We invited Mummy Blogger Grace from You and Me Plus Three to tell us about diagnosing her dog Molly with diabetes.
Our mad, hyperactive West Highland Terrier turned fourteen last August. Even though this is ancient in dog terms, she still had the same amount of energy and sense of excitement that she had possessed since she was a puppy. This old girl was showing no signs of slowing down! In fact, I imagined her out living us all.
Then December came and, out of nowhere, our energetic ball of white fluff morphed into a totally different dog. She was drinking bowls upon bowls of water. We couldn’t fill them fast enough. Her favourite pastime of sleeping on the sofa ceased, mainly because she couldn’t even summon the energy to jump up onto it.
What was going on? I called the vets immediately, panicked. They asked if she was eating ok and I advised that she was, it was mainly the increase in water uptake. They told me to keep an eye on her over Christmas and book an appointment in the new year.
Things got even worse during this time. It seemed she couldn’t locate our back door any longer so would urinate all over any floor she was sitting on. She started walking into things that had always been in the kitchen and growling when my children would approach her.
In January she was diagnosed with diabetes. I was shocked. How could she have gone from a healthy dog to that in a mere few weeks? The decline had been rapid! I was told this is norm with diabetes.
It has taken the vet months upon months to get her insulin dosage right. Even at that, she is still basically the same. Not only that but, the diabetes has caused her to go totally blind.
It is heartbreaking watching her walk into everything and being dazed and confused when she does so. I think it’s important to educate others on the signs to look out for if your dog has diabetes:
Excessive thirst
Change in appetite
Increased urination
Lethargy
Cloudy eyes (diabetes tends to cause cataracts)
Dull or thinning hair along the back
Please contact your vet if your pet shows any of these symptoms. Early detection is key to try and get it under control. We love you mad Molly- diabetes included!
Read more from Grace at https://youandmeplusthree.uk/
