Posted on 06/19/2014 5:48:04 PM PDT by who knows what evil?
I believe that there is a chemical (ketone?) that is expressed by a patient experiencing hypoglycemia. A cat could easily smell the new, odd smell and recognize a possible problem.
Ketones seems to be the consensus of opinion, and it certainly makes sense.
Not this type of experience. However at the nursing home where my mother eventually passed, there was a cat that visited people the night before they died. The kitty was never wrong.
My daughter knew someone with a service dag who could detect either hypoglycemia or seizures. I don’t recall which condition, but I’ve heard of cases where animals can detect that kind of thing.
Best thing to do is watch his behavior and record every instance of when he acts like that and what her blood sugar is. Having a record will help detect a pattern if it’s there.
It’s far better than trying to rely on memory.
I would enjoy having a feline companion around on my last day...others would freak, I’m sure. :-)
Good idea...she just went to bed, and that particular kitty just went up the stairs to join her.
Not bashing your wife, but it might help matters if she’d eat so as to keep her blood sugar on more of an even keel and not yo-yo-ing between too high and too low. Eat some protein and fat, but go very easy on the carbohydrates. Protein has a relatively small effect on blood sugar/insulin levels and animal fat close to none, but eating carbs can make for relatively large swings in blood sugar and insulin levels. Can cats detect that kind of a metabolic change? I don’t know.
While I was in Walmart several years ago, I came upon a man in the pet section who had a dog. On that dog’s harness was clearly embroidered the words, “Diabetic Alert Animal.”
Yes, the cat saved your wife’s life, without a doubt.
She’s clear on the diet protocol, but she is new to insulin and how it relates to the two different doses of metformin she is taking. As another poster suggested; we are going to watch the cat. She now has glucose tablets and other snacks on her nightstand so she doesn’t have to use the stairs in case of another bout of hypoglycemia.
My bedtime now...thanks to everyone for their advice and opinions. ;-)
DKA or diabetic keto acidosis is caused by high blood sugar. I have been able to smell it when I walked into the room quite a few times.
I suppose low blood would be characterized by a lack of normal ketones.
Aren’t ketones a sign of very high blood sugar?
Me too.
I appreciate the thank-you note, ma’am. Made my day.
I saw this news item not long ago (forget the publication) and it got my attention...everything involving dogs gets my attention.
It would be great if your nephew were to look into this program. He certainly would benefit from having a trained dog keeping tabs on his glucose levels.
/johnny
>> “The cat was just doing a CAT Scan.” <<
.
Did their retriever then do a “Lab” report?
.
Body tremors possibly too.
>> “Arent ketones a sign of very high blood sugar?” <<
.
No, ketosis is the state where the body metabolizes fats rather than glucose.
.
Yes.
I have a type 1 who thankfully wakes up when she's low. One night I heard a banging in the kitchen. She was in there trying to feed herself, falling down, arms flailing and jerking, totally out of it. Stood up, fell down. Stood up, fell down. I got a banana and made her start taking bites, which she didn't want.
Her numbers were in the 30s. Turns out she had eaten a bedtime snack high enough in carbs that she needed to dose. And the insulin took her down in the middle of the night to very dangerous levels.
If I hadn't have been there and she could not get up off the floor to eat something she would have died.
And yes, I've read that dogs can smell when something's wrong with a diabetic.
It doesn’t require a belief in magic cat ESP to credit this. Dogs have been trained to sniff out cancer. There are accounts of dogs being trained to recognize the onset of epileptic seizures. No doubt a cat can smell changes in his mistress’s body chemistry due to very low blood sugar as well. You are blessed to have a furry physician in the family!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.