Very OT: Anyone have a diabetic dog?

Bahra, I gave our dog insulin shots for three years before
he finally
died at 15 from cancer. It was no problem for him or me, I
could tell
because he never ran from me when he saw the needle, just
looked a bit
resigned! Your dog will be even better with you giving the
shots, you're
a professional! As a very 'lay' layman I still managed. he
had a
wonderful last three years. Go for it!....Jacky in Texas>
>
>
>
>
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> Received on Mon Apr 3 19:39:47 2006

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Dear Bahra

Perhaps you remember several months back I posted an OT
message to the
List about mast cell tumors in dogs - our
"granddog", Notch, had a
malignant tumor in his right front paw. This dog is very
precious to us
as he was Kevin's dog....also a pitbull and, contary to
reputation, a
very sweet, gentle dog (Kev used to say I turned him into a
cupcake).
After much research and question asking, we opted for
agressive surgery,
declined chemo and radiation - the consensus was that he
possibly could
live a long healthy life, no guarantee (is there ever for
any of us?)
with a good QOL. He's not able to be as active as he once
was, his
balance is comprimised because of the toe amputation, the
paw tends to
become inflammed now and again, but all in all, he's doing
very well.
I/we will do whatever we reasonably can do to keep our dear
pet alive,
for as long as possible, provided he can have a good QOL
(he's also 8).

The weeks following surgery were VERY hard which reinforced
for me that
there is only so much medical intervention one can do with
an
animal....they just do not understand.

I would opt for the shots, no question. I'm not a dog
expert, our dog
barely flinches when given immunization shots. Aren't the
insulin
needles really thin?

I do a lot of walking in my neighborhood, have gotten to
know folks and
dogs walking at that time. There is a 4 year old
shepard/greyhound
mix....his name is Augie. He has diabetes, he wasn't dx'd
early and
wasn't properly treated. His owner took him to a different
Vet too late
- Augie lost his vision, although he continues to be a very
happy dog
and has adapted VERY well to his disability.

Your daughter is probably afraid for Tyler, as a child, the
thought of
having 2 shots a day most likely sounds like it would be
torture. Maybe
if she can see that Tyler will easily tolerate the shots, it
will change
her mind? Big hugs to you my dear friend!

xoxo

Irene

Bahra Eddy writes:
>
>
>
> From: Bahra Eddy <bahrarn_at_SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date:
Mon Apr 03 2006 -
> 19:36:38 EDT
>
>
>
>
> Dear Lister Sisters and Brothers,       My dog, Tyler,
has been under
> the weather for a couple of weeks. He is about 8 years
old, and a
> terrier mix;medium sized dog at 30 lbs.       Last
month, I took him
> to his vet for an ear infection. He seemed fine then,
but in the past
> 2 weeks he has lost alot of weight, and he has been
turning his nose
> up at his food.       Yesterday, when I got home from
work, I could
> smell the acetone on his breath and figured out that he
was in
> diabetic ketoacidosis. I got him into the vet this
moring, and it
> tunrs out that his blood sugar was 432!!! He is staying
at the vet's,
> because Dr Russum wants to manipulate the insulin so
that we can
> manage him at home.       I picked the kids up at
school, and my
> daughter is STILL not talking to me. She thinks that it
is inhumane to
> give Tyler 2 insulin shots a day, and thinks that we
should put him to
> sleep.       I love Tyler, and I know how much he loves
us. He has a
> nice, comfortable home. He uses the dog door and sleeps
with my
> daughter every night. He has a wonderful life, and he
is always happy.
>       Am I being selfish and inhumane? Any Lister
Sisters or Brothers
> with a diabetic dog?   Rocky, our pitbull, is moping
around the house
> and keeps whining. He is missing Tyler, too. Any
comments?
>
>
> Blessings,   Bahra Eddy in Fairfield, CA. Age 47, dx'd
3/17/99,
> infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Bilateral
mastectomy.Mammogram negative
> for both lumps. Chemo Flunkie because only did 3 A/Ts.
Mom is BC
> survivor, too
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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> Received on Mon Apr 3 19:39:47 2006

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Hi Bahra-

Our beloved 11 year old chocolate lab, Buster, became
diabetic suddenly
a couple of years ago. It turns out that he had a tumor on
his pancreas.
We thought long and hard about what to do, but when the vet
told us that
even with insulin his blood sugar would be difficult to
control, we
opted to euthanize him. It was really difficult, but we did
not want him
to suffer.

If the diabetes can be controlled by insulin, I don't think
it's
inhumane to keep the little guy around a bit longer. Good
luck with
your decision.

