Jason has just returned from school. He alerts to a low. I test Jason, he's 6.4. Perfect range. I tell him he's fine and we'll watch. I look at the time and take a mental note to re-test in 15 minutes. He keeps alerting. He stands there, maintaining eye contact. He won't settle. I get busy. 20 minutes goes by and I forget to re-test. He bumps my leg hard with his nose and this time, doesn't wait for me to prompt his alert. He paws my leg and follows me to the cupboard. I pull out the meter and test Jason's BGL's. He is 4.3. Jason's BGL's where trending downwards. Bailey had sensed this half an hour beforehand, and caught him before he went low.
Later in the week, he alerts to a high when Jason's BGL's are within range at 8.0. I said that we'd watch but he became agitated and kept alerting over the next 15 minutes. I re-tested Jason again before he went to sleep and all was fine. But on re-testing Jason one hour later, his BGL's had risen to 24.0.
Huge fluctuations in Jason's BGL's can happen for no apparent reason, and fast. Typically Bailey will alert to an impending high or low half an hour beforehand, sometimes sooner. Considering one of the most frustrating and dangerous aspects of diabetes is how unpredictable it can be, we are fortunate to have a dog who has a nose for danger.
Later in the week, he alerts to a high when Jason's BGL's are within range at 8.0. I said that we'd watch but he became agitated and kept alerting over the next 15 minutes. I re-tested Jason again before he went to sleep and all was fine. But on re-testing Jason one hour later, his BGL's had risen to 24.0.
Huge fluctuations in Jason's BGL's can happen for no apparent reason, and fast. Typically Bailey will alert to an impending high or low half an hour beforehand, sometimes sooner. Considering one of the most frustrating and dangerous aspects of diabetes is how unpredictable it can be, we are fortunate to have a dog who has a nose for danger.