Eli Lilly and the Indiana Canine Assistance Network (ICAN) are conducting a study to see exactly what it is that our diabetes alert dogs are sensing when they alert for low blood sugars. I'm so glad to hear that someone is finally doing this. If it can be determined what the chemical compound is, then it might be able to be recreated for testing. The product would be reliable and the trainer could always be sure that they are training with something that the dog can sense. Sometimes now, I have to wonder about the stability and accuracy of what I am training with. If the sample isn't exactly "right", they the dog is not getting trained, only confused. Here is the link to the study.
I volunteered to send a sample in for this study. Interestingly, they are using sweat, not saliva samples. I collected my sample by rubbing four absorbent cloths over my back and forehead and then blowing on these samples and mailing them in. There is also a control sample where I did the same thing during a normal blood sugar.
I've been trying some sweat low blood sugar samples. My low blood sugars usually occur during/after my walks. I have been using the clothes that I was wearing as the low scent to test Senator, and they work really well. I keep them in a big plastic bag and they seem good for 3-4 days. I just put them under my clothes or sometimes just carry them into the room and Senator senses them almost immediately.
I'm continuing to teach him to tell me if I am high or low after the initial alert. He seems to be doing very well with it. I've decided to back off of the training with both alerts for awhile. I'm concerned that I might be confusing him. For now, I am continuing to do about three alerts per day. I make sure that I expose him to any natural alert that I have during the day and also do some stored samples to supplement these. After he paws me for the initial alert, I ask him "what is it". He does either a down or a sit and I give him a treat. I repeat this about 5 times and then hug and thank him. I would estimate that he gets the right alert about 80% of the time. I tend to have more lows, so he is exposed more to them and tends to default to them (I think). All in all, I think we are doing well. I'm trying to get some more public access training experience for him now.
I volunteered to send a sample in for this study. Interestingly, they are using sweat, not saliva samples. I collected my sample by rubbing four absorbent cloths over my back and forehead and then blowing on these samples and mailing them in. There is also a control sample where I did the same thing during a normal blood sugar.
I'm continuing to teach him to tell me if I am high or low after the initial alert. He seems to be doing very well with it. I've decided to back off of the training with both alerts for awhile. I'm concerned that I might be confusing him. For now, I am continuing to do about three alerts per day. I make sure that I expose him to any natural alert that I have during the day and also do some stored samples to supplement these. After he paws me for the initial alert, I ask him "what is it". He does either a down or a sit and I give him a treat. I repeat this about 5 times and then hug and thank him. I would estimate that he gets the right alert about 80% of the time. I tend to have more lows, so he is exposed more to them and tends to default to them (I think). All in all, I think we are doing well. I'm trying to get some more public access training experience for him now.
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