As someone with celiac disease, I know how vital it is to avoid gluten. For six years, my gluten detection dog, Bodhi, and I had a perfect track record. But one exhausting night at the grocery store, a single mistake reminded me how easy it is to get glutened—and how much it can set you back. Here’s what happened and what I learned.
The Grocery Trip That Changed Everything
That night, I was already tired after two hours of shopping. My local Kroger had recently remodeled, mixing gluten-free and gluten-containing products together on the shelves. By the time I reached the cereal aisle, I just wanted to grab what I needed and head home.
I spotted a familiar brand labeled gluten-free and handed the box to Bodhi. He alerted to it. Thinking it might just be surface contamination, I grabbed another box, which Bodhi cleared. To be thorough, I decided to double-check the first box as a training exercise. That’s when things went wrong.
A family came around the corner and began talking to and petting Bodhi mid-alert. I politely explained he was working, but the interruption had already broken my focus. I was tired, frustrated, and distracted. Without thinking, I placed the box that Bodhi alerted to into my cart.
The Painful Aftermath
That night, I poured myself a bowl of cereal for dinner. Within two hours, I was violently ill, and had the worst reaction I’d had in years. Confused, I checked the cereal box, and there it was: wheat germ listed as the first ingredient.
The problem? The cereal brand makes both gluten-free and gluten-containing versions. The boxes look nearly identical, with only a tiny gluten-free logo and a slight image difference setting them apart. The shelves at Kroger didn’t help either, with gluten-free and gluten-containing products now being stacked together.
What This Taught Me
This experience reminded me that even the most careful person can make mistakes when exhausted or distracted. It also highlighted the critical role Bodhi plays in my life—and why it’s so important to let service dogs do their jobs without interruption.
Double-Check Everything: Even when a product is labeled gluten-free, always read the ingredients. Packaging errors or poor shelf organization can lead to dangerous mistakes.
Respect Service Dogs: When a service dog is working, distractions can cause them to miss an alert, or for their handler to make a mistake. In this case, Bodhi was correct, but because the family distracted us, I put the wrong box of cereal into my cart.
My Call to Action for You
Getting glutened after six years of staying safe was an upsetting reminder of how imperative staying vigilant is. It’s also proof of how critical proper training is for gluten detection dogs like Bodhi. If you’re living with celiac disease or want to learn more about the life-saving role of gluten detection dogs, I encourage you to learn more through our educational videos or book a consultation. Whether you’re curious about training, finding a dog, or avoiding common pitfalls, we’re here to help. Together, we can navigate the challenges of celiac disease and make life a little safer.
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