Article. Teen and her DA dog

Hate the title. How about? Dog works to keep teen safe?

Glad the dog works well for her, nice to have a "CGM" that loves you!

http://abcnews.go.com/US/diabetic-girl-yellow-lab-bond-works-alive/story?id=33267374

 

I saw some press about that when the book was in pre-release. I was pleased to see that this dog looks like it actually received adequate training - was it one of those prison training programs? I seem to recall it was, and I think those are great programs. That said, I don't really know why one would go this route, nor do I really understand the impulse to write a book about your kids dx. But, to each their own and I hope the family uses its $ and political clout to fund and promote viable cure-centric research.

 

Grandma is our senator. Overall, she's not to bad about being on board with research/funding for chronic conditions. If only we can get her to not be in favor of the Kinder Morgan pipeline, we'd be golden.

 

I finished reading their book last night. Coach was from one of those prisoner-dog training programs (I forget the exact name of the organization).

I sorta understand why they wrote "keeping her alive." In the beginning of the book, her mother exclaimed that her daughter is severely hypo unaware and has had seizures because of it. That dog may very well be preventing another seizure (and possibly premature death) from occurring.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, though I'm anxiously waiting and preparing for when my mom starts reading it. As what I've learned the past few years, YDMV, and it's going to be interesting trying to assure her that I'm alright and won't die from a 60 low. Now, if I could train my cat to detect my lows and fetch me some sugar, I would be golden.

 

Right, but a CGM could detect a low and do essentially the same thing. Did they say in the book why they didn't just simply get a CGM?

 

I think they said that they used a CGM (if I'm remembering correctly).

 

Even during the interview with ABC News, the 4-year-old dog alerted Elle to an increase in her blood sugar. She did an immediate test and found that her blood sugar level was 339

Kind of late?
I like my DD's CGM better

 

A bit '-)

(mts)

 

Just my opinion, but the only advantage of having of a diabetes alert dog over a Dexcom CGM is that you can't ignore the dog as easily as you can a Dexcom alarm. Deciding factor for me: the Dexcom doesn't pee/poop on the floor if you "forget" to take it out for a walk.

(We have a new puppy. Our house smells "different".)

 

That's what I was thinking...I'd like to be alerted before reached 339.

My other reason for preferring dexcom. lol

Not to say DA dogs aren't worthwhile. No offense intended, of course.

 

Yea, I'm thinking why didn't the Dexcom alarm?

 

Alarms can be silenced for dramatic effect.

But hey, if the dog works for them, that's great. I'm just glad our CGM doesn't pee on the floor!

 

Ha!

I saw an article about this in a magazine. They were promoting the book.

I'm another who would prefer to know about the sugar before it was so high. Every now and then DH says he wants a diabetes dog for DS. I think he just wants a dog

 

Maybe is truth.

 

My daughters have lately (especially after seeing the segment on GMA) been saying "oh, we should get a diabetes dog, it would help." But, they are saying this because I'm hesitant about getting one (I'd be doing all the work) and figure anything to help their case! Now, we went to an event where there was a DA dog present. He was confused by all the fluctuating blood sugars and actually went over to other people and alerted, but not to it's owner.

But hey, if people can find a reputable training program and the dog works for your family, that's great. I know for us it isn't the right fit. Plus, our cat would be ticked off

 

Hopefully parents can help their children understand the realities around using a dog to alert to high/low blood sugar. Not just the additional daily upkeep and responsibility of caring for a living creature but also the logistics. That dog needs to be with them 24/7. Going to every class, sitting in the lunchroom, sitting out in the 100 degree heat for hours while they participate in their sporting events, going to the movie theater and sitting there for the entire movie, going to music concerts, going to their friends house to play and for sleepovers, walking through the mall with their friends, traveling through airports and on planes when they go on vacation, going on dates as they get older, and many, many other scenarios.

 

This is exactly why I will no longer consider getting my daughter a DA dog. A better solution for us has been having a Dexcom and a pet dog.

