Canine Diabetes

M

Mearas

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 July 2010
Messages
310
Visit site
My elderly cocker spaniel has been diagnosed today with canine diabetes. The vet has said that she needs insulin injections twice a day. This is not a problem but I was wondering if there are any alternative treatments or adjustments in her diet that we can make before commiting her to injections?
 
I had a collie diagnosed a few years ago and decided not to have any treatment ....it involves alot of blood tests, injections etc and I didn't think the possible improvement in her condition warranted it. Maybe things have improved but it seemed much more casual than human treatment and I was told I was probably just extending her life for a few months. She was fine, although drank and wee'ed alot until she suddenly went blind and couldn't cope so I had her pts.
Not very helpful sorry but I would look into the likely outcome of any treatment, which is also very expensive before starting down that road.....
 
Hi mearas,i also had a 9yr old border collie diagnosed with diabetes who started to drink a lot and wee a lot,vet tried special diet first but didnt work,so i had to learn to inject twice daily,he lived another 4 yrs on injections but he did go blind the last 18mnths of his life but he coped well with it,still played with his toys etc,,he was amazing,if people didnt know he was blind they couldnt tell as he was still so active,the only down side was you have to stick to strict diet and times when u feed and inject etc so there was no holidays or day trips for us,he was pts at the age of 13 and had a good quality of life but it is a big committment from you if you choose the injections as it is so tying but i thought it was well worth it as he coped so well,its down to the individual dog and owner at the end of the day...hope all goes well:o
 
Thank you all so much for your advice. My lovely dog will be 13 next month and has cateracts so her sight is compromised but she is still very lively and happy. She is weeing a lot at the moment but apart from that seems a very well dog. Even the vet was suprised at how well she is. I will do whatever it takes to make her last months, years, good quality time as she has been such a lovely and loyal companion.
 
Sorry, Cave Canem, she has half a Pedigree dental stick in the morning about 9am, then a second half at lunchtime followed by James Wellbeloved dry dog food at 4pm. Ironically, having watched some years ago the programme 'Its me or the dog', (shown again tonight), I started adding a small amount of ordinary food to make her dry food more interesting, say some grated cheese or an egg. Perhaps this was a mistake?
 
I'd skip the cheese but they egg will be fine i would skip the dentastik too!

I've known dogs go for years with insulin injections and be just fine. Once you get the hang of it its not a big deal.
 
Nope, but a lot of people do blame dry food for the rise in canine diabetes, as KarynK will tell you, it's not a condition which carnivores such as dogs should actually be getting in the first place.
She's better off with the eggs and cheese, more natural stuff, in my opinion, than commercial dry food but again, do seek advice from a vet or a doggy nutritionalist.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top