My dog, his food and the insulin dance 

Trish Lynn and Thom Donitz with friends.

The JOLT News Staff

This column is a little different than the type of columns we produce, but it’s something that is on my mind a lot and we thought other people in my situation might find it interesting or at least not feel alone. This story is written by Trish and is about her diabetic dog. 

Every day, my dog Thor and I have a quiet negotiation. The bowl goes down, and I wait. He doesn’t know that his insulin depends on him eating enough calories. He doesn’t understand the stakes, but I do. His health depends on this routine, and sometimes it feels like we are walking a tightrope together. 

Some mornings and evenings are easy. He dives into his food with enthusiasm, tail wagging and bright eyed. I breathe a sigh of relief, knowing the insulin can follow without worry.

But on other mornings and evenings, he turns his nose away as if the meal is beneath him. That’s when the coaxing begins:  freshly boiled chicken breast cut into small cubes, ground turkey (that is, if I have it all ready to go) or me sitting on the floor beside him, encouraging every bite. Unfortunately, I am probably to blame for his pickiness, because now all three of my dogs want extra meat in their food. 

It’s stressful, watching the clock tick while he decides whether or not to eat. I know the insulin can’t wait forever, and the pressure builds. But beneath the frustration is love — a deep, steady love that keeps me patient, keeps me trying new tricks, keeps me celebrating each mouthful he finally takes. 

Feeding him isn’t just about nutrition anymore. It’s about trust, persistence and the bond we share. Each meal is a small victory, each injection a reminder that we are in this together and thankful we only go through this twice a day. 

I have two other dogs, Kixx and Bucky, and they also are very picky eaters, but thank goodness they don’t depend on eating enough for medicine. They are grazers, which presents another problem. I have to pick up their food after Thor is done because he would eventually eat some of theirs if I wasn’t watching.

I tried feeding them separately, but they still left food. Thor has prescription food that he is suppose to be on and Old Dog Haven takes care of that expense, but after trying it with other things and still no dice, I had to do something. I talked to Kim with Old Dog Haven and his veterinarian, and together we decided it was more important for him to eat, so I started a quest looking for other foods with the important ingredients he needed.

Finally, I found something he will eat more than any other food I have tried. It is expensive, but if he eats it, I feel we have won a battle even though about 40 percent of the time, I still have to coax him. Funny thing about dogs, one minute they like something, and the next they want nothing to do with it. 

Now, in case you were wondering, I have also tried the products made by companies that specialize in your dog’s needs and portions that are delivered to your door. I was hopeful, but these were not interesting to any of my dogs. There is still one I haven’t tried, and that is my next step. 

Some days I feel like I spend more time convincing my dogs to eat more than anything else. It’s not always easy, but I know how important it is, and we still keep going. It’s just part of our routine now, and even though it’s stressful, it’s also a reminder of how much I care about them, and they depend on me, and I won’t let them down. 

Another reason for this column is I am hoping that if any of our readers have advice or know of something that worked for them, we would love to hear from you, either in the comment section or you can email us at pets@thejoltnews.com. 

 Paws for thoughts

“Dog’s lives are too short.  Their only fault, really.”        - Agnes Sligh Turnbull 

Thom Donitz and Trish Lynn are neighbors and close friends who share their love of animals and wildlife. Trish and Thom are residents of Tumwater. Contact them at  pets@theJOLTnews.com.