Feb.08 Newsletter I.R.A.H. Diabetes

-----We just returned from LAKE Taho Nevada where I attended a opthamology seminar.I don’t profess to be a specialist in the field but feel I;m a little more familiar with eye conditions.Much snow, pelted with snowballs by the grand children, Found that I’m to old to try to mount those slippery skies..Mom and I had to be content with snowmobiles. Great fun.If I was about 20 years younger I could join our kids on the slopes.Oh - the realities of life Diabetes.

-----As many of you know, our pets can get this malady as we humans do. This is a serious condition for the pet but can be managed with medication. Undiagnosed, the disease can progress to include severe weight loss, kidney and/or liver damage, and eventually death. Diagnosed early, diabetes commonly can be treated with insulin and diet management. Symptoms include: ingesting large amounts of water and voiding more than usual (the primary symptom), weight loss can be seen, and as the disease progresses, loss of appetite and legarthy. Diagnosis is made with a blood glucose test and glucose detected in the urine by urinalysis. Insulin therapy is initiated to reduce the blood glucose to normal limits. Liver/kidney damage must be addressed if the disease has progressed to that point. Regulating the insulin dose to the glucose intake in the food ingested by the animal sometimes will take as long as a month to six weeks. Periodic blood glucose tests will be required to ensure the blood glucose level does not get too low. It is critical that the pet eats about the same quantity of food on a daily basis. If not, the blood glucose level can be driven too low, and the pet is subject to hypoglycemia (seizures, coma). Glucose supplemented by injection or orally (orange juice, syrup, etc.) will help. After reaching a maintenance level of insulin, urine glucose strips can be used to determine the glucose level. Most diabetic animals will respond favorably to insulin therapy February is dental month. We giver a 15% discount on all dental work this month to encouraghe a much overlooked aspect of pet care. Have a good valentines day. Give minimal amounts of candy ( especially chocolate ) to the pets.

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