Diabetes Alert Dogs: much more than Super-Sniffers
Every year brings new and exciting breakthroughs in medical technology designed to help people living with Type 1 Diabetes. Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) have been around for some years, and now the hybrid closed loop system - effectively an artificial pancreas - is already making life easier for thousands of patients across the world. The wearable technology is getting smaller and easier to use all the time.
At the same time, remarkable advances are being made using AI in an attempt to mimic the ability of dogs and other animals to sense an imminent - and potentially life-threatening - hypoglycemic attack. The latest - known as RealNose - is currently being trialled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where Dr Andreas Mershin and his team are designing a device to detect diseases as quickly, accurately and easily as a dog’s nose. RealNose secured just over $1 million in venture capital funding in early 2024, which was enough to build a prototype.
“RealNose develops a unique platform capable of identifying scent signatures, creating an AI-driven electronic device that mimics canine olfaction,” says Mershin. “Our technology leverages bionanomaterials, machine learning, and bio programmable receptors, allowing for high-accuracy trace odor detection.” So where does that leave the dogs? Mershin is clear: “Let’s get rid of the dog packaging, bring it into our technology. This is a clear case where the dogs are teaching the humans. I want to bring that technology to cell phones.”
But for thousands of people around the world who are partnered with a medical detection dog trained and provided by a member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI), what Mershin calls the “dog packaging” is just as important as the technology.
“For some Type 1 Diabetics, relying solely on these technical advancements can fall short of their specific needs, and they may be searching for alternative options to help manage their condition,” says Kate Cuadrado, a journalist and herself a Type 1 Diabetic. “Perhaps they want an option with more humanity, gentleness, or even fur.”
“High or low blood sugar levels can interrupt a person’s balance, and dogs can be trained to brace their owners and support them if and when they feel unsteady. Some dogs can also be instructed alongside specific technology that can help to assist their owners during an emergency.” ADI accredited member Little Angels Service Dogs, for example, trains diabetic alert dogs to press a button which sends an automated alert to five pre-determined phone numbers.
Could the additional comfort, security and companionship that a medical detection dog brings ever be replaced by technology? A joint survey carried out in the UK earlier this year by the University of Bristol and ADI member Medical Detection Dogs suggests otherwise. The researchers, aiming “to investigate which behavioral attributes are most important in medical detection dogs,” found among the most important were levels of attachment, confidence in different environments and the ability to travel - all of which are hugely important for assistance dog teams.
The study, published in August 2024, included responses from 16 countries. Researchers noted that dogs are “initially trained using remote odor samples, which has been shown to be effective although there is the possibility that, with time, they learn also to respond to other physiological and behavioral changes in their human partner.” In other words, the technology may be more accurate, but dogs tend to have a ‘sixth sense’ which makes them far more sensitive to their partners’ emotional wellbeing and means they can adapt to their specific needs.
That will come as no surprise to anyone who has ever benefitted from a medical alert dog trained by an ADI accredited organization. Little Angels Service Dogs lists a number of benefits beyond detecting an oncoming hypo, ranging from fetching insulin from the fridge to helping balance their partner when blood sugar levels are low.
“Dogs can be man’s best friend to nearly anyone, but for people living with chronic illnesses such as Type 1 Diabetes, dogs can also increase psychological and emotional functioning both from being trained to complete certain tasks and from acting as a companion,” notes Kate. “For some, dogs can act as nonjudgmental supporters, sitting or walking by your side as you tackle the huge journey of living with a chronic illness.”
Other animals, including rats, have been proven to be as good as - sometimes even better - than dogs when it comes to sniffing out diseases. But as we mark World Diabetes Day, it’s worth remembering that only dogs provide that unique combination of early detection, security, support and comfort valued by so many living with Type 1 Diabetes.