Diabetic alert dog kept signaling at his owner’s non-diabetic mother — until a blood test revealed what he knew all along

Pets often amaze us with their ability to sense things we can’t. A viral TikTok video shared by a user who goes by @kaylalally has once again shown just how intuitive animals can be, particularly when it comes to alerting their owners about health concerns. In this case, the star of the video is a diabetic alert dog named Cooper, whose sharp instincts helped detect a medical issue in a family member.

The video shows Cooper sitting next to the owner’s mother, who, as it turns out, isn’t diabetic. However, the dog senses something is wrong and begins pawing at her. His owner explains in the onscreen text, “My diabetic alert dog was pawing at my mom, who isn’t diabetic. She checked her sugar anyway because we trust his nose. He was right!” The mother, trusting Cooper’s instincts, tests her blood sugar and discovers it’s higher than normal. The dog’s alert proves to be spot on, and the owner praises Cooper’s remarkable ability. “Good catch, Cooper,” she says before giving him an affectionate pat and adding, “You are so smart.” 

The clip instantly became a hit, garnering more than 2 million views since being posted. Many internet users praised the pet canine and shared similar personal experiences. @justamamanherkidz wrote in the comment section, "I foster-failed an abused dachshund who was a diabetic alert dog. He came to stay with us for a few days and ended up alerting to my other dog, who was diabetic! He ended up staying with us and could tell when our dog was going to have a sugar low!" @stefisue79 recalled, "My mom was sitting in front of a diabetic dog, and he kept pawing at his owner, and her sugars were fine. It was my mom! This was before my mom was diagnosed with diabetes [sic]." @andreamrrsstt stated, "He’s the best boy."

 According to a report, researchers from the University of Bristol studied 27 dogs trained to alert their owners about blood sugar issues. They found that the dogs detected 83% of low blood sugar (hypoglycemic) episodes and 64% of high blood sugar (hyperglycemic) episodes. Notably, four of the 27 dogs detected 100% of both types of episodes.

The rare moment further reaffirms the extraordinary skills that service dogs, particularly diabetic alert dogs, possess. In another incident, a video showed a diabetic alert dog behaving strangely, leaving a couple confused at first. The dog, Spy, kept nudging them and acting restless, but they couldn’t understand why. Minutes later, they discovered that Spy had sensed their daughter’s blood sugar was dangerously low before her continuous glucose monitor could even detect it. The couple checked their phone’s monitoring app and realized the service dog was alerting them to a potential medical emergency. They rushed to their daughter’s room, where she confirmed she felt low, and Spy’s quick action helped prevent a serious health crisis.

For more endearing service dog content, follow @kaylalally on TikTok.