DLife

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So they are showing diabetic alert dogs. “Heaven Scent” is the company.

I’m an experienced dog trainer, and taught police officers for about 10 years how to detect drugs with dogs. I also have a dog that alerts when I am starting to have difficulty breathing (we thought it was asthma, but it is gastric reflux disease).

Here’s my opinion on training diabetic alert dogs … I won’t do it. I have considered it, but here’s the problem. First, Marcie (the dog who alerts on breathing problems), doesn’t notice a high. However, I don’t go into DKA — or haven’t so far. Second, I won’t risk going low, I don’t like that feeling. And to properly train a detection dog, you have to do several repetitions every day.

If we could isolate what happens with someone when they go low and high, then we could train dogs to detect it, as long it was it replicable and reliable. However, we haven’t and we can’t. Again, to properly train a dog, it has to be repeated daily several times.

Personally I think Scott King should include this company with his “duds”.

If she is using her diabetic children to train the dogs (forcing them to go low and high), CPS should take over the children. (D*** she does!) ARGH! She’s even put the kid on low on purpose to demonstrate it! How many brain cells just died? I’m sorry folks, but this is just criminal.

I can’t believe DLIFE put it on!

Comments

9 responses to “DLife”

April 11, 2005

Bethany

I have a friend that had a cat that alerted to her lows, and I used to have a cat that knew when I was getting sick, but I would never put myself through a low just to test the animal. I have asthma and my cat would know when I was having a bad day and when my sugars might be off, but the only way to confirm that was to test which is what you should do anyways. This cat also knew when our other cat was sick and would alert us to that. She was not trained in doing this. It was genetic or instinctual.

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April 11, 2005

dn

Mild ketosis is harmless. It happens to everybody when glucose runs low and fat burning starts. As long as glucose metabolism doesn’t get too far out of whack it’s OK. The danger is that it can get out of whack *real fast* with insulin-dependent diabetics. I sure wouldn’t mess around with glucose without medical assistance.
“If we could isolate what happens with someone when they go low and high, then we could train dogs to detect it, as long it was it replicable and reliable. However, we haven’t and we can’t.”
Well, it is pretty well established how blood levels of ketones change during ketosis, which includes diabetic ketoacidosis. You can even buy urine test strips that detect ketones, for dieters who need Scientific Proof that they are in fact burning fat. If that’s what the dogs detect, mixing up a training standard should be trivial. (In fact, I wonder why no one makes a breathalyzer machine for DKA. Ketones are chemically pretty similar to alcohol.)
[Sorry. Can’t get paragraph breaks to work.]

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April 11, 2005

KWeaver

Actually your comment came out well, and you seem to reinforce my points.
I’ve posted some of the same “stuff” on the insulin pumpers list, and sadly some of the parents have fallen for this women and her concepts.
Having been in the drug detection dog world for 10 years, there are a few facts I can add.
First, there are a LOT of scam artists in the detection business. This goes for Police K9, Search and Rescue, and especially medical uses. The biggest problem in medical uses is even identifying WHAT you are detecting, and getting it reliable. The “if” is a big “if”.
How do I know about scam artists? Well, I personally was taken for over $5000. The good news is that the money actually went directly to benefit those I expected it too, but I didn’t mean to donate quite that much money. My intent was to donate time, not cash. I ended up doing both.
There are a lot of well intentioned but misguided people in the dog business too. I’ve been taken for quite a few rides and have seem others taken for more rides in my 20 years of dogs.
I suspect that this person is well meaning, but hasn’t thought out all the ramifications. I’m worried about two groups — the, was it 5 children and 16 dogs she is caring for? It was an incredible number. Frankly, that’s a bigger bite that any one person should be taken. And I’m also worried about the gullible parents who are so guilt ridden because of their diabetic child and their own experiences. These poor people are terrified their children will die. They are easily taken for a ride.

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April 11, 2005

KWeaver

By the way, the cat this is cool. I do believe that animas raised in a household will learn when things are wrong and help their families deal with them.
I just don’t think that should be the primary thing you rely on. Or the second, or third, ….

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April 13, 2005

me

If those 3 kids are on NPH or a mixture instead of a modern regimen they may have a lot of highs and lows naturally. Plus, if she has them change clothes every time and keeps them in a ziploc for several training sessions she may have plenty of opportunities without doing it on purpose. Is that possible?

