11 yr mini schnauzer with diabetes - is it her time?

by Diane
(Pittsburgh pa)

My 11 yr mini schnauzer Lucy has had diabetes about 2 yrs now She has been acting very strange at night.
We block off part of our room w cardboard so she does not have any accidents by wetting or bumping into things. Yes she is also blind.
However once in her crate for bed she awakens us through the night by scratching the cardboard constantly. Is she in pain or is this just part of old age?
She eventually stops after we have yelled or let her out or she just gets tired. During the day she sleeps a lot and her diabetes seems under control. Although I don't test it. We never get a good nights sleep anymore driving us crazy she still eats drinks sleeps and takes walks daily. Please help is it her time soon?
We spent a lot of money already on special food and insulin and don't believe in keeping her around if her quality if life is impaired.

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Jan 24, 2019
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diabetis
by: Linda

Our Nikkalus got really sick from the diabetis. He was 7 when we were told, just about too late. The vet suggested we put him down but we wanted to take him home if he was dying. She showed me how to use the needles and 10 cc of insulin. We took him home, bought him a steak and figured it may be his last meal. He was so happy to be home after 2 days and nites at the vets. I started cooking his own meals, even on our cross canada road trip. Put them in little packages. We kept track of his gluclose levels and stayed in contact with a vet. Nikky lasted for 5 more years on insulin. His last few days were really hard, he kind of let us know that it was his time to go. Still brings tears and that was 5yrs. ago. I now have another schnauzer, rescued from california, 5 yrs. ago. She now has diabetis. Broke my heart but we caught it early. She deserves to have a good life and that is what we will give her. I have 3 schnauzers, 2 rescues. Love them all.

Jun 06, 2014
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Your dog may just be scared
by: Betsy, Alpharetta, Ga

Diane,
I can imagine how scared your little dog must be.
Most dogs learn to cope with blindness, to a point. But, still it must be difficult and at times scary. And, to have diabetes as well makes it all more upsetting to the dog.
Yelling surely won't help the situation. I agree with some other posters. If you could figure out a way to have the dog nearer to you, it should help.

And, a trip to the vet might be worthwhile. When asked, vets can come up with some good suggestions. And, you might ask for further readings on dealing with diabetes in dogs. Or, further searches on the internet.

Hope you are able to find ways to deal with things and both your lives become less stressful.

Betsy,
Alpharetta GA

Jun 04, 2014
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checking insulin
by: Anonymous

You mentioned you don't check her blood. I do know having a vet do it can be expensive, but you can do it yourself at home. It needs to be checked, the levels can change a lot. Our diabetic schnauzer has had 6 units, 8.5 units and back down to 8. We do what is called a curve, using a home meter (Alpha Trac). We call the numbers into the vet and she advises the dose amount. She does not charge for this. I also recommend using Walmart for the insulin, that is where we get the insulin and the sharps. Even at Walmart lower prices it can get expensive over time, but we rarely go out to eat and use the money to care for our precious 12 year old baby.

Feb 24, 2014
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My heart feels for yours ...
by: Susan

Wow. We went through this with our schnauzer Heidi she passed a couple yrs ago when she was 11 yrs old. Bless your heart i know how tough it is dealing with the diabetes and the blindness. I think we took it all worse than she did she was such a little trooper. Sure miss her. Sounds like you are doing everything you can to care for your baby. Just a suggestion for you, we found out through our vet that Walmart makes a much more affordable insulin then our vet sold it really helped us as she was on 2 shots a day of a high dose.

Apr 04, 2013
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Glad Lucy is doing better
by: Michele

Dianne it is lovely to read that Lucy is doing
much better and that you are keeping us informed
Just keep loving her and keeping her close
also that applies to her bedtime too. As if she
Is with you and can feel your presence, she
will sleep better .. And as you say she is doing just
that.. Give her a big hug.. Three times from
My Rambo, Rebel & BENJI ..

