The closeness between dogs and humans is extraordinary and an area in which it expresses itself is the medical one. Today we deal with diabetes alert dogs, of which I spoke with Sara De Cristofaro, dog educator and trainer of diabetes alert dogs, whom I sincerely thank.
A very important aspect to consider about diabetes alert dogs is that they are not working dogs and are not tools (as are, for example, dogs for blind people). They are family dogs, and the difference is fundamental.
Index
- What are diabetes alert dogs
- How does a dog report a change in blood sugar
- How a diabetes alert dog feels
- All dogs can be diabetes alert dogs
What are Diabetes Alert Dogs Diabetes alert
dogs are life companions who are in charge of alerting when the person with diabetes has changes in blood sugar . The dog is always at work and warns at any time and in any place (provided, of course, that he is allowed to be close to the person he is caring for).
Diabetes alert dogs are taught to recognize the smell associated with the change in blood sugar and report it. In reality, thanks to their prodigious sense of smell, even before being trained in this sense they notice when there are changes in someone’s body (human or dog).
To be clear, they notice if a woman is expecting a child, detect diseases and anticipate epileptic seizures – and spontaneously report them. It can be said that the preparation makes it possible to make the change in smell a non-normal event for the dog, which therefore signals it. How does a dog report a change in blood sugar
Let’s face it right away: there is no universal signal because every dog ​​has his own Di him. Certainly it must be clear and unambiguous for every single context in which it is needed. The choice is wide: you can teach the dog, for example, to touch the person with the paw, take the arm in the mouth, bark and so on. In general, it is good to use a behavior that the dog does not use for anything else.
The dog is not a substitute for medical aidsbut, in addition to referrals, it offers very important emotional support. Thanks to the dog, one does not feel alone in managing the disease and it has been observed that those who have dogs move more, which is fundamental for those suffering from diabetes.
It must also be said that it is very difficult to ignore the reports (dogs are very insistent) and some data suggest that those who have dogs have greater adherence to therapies . How a Diabetes Alert Dog Feels
We said that the Diabetes Alert Dog is prepared for his task, to which he will commit himself with dedication for the relationship he has and for the love he feels for his human friend who suffers from the disease. However, it should be noted that dogs love to understand that their effort is appreciated(which is not to say they don’t work if they don’t, but the results aren’t that stable).
The preparation work is long, at least two years, and involves both the dog and the humans, who must work with perseverance and patience, knowing that there will be great gratifications but also setbacks, which must not however discourage; they are natural and part of the process. All dogs can be diabetes alert dogs
One might think that a super dog, a kind of super hero in quadruped format, is needed to carry out such an important and responsible task. Actually, no. Diabetes alert dogs are normal dogs, prepared to use their extraordinary sense of smell for a specific purpose and motivated by relationship and love for the person they are dedicated to.
Having said that, not all dogs can become diabetes dogs: they must not be too advanced in age (due to the length of the preparation), they must have a good relationship with their client, they must not have behavioral problems. Furthermore, they must be cooperative and not become overly protective of the owner (they could make it impossible for any health personnel to approach them).
Diabetes alert dogs can be dedicated to both adults and children, only the subjects involved in its preparation and reporting change.
