Dog with diabetes so I''m walking more- 20 miles a week

[MustangFan]

I''ve decided that for the sake of my dog, I''m going to talk him 2 miles per day (2 walks)

We are battle diabetes together!! His sugar is finally normal today!! But unfortunately the irregulated sugar has taken a toll on his eyes and now he''s completely blind and it happened almost over night!!

His blood glucose was 637 when diagnosed a month and a half ago and today I tested it this morning and it was 119!!
I have to be his eyes, people can hardly believe that he''s blind, he''s doing so well for only a week and a half, newly blind.

Also my new thing is to walk a nature walk 5 miles long each sunday, on top of 2 miles. So over 20 miles per week I''ll be walking, not really changing my diet, but just getting in shape. I sleep sooo good every night.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Mustangfan, I wondered how your pup was doing since it had been a while from your initial post on his condition.

It sounds like he's adapting really well, and he's so lucky to have a mom like you to take care of him as well as you do!

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but now that his sugar is stabalized, is there any chance he might regain some or all of his sight?

 

[MustangFan]

unfortunately no, he won''t ever regain his vision. They are diabetes induced cataracts and can happen literally over night. It has been a heart breaking week and a half. I cried everyday, he doesn''t deserve this. He isn''t a young pup anyone, will be 10 in the summer. Fortunately, there is cataract surgery and I''ve been looking into it, but it''s terribly expensive, I heard it costing around $2,000 per eye. I feel like I''m letting him down if I don''t do it, but at the same time it''s a lot of money and everyone tells me he''s old he''ll be fine. I want to see about University of Penn. Veterinary Teaching Hospital, he has nothing to lose. The tri-state area is so expensive, I heard in Iowa it costing a women $2200 for both eyes and that''s including the artifical lens implants, that it a lot easier to swallow, but I''m not in Iowa!!!!

We built him a ramp to go down into his run and I think it was the first that he woke up feeling normal in a long time. He literally tried to run down the ramp, but since he cannot see anything slipped a little and this humbled him to go much slower. I want to have hope, I want to believe that he''s going to live at least another two more years or surprise us and live to 14. I just wish I could start some kind of fund raiser to help with the expense.

 

[Dee*Jay]

How amazing that this surgery even exists! Is it possible to contact the organzition in your area and explain your financial circumstances and see if they will give you a discount? Or, could you consider a drive to Iowa? I know it would probably take a day each way, and I''m not sure how much it would cost you to stay over night (or however long you would need to be there) but maybe that would still be a less expensive option?

 

[MustangFan]

apparently they can see almost perfecting in a matter of a week and start seeing better almost immediately after surgery.
I''d cry my eyes out if my dog could see again, it''s the missing piece to his road of recovery.

If you are not queezy I found an actual video on how they perform the surgery.
http://www.veterinaryvision.com/public_forum/Cataract.htm

It seems very simple and not very envasive

 

[sumbride]

Can you get him a seeing eye dog? No, seriously! We had an old hound that developed cataracts and lost most of her sight, while at the same time losing a good portion of her hearing (she was 1, but my mom''s new puppy became her seeing eye dog. They went everywhere together. We''d say "Cowgirl, go get Maggie!" and she''d come back into the room leading Maggie who seemed very confused as to why she was in the room, but she was there.

I''m so sorry this is happening to your baby, but don''t feel guilty if you can''t afford the cataract surgery. He will survive without his sight. Though if you can consider an additional dog, it might help him.

 

[MustangFan]

Sumbride,

we were considering it and kinda gave up on the idea.
We were all for it as he was having seizures and nobody could tell us what was wrong with him. Misdiagnosed after misdiagnosed!
We knew he wasn''t doing good and we didn''t want to replace Boomer if something happened to him. Then finally he was diagnosed a month and a half ago and his sugar was like a rollercoaster, these last two days his sugar is stabilzing because his thyroid level was tested and it was barely functioning, so now he''s a medication for that and it''s really helping!!!
We laid off the idea of a new puppy because it''s a lot of effort and attention with him being so sick.
but now that''s he''s getting better, maybe I''ll toy with the idea again. We would like another Siberian Husky, the price is normally $800 from a reputable breeder, plus vet expenses. I will probably be some where near the $1500 mark.

