It’s no secret that service animals are highly intelligent and diligent, but one woman has been left stunned by her son’s diabetic alert dog, who can warn her of low blood sugar 30 minutes before it happens.
In November 2023, Aubrie Lewis’s son, Wells, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Now, at the age of 4, he has a continuous glucose monitor to help track his blood sugar levels, but Lewis told Newsweek that it’s “not always correct.” Wells is often asymptomatic to high and low blood sugars, making them incredibly hard to track.
“We couldn’t rely on him to feel his own blood sugar symptoms, so we were concerned for his safety. We felt like a service dog in tandem with his continuous glucose monitor would give us much more comfort,” Lewis, 30, of Raleigh, North Carolina, said.
Wells was matched with Ducky, an English cocker spaniel, in December 2024, and the diabetic alert dog joined the family in March 2025.
Ducky was trained by the M.D. Dogs Inc. program, which teaches dogs to smell high and low blood sugars through saliva samples. Dogs can pick up on the scent and will nudge their handler or owner to alert them to an oncoming change in glucose levels.
Wells, 4, and his diabetic alert dog, Ducky.
@onederfulwells / TikTok
To Lewis’s amazement, 2-year-old Ducky can notify her of a drop or increase in Wells’ sugar levels 30 minutes before it occurs.
“Ducky is still relatively new to all of this, so it’s incredible that he’s already alerted so early multiple times. He does what we call a nose nudge, where he boops his nose into me to get my attention and to alert,” Lewis said.
Having Ducky has provided the family peace of mind, and Lewis can trust him even when the technology doesn’t align with his timing.
She shared a video on TikTok (@onederfulwells) showing how Ducky alerted her to an oncoming drop in blood sugar half an hour before. In the video, she checks the app on her watch that tracks Wells’ glucose levels and gets him to take several blood samples on the monitor. Both those devices showed perfectly safe readings, but Ducky knew that wasn’t right.
As it turned out, 30 minutes later, Wells’s blood sugar dropped significantly, and his mom was ready to spring into action.
This has happened several times, but it never ceases to amaze Lewis. Without Ducky, she wouldn’t have known about the drop until much later, when it was significantly lower.
“This isn’t the first time Ducky has alerted me early, so I knew I needed to listen to him. I know what I’m witnessing, but I still find myself asking if it’s a fluke. I have learned to trust Ducky even when technology tells me everything is fine,” Lewis told Newsweek.
Wells, 4, and Ducky the diabetic alert dog who monitors his blood glucose levels.
@onederfulwells / TikTok
Lewis has been using social media to document what it’s like having a young child with type 1 diabetes to raise more awareness. Since getting Ducky, she has continued her mission by highlighting the remarkable work of diabetic alert dogs, as she thinks many people don’t understand why it’s necessary.
“I started our page to educate people, so the backlash we get can be turned into a teaching moment for those willing to learn. We fundraised for Ducky almost exclusively on TikTok, so it’s really cool to share these videos with people now,” she said.
In just a matter of days, the video showing how Ducky alerts her to low blood sugar levels has amassed over 826,300 views, 87,500 likes, and over 400 comments on TikTok. Many internet users were amazed by his intelligence and keen to learn more.
One comment reads: “It’s crazy that he knows BEFORE it happens, dogs are so cool.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “Ducky said MOM YOU’RE NOT LISTENING…my boy is not safe MOM.”
“Ducky doesn’t care what your machines say, he knows when he’s right,” a commenter said.
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