Community Corner

Special Puppy Monitors Toddler's Blood Sugar

A Monroe boy will keep his type 1 diabetes in check with his family's new diabetes alert dog.


Denise and Jim Sgandurra of Monroe have to monitor their two-year-old son Aidan's blood sugar around the clock in the toddler's every day struggle with type 1 diabetes. On Friday morning, a black puppy from Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers arrived in a Chevy Durango to help.

The diabetes alert dog will squeal when Aidan's blood sugar is on the rise and make another sound when it's dropping too low. Philip Farris, a trainer with Warren Retrievers, will stay at the Sgandurra's over the weekend to get the puppy, Trooper, acclimated to his new home.

Denise Sgandurra decided to name her family's new pet Trooper, because when their twin sons, Aidan and Lukas, were born as preemies, she and her husband always said they were troopers.

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When Aidan's blood sugar levels drop he can have a seizure, go unconscious or slip into a coma, while high levels can damage his organs, according to Sgandurra.

The Sgandurras test Aidan 10 times a day, once every three hours and twice after snacks, pricking his finger. "Then he gets insulin which brings his sugar level down," Sgandurra said.

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Diabetic alert dogs are trained to alert the diabetic or a loved one to blood sugar fluctuations, preventing the dangerous consequences of extreme highs and lows. Diabetic alert dogs are 100 percent accurate and often alert as much as 20-45 minutes before a meter shows there's even a problem.

Farris said the training will be a two-year-process, in which he will come back every 90 to 100 days in eight phases.

A diabetes alert dog costs around $21,000 and Guardian Angel Service Dogs assisted the Sgandurras with fundraisers for their dog.

Sgandurra expressed her gratitude to everyone who helped her family raise the money to buy Trooper for Aidan. She says donations are still rolling in and any money over what is needed will be used to benefit other families in need of a diabetic alert dog.


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