Is diabetes genetic? Goodbye, FurFriend, and good co owner (Long)
Our sweet girl Dakota Rose was just put down. We placed her on co-own last year. Would have loved to have kept her around but her weakness was she couldn't tolerate other dogs in her face, this became worse with age. So after 6 months of interviewing families, we placed her on co-own.
She got us into conformation showing and earned our first CD and RN title. Last CD leg she placed 3rd under the well known, well liked Chuck Bush. While showing her in 4-H one day, a leader came up and asked if we tried conformation with her. She with my daughter earned several 2nd place ribbons in Juniors.
A few hours ago, co-owner with his gentle southern politeness and manners (we are in the North) phoned saying she was vomiting over the weekend, brought to vet. They treated with phenergan and antibiotic and IV's for rehydration while they awaited bloodwork. Not sure how else they treated her at that time, but she came home on Monday. Vet had sent in more extensive bloodwork elsewhere. Today, she stopped drinking, whites of eyes yellow. Blood sugar of 705 today, N 129, CREAT too high to register, Amylase 258m Billirubin 10.5 Vet feels it's complications due to diabetes, total system failure. I agreed to put her down.
Co owner was out of his home town, wife at work, their daughter skipped her college class to hold Dakota's paw and be at her side. Co owner's voice was husky and sad. They loved her so as we did. She slept on his bed, he usually took her when he traveled until his wife became too attached, so she had to stay home.
She has a service pup in Wisconsin who wakes up her girl if needed when her hearing aid is out, a service boy in Ohio who alerts parents when a feeding pump is beeping and endlesslly fetches balls for his little boy, a service pup for the Red Cross in Holland, Michigan, a service pup for a legless girl in Ada, Mi, and a diabetic service pup in California.
Currently her daughter is sleeping by my feet and her grand babies running in a pen in my mudroom. Inspite of her not liking others in her face, she never produced a temperament issue.
We are glad she was loved so much but wish we could have petted that dear head one last time.
Re: Is diabetes genetic? Goodbye, FurFriend, and good co owner (Long)
I'm so sorry for your loss and that you were not able to be with her when she passed. Dakota Rose -- such a beautiful name. Think of her at the Bridge, fully restored and running with the wind.
Re: Is diabetes genetic? Goodbye, FurFriend, and good co owner (Long)
Sorry to read your story. I have wondered also. I had a dog I co-owned confirmed about four years ago, he was about 7 at the time. Luckily the co-owners caught it and able to keep it in check. We neutered him, he had never been used so I felt that was a blessing. I had a puppy buyer contact me earlier this week, they lost the full aunt when she was about 8 yrs. old. Sounds like it went unnoticed in the dog until she nose dived and never recovered. The male I neutered was the last of that particular arm of my program and after hearing about his aunt, I thought good thing I didn't continue this particular line. I have a full sister, now 13, to the girl that died and both her parents lived to almost 14 and 15. They seemed to die of other natural causes. Never heard from other littermates to the girl who died about issues but I do know of one other girl who is still hale, hearty and alive. I did ask a friend who is a vet tech, she said they see LOTS of diabetes today in all dogs-most are overweight, diets not ideal etc etc. Well in my case, I'm suspcious that there is/was a genetic aspect involved.
