Is Your Team In Place For Your Diabetic Dog?

Does that sound daunting? Don’t let it be. You’ve heard that it takes a village to raise a child? Well, it also takes one to manage a Diabetic Dog. I’m not saying that this will happen right away as we all know that this diagnosis is overwhelming in the beginning. We all need support in most aspects of life and this is no different.

I have spoken about finding community in this blog and I stand by that advice. Here is the post for that: https://shoppettest.com/blog/how-do-i-find-community-for-my-diabetic-dog/ Once you find a group that “fits” you, you will need to read everything that you can get your hands on to better understand this disease that it is now your job to manage. The reputable groups have extensive files and learning units that you can print and read when you can. I will suggest that you not try to read everything immediately. You want to read information at a pace that you can digest and retain. That is important. Read at a pace that you can digest and retain the information that you have read. You might want to put the highlights in your daily journal.

As you read through files and gather information, you may find that you will have new found insight into some hiccups that you have had along the way. Did you increase your dose too fast? Did you change food at an inappropriate time? Are you injecting in a preferred spot? Are you exercising at the right time with your injection schedule? Are you feeding the correct amount of calories of a diabetic appropriate food? Are you giving appropriate treats and snacks? Just to name a few.

This disease is manageable and it is even more so when you do it right. Ok, so now let’s explore our team. The team leader is you obviously since you are with your pup and are the primary caregiver. Next is your vet. I am hopeful that you have a good relationship with your vet and that you can work together to share information and treatment plans. The next is a veterinary ophthalmologist. The sooner you can see one of these professionals, the better. Getting a baseline for your pup is very important. The original consultation can be expensive, but each appointment after that is much less. So… tuck some money away and make an appointment as soon as you can. Diabetic dogs are notorious for eye problems until you get their BG (Blood Glucose) under control. Some vets will refer you to an internal medicine vet if your pup is not reacting to treatment the way that your vet is comfortable with. That decision is up to you obviously.

I know this sounds like a bottomless pit of money being spent, but that is only true if you aren’t following the proper protocols to manage Canine Diabetes. The greatest gift that you can give your pup and yourself is to learn to test at home right away. Get your technique down and don’t look back! In the grand scheme of things, test strips will save you the most money going forward. It is a step that can’t be overlooked.

So build your team and learn all that you can so that you can enjoy your pup for a good long time!

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You’ll notice that for most of the products or groups that I mention, the text is linked to a website where you can purchase that item or a link to join the group mentioned. Just click on the colored text (red or blue, depending what device you are on) and it should take you right to the item or group. If you have any thoughts or ideas for topics that you’d like to see covered here, please feel free to comment below or send me an email at NancyForPetTest@PharmaSupply.com. As always, please “like” this blog post or any of the others that have helped you or just refreshed your memory. Look for new posts every Tuesday.

Until next time…