| Muffie has diabetes! - |
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Siddalee
 Posted:
Fri May 23, 2008 9:32 pm |
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Muffie has diabetes!
Our 9-1/2 year old Maltese has been excessively thirsty and peeing a lot more than usual so I took her to the vet this week. The tech called today to advise me that she does have diabetes and the vet willl call Tuesday to discuss a plan of treatment. I hate the thought of daily insulin shots - am hoping we can find a way to control it without shots. Has anyone else here gone through this with their pet? The vet also detected a slight heart murmur which has never been found before.
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Ya-Ya!
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 6077
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| pax
Posted:
Fri May 23, 2008 9:40 pm |
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I am so sorry Siddalee.
All the best to you and Muffie. 
Hopefully someone who has been through this will post here.
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Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 16074
Location: Wish You Were Here
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| CherokeeKid
Posted:
Sat May 24, 2008 2:35 am |
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Sorry to hear about Muffie, Siddalee.
I don't have experience with injecting insuline but a friend has a cat who has diabetes. She is doing very well with the daily shots.
All fingers and paws here are crossed for Muffie and you!
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Joined: 11 May 2006
Posts: 6279
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Posted:
Sat May 24, 2008 8:04 am |
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So sorry to hear about Muffie. We had a shepherd when I was growing up that was diagnosed with a heart problem and she was not as active as the others. Her favorite pastime was eating. She became over weight and was diagnosed with diabetes. The doctor put her on a strict diet and she slimmed down and never had to take insulin. Maybe Muffie can benefit from diet? She lived to be 12 which I think is pretty good for having so many problems. I wish the best for Muffie.
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Joined: 24 Mar 2006
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Location: Deep in the heart of Texas
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| Siddalee
Posted:
Sat May 24, 2008 8:33 am |
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Thanks, everyone for your thoughts. Muffie is not very overweight and eats a "light" food, but not really active and that may be part of the problem. She prefers to lounge around on my bed most of the day. Hopefully the vet will have a good plan for her when we talk Tuesday and we'll probably explore the heart murmur. From what I've read heart murmurs are more common in small breeds and there doesn't seem to be a connection with diabetes.
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Ya-Ya!
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
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| Siddalee
Posted:
Mon Jun 02, 2008 11:20 pm |
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We are now giving Muffie insulin shots twice daily and have discovered she is rapidly losing her vision. She is being really good about the shots, and gets around the house slowly but bumps into everything along the way. Everything sure happened fast.
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Ya-Ya!
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 6077
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| sarge
Posted:
Thu Jun 05, 2008 11:13 am |
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My son and dil have a chocolate lab, Tucker, who has Diabetes. He was also drinking water constantly and peeing all the time. The top of his head has started to become a little cone shaped. The vet said this is because of the Diabetes but that should be arrested right where it is now because he is on daily insulin shots and a special food. It is expensive. I'm so sorry about Muffie.
Tucker is a lazy dog and does not get as much exercise as he should. He is 8 yrs old and a little overweight too. Good luck with Muffie.
My daughter has a Maltese and took her in for her shots yesterday. She weighs 10 lbs now and her diet is going to have to be restricted. She really should weigh around 7lbs. It seems like all of a sudden she is starting to put on weight.
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Joined: 24 Mar 2006
Posts: 4869
Location: georgia
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| SideTracked
Posted:
Thu Jun 05, 2008 11:25 am |
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Sarge,
Has your daughter's Maltese been checked for thyroid problems? When one of my sister's dogs started gaining rapidly like that, it was because of inactive thyroid gland. After starting her on medication, she's lost weight and is much more active again.
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Joined: 24 Mar 2006
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Location: Somewhere being sidetracked. . .
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| sarge
Posted:
Thu Jun 05, 2008 3:43 pm |
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No, she has not been checked. I will tell my daughter.
I think she might be getting too many treats too.
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Joined: 24 Mar 2006
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Location: georgia
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| CherokeeKid
Posted:
Fri Jun 06, 2008 1:31 am |
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| Siddalee wrote: | | We are now giving Muffie insulin shots twice daily and have discovered she is rapidly losing her vision. She is being really good about the shots, and gets around the house slowly but bumps into everything along the way. Everything sure happened fast. |
Siddale, sorry to hear that Muffie is loosing her vision slowly.