Love,

Karen>
>
> Dear Lister Sisters and Brothers,       My dog, Tyler,
has been under
> the weather for a couple of weeks. He is about 8 years
old, and a
> terrier mix;medium sized dog at 30 lbs.       Last
month, I took him
> to his vet for an ear infection. He seemed fine then,
but in the past
> 2 weeks he has lost alot of weight, and he has been
turning his nose
> up at his food.       Yesterday, when I got home from
work, I could
> smell the acetone on his breath and figured out that he
was in
> diabetic ketoacidosis. I got him into the vet this
moring, and it
> tunrs out that his blood sugar was 432!!! He is staying
at the vet's,
> because Dr Russum wants to manipulate the insulin so
that we can
> manage him at home.       I picked the kids up at
school, and my
> daughter is STILL not talking to me. She thinks that it
is inhumane to
> give Tyler 2 insulin shots a day, and thinks that we
should put him to
> sleep.       I love Tyler, and I know how much he loves
us. He has a
> nice, comfortable home. He uses the dog door and sleeps
with my
> daughter every night. He has a wonderful life, and he
is always happy.
>       Am I being selfish and inhumane? Any Lister
Sisters or Brothers
> with a diabetic dog?   Rocky, our pitbull, is moping
around the house
> and keeps whining. He is missing Tyler, too. Any
comments?
>
>
> Blessings,   Bahra Eddy in Fairfield, CA. Age 47, dx'd
3/17/99,
> infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Bilateral
mastectomy.Mammogram negative
> for both lumps. Chemo Flunkie because only did 3 A/Ts.
Mom is BC
> survivor, too
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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> subscribe, unsubscribe, go digest, etc. by pointing and
clicking) see:
>
>                  http://www.bclist.org/
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>
************************************************************
***-
> ********
> Received on Mon Apr 3 19:39:47 2006

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Hi Bahra, Poor little Tyler! But he'll get used to the
shots soon. The
needles are very thin. Tell your daughter that I give myself
a shot
every other day (mistletoe, to prevent cancer recurrence,
hopefully) and
that it doesn't hurt at all. And one gets used to it.

Your dog will have great QOL once the insuline dose is
right, so why
deny him that? I think your daughter is afraid of the
needles herself.
Maybe it would help her to see that Tyler isn't too upset
when he gets
the injection. And you could try to explain that some things
can seem
horrible to one person, but not so bad to the next? Try to
get her to
think of an example herself: something she really hates or
that scares
her, that isn't a problem to someone she knows.

My old neighbours used to have a diabetic cat, and she did
fine for
years. She strumped around the garden like the Queen of
Sheba and caught
mice just the way she used to.

Love Jacqueline


Bahra Eddy writes:
>
>
>
> From: Bahra Eddy <bahrarn_at_SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date:
Mon Apr 03 2006 -
> 19:36:38 EDT
>
>
>
>
> Dear Lister Sisters and Brothers,       My dog, Tyler,
has been under
> the weather for a couple of weeks. He is about 8 years
old, and a
> terrier mix;medium sized dog at 30 lbs.       Last
month, I took him
> to his vet for an ear infection. He seemed fine then,
but in the past
> 2 weeks he has lost alot of weight, and he has been
turning his nose
> up at his food.       Yesterday, when I got home from
work, I could
> smell the acetone on his breath and figured out that he
was in
> diabetic ketoacidosis. I got him into the vet this
moring, and it
> tunrs out that his blood sugar was 432!!! He is staying
at the vet's,
> because Dr Russum wants to manipulate the insulin so
that we can
> manage him at home.       I picked the kids up at
school, and my
> daughter is STILL not talking to me. She thinks that it
is inhumane to
> give Tyler 2 insulin shots a day, and thinks that we
should put him to
> sleep.       I love Tyler, and I know how much he loves
us. He has a
> nice, comfortable home. He uses the dog door and sleeps
with my
> daughter every night. He has a wonderful life, and he
is always happy.
>       Am I being selfish and inhumane? Any Lister
Sisters or Brothers
> with a diabetic dog?   Rocky, our pitbull, is moping
around the house
> and keeps whining. He is missing Tyler, too. Any
comments?
>
>
> Blessings,   Bahra Eddy in Fairfield, CA. Age 47, dx'd
3/17/99,
> infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Bilateral
mastectomy.Mammogram negative
> for both lumps. Chemo Flunkie because only did 3 A/Ts.
Mom is BC
> survivor, too
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
************************************************************
***-
> ********
> To learn more about the BREAST-CANCER List on the WWW
(and even
> subscribe, unsubscribe, go digest, etc. by pointing and
clicking) see:
>
>                  http://www.bclist.org/
>
>
************************************************************
***-
> ********
> Received on Mon Apr 3 19:39:47 2006

