D.A.Ds
Diabetic Alert Dogs
On average, a diabetic must keep the hourly balance of a level between 90-120.
Sean discovers this level by finger pricking with a small needle and a meter that reads it...And this test is done 6-10x/day. Sean was testing in the 60's, then the 50's and 40's without being aware of it. If he drops in the night and we do not wake to catch it, he may go into a seizure or die. 1 in 20 children die from dropping low in the evening without it being caught. We night check Sean almost every evening, and would love the added support of a canine companion. On the other end of the scale, blood sugars that escalate above 200-300 for too long produce "ketosis" which is why he needs insulin to eat food and bring his level down for everything he eats, and which is why he was in ICU when diagnosed. (Bloodwork revealed he had averaged over 500 for 3 months and he lost his appendix). His dog will help him know by around 75/80 or 150/200 before he is too far out of range, which will ultimately keep him healthier and happier in the long term.
Blood Sugar
Simply put, it is an unpreventable, incurable auto-immune disease dependent on insulin hourly in order to live. The part of the pancreas that once worked all this out so the food eaten breaks down properly in the blood, no longer works, so BLOOD SUGAR is a constant, life-threatening issue...
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys certain cells in the pancreas, an organ about the size of a hand that is located behind the lower part of the stomach. These cells -- called beta cells -- are contained, along with other types of cells, within small islands of endocrine cells called the pancreatic islets. Beta cells normally produce insulin, a hormone that helps the body move the glucose contained in food into cells throughout the body, which use it for energy. But when the beta cells are destroyed, no insulin can be produced, and the glucose stays in the blood instead, where it can cause damage to all the organ systems of the body.
(from FB site Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes Facts and Information found here: www.facebook.com/Type1DiabetesFacts
A D.A.D is a trained dog raised by professional handlers. This dog is just like any service dog, public access certified, and everything! -Just for a diabetic. They are trained to alert their owner to changes in their blood sugar levels...These dogs go through serious training schools, obedience, fetch and retrieve, etc, so that they can run for juice or for the diabetics kit when necessary.
Sean's dog can warn him of his low blood sugar before he gets behind the wheel to drive, etc... Most importantly, the dog may alert him in the night hours, when his blood sugar may rapidly fall and without correction. This is fatal for Sean. The dog smells the chemical change in his body and will alert us.
What is a
Diabetic Alert Dog?
Pictured here is "Kato", a 5.5mo old pup Sean worked with for over a day at a conference camp! Kato is focused and attentive on Sean. He is an amazing pup!
Type 1 Diabetes (aka "T1")
What can a dog do?
Info on...
