Kona, a one-year-old puppy, can detect her young owner’s blood sugar swings before medical technology knows anything is wrong.
A one-year-old pup is able to repeatedly detect dangerous blood sugar swings in his young owner – often before medical technology knows anything is wrong.
Kennedy Berce, seven, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on September 11th, 2024. Her mother, Lindsey Berce, says her daughter was just 24 hours away from slipping into diabetic ketoacidosis when doctors finally discovered her blood sugar had skyrocketed to 611.
Since that day, life for the Berce family has revolved around constant monitoring – insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitors and middle-of-the-night checks. But the most powerful tool of all, the family says, isn’t a device at all.
It’s Kona – Kennedy’s diabetic alert dog. The Berces brought Kona home in May 2024, months before Kennedy’s diagnosis, and at the time he was simply meant to be a family pet.
But Lindsey now calls that timing “a miracle” because Kona was unknowingly exposed to Kennedy’s shifting blood sugar scent long before anyone realized she was seriously ill. Kona went on to complete scent-detection training and after two months of intensive training, Kona officially became Kennedy’s 24/7 medical watchdog.
Lindsey, from Perrysburg, Ohio, said: “At just seven years old, she can be full of energy even when her blood sugar is 45. That’s why Kona is such a lifesaver. He can sense the change before Kennedy feels anything at all and often before we even know something’s wrong from her technology.”
Kennedy’s diagnosis came after she showed a number of symptoms, including excessive thirst, fatigue, episodes of passing out and weight loss.
Lindsey said: “Despite multiple doctor visits and specialists, we kept being sent home. It was my husband who insisted we go back one more time. When doctors finally checked, her blood sugar was 611 and she was just 24 hours from diabetic ketoacidosis.”
Since Kennedy’s diagnosis, the Berces’ world has changed.
Lindsey said: “We became her full-time pancreas – counting carbs, giving insulin, checking blood sugars through the night and navigating a new normal.”
Kennedy wears an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), but even with both devices, her blood sugar can swing dangerously due to illness, miscounted carbs, weather or simply being an active seven-year-old. Lindsey explains that while the CGM is vital, it reads interstitial fluid – not blood – and lags about 15 minutes behind.
Kona, meanwhile, can detect changes up to 30 minutes before her devices register a problem.
She said: “While the CGM and insulin pump are incredible tools, Kona’s nose is often faster. That early warning gives me time to treat Kennedy and adjust her pump settings if needed.
“In many ways, Kona and I work as a team. We quickly learned we had another powerful ally: Kona, her diabetic alert dog, who helps us watch over Kennedy in ways no device can.”
The family brought Kona home last year without any idea of what was ahead. Kona went on to complete scent-detection training, where samples of Kennedy’s saliva – taken during blood sugar lows (75 and below) and highs (145 and above) – were used to teach him the exact chemical changes to look for.
Lindsey said: “It was actually a miracle that we did because he was with us as a puppy when her diabetes was undiagnosed and full blown. I believe he grew up with her scent and that makes him very different and unique.”
Kona alerts by gently placing a paw on Kennedy or Lindsey when her blood sugar drops below 75 or rises above 145. Before that official alert, he shows early signs of stress – pacing, head shaking, or locking eyes intensely, just as seen in the family’s now-viral video.
Lindsey said: “The moment Kona locked eyes with me, I knew he was alerting. Sure enough, when I checked the final time, Kennedy’s blood sugar was low.
“It’s always this rush of relief, gratitude and fear all at the same time. His training just clicks in and it never stops being incredible to witness.”
When Kennedy’s blood sugar falls, Kona lies beside her until she is safely back in range. The family even calls this his “reverse alert,” because they know Kennedy is stable when Kona finally gets up.
Kona alerts between one and five times a day – sometimes catching drops before Kennedy feels any symptoms at all.
Lindsey said: “Most of the time I have to remind myself: the nose always knows! Almost every time, he detects it before Kennedy shows any signs.
“Because she is still so young and newly diagnosed, her body doesn’t always give her clear signs when her blood sugar is dropping dangerously low.”
Kona works around the clock and even alerts when he detects out-of-range blood sugar in strangers. He cannot be rewarded for anyone but Kennedy, but Lindsey says they always give him praise for recognizing the scent.
For the Berce family, Kona is both guardian and partner – an extra layer of protection in a life filled with constant medical calculations.