Benji is an sweet, happy and energetic 7 1/2 year old Cock-a-poo who loves coming to see us. Benji has had several medical problems which his dedicated and caring owner has seen him through.
Most recently, Benji was diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is a disease of the pancreas. This is a small but vital organ located near the stomach which produces the enzymes necessary for proper digestion and the hormone insulin. Insulin regulates the level of glucose in the bloodstream and controls the delivery of glucose to the tissues of the body. In simple terms, diabetes mellitus is caused by the failure of the pancreas to regulate blood sugar.
The clinical signs seen in diabetes mellitus are related to the elevated concentrations of blood glucose and the inability of the body to use glucose as an energy source. The four main symptoms of uncomplicated diabetes mellitus are increased thirst, increased urination, weight loss and increased appetite. Dogs with diabetes mellitus require one or more daily insulin injections, and almost all require some sort of dietary change. Once the diabetes mellitus is properly regulated, the dog’s prognosis is good as long as treatment and monitoring are consistent. Most dogs with controlled diabetes live a good quality of life with few symptoms of disease.
Despite this challenging disease, Benji’s owner dedicated herself to treating Benji, learning how to give the injections, monitoring the urine glucose, and keeping daily journals of his progress.
Benji is lucky to have his owner, who provides him with the luxuries of life, like going to doggy day care to visit his pals, and most recently, a lovely new vibrating bed (how many pets have that?!). Benji is one pampered pooch!
