Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.

Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

First large-scale study of diabetic alert dogs published
Medical alert dog Magic with handler Claire.
Detection dogs can 'significantly improve' quality of life for diabetic owners 

Specially trained alert dogs can detect 83 per cent of hypoglycaemic episodes in patients with diabetes, according to new research.

In the first large-scale study of its kind, researchers from the University of Bristol and the charity Medical Detection Dogs found that alert dogs have the potential to significantly improve quality of life for people with type 1 diabetes.

The team studied 27 trained glycaemia alert dogs, whose owners supplied six to 12 weeks’ worth of blood records – equating to more than 4,000 hypo- and hyper-glycaemic episodes – detailing each time the dog alerted.

Commenting on the results, which were published in PLOS ONE, Dr Nicola Rooney said: “Our research shows a dog’s effectiveness is affected by the individual dog and its connection with its human partner.

“Since the usage of such dogs is growing, it’s important that any dogs used for these purposes are professionally trained, matched and monitored by professional organisations like Medical Detection Dogs.  It’s also vital that research continues both to assess true efficacy and determine ways to optimise their performance.”

Medical Detection Dogs trains pet dogs to show alerting behaviours in response to the odour produced by human disease. In diabetic patients, dogs will alert when their owners’ blood sugar level falls too low, allowing them to take the appropriate action.

Image © Trevor Martin
 

 

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.