little boy in Regina has a new and potentially life-saving pet, and is the only person in Canada with a dog like her.
Taeghan Rice has type one diabetes. His new pet is Keeva, the first diabetec alert dog in Canada. Before Keeva was in his life, Taeghan and his family were waking up as many as four times a night to check blood sugar.
But now they rely on her to help keep him safe. She can tell when her seven-year-old owner’s blood sugar is about to change.
“Not all puppies can do that,” said Taeghan,who got the black lab puppy from Virginia.
James Faulkner, a trainer with Guardian Angel Service Dogs, explains how Keeva is able to do it.
“It’s all through scent. When their blood sugar rises, it gets a fruity, cotton-candy type smell. When it goes low, it’s an acetone or finger polish type smell,” said Faulkner.
This special dog wasn't cheap. She cost roughly $19,000. But she'll mean a world of difference to Taeghan, who's looking forward to going to sleep overs and being allowed to stay the whole night.
