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Our puppy has Diabetes, Just Found Out

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PAUL161

PAUL161

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One of our puppies has diabetes as we just found out. Heading to the vets to see what can be done. She's at the point she can't hold anything in her stomach. She's actually 5 years old and loved more than I can express. It'll be tough leaving her there as she has never been without at least one of us for her entire life. She and her sister are like one of our kids. PJ
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Paul, is she a Lhaso? We had one that looked exactly like her. Probably the most affectionate animal I have ever known. Lost her and her brother a few years back. Still miss both. Back to the subject though. My sister had a diabetic dog several years ago and they were able to control it quite well for many years. Here's hoping you have the same success.
 
We got a replacement cat a year or two ago. Noisy. Six-toed. Wife loves it.
Three weeks in, wouldn't/couldn't eat....vet visit...diabetes.

Twice a day, 1-2CC of insulin (I hold cat, wife shoots cat) and special food, vet visit every 6-8 weeks, and so far all is well.
 
Bayless said:
Paul, is she a Lhaso? We had one that looked exactly like her. Probably the most affectionate animal I have ever known. Lost her and her brother a few years back. Still miss both. Back to the subject though. My sister had a diabetic dog several years ago and they were able to control it quite well for many years. Here's hoping you have the same success.
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Actually she is called a Multi-Poo, part Poodle and part Maltese. Most lovable dog I've ever owned. When I left her with the vet, the look she gave me was heart breaking, like, take me with you, don't leave me! :emptiness: PJ
 
Maybe...I know it's "2" on the syringe.
I get a LOT of mileage out of this.....during our regular outdoor train operating session, at 1900 local, I announce I have to go shoot the cat....and the newbies are in shock.
 
TOC said:
Maybe...I know it's "2" on the syringe.
I get a LOT of mileage out of this.....during our regular outdoor train operating session, at 1900 local, I announce I have to go shoot the cat....and the newbies are in shock.
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How to Give a Pill to a Cat



  1. Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
  2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.
  3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.
  4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.
  5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.
  6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.
  7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered Doulton figurines from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.
  8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.
  9. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.
  10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.
  11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Throw tee-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.
  12. Call fire department to retrieve cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil-wrap.
  13. Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed, force cat's mouth open with small wrench. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of filet mignon. Hold head vertically and pour 1/2 litre of water down throat to wash pill down.
  14. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture store on way home to order new table.
 
How to give a pill to a dog:

Wrap it in bacon.

Happy-Dog-e1464166945761-324x160.jpg
 
Well, she is now on insulin 2 times a day. So far I have to hand feed her. Her food has to be pretty much liquefied and put in her mouth with a tube feeder until she gets her strength back. This incident really knocked the strength out of her, sad, so sad.
 
PAUL161 said:
One of our puppies has diabetes as we just found out. Heading to the vets to see what can be done. She's at the point she can't hold anything in her stomach. She's actually 5 years old and loved more than I can express. It'll be tough leaving her there as she has never been without at least one of us for her entire life. She and her sister are like one of our kids. PJ
View attachment 46215
Click to expand...

Thought you'd like to know, after a few weeks of two trips, (72 miles), daily to the vets, after force feeding every hour and a half with special kidney prescription foods, insulin 2 times a day, antibiotic shots daily and shots so she can keep her food down, we have finally got her back to almost normal health! Three different periodic food type changes during the treatment session also. Quite a battle getting her back, especially when the Vet didn't have much hope due to the kidney problem, but even the kidney problem is solved as there was a misinterpreted reading in the lab report. We have her back and are very happy! Never give up hope, love and dedication can work wonders! :encouragement: PJ
 
Great news!
 
Thanks guys, For some reason she lost some hair during the ordeal and I'm hoping it will thicken up. Omega 3 in her food will help, but the Vet doesn't want her on that yet as not to chance upsetting all that's been accomplished. Because it's so cold here, 14 degrees, the wife went out and bought her a sheep skin fur coat. Now I want one, a little larger of course! :encouragement: PJ
 
That's great news!

Not to hijack your thread, but back in 1995, we bought a black German Shepherd puppy from a reputable breeder with the idea of having a good home-protection dog. The initial dog we got was a male that we named "Jo Jo." The breeder had informed us that if there were any health issues discovered within first few months he would take the pup back. Well, very shortly after we got him home, we noticed something was wrong. He would have short bursts of energy, but then run out of steam and just plop down on the floor, seemingly with no energy. We took him to the Vet and he wasn't sure of the problem, but suspected a hole in the heart. We were sent to a doggy heart specialist in Santa Fe who confirmed it - Jo Jo had a Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) (hole in the heart). The prognosis was grim without a very expensive operation which we simply could not afford at the time.

Initially, we were going to just give the Pup back and get a refund, but then the Doc in Santa Fe, seeing how upset we were, told us that he might be able to have Jo Jo's heart problem fixed for not cost. But the deal was, we would not get the dog back. We spoke to the breeder and he agreed to let us "donate" Jo Jo to the veterinarian teaching hospital in Ft Collins, Colorado. All I had to do was drive Jo Jo to Ft Colllins, CO. They were able to use Jo Jo as a teaching opportunity for new vet students and fixed his heart. Then, the deal was, they would give the dog to the family of one of the Vet students. A few years later, out of the blue, we received a nice letter from the new owners, with a picture of Jo Jo - they had re-named him "Heiner" (yuck). Anyway, "Heiner" lived a long healthy life.

In the meantime, when it was clear Jo Jo had this serious health issue, the breeder allowed us to pick a different pup from the same litter at no additional charge. We ended up with his sister, also a black pup, who we named "Sadie." Sadie lived 14 years. She had a healthy life, but we found her deceased one day out in the dog run. At the moment we are without a dog, but are thinking about another German Shepherd. They are very loyal and make great home protection dogs. Here's a picture of our Sadie:

Sadie_Shep.jpg
 
Real nice story Basil, glad everything worked out for JoJo. We had a Black Lab years ago and he loved the kids, so much so that when they were in the little blow up pool, he would jump in with them, but doing so, he punched holes in the bottom with his toe nails! Naturally the water all leaked out and the wife wanted me to get rid of him! Well, the dog stayed and we bought a pool with a hard bottom! :highly_amused:
 
I've had friends who had diabetic dogs. The hardest thing for them was getting urine samples, especially for a female. As soon as you try to shove something under there to catch it, they usually scram. Male dogs are a bit easier. Once that leg is lifted, they will fire away no matter what you do. I know I've had to get urine samples from my dachshunds at various points...getting one from the female is nearly impossible. There is zero ground clearance to get anything in there!

But, back on topic, once they got the dogs into a routine they lived full and happy lives comparable to dogs without diabetes.
 
Over the years, I've dispensed a lot of insulin to dog and cat owners. Most seem do to quite well....both pets and owners.
 
We lost a Cairn Terrier (age 11) to diabetes. We were doing the twice/day insulin injection (and dogs take shot in the scruff of their neck very well).
Be on the look-out of any insulin resistance (which our dog eventually developed).
 
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