Our Akita went blind five years ago. It's amazing how well dogs can actually adjust to being blind. He memorizes everything in the house and as long as we don't move things (furniture etc) around or leave things on the floor, he does really very well. But the most amazing part is when he is outside with our German Shepherd girl: if she tooks of after a rabit, he races right behind her! He knows every tree and every bush on our property. We live on three acres and have approx. 300 trees and bushes. If someone would not know, they would never guess he is blind.
One thing the vet told us when he was diagnosed: do NOT baby him! Or feel sorry for him! That will make him think something is wrong and will make him depressed.
Hope Muffie is coping well whatever obstacle comes her way! Please give her a hug for me.
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Joined: 11 May 2006
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| olympic
Posted:
Fri Jun 06, 2008 3:02 am |
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once upon a time a vet told me, there is more dogs that die from being overfed and lack of exercise, than from starvation.... 
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Joined: 18 Dec 2006
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| SavannahStar
Posted:
Fri Jun 06, 2008 5:39 am |
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I'm so sorry Sid!
I'm late in seeing this thread.....
My prayers and best wishes for you and your baby!
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**SuperStar**
Joined: 24 Mar 2006
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Location: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
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| Siddalee
Posted:
Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:35 am |
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Muffie spent the night at the vet's to have another glucose curve today to see how she is adjusting to insulin. I think she is better - not so many accidents. She does bump into things but overall seems to be handling it okay. Muffie has always spent too much time in bed and that will be hard to change now. Thanks for the tips on handling blindness, Cherokee. The vet said dogs do not use their eyes as much as humans, that she will "smell" her way around.
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Ya-Ya!
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
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| CherokeeKid
Posted:
Fri Jun 06, 2008 3:07 pm |
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You are welcome, Siddalee. Muffie is a cutie!
Here are some pics of Kuma, our blind Akita and Roger, the Belgium Shepherd we rescued last December. They don't like each other! LOL. Kuma is still the boss! And he likes sleeping under the desk: 
http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs126&d=08142&f=kuma-n-roger419.jpg
Here are some great tips from a website:
Living With a Blind Dog
Most blind dogs can live happy, good quality lives after a period of adjustment.
This is because they rely on their other senses of smell and hearing to negotiate their familiar surroundings.
How do I help my dog adjust to blindness?
Avoid changing the dog’s environment, such as moving furniture, or leaving obstacles out. Provide them with toys that use their other senses, for example, a Kong filled with Vegemite or Peanut Butter, or a noisy toy that they can retrieve. Spray the furniture legs and doorframes with room deodorizer, aromatherapy oil, or perfume so your dog can more easily locate them. Carpet runners in rooms with floorboards will give your dog safe passage through the area.
Keep the water and food bowls in the same place, and also have your dog’s bed in the same area. Then if your dog becomes disoriented, you can take him to the feeding area or his bed and he can reorient himself from there. Some people keep radios on at low levels in specific locations to help dogs to orient themselves.
Ensure your dog cannot access danger areas such as swimming pools, or balconies that he can fall from. Dogs often take a while to adjust to stairs, so bar him from the top of the stairs until he is more confident.
What if my dog is showing signs of aggression?
Fear aggression is not unusual in dogs that suddenly become blind. They are wary of sudden movements or noises, and can snap if taken by surprise. This usually occurs during the period of adjustment and this can last up to six months. Everyone in the dog’s environment should avoid scaring or stressing the dog. A dog needs to be alerted to a person’s presence by softly calling the dog’s name before touching him or her.
How do I exercise my blind dog?
Most blind dogs still enjoy going for walks, especially if they feel secure on a lead or harness, and you keep to a familiar route. Obedient dogs that respond quickly to instructions to stop or come are less likely to get into trouble. Take the time to reinforce the basic commands, as your dog will be more confident in you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And another good website:
Living With a Blind Dog
http://www.weir.net/~lglass/living_with_blind_dog5.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We also use certain words with Kuma:
In case we forgot to put something away and he would bump into it, we yell "Carefull". He immediately slows down and watches where he is going.
When we take him to he vet and there is a step at the walkway, we keep him close to us on a leash, slow him down, say "Step" and bump our foot against the step so that he can hear where it is, if the step goes up or down.
We use perfumed candles to mark door frames etc. with the wax.
