Family Trains Service Dogs
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When Robert McVey was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, doctors suggested he get a service dog to help.
A diabetic alert dog can help patients who have a hard time regulating their blood sugar levels.
"These dogs are not for everybody, but if you're somebody who is frequently passing out with low sugar, you definitely want to look into this and see if this is an option for you," said Dr. Anuj Bhargava, with Mercy Medical Center.
But the dogs cost a lot of money and the waiting period to get one can be long
"Quickly found that they are very expensive. Anywhere from $9,000 to $25,000 a dog. So that's when I started looking at I'm going to train me a service dog," said Robert McVey.
The McVeys spend hours a day training their dog, Austin.
It's a lot of work, but it's much cheaper
"The obedience and everything is the same. You still start with that and make sure they have their obedience. As far as the scent training and things, you start them off very early," said Leslie McVey.
"The dogs are being taught to detect blood sugar levels using scent training and this homemade system. First they collect saliva samples when blood sugar is both high and low. They put them in here and teach the dog whenever he smells a certain level to alert the owner," she said.
The McVey's want to help other diabetics who can't afford the high price tag.
They're working with another puppy and have plans to continue training dogs for those in need