It may sound strange, but it is true that a Type-1 diabetic patient can improve her/his lifestyle by keeping a dog.
A study from the University of Bristol and Medical Detection Dogs finds it that trained ‘diabetes detection dogs’ will drastically help improve lifestyle of their Type-1 diabetic owners.
These trained dogs are able to sniff and realise when the blood sugar level of their masters drops dangerously low or soars high, and accordingly alert them through nuzzling or barking so that they can take immediate preventive steps.
Published in PLOS One, the research finds that these specific dogs were able to detect 83 percent of more than 4000 episodes of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar), immensely minimising the risk of harmful health complications. However, they are more helpful in case of ‘hypoglycemic’, a condition when the blood sugar drops dangerously low and if left untreated can lead to unconsciousness or even death.
This apart, these dogs also remind and inform their masters if they need to take insulin. They also foretell which environment is harmful for their masters.
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