Hi, my name is Mike Smith and I have lived in Reno Nevada for the past 25 years after leaving the Sacramento Valley of California.I have always had pets and for a short time raised Persian cats just for fun.That came to a stop when the two females we had began having problems with litters.Both of our girls,mother and daughter lived to be 18+ before leaving us to cross the bridge and catless again.

Mike and Andee

My roommate Gary went to the local shelter and brought home an orange tabby named Redford.We had him for a few years before loosing him to a brain tumor.Gary once again went down to the shelter and that is when Samie joined our family.She is defiantly her own cat only wanting attention when she wanted it.In March of 2001that is when Andee showed up from our local shelter.I was home for several days in bed with the flu and woke up to find this little white fur ball crawling up my shoulder to curl up and go to sleep under my chin.

Andee's First Week

Gary assured me that he was old enough to leave the litter and was able to eat on his own.I soon found out that this was not to be the case. Needless to say I spent that week with the flu bottle feeding Andee and trying to rest with a small fur ball tucked under my chin.Andee soon learned the fundamentals of eating regular cat food and using the litter box like the other cats.He still insisted on sleeping under my chin.Growing up Andee would bring his scrunchy ball toys up on the bed for me to throw down the hall so he could run and get them fetching them back to me.He has been the only cat that I have had that loved to play fetch. Andee and I grew a very special bond over the next few years.It was not hard to tell who Andee had picked out to be his human.My roommate Gary went to work for the Humane Society here in Reno and that is when Binks a 13 year old Siamese and Chewie a ten year old Australian Terrier showed up at our house.Both had been in line for euthanasia,Binks because of age and Chewie because of age and only having one eye.A few months later Barnie,a orange tabby showed up to be fostered until he was at the adoption weight of one pound. Ten pounds and two years later he is still being fostered.

Binks

Barnie

Samie

Chewie

In the summer of 2006 I started to notice that Andee was drinking a lot and using the cat box more than the other cats and being diabetic myself knew what the signs were.In October of 2006 Andee was diagnosed with diabetes with a blood sugar of 700+.He was put on Lantus and armed with a spare glucose meter I had we had him regulated and honeymooning by the last part of November.I know now that this was all luck.In July of 2007 Andee came out of his honeymoon and for the next four months we were beginning to think not only would Andee be on insulin for the remainder of his life but also not be regulated.It was then I found our group and with the help of Margo and the others had Andee regulated and honeymooning again in a short two months.As of this post he has been honeymooning for four months.I know the day will come again that Andee will return to insulin so I thank God for the time that we both can spend Insulin free.

Andee

Andee's Information:
Diabetic Pet's Name: Andee

Breed: Lavender Point Siamese

Birth: February 2001

When Diagnosed: October 2006

Age Diagnosed: 5.1/2 year old

Weight: 18 pounds

Kind of Insulin and Amount Per Injection: Lantus / 1.25 units BID at time of last honeymoon January 2008.

Food: Natures Variety Instinct Chicken Meal Formula

Do you home test?(blood, urine and/or observation): Blood,Urine and observe

Other Health Problems?: None at this time

Webpage of Pet: http://www.caninediabetes.org/andee.html

Your Location: Reno, Nevada

How did the diagnosis of diabetes in your pet change your life?: This has left me realizing that our pets truly depend on us.While we can control illnesses like diabetes in ourselves or pets need us to assist them in their treatments.
 

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