Caninsulin Adventures Begin: Dealing with Canine Diabetes

The weather got really warm really fast! I want to go for more walks but I've been feeling yucky. After losing my sister, Zoya, Mom and I did a few walks but I started feeling sick. I was getting clumsy, like falling and stuff. I lost weight too, so I was excited at first...

These are from one walk after Zoya passed away...

I found a bird nest!

It was empty though...

But then I started having... accidents...
A lot of them... like, I'd move and just tinkle.... or I'd try to hold it and I couldn't....

At the vet's clinic for a little lab work...

I don't like needles so I couldn't watch... "Tell me when it's over!"

Atom, my little brother, came for support... he watched.
Needles don't bother him when they're sticking in someone else...

Mom noticed how thirsty I was all the time too and she brought me to see the doctor. At first he was afraid it would be something called renal failure, but when my lab work came back he called and told Mom I have diabetes.

I weighed about 18.2 kg which is just around 40 pounds. Last year I was 55 pounds... about 24.5 kg. I thought I was doing well, losing all that weight, but it turns out that a lot of it was a thing called muscle atrophy.... Mom says it's when the body eats muscle because it isn't getting what it needs from food. In my case, I was eating but I wasn't able to use the glucose I'd get from the food so over time my body started attacking itself to survive and I lost weight from that.

It's scary to have something that you didn't have before and now it'll be with you for the rest of your life. I didn't know what to expect, and I don't really understand what's going on.

The doctor said it hasn't been going on very long, it's just good that Mom and Dad saw symptoms to bring me in to the vet clinic. If it went on longer I could have been really sick. I don't feel great now, but I'm starting to get better.

Caninsulin... the insulin Mom has to give me every morning and night.
Right now we use these needles, but Mom is going to get a thing called VetPen so Dad can help too.

I'm practicing making this face a lot. Whenever I do, Mom snuggles me and gives me kisses.

It's only been a few days, but I've been trying to be good about taking the injections every day. I have to have a bigger dose in the morning, after I eat, and then a half-dose at night, also after I eat. The thing is, I'm not always hungry when I need to be to stay on that schedule -- Mom's been trying to help. She mixes enough food with some canned food so I eat enough before getting my injections, then leaves the regular dry food for me to pick at during the day if I want.

I like to sneak Atom's food sometimes. It's tiny, like little candies! But the doctor said I can't do that and Mom and Dad have to be extra careful about it. I also have to change to a different food. It's one with a prescription. Luckily, I can stick with Vet-Concept... Oh! Did I mention that? I was using the Hill's Metabolic Diet, but then I stopped enjoying it and Mom decided to switch to Vet-Concept like Atom gets. I was eating a Care Pack food from them, for older dogs... but now I'll start to switch to the prescription food for diabetic dogs. I hope it tastes good!

Mom can also get the low-fat canned foods to add to my morning and evening dishes, so I eat enough when it's time for injections.

Life changes are tough! 

They're tougher when you just want to make a change but have no real consequences for making or not making the changes... in this case, I have no choice but to change things in my life or I'll get more sick and probably die. I'm just not ready to go yet, so... change it is!

Week 4 Day 2 - The Beagle Diet Continues

       This morning Mom took me and Zoya for a walk for about 30 minutes. It was nice out, actually - not too hot, a little cool with the breeze. I'm feeling better after relaxing a bit yesterday. Zoya seems to feel better too, and Atom is back to his usually rambunctious self. After we got back from the walk, I ate a lot! I was just starving after not feeling great yesterday and having such a long day at the vet on Tuesday.

    I've receive a lot of support from people on Facebook, Instagram, and here through my blog. I really appreciate that! It helps me stay focused and motivated to go out for my walks and to eat better. I'm happy with the weight I've lost so far, and my decreasing measurements! It's only bee a little over 3 weeks but those results are what will help push me through this journey until I get to my goal weight.

We made this one just for fun :-)

Accountability Pic for 14 June 2012 - Week 4 Day 2

Mom put this one together also, so we could share with our Instagram friends.

Just me walking

Down a small set of steps with Mom

It was bright this morning... I was all squinty!

Mom said I looked suspicious in this picture... I was trying to see the dog across the street :-)

But the sun was in my eyes

Yup... too bright...

One of those cats was in the window watching me this morning again.

I tried to get a closer look but it was too difficult to see inside the window.

Me, crossing the street and walking on grass.

Yes - I do look both ways before crossing the street and I never cross the street alone :-)

Steps...

Mom said when I get in better shape she will take me to do exercise on steps.

A collection of some pictures from today's walk in the morning sun...

We tested out some different templates for today's Accountability Picture

But I still prefer the original one we keep using.

Sometimes I move too quick for Mom's camera :-)

A Bit of Beagle Wisdom

Remember before when I talked about how not all roads in life are straight?

Well, whether your path is straight or not, sometimes you have to veer off the path to make real progress. Take me and Zoya for example.

Zoya has a lot of anxiety.... she's afraid of noise, strangers, thunder, lightning.... she's even afraid when the power goes out. Zoya doesn't like change. She sticks to the path.

I sometimes step off the path and walk on the grass. 

Sometimes I walk far on the grass, really far away from Zoya and Mom.

The sidewalk is "comfortable" and there's a clear path to walk on....

but I'm not afraid to step off the path and walk where there isn't a clear route.

The point? In order to make progress in life, we often have to step OUTSIDE our comfort zone.

Zoya doesn't leave her comfort zone, and the result is - she remains afraid of everything.

I step off the path, away from my comfort zone, and even though it's "unknown territory" I have the opportunity to sniff new places and pick up scents from stuff I might never have encountered. I get a little extra exercise by taking time to cover more ground, too!

If you want different results...

If you want something that's different from what you are accustomed to...

You need to step outside that comfort zone and do something different...

~Okay~

Off my Beagle Soap Box for today!