For one dog owner, a quiet day at home nearly took a tragic turn, but was averted by the shocking and unexpected actions of his loyal companion, Ruger. The man, a diabetic, was experiencing a severe episode of hypoglycemia, or diabetic shock. His blood sugar levels had plummeted to a dangerously low level, leaving him disoriented and unaware of the life-threatening condition his body was in.
Ruger, however, sensed that something was profoundly wrong. Dogs possess an incredible sense of smell that can detect the subtle chemical changes in the human body that occur during a medical crisis. The dog’s first attempts to alert his owner were subtle. He began to whine and pace, trying to get his owner’s attention. When these gentle prompts were ignored by the man in his confused state, Ruger’s actions became more insistent. He began to nip at his owner’s legs, a behavior that was completely out of character for the gentle dog.
Still, the man, clouded by the effects of his low blood sugar, did not understand. He pushed Ruger away, frustrated by the seemingly aggressive behavior. Realizing his efforts were failing, Ruger took a drastic and desperate step. In a final attempt to snap his owner out of his stupor, Ruger bit him on the leg. It was not a playful nip; it was a firm, painful bite intended to sound an alarm that could not be ignored.
The shock and pain of the bite cut through the fog of the man’s disorientation. His immediate reaction was one of hurt and disbelief. Ruger had never bitten him before. But in that moment of adrenaline and clarity, he finally connected the dog’s frantic, unprecedented behavior with his own physical state. The bite forced him to realize something was terribly wrong.
He managed to get to his glucose meter and test his blood sugar. The reading confirmed Ruger’s desperate warnings: his levels were critically low. He immediately took glucose tabs and drank orange juice to stabilize his condition. As the sugar entered his system and his mind cleared, the full weight of what had just happened crashed down on him. Ruger hadn’t attacked him; he had saved him. The bite was not an act of aggression but a life-saving measure of last resort. The owner was left with a profound sense of gratitude, realizing that his best friend’s shocking action had saved him from a potential hospitalization, or even death.