For
families who live with diabetes, a specially trained alert
dog is a sweet friend indeed.
It
is two in the morning and Alex, a large golden retriever is
right where he wants to be - lying on a pink and blue comforter
atop a queen-sized bed, snuggled up next to 9-year-old Avalon
(see photo above).
Suddenly,
for no perceptible reason, Alex hops off the bed and trots
into the room of Avalon's parents, Cheryl and Bill. First
he licks Bill's hand, and then, when there's no response,
he jumps on the bed, licks Bill's face and plants himself
squarely on his chest, refusing to budge until he gets out
of bed and heads into his daughter's room.
Four
years ago, Avalon was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Her
body no longer produces insulin, the hormone that turns sugar
into life-sustaining fuel for the body. For Cheryl and Bill,
one of the greatest challenges in managing their daughter's
diabetes involves keeping a close watch over her blood-sugar
level and ensuring that it stays within a normal range. But
despite their vigilance, Brittany's blood sugar can drop or
rise rapidly and unexpectedly even in the middle of the night.
It
is the job of Alex, a diabetic alert dog, to let Avalon's
family know whenever this begins to happen. He works by scenting
biochemical changes that take place in Avalon's body - in
other words, when her blood sugar isn't where it's supposed
to be, she just smells different to Alex.
Cheryl
and Bill live with the memory of the morning, long before
the arrival of Alex, that Avalon awoke with blood sugar so
low that within minutes, she fell to the ground, lost consciousness
and began to have a seizure.
"It
was so scary," says Cheryl, "because at that point, if you
don't handle things exactly right, she could die."
After
Avalon's seizure, it was not unusual for her parents to get
up two or three times a night to check her sugar levels.
"I
was so exhausted, and every three or four months I would just
sit down and cry," Cheryl admits. Then, on an online diabetes
support group, she learned about Heaven Scent Paws, a family-run
organization that trains and places dogs like Alex.
Heaven
Scent Paws has trained and placed many diabetic alert dogs.
It requires not just common sense and experience, but tremendous
compassion. It also requires puppy testing, looking for the
right candidates, dogs that will be insistent but not overly
stubborn, responsive, not easily spooked and non-aggressive.
They must also have a good sense of smell. Labrador Retrievers,
Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherds have all proven to
be great at this work.
Not
everyone with diabetes needs the kind of intervention a dog
like Alex offers. Moreover, families need to remember that
these are working dogs that should not be treated like typical
pets. For example, Avalon must assume full responsibility
for Alex's care, for only then will the two of them establish
the tight bond that is critical to his work.
As
for casual snacks and leftovers, they are an absolute no-no
for these dogs. Imagine if an alert dog were accompanying
his owner to a restaurant and discovered half of the hamburger
on the floor. Unless that dog knows people food is off limits,
he won't be down there waiting to alert, he'll be down there
dining.
Tonight,
Bill checks Avalon's blood sugar and treats her with some
Skittles. He then brings out the doggie treats, and Avalon
and her parents take turns feeding Alex and praising him effusively
for his "Good Low!" Then its back to bed for everyone. "Having
Alex in the family," says Cheryl, "has changed everything."
In
memory of Jami Jones, author and contributing family pet writer
for The FAMILY Magazine. Jami wrote and submitted this article
to us shortly before she passed away in May. We will miss
her kind spirit, her pet-loving-mission and her many contributions
to our FAMILY Magazine. 
Jami with Mel (husband) and Jami's Babies
