What could be sweeter then a diabetic pet?
A Canine with Diabetes Mellitus.
  
Gretchen
9/28/1996-5/8/2006
My husband and I got Gretchen at an auction. There was a litter of
nine puppies in
a box with a sign that said "free puppies," I took her from the box
and she crawled
all over my husband throughout the entire auction. When we were ready
to leave I
asked him if we were going to take Gretchen home with us and he replied"
I guess if you named the dam thing we're going to have to."
As if he would have left without her!
At the time she came to live with us she was five weeks old.
We were told her mother was a black lab and her father was BIG. After
showing
her to several Newfoundland breeders we are sure her father was a Newfoundland.
She was often mistaken for a Newfoundland puppy, until she started
to turn grey
at about age three.
When Gretchen was about nine months old we noticed she played for very
short
periods and then took long naps. She also had raw spots on the pads
on her feet.
She had very thin hair but she had always had thin hair so we didn't
think anything
of that. After three months of medications our vet sent a blood test
to the local
vet school and Gretchen was diagnosed with hypothyroidism.
February 14, 2004, at the age of 6 1/2 she was diagnosed with diabetes.
She is somewhat regulated but has her ups and downs.
Gretchen’s sister, Hanna, is a Great Pyrenees. She is 5 years old and
was a rescue
from the animal shelter. She was originally purchased as a companion
pet for a
day care and soon became too large for the children. She is so good
with
children she has played Santa’s dog, for the past two years, during
Breakfast
with Santa (a fundraiser for the local hospital auxiliary).
Gretchen’s brother, Jag, is an Australian Cattle Dog. He is 2 years
old and was
also a rescue from the animal shelter. Jag was the model for a photo
shoot I was
involved in at the shelter. During the shoot I found out he had been
at the shelter
for 6 months. My husband and I went back the following weekend and
adopted him. He is now a registered Therapy Dog.
Gretchen, Hanna and Jag are all registered with Therapy Dogs Incorporated.
They visit nursing homes, hospitals, and anyone else who need a little
pet therapy.
They are a favorite at the local Veterans Hospital, Gretchen has several
human
diabetic friends there. Gretchen and Hanna also go to the grade schools
and
library where the children read to them.
Stacy Shultz-Bisset
Gretchen's Family Album
Hanna
A face that the world would love!!!
Hanna is now diabetic too!!
Read Hanna's
Story
Jag
Did you say you have a bone for me??
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