A diabetic alert dog for Easton
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We have set up this go fund me to raise money so we can get our sweet boy a diabetic alert dog also known as a DAD.
Easton was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes just 3 short weeks after his first birthday. Type 1 Diabetes is a chronic condition in which insulin making cells in the pancreas are destroyed by the immune system. Easton is on two different types of insulin; he receives 4 shots daily, and has to get his glucose tested 5-8 times per day. It’s not hard to see why Type 1 Diabetes requires close observation and monitoring. Having a DAD would not only be a very effective tool to help manage this disease but give our whole family some peace of mind.
Easton’s Diagnoses-
We took Easton to the ER for breathing issues and were sent home saying he had a virus. The next morning Easton woke up and was breathing worse and making these weird sounds with each breath he took. I rushed him back to the ER. They gave him chest X-rays, 2 breathing treatments, rsv tests and all came back fine. They couldn’t figure out why the breathing treatments weren’t helping him at all. A little while later Easton started to vomit so they decided to put him on an IV. Since he was on the IV they also decided to draw blood and thank goodness they did. As soon as his blood work came back the nurses and doctors came in and informed me that Easton’s blood sugar was over 600 and that he was diabetic. I felt at peace hearing that, just knowing they had a diagnosis. I never realized what it meant to be diabetic. They instantly put him on insulin. Easton was in Diabetic Ketoacidosis. Still not fully realizing what was going on, the doctors told me that they were going to transfer Easton by ambulance to a hospital with a pediatric ICU. After being in the ICU for 3 days and another 2 in the pediatric ward we were able to go home. Before we left E’s endocrinologist explained to us how bad of shape Easton was really in that first day. He was so worried that Easton was going to end up in a coma or with liver failure. My heart breaks everyday thinking that we could have lost our boy.
Diabetic alert dog:
A diabetic alert dog is an assistance dogtrained to detect high (hyperglycemia) or low (hypoglycemia) levels of blood sugar in humans with diabetes and alert their owners to dangerous changes in blood glucose levels. This allows their owners to take steps to return their blood sugar to normal, such as using glucose tablets, sugar and carbohydrate rich food. The dog can prompt a human to take insulin.
When owners with diabetes begin to experience hypoglycemia, the detection dogs perform a predetermined task (e.g. bark, lay down, sit) to inform the person. Dogs may be directly smelling something related to the abnormal glucose concentration, or may be reacting to the owner's symptoms which are caused by hypoglycemia, such as sweating or shaking.
Easton was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes just 3 short weeks after his first birthday. Type 1 Diabetes is a chronic condition in which insulin making cells in the pancreas are destroyed by the immune system. Easton is on two different types of insulin; he receives 4 shots daily, and has to get his glucose tested 5-8 times per day. It’s not hard to see why Type 1 Diabetes requires close observation and monitoring. Having a DAD would not only be a very effective tool to help manage this disease but give our whole family some peace of mind.
Easton’s Diagnoses-
We took Easton to the ER for breathing issues and were sent home saying he had a virus. The next morning Easton woke up and was breathing worse and making these weird sounds with each breath he took. I rushed him back to the ER. They gave him chest X-rays, 2 breathing treatments, rsv tests and all came back fine. They couldn’t figure out why the breathing treatments weren’t helping him at all. A little while later Easton started to vomit so they decided to put him on an IV. Since he was on the IV they also decided to draw blood and thank goodness they did. As soon as his blood work came back the nurses and doctors came in and informed me that Easton’s blood sugar was over 600 and that he was diabetic. I felt at peace hearing that, just knowing they had a diagnosis. I never realized what it meant to be diabetic. They instantly put him on insulin. Easton was in Diabetic Ketoacidosis. Still not fully realizing what was going on, the doctors told me that they were going to transfer Easton by ambulance to a hospital with a pediatric ICU. After being in the ICU for 3 days and another 2 in the pediatric ward we were able to go home. Before we left E’s endocrinologist explained to us how bad of shape Easton was really in that first day. He was so worried that Easton was going to end up in a coma or with liver failure. My heart breaks everyday thinking that we could have lost our boy.
Diabetic alert dog:
A diabetic alert dog is an assistance dogtrained to detect high (hyperglycemia) or low (hypoglycemia) levels of blood sugar in humans with diabetes and alert their owners to dangerous changes in blood glucose levels. This allows their owners to take steps to return their blood sugar to normal, such as using glucose tablets, sugar and carbohydrate rich food. The dog can prompt a human to take insulin.
When owners with diabetes begin to experience hypoglycemia, the detection dogs perform a predetermined task (e.g. bark, lay down, sit) to inform the person. Dogs may be directly smelling something related to the abnormal glucose concentration, or may be reacting to the owner's symptoms which are caused by hypoglycemia, such as sweating or shaking.
Organizer
Amanda Myers
Organizer
Roseville, CA
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