with diabetes and alert their owners to dangerous changes in blood glucose levels.[1] This allows their owners to take steps to return their blood sugar to normal, such as using glucose tablets, sugar, and carbohydrate-rich food. The dog can prompt a human to take insulin.[2]
When owners with diabetes begin to experience hypoglycemia, the detection dogs perform a predetermined task (e.g. bark, lay down, sit) to inform the person.[3] Dogs may be directly smelling something related to the abnormal glucose concentration or may be reacting to the owner's symptoms which are caused by hypoglycemia, such as sweating or shaking.[4]
- ^ Peters, Sharon L. (2011). "Dogs alert diabetes patients when blood sugar is off". USA TODAY.
- ^ Roberts, Jacob (2015). "Sickening sweet". Distillations. 1 (4): 12–15. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
- ^ Cooper, Georgina (22 June 2009). "British dogs trained to sniff out diabetes". Reuters. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
- ^ "Can Diabetes Alert Dogs Help Sniff Out Low Blood Sugar?". NPR.org. 29 July 2016. Retrieved 2017-11-12.