Pit Bull Saves Man Nearing Coma

COLD SPRING – A family’s 8-year-old pit bull was deemed a hero by them.   
Stray, a pit (American Staffordshire terrier), alerted her family members, who requested anonymity, leading them to a relative who was having a medical emergency.
The 24-year-old man was feeling ill for 72 hours, thought to have food poisoning and the flu which has been hitting the area. 
His symptoms worsened, and he was barely coherent when Stray made a ruckus. 
Stray was out of bed early and jumped around barking, luring family members to find the young man.  
When he was found, he was incoherent and was in and out of consciousness.  He was rushed to Cape Regional Medical Center and was found to be in a state of diabetic ketoacidosis with a blood sugar level nearly 10 times above normal.
The young man never imagined he had Type 1 diabetes and was told by hospital staff that he was only mere hours away from slipping into a coma.  Since many of his symptoms were similar to those of the flu, the idea of diabetes was never a thought. 
The family believes Stray saved not only the day but the young man’s life.
It is believed that dogs can detect changes in blood sugar levels, and Stray may have done just that.
Diabetic ketoacidosis can cause a person’s breath to give off a scent, and Stray picked up this scent, knew something was wrong and alerted family members. 
Stray also faced some serious medical issues in her early life. She was found in an alley abandoned in California; thought to be a runt and tossed away unwanted. 
Stray had barely any fur and was taken to a shelter operated by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). 
She was found to have some significant health conditions which included severe mange. Since mange is highly contagious, she was not able to stay at the ASPCA.
Stray’s options were not looking positive, but she wound up in the arms of the man who found her in the alleyway wanting to adopt her and nurse her back to health.
Stray required 18 months of medications, six months of quarantine and six months of obedience school, required for pit bulls in California. 
In 2012, Stray and her owner moved to New Jersey to be with the family where she resides with her growing family that includes two small children.
To contact Johanna Hovik, email jhovik@cmcherald.com.