10/05/2024
https://www.theceliacsociety.org/glutendetectiondogs
This position statement on gluten detection dogs by the Society for the Study of Celiac Disease (SSCD) was recently shared with me. As the CreScent owner, professional dog trainer, and an individual with Celiac disease, I felt it important to address each of the concerns they raise, as they are all very valid. Despite their valid concerns, the entire statement comes across as a cherry picking fallacy.โฃ
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0๏ธโฃ I want to preface my responses to their concerns by saying I believe that a gluten detection service dog is ๐ป๐ผ๐ for everyone with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance, or anyone required to live a gluten free lifestyle. The primary standard of care for people managing a gluten free lifestyle consisting of reading labels, calling food and pharmaceutical manufacturers, and advocating for oneself at restaurants and family gatherings is, and should always be, the first "tool" in the toolbox of managing one's Celiac disease or gluten intolerance, or any other medically necessary reason to avoid ingesting or consuming gluten. โฃ
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1๏ธโฃ โ๐๐น๐๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฑ๐" - the SSCD position statement claims that gluten is a colorless and odorless protein. While I freely admit that I do not know if this is accurate, as they do not link a source for this information, I also acknowledge that it is unknown what, exactly, dogs trained to detect gluten are detecting. Anyone claiming otherwise is not being truthful, and it is something I discuss with all clients and prospective clients. Training dogs on wheat, rye and barley gluten as their target odors, I can say, that they are detecting something that is distinct from other gluten free grains and other foods. Observing dogs searching for wheat gluten looks very different from observing dogs searching for tree nut odor, or essential oils use for scent sports, or their handlerโs scent. Those other odors certainly appear to be much easier for the dogs to find than gluten. โฃ
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They mention several industry standard methods for detecting gluten, some down to 5 ppm, and link to an article that discusses those methods. But most are not available to be used by the general public. However, devices such as the Nima sensor, Allergy Amulet or EZ Gluten test kits are also helpful in checking whether foods are gluten free. It is surprising that the SSCD position statement did not mention any of these devices as a secondary tool for managing a gluten free lifestyle. Nor did I find a position statement about those devices. I view gluten detection service dogs as a similar, secondary โtool,โ for managing a gluten free lifestyle. A service dog should never replace the first line of action to avoid gluten.โฃ
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2๏ธโฃ โ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ปโ - it is true that there are no current guidelines or tests to ensure the accuracy of gluten detection dogs. I was a co-founder of ODOR Service Dogs several years ago, where we drafted a test to help pave the way for testing some level of accuracy and expectations of performance of gluten detection dogs. It is not an industry standard, or a certification, and there are likely flaws with it, but it exists as a starting point. Like all areas of dog training, there is no one right way to train gluten detection. But cherry picking one trainerโs website with misleading information claiming these dogs detect down to 1 ppm of gluten is also unfair. If the SSCD had viewed the CreScent website FAQs, I clearly state that anyone claiming dogsโ abilities to detect gluten to any specific level or ppm is just not true as we currently have no way to confirm this. We do not know the lower threshold of detection that dogs are capable of for gluten. Full stop. But we do know dogs are capable of detecting some kinds of odors in parts per trillion. This is an area in which I would love to see more academic research.โฃ
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3๏ธโฃ โ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐น๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐โ - this is probably, in my opinion, the most important concern they raise, and it is a concern I explain to all my clients and prospective clients. ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐น๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ถ๐ป๐ณ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ดโ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ. While CreScent trainers do our best to teach our clients what to look for and how to avoid handler bias, it will always be present. It is such an important topic, that it is mentioned in the CreScent website FAQs. SSCD also mentions the negative consequences of extreme vigilance to a gluten free lifestyle, and, again is a very valid concern, one which is not directly related to having a gluten detection service dog or using a gluten sensor, because that hyper vigilance can be present without these secondary tools.โฃ
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4๏ธโฃ โ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐โ - while it is true that traditional washing methods work, it is also important to add the caveat that the detergent used to wash kitchen equipment, tools, cooking surfaces, dishes, utensils, etc., should be gluten free. As should any sponges or dish rags used for washing those items, and any towels use for drying those items. If there is gluten on any of those tools used for washing/drying, then cross contact can happen. I have also been told by several Gastroenterologists to avoid Teflon coated cooking tools and cast iron pans, as they can transmit gluten despite using proper cleaning methods. Beyond Celiac has a great article about cross contact, and discusses sponges and dish rags that can be a source of cross contact.โฃ
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5๏ธโฃ โ๐๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ, ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฑ๐โ - here SSCD reiterates that the first line of action in living a gluten free lifestyle consists of reading labels and contacting food (and pharmaceutical - I added this) manufacturers. I agree that this is, and should remain, the first line of action, regardless of whether someone also chooses to use a gluten sensor or test kit or a gluten detection dog. Although, once again, SSCD fails to mention those gluten sensors and test kits that are available to the general public.โฃ
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6๏ธโฃ โ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐โ - SSCD is correct that there is a huge time and financial commitment to caring for a gluten detection service dog. A gluten/allergen detection service dog, whether owner trained or purchased as a trained and finished service dog, will require a lifetime of maintenance training, as well as a lifetime of health care and additional training and activities to meet their needs and provide for their wellbeing. As I previously stated, a service dog is not for everyone. Once again, SSCD failed to mention gluten sensing devices here, although they also require an ongoing financial investment.โฃ
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๐ฌ What are your thoughts about gluten detection dogs?
The Society for the Study of Celiac Disease is committed to supporting medical practitioners to provide the highest quality of care and support to individuals diagnosed with celiac disease. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the use of gluten-sniffing dogs to assist individuals with....
