Diabetic service dogs are among the most common types of medical alert service dogs, and these canine companions are highly skilled at helping their owners manage their blood sugar, in addition to completing other service tasks.
If you are considering adopting a diabetic service dog, it’s easy to see how expensive the up-front cost of these dogs is. However, it may be possible for you to get the diabetic service dog you need for free or low-cost. Our article tells you how.
What Is a Diabetic Service Dog?
A diabetic service dog is a service dog that has specifically been trained to help an individual dealing with the medical condition of diabetes. Individuals with this condition often experience blood sugar spikes and drops, and proper diabetic management is essential to avoid serious medical consequences and long-term damage to the organs.
With the help of a diabetic service dog, someone with diabetes can more accurately manage their condition, and they have the support that a highly trained companion animal brings.
Diabetic Service Dog Tasks
The tasks that a diabetic service dog completes are varied and specific tasks can be trained in a dog depending on a person’s individual needs. However, there are a handful of tasks that virtually every diabetic service dog will know how to complete. These tasks include the following:
- Altering their owner when blood sugar levels drop or rise out of the normal range
- Retrieving medication, phones, glucose tablets, water, or other items for their owner
- Provide mobility support if their owner feels weak, dizzy, or unstable
- Applies deep pressure therapy for an anxious owner, or an owner that needs comfort
- Alerts others to an emergency
- Retrieves other individuals in the case their owner is unconscious or in need of help
In general, a diabetic service dog can be any breed, but this dog must be trained to detect blood sugar changes and strong or large enough to provide both mobility support and deep pressure therapy.
How Much Does a Diabetic Service Dog Cost?
Service dogs are not cheap, and this is because these dogs are highly trained and typically spend a year to two years training before they are ready to be placed in a home.
On average, purchasing a diabetic service dog outright can cost you between $20,000 and $50,000. If you need very specific tasks for your service dog, the time your dog spends training and the overall cost of adoption can increase.
Factors like your dog’s breed, age, and location can all have an effect on the final price that you pay to adopt your diabetic service dog.
Can You Get a Diabetic Service Dog for Free?
It may be possible to get a diabetic service dog for free if you qualify for certain grants or financial aid. Many organizations that train diabetic service dogs will also have an application for individuals in need of one of these companions but cannot afford the full cost. You can apply if you meet eligibility requirements, and part of the cost – or all of the cost – of adoption may be discounted.
Alternatively, if you do not qualify for local or national grants for a diabetic service dog, you may be able to train your own service dog.
This can be done for free at home, though you may need to follow an online training program when it comes to more complex service dog training. It’s essential that your diabetic service dog can detect blood sugar changes, and this can be the hardest thing to teach without assistance.
Will Insurance Cover My Diabetic Service Dog?
Insurance may cover some of the cost of your diabetic service dog, though this is very dependent on your specific health plan and the terms of your health insurance.
Some companies do qualify diabetic service dogs as necessary medical equipment and cover the cost, while others will not provide for any kind of service dog, including diabetic service dogs. Speak with a representative from your health insurance company to learn more about your benefits.
Adding a Diabetic Service Dog to Your Life
For many individuals with diabetes, a diabetic service dog can be the difference between struggling to manage their condition and being able to enjoy their day-to-day life as easily as possible.
Diabetic service dogs are incredibly helpful when it comes to blood sugar detection, and these dogs complete numerous tasks to support their owners. If you think you could benefit from a diabetic service dog, speak to your medical provider today to determine if adding one of these canine companions is right for you.