Karen’s best friend Coco up for award (From Bournemouth Echo)

Karen’s best friend Coco up for award

9:30am Saturday 13th March 2010 in

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A clever canine who saves his owner’s life on a regular basis is in the running for the UK’s top dog award.

Coco is the world’s first medical alert dog trained to detect when his charge Karen Ruddlesden of Broadstone is about to fall into a coma, induced by her rare Addison’s disease.

Now the chocolate Labrador has been nominated for the DFS Crufts Friends for Life competition 2010.

Coco and Karen are one of five partnerships to be nominated for the award at Crufts, which began on Thursday and runs until tomorrow.

After months of training by the charity Cancer & Bio-detection Dogs and six months into their partnership, the two-year-old dog has proved his worth countless times.

He acts as an early warning system alerting Karen, 40, that her cortisol levels are dropping, even before she starts to feel unwell. By licking her hands and sniffing her breath, he gives her time to take her medication, avoiding an emergency call and a hospital stay.

He proudly carries her injection kit in his vest and is trained to retrieve it on cue.

“Coco is so deserving of the Friends for Life award – he is my guardian angel on four paws,” said Karen. “I became a hermit and lost all confidence because it was very embarrassing if I got sick when I was out.”

She said: “Since having Coco I look forward to living every day of my life rather than simply existing.”

Caroline Kisko, communication director of the Kennel Club said Coco was a deserving finalist.

“The difference that he has made to Karen’s life is incredible and just proves that dogs can show us all a thing or two about loyalty, dedication and companionship.”

Among other finalists are Treo and handler Sgt Dave Heyhoe.

The black Labrador saved lives in Afghanistan by sniffing out hidden explosives and recently received the VC equivalent for animals, the Dickin Medal.

The winning dog will be the one to gain the most public votes and the trophy will be presented during the final night of Crufts tomorrow, televised live by More4.

To vote for Karen and Coco call 0844 646 0204.