Pets with Diabetes: Contribute Your Pet's Story

Every pet is unique and requires a diabetes management system that is designed specifically for that pet. The goal of this section is to share the different approaches and techniques owners use to manage their pet's diabetes. Describing how you manage your pet's diabetes is a great way to let people know about the different approaches that owners of diabetic pets are taking. People can see that different management styles are available, and these techniques must be carefully chosen to meet the needs of both the pet and the owner.

Your story doesn't have to be elaborate or perfectly written, It can be a general diabetes story like Barney's or Kyra's, or it can be a story about a specific problem, like hind leg weakness or cataracts, or it can be a story like Shaba's whose owner decided it was not in her pet's best interest to pursue treatment. Anything you can contribute will make this web site more comprehensive and more useful to others.

Ideas of what your story can include

Pet's name, neuter status, gender, and breed.
Current age, age at diagnosis; or age and how long the pet lived with diabetes.
If you decided not to treat your pet and to put it to sleep, please explain how you came to that decision. Was your pet elderly, did it have other health problems, were you unable to spend the time or money needed to care for a diabetic pet?
What is the medication schedule (insulin once a day, twice, diabetes controlled by diet, oral anti-glucose meds).
Describe how you control your pet's diet (free feed, scheduled feedings, prescription food, regular food, home cooking).
Is an exercise routine important to manage your pet's diabetes? This is usually more important for dogs than cats.
Describe the types of home monitoring you do and how often you do them. This includes home bg testing, home urine glucose testing, observation of urine volume, drinking, behavior, mood.
What type of monitoring does the vet do, and how often.
Transient Diabetics ("Honeymooners"): was your pet on insulin? Do you think the diabetes was controlled by getting your overweight pet back to a healthy weight? Do you suspect your pet had transient diabetes due to steroid use or other problems? How long has it been since your pet needed insulin?
Have you had to try many different insulins and treatment plans, or have you been "lucky" and just had to do minor modifications to a first or second treatment plan.
Any other diseases or conditions that effect the diabetes? Medications, supplements?
Any serious side effects from the diabetes? (cataracts, hind leg weakness)
Tell about the things you think are important to keeping your pet healthy and happy. Anything goes here (well, almost) - its your chance to describe those special things that are particular to you and your pet.
Include your e-mail address in the story only if you want it on the website so other owners will be able to contact you.
Attach a photo of your pet if you want it on the story page.

Submit your story

Simply e-mail it to me. I will contact you to discuss your story. Make sure you use an e-mail address that you check (not a hotmail or other account that you use for junk e-mail). If I can not contact you, the story will not be added to this site.

	Contribute Your Pet's Story