Question:
My dog has been diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus. I must give
the insulin by daily injections. My problem is, my pet has become
very fearful of me, and I find it impossible to approach without
her backing into a corner, growling and baring her teeth.
Muzzling her wont work. She associates the muzzle with painful
treatment for a chronic ear infection done at the vets office.
My question is~ is there any alternative to the insulin injection?
If not...is there another way to give the injection. I am at my
wits end...I tried taking her into the vets yesterday and she knew
where we were, backed into the corner of the seat and growled
at me.
Thanks in advance for any help or words of wisdom you can give me.
Answer:
I am not a vet but have a diabetic dog. Please don't give up and don't listen
to people who give you ignorant advice like the dog has the right to choose
treatment versus non treatment in this situation. This would be like saying we
should just let little 4 year children just die because they don't want to
take their medicines, have surgery for appendicitis, etc---they don't
understand the rationale behind the treatment and it is up to the people who
love them to make those decisions for them. The dog too, just like the human
child, doesn't undertstand and is counting on you to make the best decisions.
Insulin is the only form of treament for a diabetic dog--no speical diet of any
kind is going to change that. Most dogs do very well with injections, in fact
most act as though they don't even feel it. So before giving up, do take the
time to figure out if it is something changable. There are lots of reasons for
the injections to be uncomforatable and most of them revolve around something
you are doing which can be changed. Other things may be more physical such as
a skin sensitivity or abcess, etc. Some things you can do includes your own
behavior--if you are nervous about the shot this may be picked up on by your
dog. Reward your dog after words (some do with treats, of course in correct
amounts and types since diet control is important too; but also don't forget to
praise and love afterwards too). Also your technique may need some improving
and your vet, vet tech or other experienced owners can help out here--are you
pinching the skin to hard, using dull needles (can happen with needle re-use),
are you pushing in too hard, etc? Also different areas of the body are more
sensitive than others--your vet can show you some alternate areas with adequate
subQ tissue (for example on many dogs the scruff is less sensensitive than
further down the back). Are you injecting cold insulin--if so let it warm to
room temperature first? Is your vet diluting the insulin--if so the dilutent
may be the problem. These are just a few things that may help. There is also
the possibility that something else is going on too and that the reaction to
the needle is a coincidence--ie she is feeling bad for another illness and
wants to be left alone? Does she act out at any other time when you approach
her?
Here is a wonderful web site you should check out--lots of info on pet
diabetes. There are also links to the message boards, chatrooms, and email
lists where you can find even more info from people who are or have been in
your situation. There is also a section on injection tips which may help too.
www.petdiabetes.org