What do you think? Spend the money on his eyes or get a puppy? Some part of me says it''s not fair on him just get the eye surgery because all the money I would spend on a new puppy he could see again... hmmm?

 

[Dee*Jay]

Mustang, is it possible to just get one eye done?

 

[MustangFan]

yes it is possible, I brought it up to my boyfriend and he''s like no! then he''ll have on eye cloudy and the other clear. It would put a guilt trip on me that I should have gotten the other eye done too. lol can''t win!!!

 

[sumbride]

Well, my concern about getting his eyes fixed is that since it was caused by the diabetes, you have no real guarantee that it won''t recur, right? I mean, yes, now that you have the diagnosis, you''ll be able to stay on top of checking his sugar and all the precautionary stuff, but diabetes can be, and often is, a degenerative disease and if you spend $4k on his eyes and find out in 2 years that he''s losing his sight again, how will you feel about that? Will it have been worth it to you for the 2 years or would you have wished you had done something else? It''s hard to know now what hindsight will tell you, but I would lean toward a companion for him myself, especially if you want another dog. Don''t get a dog just for him, obviously, but if your family can take on another pet, it may help everyone involved.

It''s definitely a tough situation to be in, and only you and your BF can decide how to handle it, but search your heart, take some time, and decide how to proceed. Don''t feel guilty, though, whatever you decide. The vet is there to give you options, not decide on treatment.

 

[MustangFan]

I read that it won''t recur because they are artifical lens. A diabetic dog forum basically says 1500 in the average per eye.
I''d love to get a puppy, but I''m not sure if it''s right for him. The puppy down the street was very rambuncious and was barking at him like crazy and he didn''t know what to think, he pulled near him to smell and wanted to get right in his face, I pulled away because I didn''t know how he''d react, possibly biting the other dog out of fear.

I''d be the one taking care of both of them. I live with my b/f and I''m finishing up school at home and I also have a part-time job.

 

[sumbride]

Oh, well if it won''t recur, that''s great! It definitely sounds like a puppy probably isn''t a good idea right now anyway.

My dad had cataracts (at 64! it was some special kind) and he had his lenses replaced and can see great now.

Is your boyfriend''s concern over 1 cloudy eye and 1 clear eye a cosmetic thing, or does he worry it would make it hard on the dog to see? I think starting with 1 might be a reasonable compromise to give him limited vision and work towards the 2nd one.

 

[monarch64]

Mustang, congrats on making the decision to commit to an exercise program for yourself and for your dog--that''s a great plan you have there! I hope your dog lives a long time yet, and that you somehow find the money to get his eyes in better shape...he is blessed to have an owner like you who is willing to do whatever it takes to help him become healthy again! Not every pet owner unfortunately has your great attitude and perseverance, so good for you!

 

[MustangFan]

I consider my animals my babies.

When my parrot escaped I stayed out with her underneath a tree all night, I got her back, only because I knew where she was and stayed with her all night. The electric company put me in a cherry picker and I was able to reach her in the tree. The whole block cheered.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 3/27/2007 11:03:03 PM
Author: MustangFan
I consider my animals my babies.

When my parrot escaped I stayed out with her underneath a tree all night, I got her back, only because I knew where she was and stayed with her all night. The electric company put me in a cherry picker and I was able to reach her in the tree. The whole block cheered.

Aw, thats so sweet! My newest puppy, Daisy, got spayed last Friday and I slept on the floor in front of her crate for two nights! Silly, I know, but she seemed so out of it due to the anesthesia wearing off, she was shaky and slow and I felt so bad for her I just wanted her to know I was right there! What we won''t do for our babies!