Does anyone have/had a pet with diabetes?

[Rollin20z]

Was just wondering if anyone has ever had a pet diagnosed with diabetes and/or pancreatitus? Cause I just returned from the vet minus 4 paws & a stubby tail that I left with. My little 11 yr old Min Pin "Hannah" I was just told has these, I've noticed in the last week now that I look back on it she has seemed to be at water bowl a lot more than usual and I have found a couple wet spots on kitchen floor past few days(caught her in the act once) which isn't normal. And last night she just wasn't herself, not as uppity and wired as normal(always ready to go). This morning I let them(yes, other hoodlums too) out to go potty and when I was giving them treats she just looked at it and wanted in. She came in hopped in her bed and then just turned and vomited on the floor which looked like just water and gave me that look like "daddy, I'm sick help me", if you have pets you know the look.

At that point it was ok, let's go. Took her to the vet and explained the situation and after who know's how many tests that was our diagnosis. right now she it staying overnight because the vet said she needed to be put on some IV's to calm her pancreas down and also to get her insulin/sugars down. Of course she went over tons of different #'s and explained what each meant but of course I couldn't tell you what they all were now. And she said hopefully she can tell me more in the morning.

But I was just wondering if anyone else has dealt with this and would have any advice they could pass along. Of course it will be one of those nights of watching tv or computer since I'm sure the mind won't stop wondering. Of course I have other pets now but they were really gotten for my wife and not that I love them any less but Hannah was the only one gotten for me and by my late wife no less, so it makes her a little more special.

Here's the little sick girl on one of her better days.

 

[newman]

Sorry I can't help on this.
Hope everything turns out ok.

 

[Busa1166]

Hope she gets better but Dam I was thinking they cutoff her paws and tail till I got to the part where you wrote they kept her. :down:

 

[superbeagle]

I have heard of this but have never had a dog with it. Hope she feels better.

 

[BusaBret]

We have a cat that is diabetic and has been for years. The wife being an RN handles his checks and injections daily. I would be more than happy to put her in touch with you if you would like?

 

[VaBusa]

I know my Mom had a Springer Spaniel that was diabetic. His meds were in the frig right next to my step-Dad's diabetic meds. I know she had to give the dog shots daily, and it wasn't cheap

I'm sorry to hear about your pup...she's a cutie!!

 

[outlawbusa]

Yes, we went through 10 units of insulin a day with a pet a few years ago. There is always hope. Good luck and hope he gets better.

It can be a very difficult time to get through.

 

[SKnight]

My dad's dog was diabetic for a couple of years before he went. It was a little hard getting the dosage and brand of insulin right, you can check sugar but it's sometimes hard to tell if the meds make you feel bad. Once they dialed in what he needed it was no different than feeding him, just part of the routine every day.

The end goal was to get him happy, it took a couple of months of the dog feeling rough but after that I couldn't tell a difference, he was happy, playing, just normal. After awhile they got where they could read his body language and could tell if they need to check him randomly just like a diabetic human knows they feel funny as the sugar goes out of whack. Like I said, just part of the routine.

A warning though, dogs age much faster than we do as I'm sure you know. It was the progression of diabetes that finally drove him down. Another month of trying to get it under control, lots of vet bills and Willy just laying around not eating, puking and drinking three gallons of water a day while losing weight. Same as a human that succumbs to diabetes just on a 7X acceleration. They finally had to put him down, but they gave him two good years of normal life so it was worth it.

Good luck and good on ya for taking care of the little guy!

 

[BusaBret]

Good info here

http://www.k9diabetes.com/forum/

 

[Rollin20z]

Thanks guys, and thanks for the website Bret. I honestly don't know if i would have even thought about there being a forum for k9 diabetes. I will check it out.

Just got off the phone with vets office and they said doc said she looks to be doing better and she started her on another IV. Doc was in the middle of appts and she would give me a call as soon as she gets a chance to explain more.