My eight year old beagle was diagnosed with canine diabetes yesterday. We had noticed that she was drinking more than normal and she had dropped a significant amount of weight (She was 40lbs in January and weighed 29.5 yesterday). They measured her glucose blood level yesterday at 577 and normal for a diabetic dog should be 150.

They gave me a prescription for Humulin N 100u/ml insulin that I filled at the local drug store last night which was really expensive without insurance. The pharmacy told me that there were only 31 days worth of doses in the bottle; however, at her current dose there should be nearly 142 days.

Has anyone had a diabetic dog that used insulin that can offer some tips? The shots are not a big deal, she doesn't mind them. The hard part will be finding someone to take care of her if we go away. She's already eating a really good quality food and doesn't get fed from the table so that shouldn't be an issue.

Can you check with your vet to see if they know of any dogsitters in your area? That's how we found ours. We do have a dog door which makes it easier and they only come in twice a day to feed and medicate. Maybe you could find someone who would stay at your home (if you choose) and take care of Lucy. My son used to do this when he was in college.

Prayers for Lucy. Our neighbor has a diabetic cat and gives insulin injections twice daily. They've been doing this for several years and the cat is doing well.

Look into the special cinnamon (I forget offhand what it's called) that helps regulate blood sugar in type 2 diabetics. I know someone else who has a diabetic cat and she's been doing really well since they added the cinnamon to her insulin regimen.

I really would like to find someone to come and stay with both the dog and cat this summer when we go to the beach for a week, we had talked about that even before we found out about her diabetes. It's finding someone trustworthy that is the issue. We are starting to search now and hopefully will find someone within the next couple of months.

I use Rover.com to find experienced dog sitters, dog walkers, etc. Another option might be an employee at your local shelter.

Beyond hmdagal's suggestions, Nextdoor.com is a website for neighborhoods. Check to see if there's one set up for your neighborhood. It's not a FB for neighborhoods but rather a communication system that includes service and goods sections where you can find or ask for referrals for whatever you need. There was someone on my neighborhood's site just a couple weeks ago asking the same question and they got a ton of referrals from professional to neighbors who were willing to take care of the animals.

Lucy has been on insulin for just a few days, but seems much more alert and energetic. It definitely seems to be helping her, I'm anxious to see how she is after they take her in to regulate her dosage.

Glad to hear she is doing better. You might check around your bank to see if you can find someone. You might be surprised to found out there is a house/pet sitter around. We have one here and she is very much in demand.

So glad to see there is a noticable improvement, Thomas.

Great news tj.

Lucy continues to do well, much more energy and much more alert. One interesting thing - the insulin that I purchased at the pharmacy was $160 for about a 2 1/2 month supply. I checked with a different pharmacy over the weekend and the same insulin (N type 100U/ML), different brand name (Humulin vs. Novolin - vet says it's the same), the price is $24 for the same supply. What a rip off.

Absolutely! Glad she's doing well, though!

uh.. not good. But glad she's doing better!

Thomas, check if there is a Costco with a pharmacy near you. Most have pet meds. We had one which would run $10 for a 30 day supply from the vet, and at Costco ran $13 for 180 days.

And you don't have to be a Costco member to use their pharmacy either. My daughter's vet sent her there when her last Cavalier was on multiple meds.

One of the downsides of living in the middle of nowhere - there is no Costco, no Target, no Sam's Club, etc. Wal-Mart pharmacy is where I can get the best deal as far as I can tell and $24 beats $160 any day!

Don't worry, Thomas - I'm in a similar situation. I have to drive 30 miles to get to a decent grocery store - and 50 to get to work.

Don't worry, Thomas - I'm in a similar situation. I have to drive 30 miles to get to a decent grocery store - and 50 to get to work.

Prime candidates for Amazon Prime

We have a Wal-Mart "Super Center" for groceries and a few small scratch and dent discount grocery stores but for what would be considered a decent grocery store - it would be about a 30 minute drive. Fortunately, my work commute is only about 10 seconds - depending on if I encounter traffic on the stairs

I use Amazon prime, but haven't really used it for grocery items...

You might be able to get it delivered by Jeffers Pet or Valley Vet Supply cheaper. I get some of the meds for my dogs and horses from those depending on who is the least expensive. Some of the meds will require your vet to call or fax in a prescription, though.