Kuma loves going for rides! We lift him in and out of the cabin of our truck. He loves is the window is a little bit open and he can feel the wind. But always be very careful: never have the window too much open as we have seen dogs jumping all of a sudden out of the window if they see/sense a cat or another dog.
I'll send you a PM with a video of Kuma playing with me. I always keep an exciting voice, being playful and happy. You can see how he is responding, acting like a pup and wagging his tail. 
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Joined: 11 May 2006
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| Siddalee
Posted:
Fri Jun 06, 2008 3:33 pm |
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Thanks so much for all the information, CherokeeKid. Your dogs are beautiful and your Akita seems very well adjusted. My hubby will enjoy seeing your dogs, too.
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Ya-Ya!
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 6077
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| SideTracked
Posted:
Fri Jun 06, 2008 6:53 pm |
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Kuma is a beautiful dog!!
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Joined: 24 Mar 2006
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Location: Somewhere being sidetracked. . .
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| CherokeeKid
Posted:
Fri Jun 06, 2008 9:22 pm |
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| Siddalee wrote: | | Thanks so much for all the information, CherokeeKid. Your dogs are beautiful and your Akita seems very well adjusted. My hubby will enjoy seeing your dogs, too. |
Thanks, Sidalee! 
I'm glad the info is helpful. And I hope Muffie will adjust soon.
Kuma says WooHoo to Muffie!
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Joined: 11 May 2006
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| CherokeeKid
Posted:
Fri Jun 06, 2008 9:24 pm |
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| SideTracked wrote: | | Kuma is a beautiful dog!! |
Thank you, SideTracked! 
I'll tell Kuma and my hubby. It will make them happy.
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Joined: 11 May 2006
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| victims cry
Posted:
Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:05 pm |
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Oh Siddalee!! I am so sorry i missed this thread, i haven't been popping in much, just keeping to a politics board bc ..still keeping low stress
Butterscotch has diabetes, my kitty and i test him twice a day for his blood sugar levels and give him his insulin.
Its amazing how they don't get bothered by either the testing (which is done on the edge of the ear where the vein goes around, i use a human lancet which has a needle so tiny you can hardly see it and manually poke him. I think they see it as nothing more than a flea bite if that) or the insulin shots. You will get so used to it that you will be able to test and shoot in less than a minute (ok it takes 5 seconds for the glucometer to put the number up but thats the longest)
If you are not already testing him at home, ask your vet to show you how, and if he is one of the backward ones who prefers to have you pay for blood tests every week then i can give you some links to videos of how to do it. Its best to test before giving insulin because if he isn't feeling well or his sugar is down one day, then you won't have the problem of hypoglycemia. (which by testing at home you can also head off at the pass if he seems to suddenly become lethargic..then its some corn syrup and high carb bikkies lol)
He can and will live a long healthy life on a diabetic diet (keep carbs low) and with regular insulin..just like humans do
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On Vacation!
Joined: 22 Mar 2006
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| Siddalee
Posted:
Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:28 pm |
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Guess we have a backward vet - I've been paying for tests. Please send info on testing - we've mastered the shots so the testing should not be difficult. She has been going to the vet every 10-14 days for a glucose curve but it is costly and I'm sure we can do it ourselves.
I can't imagine having to give shots to our cats, tho. They are ferocious if they are not in the mood for medicine and I bleed easily!
Thanks for the tips -
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Ya-Ya!
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 6077
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| victims cry
Posted:
Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:52 pm |
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| Siddalee wrote: | Guess we have a backward vet - I've been paying for tests. Please send info on testing - we've mastered the shots so the testing should not be difficult. She has been going to the vet every 10-14 days for a glucose curve but it is costly and I'm sure we can do it ourselves.
I can't imagine having to give shots to our cats, tho. They are ferocious if they are not in the mood for medicine and I bleed easily!
Thanks for the tips -
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argh... no you want to be testing at home, and do your own curves too. Much cheaper More importantly much safer for your sugar baby. It could well save her life one day. Have sent the info to you for home testing that i have
and will send more.
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On Vacation!
Joined: 22 Mar 2006
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| Siddalee
Posted:
Wed Jul 02, 2008 7:13 pm |
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Thanks, VC. My hubby and I are reading everything you have sent and are researching clucometers. The Bayer Elite sounds like a good one.
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Ya-Ya!
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
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