stopping in to say hello

[amydunn19]

Re: stopping in to say hello

Dogs live their lives in the moment usually full throttle, seemingly with no regrets. I am sure your angels would want you to live the same way they did and not have any guilt or regret.

[sherryandfred]

Re: stopping in to say hello

I hope that day will come. It would give me so much peace to really know from the bottom of my heart that I did everything exactly the way Sparky would have wanted me to. I guess it just takes time.

cara it will come i am sure of it and you did do everything possible sparky knows that and the best gift we did give them is let them go and be in peace as hard as we want to believe that we did what they wanted us to do..we really felt that way after we looked back at pictures and video's even 6 months back and seen really how sick he looked..we didnt see it till we looked back and we knew right then we made the right choice..maybe you can do that and maybe be able to see it for your self?

[momofdecker]

Re: stopping in to say hello

god forbid my baby now gets it i would do it all over again..we loved them so much..but i am ok with him being gone now he is in a happy place playing and seeing all these wonderful babies that have pasted as well..i hope you are also getting into a better place about it..i miss him still but its ok now..he is free..and i do believe we for sure spoiled them..i have learned so much from fred and this site that with our new puppy i will be doing things alot different to make sure she stays healthy....

I love this Sherry!

At 11 months Toby has a thicker vet file than Kinser or Decker had by 8 years old. He is also better trained than Kinser or Decker ever were too. The vet file is thanks to what we learned (through folks on here) during Decker's journey. The training is probably a mix. He is very eager to please but our 'parenting' approach has certainly changed. I typically use cut up pieces of carrots to train him. Ran out and used bits of string cheese the other day. With string cheese as the reward, old man Kinser joined in the training fun. Dawned on me at that moment how food motivated (when it's the right food as Kinser will having nothing to do with veggies) Kinser really is and how easy he would have been to train as our first pup had we been more experienced.

Fred continues to be an inspiration as do you for those of us who have experienced losses.

[sherryandfred]

Re: stopping in to say hello

I love this Sherry!

At 11 months Toby has a thicker vet file than Kinser or Decker had by 8 years old. He is also better trained than Kinser or Decker ever were too. The vet file is thanks to what we learned (through folks on here) during Decker's journey. The training is probably a mix. He is very eager to please but our 'parenting' approach has certainly changed. I typically use cut up pieces of carrots to train him. Ran out and used bits of string cheese the other day. With string cheese as the reward, old
man Kinser joined in the training fun. Dawned on me at that moment how food motivated (when it's the right food as Kinser will having nothing to do with veggies) Kinser really is and how easy he would have been to train as our first pup had we been more experienced.

Fred continues to be an inspiration as do you for those of us who have experienced losses.

thank you..we bought these things called a trail mix its very small treats that are like little bone shaped treats but they are tiny and thats what we will use with abby now..no big treats and NO table food..fred ate a lot of cheese and what ever else we may had been eating that day..its those dam eyes that get to you and you feel bad..we are staying strong this time around..abby is all about food she will eat till she pops..lol
my mother in law felt bad the other day and gave her cheese.i am like please dont do that again we dont and will not feed her table food..she seems to think a little here and there is ok..but not for me its not..i want her to have the best chance of being healthy..we all know how fast beagles can put weight on..lol
we do tend to learn alot from what we do the first time thats for sure...keep up the good work with yours...and we also learned alot from this site..i was so thankful for finding this place and still able to say hello even though i dont need be here..we are all family no matter what and thats great...

[Cara Sandler]

Re: stopping in to say hello

cara it will come i am sure of it and you did do everything possible sparky knows that and the best gift we did give them is let them go and be in peace as hard as we want to believe that we did what they wanted us to do..we really felt that way after we looked back at pictures and video's even 6 months back and seen really how sick he looked..we didnt see it till we looked back and we knew right then we made the right choice..maybe you can do that and maybe be able to see it for your self?

I just looked back at a picture taken of Sparky when he was hospitalized, and he did look so thin and so sick. And I remember how swollen his little belly was while he was hospitalized. He did still have a smile on his face though, despite being so sick. My friends always said that he always looked happy. But I also remember, in the hospital towards the end, he would just lie down facing away from me. The vet said that when they do that, they have usually given up, and that was one of the things that made me decide to let him go. While it was one of the most painful decisions I have ever made, I guess it actually wasn't all that difficult to make. I knew that he had had enough and needed to be set free. I'm still crying buckets every day though. It is just so unfair that our best friends and innocent little angels have to go through something like that.

