What are Diabetic Response service dogs used for? Diabetic Alert service dogs are used for people with diabetes. Most are aware of the most common types of Diabetes, those being Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes but did you know there are also at least 7 other types? Let us look at each one and what they are.
Type 1
What is it?
This type of diabetes causes the level of glucose, known as sugar, in your blood to become too high. This occurs when your body cannot produce enough of a hormone called insulin which controls blood glucose. Type 1 diabetes is not influenced by your diet or your lifestyle and can affect people of any age.
Type 2
What is it?
This type of diabetes causes the level of glucose in your blood to become too high. It is caused by your body having problems with producing insulin, the hormone that controls your blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes can increase your risk of acquiring problems with your eyes, heart, and nerves. There are links to type 2 diabetes with being overweight, inactive & your genetics.
Gestational Diabetes
What is it?
This type of diabetes develops during pregnancy and normally disappears post giving birth. It is caused by high blood sugar and can occur at any stage of pregnancy. It occurs because the individual’s body cannot produce enough of the hormone insulin to meet their additional needs during pregnancy.
Diabetic Hypoglycemia
What is it?
Diabetic hypoglycemia occurs when someone with diabetes does not have enough sugar (glucose) in his or her blood. Glucose is the main source of fuel for the body and brain, so you cannot function well if you do not have enough.
Maturity Onset Diabetes
What is it?
MODY is a rare form of diabetes that is often genetic. It occurs due to a mutation in a single gene so if a parent has the gene, their offspring have a 50% chance of inheriting the condition. This type of diabetes is not affected by a person’s weight or lifestyle and will usually develop before the person is 25 years old. People with MODY experience problems regulating their blood sugar levels.
Neonatal Diabetes
What is it?
Neonatal diabetes is a rare type that can occur in babies under 9 months. It is caused by a change in a gene which affects an infant’s insulin production leading to their levels of blood sugar to rise dramatically. There are two types of neonatal diabetes, transient and permanent. Transient neonatal diabetes can resolve and then reoccur in later life, whilst permanent neonatal diabetes never goes away.
Wolfram Syndrome
What is it?
Wolfram Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder known to some as DIDMOAD syndrome as its 4 most common features are diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, and deafness.
• Diabetes insipidus occurs in 50% of people with Wolfram syndrome and is where the body cannot concentrate urine due to the posterior pituitary gland not making enough of the hormone vasopressin. This causes a person to get very thirsty and urinate frequently.
• Diabetes mellitus is similar to type 1 diabetes other than the fact it is not an autoimmune condition. It is treated the same way as type 1 diabetes with insulin injections, a healthy diet, exercise, and blood tests.
• Optic atrophy is when the optic nerve has wasted away leading to color blindness and a gradual loss of vision. Most people with Wolfram syndrome will have this condition at some point in their lives.
• Deafness due to Wolfram syndrome leads to 1 in 4 affected people needing a hearing aid. They may struggle to hear high-pitched sounds.
Alstrom Syndrome: What is it?
Alstrom syndrome is a rare repressively inherited genetic disorder. This means that both parents will carry the gene but are unlikely to be affected themselves.
Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA): What is it?
Some people refer to LADA as ‘type 1.5’ diabetes as some aspects of the condition are more like type 1 diabetes, and some more like type 2 diabetes. Medical research is currently being conducted to work out what it is that makes LADA different from type 1 & type 2 diabetes. LADA tends to be diagnosed in people who are between ages 30 and 50 years.
Type 3c Diabetes: What is it?
Type 3c diabetes occurs when there has been damage to someone’s pancreas due to an illness or condition. Common conditions/illnesses that affect the pancreas are pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis, and pancreatitis. It is also possible for someone to get type 3c diabetes if their pancreas has been removed for whatever reason. Type 3c diabetes happens when the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin for the body. Further to this, it causes the pancreas to discontinue producing the enzyme required to digest food.
Hypoglycemia unawareness is a common and dangerous condition that can develop in those with Type 1 diabetes. This condition means you do not experience the symptoms that most people do when their blood sugar gets too low. Normal symptoms of blood sugar include sweating, shaking, or confusion. At exceptionally low levels, you may experience seizures, or go into a coma if your blood sugar is too low for too long. One of the solutions for this condition is man’s best friend: a diabetic service dog.
Dogs have a naturally heightened sense of smell that makes them excellent hunters. Professional trainers have learned to harness these skills by training dogs to recognize certain smells. These could include the fruity smelling ketones a person’s’ body produces when they are experiencing a hyperglycemic episode when blood sugar is too high, or the unique sent a person gives off during a hypoglycemic episode when blood sugar is too low.
A diabetic service dog is not a replacement for checking blood sugar level. However, it is a safeguard for those who experience episodes for low or high blood sugar levels, especially if they do not have any warning symptoms.
Now that you are aware there are 10 different types of Diabetes let us look at how a diabetic service dog can help save the life of its handler and the tasks, they can perform but not limited to:
• Alert individual if blood sugar is dropping
• Retrieve diabetes test kit or medications
• Provide support while walking and/or help their people stand after sitting or after a fall
• Carry objects
• Open/close doors, cabinets, or drawers
These are just some of the common tasks that a Diabetic service dog can provide to an individual at any given time to help give support to the handler of the service dog.
In closing: There are many service dogs that can perform many tasks to help save a life! Many do not look at these dogs as being medical devices when in all that is exactly what they are, medical devices. These dogs are a NEED, NOT a want. Feel free to comment and share with others as we continue to cover much more information. Who knows, you may be helping the next person become aware of symptoms they may be experiencing or that may need the assistance of a service dog.
**Picture courtesy of Sac River Goldendoodles** Tabitha Thornton Erickson
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