A Diagnosis

Diabetes. Cruizer has diabetes. Diabetes. Type 1 diabetes.

I have heard of people getting diabetes but have never personally been acquainted with it. With the shots and the insulin bit. I have known people who've had it. And I've heard of people getting diagnosed with it. And I know the symptoms. I knew in my heart that Cruizer either had kidney failure or diabetes or cancer. I knew it was going to be bad.

 

I brought him in yesterday and the vet first thought he had a bladder or kidney infection and asked for a urine sample. Well knowing my dog lately I told her no problem! And went out and was back in with a steaming bowl of it in less than 30 seconds. That's how much water he had been drinking.

 

Here he is standing on a high table looking to see if he can jump down from this side while I'm distracted taking a blurry picture. The nurse lowered the table, we got him on there and then he raised it, took his vitals and left. So I had to try keep a 76 pound dog on a thin waist high table for about 15 minutes until the Dr. came in.

Well she tested his urine and said it was extremely diluted and his kidney weren't working and that he must have an infection and we needed to start him on meds right away. She dipped another strip in to make sure and this new one showed his glucose was high as well. So we held him down and she drew blood. Sure enough. She said it was 680. (She wrote on his medical paper 620 so I'm not sure which one is right.) Very high. I asked her what a normal one was and she said like humans 100-120 is normal. Oh dear. He was a very sick puppy! She said his urine was diluted because of all the water he's been drinking and so spun his urine and no crystals, stones or infection so just a side affect of diabetes. He also has hot spots in his ears but no ear infection. She said all the lumps on his body were from his immune system being weakened. I said he had cysts, she called them tumors. Oh dear. She said they felt fine and lots of older dogs get them.

 

She said usually small dogs get diabetes. His size of dog is so rare for a diagnosis she had trouble trying to figure out the numbers for the amount he would need for insulin. She said it needs to be 1/4 his body weight to start. So 20 units of 1 cc. I hope I said that right. It's all new to me and I have no idea how to explain it. This stuff is expensive and he'll need it 2-3 times per day for the rest of his life 2 hours after each meal. I told her we feed him 3 times a day. She said I need to go down to twice a day. Oh dear. Cruizer loves his food and we're going to have a hard time with him adjusting. He's 7 years old. So for 7 years we've been feeding him 3 times a day.

 

My husband had appointments and work but he arrived just after she diagnosed him and I told him his options were to either give him insulin every day for the rest of his life, give him to someone who would care for his needs, or put him down. My husband likes his dog, so we'll buy insulin.

The veterinarian gave Cruizer a shot of insulin and said he would feel better in 2 hours. And he did! We have to bring him back in a week to see if he's responding to it and to see if we need to up the dosage and then bring him back a week after that to make sure it's working.

 

There was a huge crate with 9 puppies that were so cute! They were basically the size of Cruizer's head.

While on a walk in our condo complex a couple days ago, imagine Cruizer's excitement to turn a corner around a bush and see a cat! He was so excited he put his nose right where the cat didn't want it and the cat streaked up to him growling and bit him on the nose and held on. Cruizer just cried and yip yip whined trying to whip that cat off and it wouldn't let go.

Cruizer's nose had grown an extra foot and a half with long sharp nails plus a puffy tail.

The cat wouldn't let go even with me trying to hit it with the leash! It finally streaked off and ran up a tree and Cruizer looked like he came straight out of a murder scene with blood pouring down his snout. After we got home and I cleaned him up, turns out it was a few scratches on his highly sensitive nose! Poor dog! We have a killer feral cat on the loose here. I hope Cruizer doesn't catch anything from it!

 

He's had all the luck this last week!