Dogs may be looked upon as “man’s best friend,” but for people suffering from diabetes, they are proving to be invaluable helpers to prevent a dangerous condition known as hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, from setting in. They are able to accomplish this feat by detecting the onset of condition before it actually begins, enabling the person to avoid the episode altogether.

Scientists are not sure how dogs are able to do it, but they theorize that it stems from chemical imbalances that result from changes in our blood sugar levels. These subtle changes are perhaps detected by the dogs' extremely sensitive nose, causing them to lick, bark or whine, thereby alerting their owners of the need to elevate their glucose levels.

We obtain glucose from the foods we eat, particularly carbohydrates like sugars and starches. After a meal, glucose is absorbed by the body and used as fuel for our cells, a process that is carried out with the help of insulin, a hormone that is produced by the pancreas.

Hypoglycemia occurs when our blood sugar falls below normal levels and can be a serious condition in people with diabetes. In healthy individuals, the situation is easily resolved by simply eating more food, thus replenishing the supply of glucose. For diabetics, however, maintaining blood glucose at normal levels is difficult because their insulin is compromised.

The situation is complicated by the fact that hypoglycemia can occur suddenly and can result in confusion, clumsiness, and unconsciousness. If left untreated, it can lead to seizures, coma, and even death. It is particularly dangerous when people experience hypoglycemia during their sleep.

Furthermore, because it can become such a frequent occurrence, especially those with type-1 diabetes, it is not uncommon for diabetics to develop hypoglycemia unawareness, or the inability to recognize the symptoms of severe low glucose. As a result, the ever present fear of hypoglycemia can drastically affect their quality of life, limiting their range of activities and constraining the amount of time that they can spend alone.

Now, however, there is a glimmer of hope that may change that, and it comes in the form of hypoglycemic alert dogs. Not unlike other assistance dogs that help the blind or deaf, these dogs are trained to recognize subtle metabolic changes in people with insulin dependent (type-1) diabetes. Though the exact mechanism by which they are able to accomplish this is not known, trainers have found the dogs to be extremely reliable, with some reporting an accuracy of as much as 90%. Best of all, unlike high tech blood monitors, they can sense the hypoglycemic episode before the symptoms actually manifest themselves.

For now, these alert dogs are not yet common enough to make them economically feasible for everyone, but they nonetheless represent a promising new hope for people suffering from diabetes, particularly young children as well as adults with a history of hypoglycemic episodes.

It is important to keep in mind that not just any dog is up for the job. These animals, like all assistance canines, are chosen for their intelligence and disposition, and then trained by specialists who work in conjunction with the owner. To learn more, check out some of these websites:

-Dogs For Diabetics
-Canines For Life
-All Purpose Canines

For more information about diabetes, talk to you physician or visit the website for the American Diabetes Association.