It's Still Happening!!

It is still happening, and it’s heartbreaking and frustrating. Vets telling dog owners, when their dog is diagnosed with Diabetes that they should just put the dog down. I heard this week from my girlfriend Tracie, who has a friend Linda, in Mt. Jackson, Va. She has a 16 year old Dachshund that has Cushing’s disease. Linda took him to the vet this week and when they checked his blood he was at 700! Ketoacidosis had set in, and the vet actually became angry with her that she hadn’t put her pup down. Angry to the point of claiming she was abusive for wanting to keep her dog alive! Not only is the idea of euthanizing a dog because of a diagnosis of diabetes absurd, it is completely unnecessary. Going further, yet another veterinarian offered little explanation as to what to expect with insulin injections and any difficulty there may be in getting him regulated. As more and more dogs are being diagnosed with diabetes one would think that all veterinarians would be more knowledgeable as to what the options are and the treatments available – such as the different choices in insulin; in the very least, more compassionate on the human side of the diagnosis and not immediately recommending euthanasia.

I will never be able to forget the day that Ella was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It was heartbreaking to hear the vet tell me that most dog owners will just have their dog euthanized once they get the diagnosis. The reason, he told me, was that the dog will not have much of a life, and all of the added expenses that come with a diabetic dog. The additional visits, the costs of insulin and needles, the special food and treats all add up.

That is when I began my own journey of trying to find food and treats that were safe for Ella. I spent months searching and trying a variety of treats before I became so frustrated that I decided to figure out my own recipe. Ella’s treats have now been sold in every state, 7 countries, and 2 continents. My team and I have baked close to 2 tons of treats that have been shipped world-wide. The best part? No dog has become sick, or had a negative reaction to the treats.

My hope is that more vets will become aware of DogaBetix and that owners will know that they do have options other than putting their beloved pup down when they are diagnosed with Diabetes.