[Geoff]

Re: stopping in to say hello

Ahh Cara, I know we both did the right thing. Looking back at Bailey, he was very ill. Sure, he wagged his tail at me, my boy was ALWAYS happy he is such an angel. But I am not sure wagging his tail is a good indicator of his overall health! Bailey loved me to pieces that is for certain and he would do anything for me. I knew it was time. Its almost been a month and I still talk to him everyday. I'll miss him till the day I die.

And Sherry, I agree too on the new puppy (next year for us) it will be good to have that experience. I often wonder, as I was a total shocker, that giving Bailey cheese, chicken, popcorn, chips (not all at once mind you!!) but if we were watching a movie I would slip him a few bits of popcorn which he loved, but I wonder if that all led to early diabetes? It is hard, dogs eyes are piercing and he would always sit so nicely when begging for food!! Daddy is a sucker lol

But I hope to feed a better diet and do things differently with our next pup.

[Cara Sandler]

Re: stopping in to say hello

I doubt that anything you did caused the diabetes. There's a very strong genetic component. It would have happened regardless of what you did.

And yes, I will miss Sparky until the day we meet again too.

And you know, I was always dead set against buying a puppy, with all the homeless dogs out there. But I can certainly see the attraction of knowing a puppy's medical and family history when it is purchased from a reputable breeder. I don't know what I'll do next time, but I will definitely never again sit in judgement of anyone buying a puppy to make sure there isn't anything like diabetes in their family history. Don't get me wrong - I would definitely adopt Sparky all over again, even if I had known what was coming. But I can understand why someone wouldn't want to take that chance.

[Geoff]

Re: stopping in to say hello

Bailey was dealt a crappy hand from the start,. He "got" epilepsy from around 2 years old so he was on meds for years and years. Then pancreantitus, then diabetes. I know I didn't cause it but I probably could of fed him better quality food and cut down on the cheese etc! He used to bark at my wife during lunchtime when she was making lunch for my daughter and that was when she was slicing cheese! So she flicked him a slice! The bark was "where's my cheese!!" cheeky dog lol

But next dog will be from a respected breeder, Bailey was too, from Melbourne but his parents must of had issues surely? In any case we plan on a cocker-spaniel, Bailey was 1/2 cocker 1/2 poodle and cockers are so cute, my wife loves them too. This breeder (most good ones) screen for PRN and some other common cocker ailments so that is good to know. I mean Bailey was fine all his life but still, a lot of drugs early on. And I would, without hesitation, do it all again for my boy in a heartbeat! He was adorable, like all our friends. But I really feel he was dealt a bad hand, but luckily, we found each other...

I hear you about rescue dog, I would love for the kids to have the experience of a puppy plus you at least know the parents. This time I will drive myself to pick up the puppy so we can meet the parents, which I would love anyhow. I always wish I met Bailey's parents but Melbourne is an 8 hour drive from here, my Mum and Dad brought him back for me after a jazz convention! I know he has a brother who was black but Mum chose (correctly) with Bailey!

[Cara Sandler]

Re: stopping in to say hello

I know I didn't cause it but I probably could of fed him better quality food and cut down on the cheese etc! He used to bark at my wife during lunchtime when she was making lunch for my daughter and that was when she was slicing cheese! So she flicked him a slice! The bark was "where's my cheese!!" cheeky dog lol

Don't forget, also, that we have to allow them to be dogs. I think it was perfectly reasonable to give him some cheese. Life without treats would have been very dull for Bailey! Sounds like he loved his cheese!

[amydunn19]

Re: stopping in to say hello

I think that a majority of the time, diabetes is the result of some of the medications these vets prescribe - Maggie took steroids for years for her allergies. I think some of the vets like to deflect that blame to make us believe it was something we did or didn't do. Maggie's original vet would adamantly deny that steroids have any connection but I think that now, people are more educated and have connected the dots. Her current vet has told me many times that he believes there is a strong connection between those medicines and diabetes.

I have always rescued my dogs but I wonder what it would be like to have a dog that wasn't emotionally scarred from abuse they suffered from other people. Having a pet boutique, I see some of the cutest puppies every day and it is hard not to want one perfect pup. I have seen people pay thousands for a pup, feed it the best food and do everything right by the book and still things happen - luck of the draw.

