When I first tell my veterinary clients with diabetic pets that I’m going to show them how to check a blood glucose on their pet (so that they can do so at home), I’d say a good number of them get a “deer in the headlights” look. It’s almost as dramatic as the look a client […]
As a veterinarian, I can’t help but associate diseases I hear about in humans to similar diseases in pets. The typical layperson does likewise in associating pet diseases to their human counterpart diseases. It’s a sign of intelligence to extrapolate what we already know to an issue new to us, but it can occasionally mislead us. […]
Last week we discussed insulin pens in general, and situations that indicate using an insulin pen instead of the old school standard of insulin syringe and vial of insulin. If you’d like, you can go back and read that article.
This week we will discuss specifically the VetPen that should receive approval […]
Many, if not all, of the human insulins sold in the United States come in “pen” applicators. These pens are a more discreet way of injecting oneself in a public location without drawing undue attention that a needle and syringe can bring. Humans, especially kids, often don’t want to stick out from the crowd as abnormal […]
Whenever I mention diets and diabetic pets I get a flood of emails from our readers. Duh! We’ve all been told we are what we eat. Sometimes I think it is easier for us to make wiser nutrition choices for ourselves than for our pets. It’s not rocket science that spinach is a healthier micro-nutrient choice […]
I got a lot of responses from my recent article on pet arthritis. Clearly I hit a chord! I received some questions and comments that I wish to share.
It’s not rocket science that we need to get up and move our bodies around. When we exercise we maintain muscle mass, burn calories, boost our serotonin levels and just downright feel better. Even our clothes fit better when we are in shape. Dogs and cats may not have “fat” pants and “skinny” pants, but you […]
A few years ago a client who I had never met brought me her cat for euthanasia. I was not the cat’s regular veterinarian. The cat had been diabetic, achieved remission for about a year then relapsed shortly before I met the owner. The owner felt she just was not willing nor emotionally able to go […]
This afternoon I met a lovely oaf of dog. She is a 2 year old mastiff. The new owner couldn’t have been more pleased with Fiona. Fiona is a gentle giant, the kind of dog you could snuggle with all day. According to the owner she had no health issues. She came for a routine check […]
Today’s article is for our cat lovers. There is no known benefit to restricting carbohydrates for diabetic dogs provided they are complex carbohydrates and fed primarily at mealtime (when the insulin is given). Diabetic cats are a different story. Many vets, including myself, have found low carbohydrate diets extremely successful for managing diabetic cats.