Pets & Diabetes

My 15 year old mini schnauzer was diagnosed with diabetes a little over 2 years ago. Talk about a life changing experience for him, and for entire family! We are a band family and on our return from one of our many band trips in December 2006, we found out that Remy had had several 'accidents' in our absence. This was quite unlike our highly disciplined baby of the family who had the ability to let you know if he needed to go out to use the bathroom. It took minutes at the vet to receive the diagnosis that we had feared.

Here are a few lessons that our family has learnt along the way:

• Always keep his spirits up, talking to him with enthusiasm and excitement as if nothing had changed: Remy would mirror our mood; if we were down and discouraged he would walk around the home looking even more discouraged.
• Talk to your family vet at length and trust the recommended care: we shifted gears into high panic mode and after numerous calls to everyone whom we knew had pets, we immediately transferred his medical care away from the vet who knew him best, and into the hands of a specialist who turned out to be more expensive. We have since returned to the family vet.
• Try to keep his routine and his day as normal as possible.
• Keep an eye on any changes in eating & drinking habits, and bathroom habits as well.
• When going away, keep him in the care of someone or a family who he is comfortable with to reduce stress and anxiety.
• Reward him with a treat after giving him his insulin shot.
• Keep his treatment schedule as best as you can.
• Reassure him! Reassure him! Reassure him!