From: NoSpamMe@verizon.net   
      
   Have they tried putting the dog on a home made diet to deal with the   
   allergies.  If nothing else works often this is the solution to the whole   
   problem with allergies and skin problems.  Yes it will cost more to home   
   cook for him but you'll save it in vet bills.  And as far as the cost of the   
   insulin it's not that expensive for all the more your dog takes and your   
   wife sounds like a jewel for taking care of him.   
      
   You can only hope that she cares as much for you if your health should ever   
   come to that.   
      
      
    wrote in message   
   news:1112417689.382327.134700@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...   
   > My dog has had diabetes for a few years and has gone blind from it. We   
   > give him insulin shots daily (my wife won't tell me how much it costs!)   
   > He also has terrible skin allergies that cause him to smell   
   > horrendously. I can barely stand to be in the same room with him. The   
   > allergies also cause him to scratch and bite himself constantly, which   
   > aside from being annoying, causes his fur to get wet and smell even   
   > worse. It's embarassing to have company over. He can't hold his bladder   
   > for more than a few hours, which limits the time we can spend away from   
   > home.   
   >   
   > We've made countless trips to vets to address his allergy problems, but   
   > medication choices are limited because of his diabetes. My wife bathes   
   > him twice a week with medicated shampoo (per doctor's orders.)   
   >   
   > This is how his day goes: Wake up, pee outside, scratch, scratch, chew,   
   > chew, eat dog food, scratch, scratch, poop outside, eat his own poop,   
   > scratch, scratch, chew, chew, stink, stink -- well -you get the idea.   
   >   
   > The point is, I want to put him to sleep, but my wife and daughter   
   > think that would be cruel. He's only 10 years old (a small terrier mix)   
   > and doesn't seem to suffer, but he can't do any doggie activities   
   > anymore, and he's costing a lot of money. It would be hard for me to   
   > put him down, but that would be true even if he was truly needing it.   
   >   
   > Am I jumping the gun on wanting to put him down???   
   >   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)