A survey of owner attitudes and experiences in managing diabetic dogs

A survey of the experiences of owners of diabetic dogs was carried out by distributing questionnaires to veterinary clinics in São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 93 dog owners were surveyed over a 4 month period and descriptive statistical analysis, frequency distribution and correlations were performed. In most cases the clinical condition of the dogs had improved following treatment and owners were largely satisfied with veterinary intervention. Injection of neutral protamine hagedorm twice daily was the most commonly prescribed treatment and respondents found this procedure easy to perform, although it did pose some difficulties when the owners were away from their animals. Cost was considered an important factor at the initiation of treatment programs. The information gleaned from this survey, in providing useful insights into the attitudes and experiences of owners of diabetic animals, will contribute to improvements in the treatment and management of such patients.

The authors wish to express their thanks to the veterinarians that participated in this study, to the respondents for their cooperation, and to Professor Lidia Carvalho for statistical assistance. We also thank Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health Company for its financial support. This work represents part of K.P. Aptekmann’s doctorate thesis at The Sao Paulo State University, Brazil and we would like to thank CAPES – Brazil (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) for providing the scholarship.