Shortly after Gregory and I melded our households together we stopped dividing our pack into “yours” and “mine” and they simply became the small dogs and the large dogs. That’s how we referred to them, but Baxter still had it in his mind that he was Gregory’s dog, not mine. We had a difficult adjustment, but in the past year Baxter and I have come to an understanding and an appreciation for one another. Unfortunately, much of his acceptance of me is a result of his dependence on my extra care; Baxter was diagnosed with diabetes about six months ago, and he’s now blind.
While writing the section on my book about diabetes, I stopped typing to observe Baxter obsessively drinking from his water bowl. This was a sudden departure from his usual behavior, and upon close examination his eyes were getting cloudy. We went to the vet that week to see if it was indeed diabetes and they confirmed our suspicions.
Dr. Barnes, our veterinarian, explained that Baxter would need extra care in the form of insulin shots and blood glucose monitoring and that he would eventually go blind. Eventually turned out to be a matter of months. One Saturday we screamed out the backdoor for Baxter to stop barking at the squirrels and by the following Wednesday Gregory called me to report that he was bumping into furniture and couldn’t go upstairs. Baxter was blind.
We had been giving Baxter insulin shots and his blood glucose level was lowered to a level that the vet was comfortable with, but now we had a new complication to deal with and we were not prepared.
Hopefully you will never need these tips, but if your dog is diagnosed with cataracts or diabetes (which means cataracts are part of the deal), I offer these suggestions to help you be prepared.
- No matter how difficult it is, your dog still needs walks and the stimulation they provide. Your dog will be depressed and apprehensive in his darker world, but he can still hear, smell and feel the grass and pavement below his paws. Continuing your walks will keep him excited about the world, rather than fear it.
- Once your dog is diagnosed with cataracts, IMMEDIATLEY start pausing at curbs to tell your dog “Up” and “Down”. It will prevent a lot of tripping and the anxiety produced by sudden shifts in the topography.
- You are now a seeing eye human. Slow down on walks and watch for hazards such as shrubs that stick out or changes in surface that might freak your dog out. A rose thorn in the eye means another trip to the vet!
- Add water to your dog’s food. This keeps your dog hydrated without additional trips to the water bowl.
- Dr. Barnes told us that “if Baxter doesn’t eat, he doesn’t get insulin.” We had a couple worrisome episodes to figure out when he shouldn’t get insulin even if he did eat. Ask your vet at what blood glucose level you should not give your diabetic pet insulin, even if he does eat.
- Block off stairs!
- More importantly than not moving furniture is not moving the rugs! Helping your dog navigate through surface texture will help prevent bumping into the furniture.
- If your dog is diabetic put the syringe on the counter before feeding. This will help you remember if you gave insulin.
- If you can identify a toy as your dog’s favorite. Make it readily available (and buy backups). This is your dog’s security blanket. Baxter expresses himself through the “Baxter Ball” seeking it out and squeeking it whenever he is excited.
- Talk to your dog A LOT!
- In addition to the blood glucose tests that you do for 24 hours (every 2 hours!) do additional tests a couple times a week.
- Stuff a Kong with treats: it keeps your dog mentally stimulated.
For more information about When the lights went out for Baxter. go to this article more about When the lights went out for Baxter.
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