Newly diagnosed diabetic dog needs support to stay in his home

[k9diabetes]

I've contacted this person to see if we can work out a way for them to keep him. But in the interim, I wanted to post this here in case anyone is interested in providing more direct help.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/pet/2269210750.html (http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/pet/2269210750.html)




Timmy - Newly diagnosed diabetic dog needs a good home

I'm very sad to have to do this but our dog Timmy who is an 8 year old Shepard mix rescued from the pound, was just diagnosed with Diabetes and we are unable to financially support him. He got his rabies shot today. He is VERY sweet and good with kids, dogs and cats. He needs to be on insulin, he currently is not.

My family is devastated about this but we need to do what's best for Timmy and we can't financially help him. I don't want to take him to the pound because he has a treatable disease and I don't want him to get euthanized.

Please email me if you would like to adopt Timmy or have any advice of where I can take him.

[lulusmom]

Natalie, I can't remember what I paid for Lucy's insulin but it wasn't that much. I'd be happy to help with the insulin for this boy.

[k9diabetes]

Thanks Glynda!

I've emailed them and told them I'd work with them to keep Timmy, that he can be managed inexpensively, and that I could probably rustle up some donations. We will see whether they are interested in trying to keep him.

You will see an email from me too - wondered if you had any rescue connections in the Atlanta area.

I can think of a few members, too, who have recently lost diabetic dogs and have supplies they would be happy to donate.

If I could get them home testing and buying all their supplies at Walmart, it is not terribly expensive. May be the vet testing that's really driving the money worry.

Natalie

[labblab]

I'll send a PM to Sue to alert her to check out this thread. She's had contact with at least a couple of rescue groups in the north metro Atlanta area in conjunction with adopting Cooky.

Marianne

[lulusmom]

Good idea, Marianne. Sue is a much better source than I for GA rescues.

[k9diabetes]

I heard from Timmy's mom by email this morning. The vet told her the insulin would cost $88 a bottle and he'd need two bottles a month... :mad: So I gave her the basics of costs at Walmart ($25 per bottle) and told her I knew a couple of people willing to donate to help keep Timmy in his home.

Am hoping to hear back from her today about whether she is willing to go out and get some insulin at Walmart, which should allow the vet to get him started on it plus educate the vet about better options cost-wise. I also told her I could give her the information she needs as far as dosing and help her learn to test blood glucose at home. She mainly needs the vet to show her how to do injections.

She expressed a willingness to test him at home so I'm hoping we can get her set up so they can keep him with them.

Natalie

[lulusmom]

I am keeping my fingers crossed that this pet owner will do the right thing and take you up on your generous offer. You can count on me to help out.

[k9diabetes]

Great news! I just talked to Timmy's mom on the phone. In a former life, she was a vet tech, so giving injections is no problem. She is thrilled to be able to keep Timmy with some financial and information support. Her words were that the vet didn't offer her any options - pay $600 plus to get Timmy regulated or a death sentence. :mad:

She is going to try to get some Relion N at Walmart today. Most Walmarts don't ask for a prescription so I'm hoping she's lucky enough to have one of those.

I have her address and am going to send her some money to cover the cost of the first month of insulin. I can forward her address and email address to you Glynda if you want to correspond with her directly.

I've got lots of folks who can donate meters. Once we coordinate which one will be sent to her, I can work on test strips.

THANK YOU Glynda! :)

Natalie

[lulusmom]

Yes, Natalie, please send me her email and address. I am sure you you suggested that she join k9diabetes, yes?

[k9diabetes]

Yes, I hope she will join the forum but I also gave her a link to Intervet's Manual for a fast, one-stop overall read about how to manage diabetes. I'm hoping that she can bring a vet - maybe not this one but one - on board in the near future.

She was able to get a bottle of NPH, some syringes, and ketodiastix today and I gave her a starting dose, along with a diagram of where to inject.

Timmy weighs 76 pounds so I suggested a fairly conservative 13 units per injection.

I've sent her enough money to buy a couple of bottles of insulin and a whole box of syringes from Walmart. I have several folks who have meters to donate so it's just a matter of getting them to her and then another person has offered to buy some test strips for the meter.

He is likely to eventually need somewhere around 20-25 units of insulin per injection so he would go through a bottle of NPH in 20-25 days.

So after the first month, test strips and insulin will be the main need.

I will email you her information Glynda. Thank you!!

I also have to thank Sue in Georgia who is part of a German Shephard rescue effort. Sue stumbled on Timmy's Craigslist ad while looking for German Shepards in need of rescue and sent the link to me. So she was the catalyst for all of the good news that followed.

Natalie