In fact, Ruby is a fixture at Westridge Animal Hospital ever since Beth discovered she had diabetes. She stays with Beth so that Beth can administer her twice daily injections.
“I never thought I would have a diabetic dog,” Beth says. “I’ve helped with treatment for diabetic dogs and cats, but never realized I would have one. It is hard for owners who don’t have someone at home during the day because diabetic animals need shots, and at first, they could have some side effects until you get right dosage.”
Ruby used to stay during the day with Beth’s mom, Charline Grimes, and one day Charline mentioned that Ruby looked like she was losing weight. Beth realized that though she hadn’t reduced Ruby’s food, she was getting skinnier and drinking a lot more water. The realization hit Beth that these were often the first signs of diabetes, so she brought Ruby to the clinic to get tested. Sure enough, Ruby’s glucose levels were extremely high. It took a few months, but eventually, they got Ruby regulated with the help of twice daily injections. However, just a few short months later, Ruby developed cataracts and lost her vision. “Ruby lost her vision really quickly and didn’t have time to adjust,” Beth says. “She had trouble getting around and would just sit in a corner. I couldn’t stand that. It was an expensive surgery, but I wanted to get her lenses replaced completely to remove the cataracts. I started selling things around the house and put together a fundraiser and a garage sale to raise extra money. But, it was all worth it when I came to pick her up and she came around the corner and saw me.” Many owners aren’t aware of the signs of a diabetic animal or that diabetes can affect both cats and dogs. “We are seeing more and more diabetic cases,” Beth says. “It’s honestly the same as it is with people. Except, animals don’t realize how bad things are. People think the worst when they hear bad news. Dogs and cats just need an owner who cares about them. Owners should look for weight loss, excessive thirst and excessive urination as signs of possible diabetes. However, we do a glucose test as part of our annual blood work, so hopefully we can catch it then.”
Yes. We Cater.
One day, one of Beth’s church friends, Janet Hutchison, mentioned that she was helping with a local camp for children with Diabetes called K.I.D.S. Day Camp. Janet is one of the camp nurses. “I said, if you ever need anything, let me know, and she thought it might be a cool idea to introduce the kids to Ruby,” Beth says. “So, we set up a date and time for her to visit with each age group at the camp.” K.I.D.S. Day Camp is a summer camp for children ages 6 to 18 with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes held at Camp Preston Hunt. The camp is offered free of charge through the help of donors in the community and the support of the Kiwanis Club of Texarkana. The
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ALT Magazine
December 2013