We have a Vizsla mix we rescued years ago. She's had her list of health problems and have invested a lot of money into her. Temperament wise- great around our kids, very calm, a loyal companion. Health wise- severe skin allergies, recurrent infection, severe dysplasia of both hips (can't run but does more of a hop, can go up stairs very slowly although the last few steps are a struggle), and now on top of all this diabetes. Here's the kicker- she's only 5 years old! We are starting her on insulin today, but the vet was honest and says this may be a costly endeavor given her history and can't guarantee any benefit in her quality of life. She did briefly mention the option of euthanizing our pup. My wife and I agree that we should give it a few months and see how well we can regulate her blood sugar and if there is any improvement in overall health. My other hesitation of letting her go is that my wife says she wouldn't want another dog for a few years. We have different opinions on that. Not quite sure why I wrote this thread. I suppose I just needed to clear my thoughts. Thanks for reading all.

I can honestly see, when given that kind of an ultimatum, why you would hesitate to let your buddy go in spite of it all. That being said, you need to forget that for a moment when considering the welfare of your dog. Do an honest quality of life assessment after a couple months and see where she is.

As an aside, why is your wife hesitant to get another dog? Finances, worry about another one with health problems, inconvenient stage in life, or something else? Dig down to the root of that feeling, and you may be able to address her concerns and work things out to where you can get another dog when you eventually need to let this one go.

We are hoping to have a third child in the next year or so. We already have two young children at home with whom she stays at home. I understand her concerns. She has a lot on her plate as a home maker and mother. Our youngest has just began walking, and she's quite the handful at the moment. I myself have long hours during the week, so although I would take a week or two of work off to initially train a new puppy, she would be the sole caretaker of the puppy on top of her other responsibilities.

As a side note, I just spent $160 on a single vial of insulin (Humilin N) that will last me just over a month. I was shocked when I approached the cash register. After speaking to others, I discovered that Walmart offers Novilin N for $26 per vial and you don't even need a prescription for it. Needless to say, that's what I'll be getting next month.

Those are very, very legitimate concerns, and I'm glad you have a relationship where that can be freely discussed. When the time is right, I recommend looking into possibly obtaining a retired show dog from a reputable breeder. Breeders occasionally have dogs that for one reason or another don't really fit into their breeding program, although they have shown some or even finished their championships. These dogs are usually 2-3 years old, so well out of the puppy stage, yet come trained and heavily socialized. Often, good breeders will place these dogs for free or at greatly reduced cost if they find a prospective home that they really like. You get all the benefits of a reputable breeder and a trained dog without the downsides of dealing with the obnoxious puppy stage or having to train a dog from scratch. It's the best of both worlds.

Good luck to you, and I wish you and your pup the best.

Diabetes alone is an expensive and timely endeavor to take on as an owner; the other concerns are just additional issues and the hip issues could certainly be a huge problem down the road.  At this point know that people should not judge you on your decision.  As a vet, i've seen several animals euthanized at the time of diagnosing diabetes, its tough and expensive.  It's also not a quick fix in regards to monitoring glucose, dosing accordingly, and hoping you end up with a dog that rebounds from initial diagnosis.    One question i have is, is your rescued dog truly 5 years old?  I see countless rescues that are always significantly older than the shelter states and the primary reason for this is that its much easier to adopt an animal out if they fudge the age by a couple years.  Five years old is young for diabetes but regardless, it sounds like you certainly have other medical issues you are or will be dealing with in the future.

Cschelk2 DVM

Thanks for the support. The only reason I know she is 5 years old is because we got her as a puppy. Since you're in veterinary medicine, I would like to pick your brain. The lab work showed elevated pancreatic enzymes. Additionally, she had bloodwork when she was about two years old that also showed elevated pancreatic enzymes. Can I assume the diabetes is caused by a chronic pancreatitis? If so, what might that be attributed to in dogs? I have a medical background but unfortunately that doesn't help me in the canine world. We told the vet we wanted conservative treatment, so going down the route of ultrasounds and biopsies wasn't discussed.

It's tough to say if the increased pancreatic enzymes are directly related to the diagnosis of diabetes in this case; depending on the elevation and the animal, those values may not be significant.  Def. interesting to hear she is 5 years old, i almost assume MOST rescues are older than the owner thinks.  best wishes, if you have specific questions you can e-mail me through the sight. thanks

We ended up putting our girl down last night. She was not responsive to the insulin as they had hoped. Blood sugars were still in the 400s despite high doses of her insulin shots. She just wasn't the same dog she was was 6 months ago. Vomiting, difficulty walking up stairs, growling at our kids, failing vision. I wish no one has to deal with that on such a young dog.

As my wife stated, she's opposed to another dog (probably too soon, but I asked when I got home from work today). It really hit me when no one came running to the door to see me. Life goes on I guess.

Sounds like you did the right thing.

No good would come of prolonging the suffering.

Sorry for your loss as a dog owner, I know.  

I don't think I could do a dogless house.  I've had dogs around me pretty much my whole life, and the times I didn't, something was missing.

I'm so sorry. I'm with fl556guy in that having a dog less house simply isn't conceivable for me, and I am fortunate that my husband understands that.

I hope the right dog finds you in time.