Cat to the Rescue: Man's Feline Friend Helps Him Avoid Diabetic Coma

Early Friday morning, at about 1 a.m., Oskkosh, Wisconsin resident and long-time diabetic Terry Lee Rucks woke up to use the bathroom. But his blood sugar had fallen so low that he was unable to move from the bathroom. Feeling shaky, nauseous, and sweating copiously, Rucks feared he was about to slip into a diabetic coma.

However, his cat Shaggy had other ideas.

"He would not let me fall asleep," the 61-year-old told reporter Krista Brown of Wisconsin's Northwestern newspaper. "He kept rubbing and pawing on my legs, and jumping on the vanity, meowing in my ear."

After about 20 minutes, Rucks was able to get himself to the kitchen, where he ate some sugar and granola bars to raise his glucose levels again. (Now bear in mind, if you're about to go into a diabetic coma, sugar can save the day, but as you know, we're not encouraging frequent candy bar use -- except when in an emergency.)

What a sweet, heartwarming story. Thank goodness for Shaggy!

Not everyone has such an on-the-ball pet to help them out, though, which is why it's imperative that diabetics make sure they keep their blood sugar levels under control.  Diabetic comas can be very dangerous -- without prompt treatment, they can cause permanent brain damage or even death.

Thanks to Topix.net for this tip on this story. And please, if you suffer from diabetes, make sure you're doing everything you can to keep your blood sugar well-controlled.

As for the rest of us, the best thing would be to do all you can to avoid diabetes in the first place, because it can be a tough disease to manage, as Rucks's story shows.

"I’ve had diabetes for years," he said. "And I’ve never had anything this serious happen to me before. If it wasn’t for Shaggy’s persistence, I probably would’ve slipped into a diabetic coma and collapsed. I probably wouldn’t be here talking. I’d be in the hospital, or who knows where else."

Jennifer Moore for SUGAR SHOCK! Blog