Pet enthusiasts may know that diabetes is rife amongst domestic cats these days. Why? Same reasons type 2 diabetes is such a problem for people - overeating and a sedentary lifestyle puts us at risk for the disease. But here's a cute story from the UK about some diabetic felines who just got lucky in life...or not, depending on your view.

The Lincolnshire Echo reports that an animal rescue organization called Lincoln Cat Care is trying to place rescued diabetic kitties with diabetic owners. Representatives with the group have appealed to diabetics in the community to come forward and help out one of the formerly-homeless cats. Their rationale is simple: people who have diabetes - or perhaps a family member with the condition - can better care for diabetic cats. They know the signs and symptoms of diabetes, they understand the whys, whens and hows of giving insulin.

Now, I'm involved in animal rescue and I have met tons of devoted pet owners over the years. I just don't buy that diabetics are more likely to make better owners. Nope. Sorry. People who really love their pets make the best owners for diabetic cats and dogs. I've met many wonderful owners of diabetic cats. None of those people are diabetic, but they've gone out, asked questions, read up in books and on the Web, and they are pretty darn knowledgeable. And who's to say a diabetic person would provide that level of care just because they have the disease themselves? Many diabetics out there don't even manage their own blood sugar very well! In short, it's dedication that matters here, not your diagnosis.

Bad headline for the week: "Does Diabetes Have a Canine Cure?" This, from the Lincolnshire Echo in the UK. Well, no. Of course dogs can't cure diabetes! However, they can do more than just roll their lovable brown eyes at you. Specifically, dogs can be trained to detect building hypoglycemic episodes caused by perilously low blood sugar levels. Dogs that have received such training will then try and sound the alert in various ways like pawing and whining, or pouring you a glass of orange juice (joke). Heck, I think there was even one dog that was trained to dial 911 for his owner, and saved the guy from going into a coma, might I add.

This is what this Echo article is really all about. Professors and students at the University of Lincoln have set out to examine the use of dogs to predict hypos. The study is being run in conjunction with Queen's University in Belfast, and has received funding from Diabetes UK. Says research team member Dr. Niro Siriwardena, "We are not yet sure whether dogs detect this [hypos] by smell or because they are much more adept than humans in detecting change. That is something we are looking into."

Stay tuned for details when this study is complete. "Dog people" like myself will be excited to hear what they discover. Wouldn't you like to know what enables dogs to be so super-sensitive? And doesn't it make you wonder: if dogs can detect something like low blood sugar, what else are they noticing about us as we go (obliviously) about our daily lives?