Medicine and home cooking used as treatments for canine
diabetes
When Jade Truskowski’s family took her to the doctor for a check
up last summer for breast cancer, they discovered that she also had
diabetes. Jade had already had a tumor removed in April 2006 and
the double diagnosis came as a shock to her family.
But Jade isn’t an ordinary patient. Jade is a 10-year old black
Labrador retriever mix owned by Lisa and Rob Truskowski.
Medicine and home cooking used as treatments for canine diabetes
When Jade Truskowski’s family took her to the doctor for a check up last summer for breast cancer, they discovered that she also had diabetes. Jade had already had a tumor removed in April 2006 and the double diagnosis came as a shock to her family.
But Jade isn’t an ordinary patient. Jade is a 10-year old black Labrador retriever mix owned by Lisa and Rob Truskowski.
Like other female dogs that are not spayed early in life, Jade was more susceptible to breast cancer, according to her veterinarian Victoria Brovont.
In summer 2006, the Truskowski’s took Jade in to have the tumor removed and to have her spayed. Soon after these operations, Lisa and Rob discovered several more tumors in Jade’s breast area, Lisa said.
Before doctors could operate on Jade’s tumors, her family now had the challenge of getting her diabetes under control. Jade already lost her vision due to the diabetes, a side effect that has caused her once shiny brown eyes to turn cloudy.
With a combination of medical treatment and home care, Lisa and Rob have started to control their dog’s diabetes.
“Diabetes is fairly common in dogs,” Brovont said.
About one in one thousand dogs will develop it in their lifetime, according to Brovont. As in humans, there are two different diabetes types, she said.
Many dogs, including Jade, develop Type 1 diabetes, which is not usually linked to being overweight. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented by keeping dogs at a healthy weight, Brovont said.
“This illness [diabetes] has really made me closer to Jade,” Lisa said.
During her dog’s illness, Lisa has had to feed her up to five times a day when the dog was at its lowest weight.
“I had to watch all the water she had to drink – every time she went to pee,” she said. “Animals can’t tell you when they are sick or hurt. They suffer in silence.”
At first Lisa didn’t know anything was wrong with her dog.
“She would just lose control [of her bladder],” she said. “Jade was drinking lots of water, panting a lot and accidentally peeing inside.”
After Jade was diagnosed, the fluffy black dog refused to eat many of the diabetic dog foods offered to her by her human companions.
“Jade didn’t like diabetic dog food and didn’t eat,” she said. “The vet begged us to get her to eat.”
Jade’s life was at stake.
“When we started cooking her food, it all turned around,” Lisa said.
Sherie Menzie, Lisa’s friend and a dog groomer, recommended recipes using human food.
“My information came from literature that I received over the years in business,” Menzie said.
Eventually the family found a healthy balance that suited both Jade and the other family dog – an 8-year-old German shepherd and whippet mix named Copper.
For breakfast, four eggs and three cups of brown rice are cooked with salt, pepper and garlic, and split between the two dogs. Chicken cooked in olive oil with vegetables such as peas, carrots or green beans is offered for dinner. They mix up the vegetables for the dogs for variety, Lisa said.
Despite the diet, Jade still needs injections of Vetsulin – insulin modified for dogs – twice daily. Lisa and Rob take turns giving the medication.
Copper has also changed her behavior around Jade. When Jade had weaker muscles, Copper played more gently with her, according to Lisa.
When she went blind, Copper realized [Jade] could no longer find her toys.
“She’ll pick one up and take it to her,” Lisa said. “I’ve seen her do it a few times.”
After several months of working with Jade, her owners received good news on a recent vet visit.
“The vet came out with a small tear and smile on her face,” Lisa said. “She told me we finally had the diabetes under control.”
With the diabetes under control, Jade will soon be able to have surgery for the breast cancer tumors.