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April 29, 2005

RWD

Oh how wrong can you be, not unlike many who did not believe insulin would work, or that insulin pumps would work (look at the stats – only 6% of the general population uses these, primaryly due to the lack of physicians utilizing this wonderful diabetic management tool) vaccinations would work, etc.
I have had Type 1 (taking insulin) for over 50 years. Twenty years ago I started becoming hypoglycemic unaware and for the last 8 years had no idea what my blood glucose levels are. It was normal (and I have objective evidence) that paramedics visited my house 3 to 5 times each month due to extreme low blood sugars (health threatening). I was initially very skeptical to the claims that were made by Heaven Scent Paws that a dog could alert me of actual or impending low blood sugars. Guess what. It works. I was in pre-med’ graduated with a 3.8 out of 4, was a Med Tech, and now work in quality assurance and FDA/ISO/EPA regulatory compliance in medical devices and pharmaceuticals. My Heaven Scent Paws trained dog alerts me accurately 90% of the time during my busy day and 100% of the time at night. In the 9 months I have had my diabetic alert dog my wife has only had to call 911 ONCE, not the normal 36 to 40 times before I got and used this wonderful tool. As a matter of fact I became so convinced with this reproducable method I now train these dogs. As a matter of fact my dog has alerted my diabetic sister on two occasions during our short visits to her house. A diabetic at work decided to test my dog (I did not even know she was diabetic until afterwards) by coming upstairs with a sugar of 70 and sitting down. My dog alerted her also. If you really check into this phenomenon you will find many instances of this occurring, not only in the USA, but in other countries.
As far as your slanderous statement that HSP forces their kids into lows to train these dogs that is nothing less than a lie, by someone trying to ruin a good thing. Why would you do this? What would prompt a professional as you to make such statements that have no validity? Are you the person who made undue demands for a dog and then when told these could not be met, decided to vent in a destructive manner? Why would you want to destroy the possibility of a valuable tried and tested tool for diabetic management? From a psychological point of view this seems to be the type of behavior that a spoiled child exhibits when they don’t get their way.
What a terrible accusation to make that this family puts their kids at risk. If you know anything about diabetes and good control you know that low blood sugars are a fact of life. These times are used within strict parameters as a good time to facilitate training. I know this family and know that your accusations ludicrous and should be recanted immediately.
If you are the professional you claim to be I would think you would post this as written and simultaneously offer an apology to this family. If not I will have no option, but to forward your comments and this reply to your publication and others.
I dare you to provide objective evidence of your derogatory comments, as I can provide objective evidence with testimonies from people who use Heaven Scent Paws trained dogs with continual repeatable results.
Sincerely,
Wayne Dillender

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April 29, 2005

crystal

I have personally purchased a diabetic alert dog from Heaven Scent Paws for my ten year old daughter. You will find Lindy and our alert dog, Alex on thier website. I am so sorry that you feel this company isn’t truthful about thier training abilities. We have benefited from Alex alerting to Lindy more times than we would have been able to count. We love this dog so much. We have seen a noticeable change in Lindy’s behavior due to more levelized blood glucose levels. Are these dogs dependable? Well, why don’t you leave that response to the ones that have purchased one. That would be me. And, YES YES YES!!!!!!!!! The segment that was on DLife T.V. was wonderful, but a little too short for me. I enjoyed every moment of the show. I recognized Delta and Joseph, because they had come with Michele for our training. Is Heaven Scent Paws, Inc. legitimate? Well, if they aren’t, they have accidentally trained a fully reliable Diabetes Alert Dog that my beautiful daughter considers her best friend now, and I owe my life to for how he has helped her. Do they charge too much for these dogs? Well, how much is your child’s life and quality of life worth? I will tell you from my experience, they have not charged as much as they are worth, and they haven’t charged as much as Heaven Scent Paws, Inc. have put into them. This is just my EXPERIENCED oppinion.

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August 16, 2005

Sandy

I’m a 52 yr. old brittle insulin dependent diabetic for over 33yrs. I’ve had to many highs and lows to remember. yes I’ve came close to dieing many times. My body and eyes are showing signs of two many hight blood sugars. I haven’t had medical insurance for over 2 years and even though I make very little money it’s just enough to not get help. I’ve been trying to find diabetic alert dog or self training info that i can try to do myself. I live with a friend now but soon will be on my own.. If anyone can help please let me know.. Thank you and God Bless all you that help people of any kind. Sandy God and I love you…

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March 25, 2006

CJ

HELLO, I’M THE MOTHER OF A 13 YR OLD SON WHO WAS JUST DIAGNOSED WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES,HE’S NOW TAKING 4 SHOTS A DAY, AND HIS BLOOD LEVELS CAN GO ANYWHERE FROM 30 TO 200 IN THE MATTER OF 30 MIN. IT’S A CONSTANT SCARE! I WAS ADVISED TO GET A DIABETIC ALERT DOG FOR HIM..BUT AFTER LOOKING INTO IT AND THE COST I’M A LITTLE OVERWELMED. MY HUSBAND IS AN US ARMY SOLDIER, SO OUR INCOME IS NOT THAT GOOD!
IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET A DOG DONATED IT TO YOU?ANY ADVISED WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
PLEASE EMAIL ME TO : MCCOOL98@HOTMAIL.COM WITH ANY ADVISE. THANK YOU

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