Dogs can help detect hypos

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Robert Miles - 07 Mar 2008 16:08 GMT

An article on dogs helping to detect hypos, especially for T1:

http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=611320

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Miss Anne Thrope - 09 Mar 2008 15:11 GMT

People with extremely high glucose levels also emit an odor which can be
used as a diagnostic sign.

Prolonged high levels cause ketoacidosis to occur in the bloodstream,
and an odor similar to nail polish remover can often be noticed, even by
humans.

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Nico Kadel-Garcia - 09 Mar 2008 19:10 GMT

> People with extremely high glucose levels also emit an odor which can be
> used as a diagnostic sign.
>
> Prolonged high levels cause ketoacidosis to occur in the bloodstream,
> and an odor similar to nail polish remover can often be noticed, even by
> humans.

That's typically from ketosis, not keto-acidosis. It's *NOT* from the glucose!
It's from the body burning protein, instead of glucose, and it's also common
for people who are fasting or starving.

It's a fruity smell, a bit like nail polish remover, and also like that of
someone who's been drinking booze. And you can have mild Type 2 diabetes for
*years* without going into ketosis, if you happen to have a lifestyle low on
high glycemic foods and heavy on exercise. Noticeable ketosis is more common
with Type 1, which is the more extreme form of diabetes and for which the
onset is noticeably faster.

That's why those lists of symptoms are so handy, rather than pointing at one
symptom and saying "that's it! That's the sign! We'll focus on this one!"

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Priscilla Ballou - 11 Mar 2008 16:27 GMT

> > People with extremely high glucose levels also emit an odor which can be
> > used as a diagnostic sign.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> It's from the body burning protein, instead of glucose, and it's also common
> for people who are fasting or starving.

I thought it was from the body burning fat, which is why low-carb weight
loss dieting which increases fat as it decreases carb results in benign
ketosis (which you properly differentiate from keto-acidosis).

> It's a fruity smell, a bit like nail polish remover, and also like that of
> someone who's been drinking booze. And you can have mild Type 2 diabetes for
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> That's why those lists of symptoms are so handy, rather than pointing at one
> symptom and saying "that's it! That's the sign! We'll focus on this one!"

Priscilla

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