I must say that without a stay-at-home human (SAHH), having a dog is a serious undertaking. Since getting our puppy, Dottie, there are the expenses: outside doggie enclosure because we have no SAHH and I will not crate a dog all day ($1200 plus still need an actual doggie house before the cold weather hits); food; treats; bowls; harness; leashes (she chewed through the first two smaller thicknesses and now has a leash meant for a HUGE dog); vet services (including spaying); toys; more toys; portable poopie bags in holder than attaches onto leash; pee-pee/poopie pads for inside because she is not potty trained; special [expensive] enzymatic pee-pee/poopie carpet spray (currently on fourth spray bottle); crate for overnight (otherwise she plays with our cats all night which wakes me more often than Dex alarms). Then there's the nagging my daughter to do the things she promised to do if we got a dog: walk her, pick up poop inside and spray carpet, make sure she has food (on time) and clean water, put her in outside enclosure before leaving for school, keep everything chewable out of Dottie's reach (I've already had to replace these chewed items: $80 MacBook charger, ear piece for my bluetooth, FastClix lancing device (didn't think it was possible to render one of these inoperable), my daughter's new 504 medical orders before I could get a copy to her school (because her school said they never received the fax from the endo X 2). Not to mention the fact that both of our iPhones have bite marks all over them and my daughter's Dexcom receiver is barely hanging together after being chewed on. Can't wait until we can get the $199 G5 upgrade so we no longer need her mangled receiver. But I just don't feel comfortable without a Dexcom receiver for backup (how much will that cost?). And what am I going to do with Dottie when my daughter leaves for college in 5 years, because I'm planning to quit my private practice and work in Antarctica (where no pets are allowed) 6 to 9 months out of every year? It's a good thing I've come to love this little bundle of hair, teeth, and doggie spit otherwise I'd be looking for a foster home...

 

Sorry for the double post; I have been unsuccessful in my attempts to delete the one above!

This is exactly why I will no longer consider getting my daughter a DA dog. A better solution for us has been having a Dexcom and a pet dog.

I must say that without a stay-at-home human (SAHH), having a dog is a serious undertaking. Since getting our puppy, Dottie, there are the expenses: outside doggie enclosure because we have no SAHH and I will not crate a dog all day ($1200 plus still need an actual doggie house before the cold weather hits); food; treats; bowls; harness; leashes (she chewed through the first two smaller thicknesses and now has a leash meant for a HUGE dog); vet services (including spaying); toys; more toys; portable poopie bags in holder than attaches onto leash; pee-pee/poopie pads for inside because she is not potty trained; special [expensive] enzymatic pee-pee/poopie carpet spray (currently on fourth spray bottle); crate for overnight (otherwise she plays with our cats all night which wakes me more often than Dex alarms). Then there's the nagging my daughter to do the things she promised to do if we got a dog: walk her, pick up poop inside and spray carpet, make sure she has food (on time) and clean water, put her in outside enclosure before leaving for school, keep everything chewable out of Dottie's reach (I've already had to replace these chewed items: $80 MacBook charger, ear piece for my bluetooth, FastClix lancing device [didn't think it was possible to render one of these inoperable], my daughter's new 504 medical orders which Dottie destroyed before I could get a copy to her school [because her school said they never received the fax from the endo X 2]). Not to mention the fact that both of our iPhones have bite marks all over them and my daughter's Dexcom receiver is barely hanging together after being chewed on. Can't wait until we can get the $199 G5 upgrade so we no longer need her mangled receiver. But I just don't feel comfortable without a Dexcom receiver for backup (how much will that cost?). And what am I going to do with Dottie when my daughter leaves for college in 5 years, because I'm planning to quit my private practice and work in Antarctica (where no pets are allowed) 6 to 9 months out of every year? It's a good thing I've come to love this little bundle of hair, teeth, and doggie spit otherwise I'd be looking for a foster home...

 

We have a friend that has a DA dog and I've watched the team with great interest. My son does not like dogs despite his mom being a vet. He asked me the other day if we could get a DA snake. Right!!! Not in my house, whether it had special glu sensing abilities or not.

 

Snakes are much lower-maintenance pets than dogs by a longshot. And they're cuddly in their own special way. Too bad their brains are too small to allow for training as an alert animal...