Caring For Your Diabetic Cat

If your cat has just been diagnosed with diabetes, you might be afraid of what the future holds for your beloved pet. The good news is that cats can live long, healthy lives after being diagnosed with diabetes. The trick is that you, as a pet owner, must be dedicated to caring for your cat. Diabetes is not a death sentence for pets. Following is information to help you understand what you need to do to help your diabetic cat.

Regular Medical Care: After your cat has been diagnosed with diabetes, it is imperative that you visit your veterinarian on a regular basis. Your cat will need regular examinations to check the blood sugar levels and to make sure that he or she is receiving the right amount of insulin. When your cat goes in for a check up, the vet will ask that you do not feed your cat for twelve hours prior to the check up. While your cat is at the check up, your veterinarian will draw blood and check blood sugar levels. People that have diabetes are able to check their blood sugar at home. Check with your veterinarian to see whether home testing for your cat is possible if you buy a glucose monitoring system. Your vet may or may not allow you to do this as it does have some risks involved. If you do not do the test properly, then the results could be inaccurate. Depending on your cat, it may be difficult to do it yourself. Regardless of whether you do home blood glucose tests or not, your veterinarian will probably ask that you bring your cat in every three months for this type of check up.

Getting your Cat Insulin: When your cat has diabetes, it is your responsibility to make sure that your cat receives the proper dose of insulin twice a day. The amount of insulin that your cat will need will vary according to your cat's individual condition. Most cats receive between three and five units of insulin two times per day. It is important that you establish a routine for your cat. Your cat needs to receive insulin every 12 hours. Most people that have diabetic cats give their cat an insulin shot at the same time every morning and at the same time every evening.

It is not difficult to learn to give your cat insulin injections. Your veterinarian will walk you through the process and then you can repeat this at home. Usually your veterinarian will recommend that you give your cat injections between the shoulder blades in the scruff of the neck. With patience and practice, your cat will barely feel the injections. In fact, most diabetic cats know when it is time to get their injection and they may actually remind you by meowing.

Stocking the Right Supplies: It is important that you have the right supplies on hand to help treat your diabetic cat. You will need a vial of insulin as prescribed by your veterinarian, syringes and alcohol swabs. It is always a good idea to order your insulin when you are about halfway empty. It may take a few days for your veterinarian to get your insulin in. Your veterinarian might also recommend getting your diabetic cat on vitamin supplements and starting him or her on a special prescription diet such as Science Diet W/D. You must be able to watch your cat immediately after he or she receives an injection. It is also a good idea to have phone numbers for your veterinarian and one or two 24-hour emergency vet clinics available to you at all times just in case your cat needs help.

Many people who own diabetic cats worry about the costs that this condition incurs. It certainly does cost money to take care of a diabetic cat. A vial of insulin will cost you approximately $85 and will last you about two months. A box of 100 Syringes will cost about $30 and will last you 50 days, as you should use a new syringe for each injection. Prescription food will cost you about $40 for a 20 pound bag. However, it is important to remember that your cat is a part of your family. Most pet owners do not hesitate spending this kind of money on their pets.

Patience and Love: Above of all, when you have a diabetic cat you need a lot of patience and a lot of love. It is not always easy to care for a sick or ailing cat. However, with the right care, you can expect your diabetic cat to have many more years of happy life.

Until next time,

Teia

PS. The above tips also apply to diabetic dogs. Because most dogs are larger than cats, the amount of insulin and food needed will be greater and therefore the cost will be higher.

Dog Breeds – The Chihuahua

The most likely origin of this breed of dog is that it is the progeny of the mating of the native Mexican Techichi and a minature Chinese dog such as the Chinese Crested dog. Over the years, it has been selectively bred to become the smallest dog breed in the world.

The remains of a progenitor of the breed was found in ancient ruins in the Mexican state of Chihuahua so this is the name that was given to this minature dog.

Believe it or not, I am one-eighth Chihuahua. The other seven-eighths is Shih Tzu. My half-sister, Jemma, is half Chihuahua and half Shih Tzu.

If you are considering whether or not to buy a Chihuahua, regardless of whether it is as a pet or as a show dog, there are four important things to consider.

Hype - Don't be drawn to the Chihuahua simply because it is so small. You may have heard of phrases like: teacup Chihuahua, pocket Chihuahua and miniature Chihuahua, among others. These phrases are sometimes used by breeders and pet shops as a marketing ploy to increase their sales. These phrases really do not apply to the Chihuahua as they do not exist in the breed standard. Therefore, implying that a Chihuahua pup is a teacup Chihuahua is simply a device to entice you to purchase the pup in the hope of getting a very small Chihuahua. In actuality, Chihuahuas range from about 4 pounds to just over 10 pounds and their individual size is determined by the genetics of their parents and grandparents.

Fragility - Chihuahuas are not usually suited to small children because they tend to be quite aggressive and can bite if provoked and they are quite fragile when young. I have heard that for the first few weeks of their life, some Chihuahuas require leg splints because their legs are too fagile to support their weight. They can actually be killed or badly injured if they are accidently stepped on or dropped. They can even be crushed in a well-meaning cuddle. Being such a small dog, the Chihuahua needs constant supervision and should always be kept on a leash when taken outdoors.

Behavior - It's not often that you will come across a docile Chihuahua. This dog is very protective of its territory and as a result it can become quite belligerent if it feels that its area is being threatened. Most are loud and dominant. They try to run the entire household, your other pets included. That is why my half-sister and I fight so often. We both want to be the alfa female. It's quite common for a Chihuahua to boss around a Boxer or even a Rottweiler, without any concern for its own safety. What they lack in size, they make up for in spirit. It truly is a tiny dog with a great big heart. You need to be firm and apply consistent training to gain the upper hand. This is also necessary if the Chihuahua has developed the bad habit of 'yapping'. They tend to bark at almost anything that moves or frightens them and can sometimes become quite aggressive toward strangers. This behavior could lead to biting and therefore needs to be constantly controlled.

Housebreaking - Of all the dog breeds, the Chihuahua is one of the hardest to train. This is especially true if the Chihuahua suffers from shyness. Raising your voice and/or losing your temper will not help the matter as sometimes the deed is done on the carpet before they even get to the paper, training pad, or litter tray. Patience and easy access to facilities are the only avenues and even then, this task may never be completely accomplished. As I previously mentioned, I have a problem when there is no snow on the ground.

Although there are a few down sides to owning a Chihuahua, there are many more upsides. You will have a friend for life as Chihuahuas can live well into their teens. They make great travelling companions as they travel light. They love to snuggle with no expectations. Chihuahuas don’t need much exercise or space and they will gladly give their life for you. What more could you ask for?

Until next time,

Teia

PS. Frank! My Hero! I just have to tell you about Frank. He was a very proud Chihuahua whose "mom" was connected to a dog agility training group in Calgary, Canada. He was raised with big dogs, a Great Dane and a Labrador. He swaggered when he walked, his chest all puffed out. Oh, he was a grand sight to see. His "mom" put him through the agility course between rounds of the competition. He raced through the course, bypassing the stations that were too physically large for him to complete as though they didn't exist. The crowd went wild, whistling and clapping loudly. He even bowed to the crowd when he completed the course. When he was walked on his leash, he would prance up to the biggest dogs he saw and say, "Hello" to them. Oh he was grand....he just stole my heart away.