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Maxi's Story
Maxi came into our lives the summer of 2001. She was seriously underweight, unsocialized, and sick with every parasite in the world, including heartworm. We set to work getting this little dog healthy. She desperately wanted a family, so the socialization was a snap. She started out at 8 lbs. and ended up at 17 lbs. She still has a few quirks. During the past six months, she has finally started to warm to my husband. She will take food from his hand, which she would not do previously. We have to put a diaper on her when we take her in the car. She is terrified and she urinates. Before food was carefully rationed because of her diabetes, she would hide food around the house, which broke my heart wondering about the abuse she suffered. Maxi lives with a male Westie mix named Toby, a Siamese cat named Pywacket and various outside "yard cats".

About six weeks ago, Maxi had surgery to remove several skin tags. It was uneventful and all her labs were normal. We went back in two weeks to have her sutures removed and everything still seemed normal. Then I would find her drinking water at every opportunity, and I was filling up the water bowl constantly. There was a day with no appetite, and a few incidents of vomiting. Then she became incontinent. I decided it might be a bladder infection, so I took her to the vet. I told her doctor the symptoms and he ran a blood glucose. She was at 450. She stayed in the hospital for a week. It was all about getting her to eat. She does not like canned food that is molded to the shape of the can and you have to chop it up before serving it. Now she has dry food with organic chicken broth.

Maxi and I get up at 5:30 every morning and I go out with her to catch her urine. Then I match it and log it in her book. My husband makes breakfast for both dogs (Toby eats what Maxi eats). Maxi gets her injection and then the dogs have breakfast. We repeat the process at 5:30 in the evening. Maxi is a treasure. She knows her schedule (if I am rolling a vial of insulin, she will go to my husband who holds her when she gets her injection). She fully cooperates in her treatment.

Toby, is now on Maxi's schedule. When she receives her injections, Toby comes to me expecting his injection - which consists of the capped syringe I used on Maxi. I rub it on his back and then he is ready for breakfast. We had to start this because he was so jealous of the extra "attention" Maxi was getting.

Warm Regards,
Barbara, Maxi, Toby & Pywacket

Diabetic Pet's Name: Maxi

Breed: Terrier Mix

Birth: Unknown 

When Diagnosed: Approximately a month ago in April of 2008

Age Diagnosed: Unknown

Weight: 17 lbs. when diagnosed, 15 lbs. and losing currently 

Kind of Insulin and Amount Per Injection: Humulin N, twice daily. Dosage varies with urine results. 

Food: Dry, chicken flavored W/D, with 1/4th cup organic chicken broth, twice daily

Do you hometest? Yes, urine, twice daily 

Other Health Problems? Arthritis

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

Your Location: Central Tennessee, USA

How did the diagnosis of diabetes in your pet change your life? We seem to be more organized, particularly around Maxi's schedule. I am constantly aware of where we are in the schedule, so something as minor as attending a late afternoon picnic earlier this week had to be discussed and planned. Also, I stay aware of where the catfood bowls are. As a result, we have put up a couple of baby gates - dog proof but not cat proof. 

It is nice to put faces to names and Maxi you are so sweet.
Maxi's Story and Picture has been added to the website.
http://www.caninediabetes.org/maxi.html

If you would like to participate in the Who am I? emails
Then contact one of the moderators listed at the bottom of this email
Write an introduction, send a picture of your pet
The moderator will send you the blank questions to fill in and they will post your email for you....One will be going out every Monday Morning....This way each pet is the star for a week.
Michael will take the email and turn it into a pdf file and upload it to the yahoo groups files and I will turn it into an html file for the websi
Judy Dick
Email:  queenie@mnsi.net

Karen Baldassarre
Email:  kbal37@comcast.net

Michael Jay Smith
Email: smithmj@clearwire.net

Bonnie Iovine
Email: biovine@comcast.net

Josephine
Email: curaduk@aapt.net.au

Jane, Lee and Margo have a lot on their plates right now so the above moderators are available to do the Who am I Email?