Is diabetes awareness going to the dogs?

She didn’t know it, but Pepper, the dachshund/Labrador mix knew that Megan’s blood sugar level was extremely low. He woke her up by poking, pushing and licking her. She awoke feeling dizzy and hungry. Megan has type 1 diabetes. The dog probably saved her life.

There are hundreds of these types of stories on the internet. I found this one on WebMD, one of my favorites for accurate information. A patient of Audrey Buck, registered dietician and diabetes educator at Bonner General Health, told a similar story of his experience with his dog, and it prompted next week’s topic at the Diabetes Support and Education Group meeting.

Held at the Brown House (just north of the hospital) at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 7, Glenna Hendrix from Pend Oreille Pet Lodge, will speak about her experience training therapy dogs and how they can be used effectively for people with diabetes. This is a fascinating subject and everyone who is interested is welcome to attend.

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