My dog, Mya, came from a puppy mill - does these things exist where you live, Geoff? They are horrible places - Female dogs like Mya are made to have litters and litters of pups and they live in terrible conditions with barely enough food/medical attention to survive. Lucky for her, she had a hernia at 4 years old and had lost all of her last litter so they surrendered her to the rescue rather than dispose of her. The problem here in Arkansas where I live is that they are all over the place so you never know if the precious pup you are buying is coming from one. But, there are some good breeders, too. It just takes research.

[Geoff]

Re: stopping in to say hello

Yeah I know they are dogs too and you know, when the time comes I have a piece of cheese or chicken or something and old sad eyes looks up at me I will cave in a split second ha-ha. But I think I could feed better quality non-supermarket food. Something like grain-free holistic blah blah or something! Supermarket food (at least over here) is made by human food companies (like Mars, who make mars bars etc)

[Cara Sandler]

Re: stopping in to say hello

I think that a majority of the time, diabetes is the result of some of the medications these vets prescribe - Maggie took steroids for years for her allergies. I think some of the vets like to deflect that blame to make us believe it was something we did or didn't do. Maggie's original vet would adamantly deny that steroids have any connection but I think that now, people are more educated and have connected the dots. Her current vet has told me many times that he believes there is a strong connection between those medicines and diabetes.

I definitely agree about steroids causing diabetes as well - in humans as well as dogs.

[Geoff]

Re: stopping in to say hello

Amy, goodness, yes we have those. Usually in someones backyard I suppose. I spoke to the Canberra Cocker Spaniel society who put me in touch with reputable breeders and I was warned off from puppy-farm breeders. Yes, that is dreadful, 100%. It's probably not as common as it once was but I guess if you look you will find. And yes, as for meds and other side effects, tough call. I guess vets make the best decision at the time, sometimes not always right sadly. If they could only speak to us it would make things so much easier! (dogs, not vets lol)

I think K9diabetes is not as well understood as humans. By that I mean everyone who has human diabetes tests their own blood from the onset usually before every meal and after. I wish I had done this from the start, I think there was a chance I could of saved his sight. Anyhow 20/20 hindsight again! I think home testing should be offered from the start. I'm not silly though, I realise not everyone can do this or is comfortable doing this although with help I think it becomes second nature but I know Bailey was a superb patient and some dogs are not! I won't lie it took me months to perfect testing, at the start I was wasting 9/10 strips at the end 99% success rate. I had trouble with lancets, finding a spot, getting a shaver, I used to use my razor (different blade of course!) to shave the top of his tail. Anyhow....that is what this awesome site is for and without it I would of struggled further still.

Testing is just one element, then there is food and the environment etc. It is tough. I am sure the rain used to affect Bailey's readings.

[Geoff]

Re: stopping in to say hello

I had no idea that steroids could do this, goodness, not good.

I definitely agree about steroids causing diabetes as well - in humans as well as dogs.

[sherryandfred]

Re: stopping in to say hello

Ahh Cara, I know we both did the right thing. Looking back at Bailey, he was very ill. Sure, he wagged his tail at me, my boy was ALWAYS happy he is such an angel. But I am not sure wagging his tail is a good indicator of his overall health! Bailey loved me to pieces that is for certain and he would do anything for me. I knew it was time. Its almost been a month and I still talk to him everyday. I'll miss him till the day I die.

And Sherry, I agree too on the new puppy (next year for us) it will be good to have that experience. I often wonder, as I was a total shocker, that giving Bailey cheese, chicken, popcorn, chips (not all at once mind you!!) but if we were watching a movie I would slip him a few bits of popcorn which he loved, but I wonder if that all led to early diabetes? It is hard, dogs eyes are piercing and he would always sit so nicely when begging for food!! Daddy is a sucker lol

But I hope to feed a better diet and do things differently with our next pup.

its been three months for us and yes i still miss him very much but abby keeps us very busy and keeps our mind off of it..i knew when i got abby that we were going to loose fred within a few months later..i am selfish i got abby to soften the blow and it did really help the healing..she has been such a love able little girl..( not when she is eating my couch..lol ) we do feed her air popped popcorn she loves it but thats about it and in small servings..i do think US as a family helped with fred getting sick early on..but fred has his problems very early..his blindness was from birth that went first..then this diabetes then the hips..but i do think you will see when you get your new one you will do it differently..i even buy a grain free dog food for her..i read all the back of stuff before i give it to her..i am promising my self to do the best i can for her..we loved fred so much we gave him what ever he wanted..lol we have learned dogs will for sure beg for it all the time..and we will not give into that this time..so if she gets sick it will not be because we over fed her..she is 23 pounds and a year old and i can feel her ribs..yaaa