Dogs or pets, in general, are helpful for diabetics. They can help with sensing blood sugar control as well as helping with well-being.
Photo by Meruyert Gonullu: https://www.pexels.com/photo/happy-woman-lying-on-sofa-with-cute-purebred-dog-6589020/
Dogs can help a diabetic decrease stress.
Many studies have been done on pets in general, and dogs in particular, where blood pressure, heart rate and rhythm, and even electrical skin response (used in biofeedback devices) have been measured. Dramatic and measurable signs of calmness can occur just by being in the presence of your pet.
Just sitting and watching your pet play can be very calming. And of course, sitting and petting your dog can take you away to a place of calm.
Dogs can give a diabetic a reason to exercise to help your diabetes.
Dogs need exercise daily so unless you have a small dog or a large yard that means you have to walk the dog. A daily walk once or twice per day can help both you and your dog.
Tossing a ball or disc around can be fun for both of you too and provide a great amount of exercise.
Any kind of exercise that you can do with your dog will help both of you!
Caring for a pet can help a diabetic’s mental health by concentrating on another being.
Having diabetes can be depressing. All the new restrictions on your diet and time can be oppressive. All of the problems keep you in your head too much.
So, having another being to care for to get you out of your head can be helpful. It’s just nice sometimes to not have to think of your problems, to just escape.
Caring for a dog can be a big project. It can give you purpose. Some folks treat their dog better than they treat themselves!
Again, having a dog is a way to find some happiness in your life.
What breeds of dogs are best to help a diabetic?
Here are some things to think about when considering a dog if you don’t already have a dog.
- Adopt smarter breeds. Poodles, labs, or golden retrievers can be trained more easily as service dogs. And as a side benefit, they need more exercise to coerce you into exercising also.
- Adopt a dog that will be a size that you can easily handle both physically and financially. Big and/or expensive dogs mean big and/or expensive problems.
- Adopt, most importantly, a dog you love, and that you have a visceral feeling about. This feeling is what will help you deal with all of the above!
Because of your diabetes, you may qualify for a service dog to help your diabetes.
How do you get a service dog?
- You need a letter from your doctor explaining the severity of your diabetes and the need for help with monitoring your blood sugar.
- You need to contact an organization that deals with service dogs especially one that deals with diabetes like Dogs4Diabetics or CanDoCanines
A service dog can be trained to help you know if your blood sugar is abnormal, alert you if your CGM is alarming, and even carry emergency supplies for you.
Dogs can even be trained to recognize high or low blood sugar, especially in type 1 diabetics
Dogs have an exquisite sense of smell and can be trained to recognize both high and low blood glucose in their owners by this sense.
This skill, of course, can be life-saving, especially in a poorly controlled type 1 diabetic. The dog can alert you to check your sugar before you would have any symptoms.
You can find a trained dog like this at Canine for Life or Diabetic Alert Dogs of America
Dogs, or pets in general, can be a lifesaver, both literally and figuratively.
Get a dog, a cat, a rabbit, whatever! A pet can help you to help yourself through emotional support.
But for more intense help, you need a dog as they are more easily trained.
Diabetes is a tough disease. Don’t try to do it alone. Family, friends, and yes, even a dog, can help you to deal with the day-to-day trials of diabetes. Please take care of yourself in the day-to-day trials of diabetes. Please take care of yourself.