Diabetes alert dogs

[saraelbanaxx]

Hi everyone,
I've just turned 18yrs old 8 days ago and I have had type 1 diabetes since October 2011. I've had some really bad hypos and hypers and was looking for solutions when I came across diabetes alert dogs. I was wondering if anyone has one, or have heard of them and if it's possible to get one and if they are quite a good. I'm just really interested because I've had quite a few close calls this year where I don't wake up from my night time hypos.

Sorry for the long message and thanks

 

[Jaylee]

Personally? I've been reading about these great dogs for a few years.

But I still can't shake the twisted "ethics" of relying on an animals soul existence in life to just let you know your low...

If your not realy ready for a dog. There are other ways.. Like a device called a Libre...

Libre.. Great name for a pet...

 

[Energize]

Have a read of this thread (current) http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/service-dog-for-diabetics.102973/

However, having a dog is a huge responsibility and can incur expense, ie vets bills for routine vacinations, when ill etc to say nothing of the food, the walking, the cleaning up, the extra housework, ie hoovering daily if moulting (labrador's moult all year round), etc etc etc.

Apologies if I sound offensive, but not intending to, you are still young and are you really ready for the tie of a pet / aka diabetes dog.

I feel it would take very serious consideration and not a 'spur of the moment' thing.

Having said all that, surely it would be better for you to learn to be more hypo aware - is that a reality for a Type !??? I'm not type 1, nor on insulin, so I really don't know if this is a reality or not. Alternatively, could you set your alarm for certain times during the night so you could check your levels?

As @Jaylee suggests, the Freestyle Libre is a very good suggestion, although it won't wake you/alarm you if you are going/have gone hypo so I feel you need to think a bit 'outside the box' for an alternative solution

 

[tim2000s]

We have a Labrador who seems to know when I'm low. Now all I need to do is get him a yellow coat and he can come to work with me

Seriously though @saraelbanaxx , before going down the Diabetic Alert dog route, there are a couple of things that you should be speaking to your clinic about. The first is that you are having night-time hypos. This is usually a very good sign that you need to adjust the amounts or change the type of your basal insulin. I'm going to guess that you use Lantus, as nocturnal hypos happen quite a lot with this insulin (moreso than others from what I've read).

The second thing to do is to ask at your clinic to see if they will allow you to do a loan of a CGM to better profile what is happening.

The majority of clinics take nocturnal hypos very seriously, especially when you are not waking up in them, so it is something you really should raise with your team there.

 

[CathP]

Diabetic alert dogs seem amazing, but getting any dog is a massive responsibility. If you're hypoing at night, a dexcom cgm would be perfect. The alarm system for hypos and hypers is great, and also being able to track patterns in your blood sugars, and see what both food and insulin do to you, would help you gain control and reduce highs and lows over the longer term.x

 

[Engineer88]

I bought the pooch in my photo to train as a DAD (diabetic alert dog) and it didnt work. He probably helps me more emotionally and getting exercise than I ever expected. however he is hard work. If you've always had dogs and know what youre getting into, search for medical detection dogs on google, they are based near MK.

otherwise speak to clinic about DAFNE, Dexcom and pumps, they can help you just as much

 

[Brontie_Boo]

Hi, It is worth looking further into it. I live in Australia and already own a chocolate Labrador. The government have a scheme whereby they have paid for Milo to be trained to understand the signs of an approaching hypo or hyper. He will come up to me, bark once and then put his head in my lap. Because of his training, he is seen as a medical assistance dog and therefore I have a card which allows me to take him everywhere, planes, trains, shopping centres and if need be to work

I do agree with the others that a dog is a huge responsibility. Not just feeding and walking but taking care of him, vet fees to keep him healthy and being responsible for their welfare when you go on holiday.

We have owned Milo for nearly 4 years and it is only in the last year that he has been trained so he came well before the training.

