Dogs for Diabetics: Training Dogs to Sniff Out Low Blood Sugar Levels

Incredible dogs, scent-trained to recognize chemical changes in the blood sugar levels of their owners, are heroes. They know when their owners are sinking into diabetic comas just by sniffing it out. Sounds a bit miraculous, and it is. These dogs are trained to provide alerts just before the onset of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia is a condition that is a side effect of insulin therapy, and it can ultimately lead to death.

Dogs for Diabetics or D4D became an organization in 1999 when Mark Ruefenacht, a type 1 diabetic, had the most incredible experience with Benton, his guide dog puppy in training. On a business trip to New York, Mark experienced hypoglycemic problems and Benton forcefully aroused Mark from a confused state. Mark was able to realize what was going on and take care of it before he went completely unconscious. After this, Mark had an idea: to develop a program where medical assistance dogs could be taught to use their extraordinary sense of smell to sense and warn about hypoglycemic episodes in people with diabetes.

Research and foundation

A five-year research program was started and eventually became D4D. Mark worked with buy a dog trainers from search and rescue, drug and bomb detection, to cancer detection procedures. His professional experience in forensic science and Guide Dogs for the Blind of San Rafael inspired Mark to develop the training protocols used to train dogs in smelling changes in blood sugar levels in diabetics.

Armstrong, a yellow Labrador Retriever, was given to Mark in 2003 to be trained to sniff out and warn his handler of hypoglycemia. The scent discrimination training was highly successful, and Armstrong was prepared and tested with other type 1 diabetics. Mark and Armstrong discovered that there was a distinct scent of hypoglycemia that was common to diabetics.

Dogs for Diabetics, Inc. (D4D) became a tax-exempt 501(c) (3) non-profit foundation in October 2004. D4D has successfully scent-trained many dogs and evaluated hundreds of clients. The foundation continues to support dozens of active teams. After extensive training with both the dog and the client, the dogs go to the care of the diabetic. And, there is no cost for this training.

Is there really a need?

In the United States, almost 5 million people use insulin to manage their diabetes. Unfortunately, all insulin users will suffer from hypoglycemia at some time in their lives, and up to 17% of those suffer from “hypoglycemic unawareness.” Hypoglycemic unawareness is a condition limiting their ability of diabetics to sense their dropping blood sugar levels. Children are at high risk because they do not have the experience to manage their disease. Most hypoglycemic episodes happen at night, and diabetics often do not wake up to take care of themselves. Hypoglycemia triggers about 2-5% of deaths in insulin-dependent diabetics. As diabetics become more aware of these D4D dogs, the demand is rising. D4D receives dozens of inquiries for their dogs every day.

Hypoglycemia can incapacitate someone with diabetes in as little as twenty minutes. If left untreated the condition leads to comas or even death. With a D4D dog, the onset of hypoglycemia or blood sugardropping to dangerous levels can be found 15 to 30 minutes ahead of the condition registered by a glucose meter. The dog’s super smell and training exceeds technology by far.

Read on to learn more about these remarkable pups, working to sniff out low blood sugar levels.