Apr 04, 2013
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DIANE
by: Anonymous

HELLO DIANE:
HAPPY TO HEAR THAT LUCY IS DOING BETTER FOR YOU, LOSING A FRIEND IS NOT THAT EASY SO I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL, I NEVER HAD A SCHNAUZER BEFORE ZACK WAS OUR FIRST, THEY HAVE ABILITIES THAT I NEVER KNEW BEFORE AND THEY CAN REALLY GROW ON YOU AS OURS DID,THEY COME UP WITH THE CUTEST THINGS SOMETIMES AND SO LOVEABLE, AND THEY ARE SO CUTE. THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US UP TO DATE
PLEASE GIVE HER A BIG HUG FOR ME. JOANN

Apr 02, 2013
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Continued update
by: Anonymous

Continued thanks to all. Lucy has been doing ok even better sleeping thru the night... I feel like a new parent!! Except I am not that young!! She definite has her routine. As far as getting another dog to be her eyes for her, Lucy prob would not stand for that. She is not a social dog w people or other dogs. Plus we don't want the commitment at this point in our lives. I know when she dies I will miss her lots but I also know my burden of caring for her will be relieved. I can't believe she is still with us as I thought diabetes would have taken her sooner. She seems content and while I don't check her sugar I know when it goes higher with the drinking water. Even though she sleeps a lot she still has a little spunk here and there. All we really want is for her to be free of pain. I love schnauzers as I grew up w them so when we got her I had to talk my family into it. They know now it was the right choice as this type of dog seems to have such character!

N
OTE FROM LINDA AND MAX:
Thank you for the update, glad she is doing well.

Apr 01, 2013
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diane
by: joann

hi diane:
thank you for the answer back, just keep her close that is her way of wanting the special love and attention from all of you nothing wrong with that,it is very hard to say when you will notice when it"s their time, with ours it happened real quick we didn"t even know except he was experienceing pain and that is when i knew that something was wrong, it tore me apart and then thats when i had to take full action,seeing a happy go lucky puppy go down hill to a not so happy and energetic puppy, sorry to say there wasn"t anything else i could do, his sugar level i was told was extremely high. i wish that i could give you more answers that would help you but i can"t only what i experienced, zach also drank alot of water, i mean a lot, so watch for that, that is one of the experiences we had besides throwing up. please keep in touch and let us know whats going on with lucy, we do care and love and blessings to the both of you.ours didn"t make it, but yours can, keep praying and i will also for her. love joann (KEEP THE FAITH DIANE).

Apr 01, 2013
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She'll be OK
by: Michele

From your post I can see you adore her.. but with her nudging your hand she is making sure you are there.. Would you think about getting another Schnauzer for Lucy, so the new one can be her eyes, and help her around, as a friend of mine did this and the two of them were inseparable the Blind Schnauzer followed the new Schnauzer everywhere, and that way she was not totally dependent on her owners..
Unfortunately with Diabetes comes blindness.. Just please take her to your vet, stay with her, and let him give her a blood test for her Liver and Kidney.. making sure there is nothing wrong in that department, giving you Peace of Mind, too..
Please keep us posted..with Lucy..

Mar 31, 2013
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Update on Lucy
by: Diane

Thanks for the comments. Actually she has been pretty good since I wrote that. I must say she does like to be near us as she seems to always nudge our hands when we r on the couch.
Lucy has never been a lap dog :( and does not like to be picked up but just our hand petting her helps. I have been told that u know when it is time u will know.
It is just hard to see her decline with the blindness in the past few months. We would never let her suffer. As much as she is sometimes a burden we still love her and after all she is family and has given us plenty of joy.

Mar 29, 2013
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diane
by: joann

diane, this is joann, and yes you should get her checked, ours had diabetis and it was sky high and we didn"t even know about it because there was no records. your lucky to have yours at 11 yrs old ours passed on 6 yrs old from that, it wouldnt hurt to check just to be on the safe side,she maybe telling you something in her own language that something is wrong or going wrong, i know you don"t mean to hollar at her but that is no way of getting an answer of whats going on after all she can't help it and she's only trying to communicate with you in the only way she knows how.
i know it's hard and tough believe you me i've gone through it. so please let us know how she's doing and what you find out others would like to know just as well besides me.
blessings to the both of you and we do care. as you can tell i love animals and i miss mine dearly. love joann

Mar 27, 2013
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Don't yell at her...
by: Michele

Ok she has diabetes, but has had it for 2 years & she is blind, but she can cope...as her senses take over.. Try putting her crate by the side of your bed and put plastic sheeting and newspaper down in front of her crate. Don't shut her in her crate..
Being blind she probably only wants to be with you and hear your voice.. DON'T YELL at her .. this will upset her, because she cannot see you.. If she is eating, drinking and enjoying her walks.. it is NOT time for her to go.. She will tell you when she has had enough as she will go off her food .. she will also not want to go for daily walks..
She sleeps during the day because her nights are disturbed. Seems to me she still has her quality of life.. and 11 is not old..

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