> Hi, Barbara...

 > BM>This is one of those circumstances when it's nice to have a spot in the
 > hous
  >with newspapers or doggie training pads that the dog will use when necessary

 >   We are using underpads from Kroger...but, I've got
 > to give the little
 > weenie widget credit. He usually tries to wake me
 > first, so I'll take
 > him out. The thing is, it's happening almost on an
 > hourly basis...and
 > it's part from the diabetes (which he has had for over
 > a year now), and
 > part from the fact that he drinks water like a fish.

He may be drinking like a fish because he is diabetic.  I think the theory
is that the body tries to dilute an excess of sugar in the blood, and
excrete it. However, if he has to go that often, is getting enough insulin,
and hasn't been checked for urinary infection, then perhaps he should be. 
The benefit of the underpads is that you can see, at least, whether his
urine is of a normal appearance.

 > Otherwise, he HATES
 > water with a passion...especially if it's raining. If
 > we want to bathe
 > him, we have to take him to a local pets deal, have
 > him muzzled and
 > sedated, and pay the fee. He may be almost 11 years
 > old, but he will
 > fight.

Hmm.  Would one of the various "just wipe [brush, whatever] your pet
clean" deals cut down or eliminate the need for an actual bath?

 >   That seems to be the best time for us...but, there
 > are times if he
 > gets me up at 4am, he wants his stuff then. We've also
 > gotten to prepare
 > his "goodies" for the next day ahead of time...and he
 > thinks that we're
 > going to go ahead and give him the stuff.

I'm guessing that you don't prepare tomorrow's stuff at the same time you
prepare the stuff for that evening (or morning.)  If you could prepare
tomorrow's just before you prepare the evening's dosages, you could get
tomorrow's done, and the dog would then get his for the evening, and
wouldn't be disappointed.

 > My wife says
 > that insulin
 > makes her hungry (she has been diabetic for 40

Then her experience is helpful.

 > years)...so, the insulin
 > that the dog is getting may do likewise. The thing
 > is...he has Beneful
 > weight management dog food, which he'll eat at
 > mealtime (not all at
 > once, though)...and then snack throughout the day. But
 > his
 > "goodie"...which is a combination of Purina Moist And
 > Meaty Meat And
 > Cheese (1/2 a pouch, twice a day), a bit of Alpo Dog
 > Food (various
 > flavor), and the "liquid Prozac" (I can't spell the
 > name)...he devours
 > it like someone is going to take it from him. He
 > definitely would flunk
 > a food aggression test.

My experience has been that animals like canned food MUCH better than dry,
even if the dry food has water added.  I don't have enough experience with
the pouch food to make any statements about it.

 > BM>seems to feel that 12 hours is too long a time, blood sugar is going off,
  >whatever, and he not only wants his stuff earlier in the morning, but earlie
  >at night, also?  That would suggest to me that he may eventually require an
  >adjustment in his food and/or insulin schedule; however, I'm not knowledgeab

 >   We started with 10 units on NPH insulin, but when
 > that got up to 22,
 > our vet said to switch to Lenti insulin. He started at
 > 10, and is up to
 > 18. The vet added that he is definitely not
 > malnourished.

 > BM>He certainly is a little soldier if he takes pilocarpine twice daily in
 > both
  >eyes.  I had to take it four times a day for some time, and let me tell you,
  >that stuff stings so bad, it takes your breath away.  Perhaps it's combined
  >with numbing drops or something, for veterinary use.

 >   My wife has cataracts, and took it a long time ago,
 > and agrees with
 > the stinging.

You didn't say whether it hurts the dog, but FWIW, I did eventually
discover that if I took the drops immediately upon awakening, before
getting up to go to the bathroom, they wouldn't hurt.  I didn't get a
chance to put this discovery to much use, but instilling them right after a
nap might be helpful.

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