-- 
Sent from the mailing list archive site at
http://bclist.petebevin.
com/

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How about a diabetic cat? My last cat was diagnosed with
diabetes 
when he was middle aged, like your dog (and, like you, I
figured out 
what was wrong with him). I was a bit dubious about the
2-a-day 
insulin injections, cats being notoriously difficult about a
lot of 
things, from baths to pills. The vet also put him on a
special 
diet--no more "food is available 24 hours a day in
whatever flavor I 
want" life style. It turned out the shots were a
complete non-issue. 
I would put his meagre (from his viewpoint) ration of food
down, grab 
the lose skin between his shoulder blades as his head
plunged into 
the food bowl and deliver the shot. He never even twitched.
Of course 
I kept a supply of fresh needles so they were always sharp,
and there 
apparently just aren't all that many nerve endings on the
skin 
between the shoulder blades anyway. He lived to kitty old
age and 
died from something else.
Francine

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Would your daughter say that if it were a human friend?
Everyone that I
know that has diabetes would rather live with the shots.
They do not
like it, but would rather have the shots than suffer the
alternative.
One friend is now on a pump and loves it. She is part of our
monthly
dinner crew and programs the pump for what she eats at the
dinners.

My sister has a mutt that is very large, 80 pounds, has
Cushings disease
and Diabetes. He gets his oral meds for the cushings once a
week and it
can be hard on him for a couple of days after. His insulin
is given
twice a day and he will bark at you to let you know that he
does not
approve even after two years. It is easiest to give when he
is laying
down as it is easier to pinch up the skin away from the
muscle and get
it just under the derma. He has to be adjusted every now and
then for
the amount but his appetite has decreased a little from that
ravinous,
can't get enough food, eating frenzy and he is not peeing
all of the
time either. He is relatively happy even though he is
acquiring
paralysis in one of his hind legs now. Internally he is
physically fit
still and my sister has bought some apparati for him to deal
with the
eventual full paralysis of the hind legs. She is currently
using a rear
leg harness that she employs to help him hold his hind parts
up when
they go for walks. We had built a ramp up to the dog door so
he does not
have to attempt the steps (they are too steep for him now).
He stays in
the basement becuase he enjoys the cool cement floor. He is
an
exceptionally hairy dog and would have made an excellent
sled dog. She
has also bought him a wheelchair for later down the road for
his walks.
He does not use that with any regularity as yet. I had known
a small
terrier once (10 pounder or so)who was quite happy with his.
He may only
live another year or two but she feels that it is worth it
to do what
she can for him. Convenience is not an issue. She took him
in with the
intent of caring for him come what may.

Tyler may have many years left of good health despite the
diabetes if
you are able to get it under control.

I hope this helps you, Hols

Bahra Eddy writes:
>
>
>
> From: Bahra Eddy <bahrarn_at_SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date:
Mon Apr 03 2006 -
> 19:36:38 EDT
>
>
>
>
> Dear Lister Sisters and Brothers,       My dog, Tyler,
has been under
> the weather for a couple of weeks. He is about 8 years
old, and a
> terrier mix;medium sized dog at 30 lbs.       Last
month, I took him
> to his vet for an ear infection. He seemed fine then,
but in the past
> 2 weeks he has lost alot of weight, and he has been
turning his nose
> up at his food.       Yesterday, when I got home from
work, I could
> smell the acetone on his breath and figured out that he
was in
> diabetic ketoacidosis. I got him into the vet this
moring, and it
> tunrs out that his blood sugar was 432!!! He is staying
at the vet's,
> because Dr Russum wants to manipulate the insulin so
that we can
> manage him at home.       I picked the kids up at
school, and my
> daughter is STILL not talking to me. She thinks that it
is inhumane to
> give Tyler 2 insulin shots a day, and thinks that we
should put him to
> sleep.       I love Tyler, and I know how much he loves
us. He has a
> nice, comfortable home. He uses the dog door and sleeps
with my
> daughter every night. He has a wonderful life, and he
is always happy.
>       Am I being selfish and inhumane? Any Lister
Sisters or Brothers
> with a diabetic dog?   Rocky, our pitbull, is moping
around the house
> and keeps whining. He is missing Tyler, too. Any
comments?
>
>
> Blessings,   Bahra Eddy in Fairfield, CA. Age 47, dx'd
3/17/99,
> infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Bilateral
mastectomy.Mammogram negative
> for both lumps. Chemo Flunkie because only did 3 A/Ts.
Mom is BC
> survivor, too
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
************************************************************
***-
> ********
> To learn more about the BREAST-CANCER List on the WWW
(and even
> subscribe, unsubscribe, go digest, etc. by pointing and
clicking) see:
>
>                  http://www.bclist.org/
>
>
************************************************************
***-
> ********
> Received on Mon Apr 3 19:39:47 2006

-- 
Sent from the mailing list archive site at
http://bclist.petebevin.
com/

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unsubscribe, go digest, etc. by pointing and clicking) see:

                 http://www.bclist.org/

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