Many people with type 1 diabetes purchase dogs specifically trained to detect hypoglycemia and alert the owner of impending low blood sugar. The dogs can cost thousands of dollars and are often described as “lifesaving”.

Unfortunately, some of the dog training companies have faced lawsuits or complaints from consumers that the dogs are not effective. And even though they may be called a “certified” alert dog, there are generally no standardized regulations or performance criteria to earn that recognition.

What does the science say?

Available studies results indicate that, “Overall, they [diabetic alert dogs] really were not that reliable or accurate,” says University of Virginia psychologist Linda Gonder-Frederick tracked the performance of 14 diabetic alert dogs in a 2017 study .

Alert Dogs offer other benefits

While researchers have found little evidence that dogs can reliably sniff out blood sugar changes, they have encountered a kind of paradox: People who get alert dogs tend to do better with their diabetes.

It turns out that the dogs may be a pleasant reminder to check blood glucose and attend to their diabetes. And, the dogs can help people feel less alone and provide comfort when dealing with a daily condition that can be very overwhelming.

Read More Here from NPR: The Hope and Hype of Diabetic Alert Dogs

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