Hypo-spotting dogs

[Bloden]

Was at the hairdresser's earlier, reading Hola magazine, and up pops this article on dogs that are trained to spot hypos in diabetic people - they pick up on changes in breathing, etc. apparently. I checked the publication date - wasn't April 1st (or December 28th, which is April Fool's Day in Spain), so it must have been genuine. Anyone heard of this before?

 

[AlisonM]

My much missed Jack Russel learned on her own to do it for me. She would wake me when I went low in the night by standing on my chest and licking me (I hate doggie kisses!). During the day she would bark at me and nip my toes to get my attention. She was never wrong.

So, it's no joke, dogs really can learn to spot these things.

 

[Batus8370]

Hello bud,

I saw it on the telly a few weeks ago. I remember just looking at my mut, lying flat out on the carpet and shaking my head. She could hear the biscuit tin open from a 1000 meters, in a strong wind blowing away from her!🙂

Ciao, or whatever they say over there.

 

[Northerner]

Yes, there is a charity that trains and supplies them:

http://medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk/about_us.html

Many people have discovered their own pets can detect hypos or highs and warn their owner. In the US there have been occasional scams where a dog is supplied for $20,000 and turns out to be a useless ripoff

They are particularly good for children with unpredictable levels 🙂

 

[Cleo]

I've heard of that as well and think its quite remarkable ! believe it or not, but dogs can also smell cancer.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

All 3 of my dogs which I had over a 35 year period could always detect I was hypo well before I realised. 1 a Labrador even went as far as to go away from home to the nearest house and get help once when I became seriously ill with an Addison's crisis. My very first dog a Collie became diabetic himself when he was about 14 years old but oddly enough he couldn't tell me when he was hypo.