Hope that helps

 

[mc9]

I don't think I'd ever get a service dog but I do think that if I have a pet I'd train it to detect lows

 

[Jamelivia]

I don't have a trained alert dog but my 8 year old staff cross sits a nd won't leave me alone sometimes, if I stand up she will sit at heal and won't leave my side. She only settles when I pick up my testing kit.

 

[Brunneria]

I believe that @tinyfilosofer mentioned that she trained her dog herself.

But I have to agree with @Jaylee - my personal belief is that anyone 'owning' a dog should prioritise the dog above any service that the dog may offer.

Having said that, some dogs have natural aptitudes towards behaviours that delight them.

We live with one who is the most perfect alarm clock. Her sense of timing is exquisite.
- morning alarm
- oven timer
- microwave pinging alert (we don't have to stay in range to hear them, because she will tell us when they ring)
- Mr B coming home from work
- her dinner time
And she does it all with no prompting.

Presumably the first trick is selecting a puppy you can love and want to care for (walks, diet, training, vets, responsibility, consistency) that then naturally has the aptitude you want as a second quality, and then you have to be willing to train the dog with the kindness and consistency necessary - which would take years.

I can't imagine many dogs make the grade.

 

[Jaylee]

My dog helps me deal with hypos. Okay, so she just helps me eat a biscuit after my levels come back up, but she tries.

Yep, same here.. Great at detecting the rustling of sweet wrappers... Spot on! Can't fault the little hairy ******...

 

[Jaylee]

Revenge. View attachment 21376

Nah.. Lol, I've been "trained" in my low state to treat the hypo first... Then grab the dog treats for the hound.. I can't be doing with the "guilt" when I'm coming up... Lol.

 

[Chook]

Maybe its a Labrador thing but both my dogs get a bit anxious if I ever go low or too high. In fact our Millie (Yellow Lab) seems to always know when anyone feels under the weather and Archie gets totally freaked out when he's near someone with cancer which can be difficult when he does it around someone who hasn't been diagnosed with it. As @Brunneria says, you should really pick the dog for the love and good doggy lifestyle you can give it rather than the service it can give you.

 

[amber22]

We have had our dog for more than seven years.
I do agree that you should think very carefully before you get a dog, more like an adoption as you may have your dog for many years.
Before I was diagnosed with diabetes, I used to suffer regular gastric pains after eating my dinner, lasting about half an hour.
I would go and lay down on my bed and my dog would come up any lay down beside me.
The minute the pain stopped she would jump off the bed and go downstairs as if she knew I was okay.
Just a few weeks ago I felt unwell, I was dizzy and losing my balance. I tried to get my son's attention but he had his back to me with headphones on. After a while I was sitting down and called him again. Then the dog jumped up and started barking then came and sat at my feet. That did it.
Our dog is not trained to assist in any way. It is all just a wonderful and unexpected bonus.

 

[saraelbanaxx]

Thank you all very much for your responses, they have helped me think about the bigger picture. And yes I agree that should I ever get a dog, it would be to appreciate the dog and what not what they can offer me. I am starting to develop unawareness where I cannot see the symptoms of my own hypos/hypers. I have also tried setting alarms, but by that point, I'm already in a hypo and am trying to stress my self out so that my sugar levels increase slightly till I can signal for help.
Also what's a CGM??
Thank you all soo much

 

[catapillar]

Also what's a CGM??

A continuous glucose monitor - it will alarm if your numbers go out of range. You really should speak to your Dsn about your management and whether there's anything you can be doing to avoid hypos.

 

[tim2000s]

I'd also add that some research published in the US this summer by an independent who is not associated with CGM manufacturers on DAD's vs CGMs found that the DADs were a lot less accurate than CGMs in determining hypos. Something else to think about!

 

[tinyfilosofer]

Hey sorry, just saw this thread.
Yes, I've successfully trained my dog to alert me, thanks to a lot of helpful people on the net helping me out at a few crucial moments. Here's our Facebook page, there are some useful info there.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1883490858546946

 

[tinyfilosofer]

I believe that @tinyfilosofer mentioned that she trained her dog herself.

Thanks for tagging.