What These Dogs Do Might Just Save a Life

Diabetic Alert Dogs (DADs) are specially trained service animals that can detect changes in a person’s blood sugar levels—often before traditional technology like continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) alerts the wearer. These dogs use their incredible sense of smell to identify subtle chemical changes in the scent of a person’s breath or sweat that occur during rapid drops (hypoglycemia) or spikes (hyperglycemia) in blood glucose. Research shows that dogs have up to 300 million scent receptors—compared to about 5 million in humans—which allows them to notice these changes even when the person feels fine. Once trained, a DAD can be taught to nudge, paw, bark, or alert caregivers when levels become dangerous, potentially preventing serious medical emergencies.