So you think your dog may be diabetic, and you're afraid of needles . . .

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It occurs to me that I haven't mentioned what led me to start this blog. A veterinary technician in the animal emergency room suggested it when she was taking Tony's medical history. According to her, many people in this situation give up quickly, if not right off the bat. I have to believe that she wasn't making it up, but I find it very hard to believe that there are a lot of people who would have their best friend put down (or take some other option) just because they didn't want to deal with his or her diabetes. If you've recently learned that your dog is diabetic, you need to know that -- with some planning and thought -- you can manage your dog's care. It may not always be easy, but it's not necessarily the disaster it seems to be at first.

I'd be willing to bet that the one thing that people feel is overwhelmingly difficult is the idea of giving their dog injections: they don't want to cause their pal (or their baby, or however they see the relationship) any pain, they're afraid of the potential for accidents in giving shots, or they're afraid of needles in general. I'm going to take these in a different order than I just listed them, because what I was most worried about, and still am to some degree, is the second, the possibility of screwing up. I am cursed with a vivid imagination, and I thought of a number of ways in which I could do it badly and make matters worse. I remain worried about Tony doing one of those full-body wiggling escape attempts while he's getting his shot, because I have this horrible vision of the needle breaking off the syringe, even though I KNOW that it is unlikely in the extreme. He has tried to get away on occasion, but after a lot of experience with syringes, I can tell you that what is most likely to happen is that the needle will simply come out. They are pretty short (although not quite as short as the one for humans in the picture above) and very flexible. At the worst, the needle might bend, but that has never happened to me so far. After you've been doing it for a while, you'll find that you worry a lot less about accidents than you did at first.

What about the fear of causing pain? This is a legitimate fear, but as you get a routine going you'll find that it becomes less and less of a worry. The needles are so thin that the dog barely feels it -- really. Tony doesn't even react most of the time now, and I'd know if he did, since I'm holding him tightly while it's happening. Even his breathing doesn't change, as a rule. From that you can guess that I'm not the one giving him his shot. I'm lucky in that regard. I live with my mother (a sort of reciprocal-disability-caregiver situation), who is a retired registered nurse, and she gives a helluva good shot. I give shots only when she can't, because we've found that Tony likes it better when I'm holding and she's shooting. In many cases, if not most, you will need to have someone hold the dog while you give the shot, at least until the dog is used to it, but possibly forever, since there is often a need for reassurance on the dog's part. The main advice that I can give about reducing the chance of causing pain is to spend a little time before the shot running your hands over the spot where you will be injecting to see if there is any swelling or tenderness. The only times Tony has shown pain are those times when I forgot to check. It may be easier for one person to hold and shoot if the dog is bigger than my little Pom. My brother generally held onto his Labrador and gave him his shots without much trouble. Of course, my brother has a great deal of experience with animals, which helps, but it also seems as though the bigger dogs feel it less than the little ones. There's a good discussion of painful shots at http://www.petdiabetes.com/painful.htm and some good ideas, too.

And that brings me to the fear of needles. I have a lot of phobias, but not this one, so I can sympathize even if I can't share your pain over this. As with anything else, you'll probably find that you actually can do something if you have to do it to save a life (and that's exactly what I'm talking about), but there are ways to make it easier on yourself if that's what you need to do. Get somebody to help you, if you can. You can hold the dog, but keep in mind that he or she will feel your fear and tension. I don't want to sound all metaphysical, but you need to take a few deep breaths and clear your mind of thoughts that have any anxiety attached to them. Try it. With a little practice, it works.

Finally, if after you've made a serious effort over a period of several months and you really can't do this, find someone who can. Your vet may know of somebody who would be willing to take your dog. If I could afford to take on the cost of another diabetic dog, I certainly would do so if the alternative was the dog being put down. I'd prefer not to make a big emotional appeal here, but we all need to remember that when we get a dog we are making a commitment that can't be ignored when the going gets tough. Your dogs trust you to care for them. How can you let them down?