Have you ever heard of a medical alert dog? The term "man’s best friend" refers to more than the loving devotion and companionship that our favorite canines give us. Dogs can be trained to do many things from helping police to guarding our homes from intrusion. However, the most remarkable of these dogs have very special skills and undergo training to recognize and assist in medical emergencies.

There are many different uses for a medical alert dog. People with diabetes, hypoglycemia, seizures, and other medical conditions are finding that their dogs are sometimes the most help they have. Psychiatric assistance dogs are not often categorized with medical response and alert dogs, although they go through much of the same training and can perform many of the same tasks.

If you have diabetes or hypoglycemia, you know how quickly your blood sugar levels can drop. A medical alert dog can actually sense the changes in a person’s blood sugar before the person even knows there’s anything wrong. Specialized training helps these dogs to know what to do in these situations. Once they are fully trained, they should be able to find juice or crackers and bring them to you, alerting you to the impending problem.

If, for some reason your situation gets out of control, the dog can also be trained to help support or brace you and get you to a sitting position safely. They can call 911, bring you the phone to call for help, or just perform simple tasks such as opening and closing doors or turning lights on and off when needed.

Seizure response dogs are in a class all their own, even when it comes to medical alert dogs. Some seizure response dogs can develop the ability to actually sense the impending seizure much the same way a diabetic dog can sense low blood sugars. Even if they cannot sense the seizure coming, these amazing animals know just what to do when the seizure hits.

They can call for help, pull dangerous objects away from the victim, or move the victim out of danger after the seizure is over. Some people with absence seizures are often in danger of walking into busy streets, obstructions, or dangerous situations and places. The dog is trained to block that person and redirect them to safer pathways.

Medical alert dogs are trained to react in many different situations. If you are able to get assistance yourself or dial a phone, the dog can bring the phone to you or help you find the assistance you need. If you are not, such as in a situation where you become unconscious, the dog can dial a special canine phone and get emergency help for you.

Any dog of any breed can be trained to be a medical alert dog if they have the right personality and temperament. The main factor in choosing the type of dog you want is the type of help you will need. People who are at risk of falling or having seizures may require larger dogs that can brace them or help them sit or lay down gently.

If you have a serious medical condition, consider getting a medical alert dog. It just may be the decision that saves your life.