Bowzer the Aussie Cattle Dog

[amydunn19]

Re: Help/New to this glucose game

Hi and welcome ! It is probably best to start with NPh and see what pattern develops before adding in "R". At four weeks in, your dog hasn't really had enough time to tell what his pattern will become. A curve really needs to be done before any further changes are made. I am a little concerned with how rapidly your dog has been raised without a curve. Sometimes, if you go past the correct dose, the numbers will go higher instead of lower. But, the spot checks you have done don't look too bad.

Patience and consistency is key to conquering this disease, so try to keep the same food, times, treats, etc. as close as possible every day. Make one change at a time whether it is food or insulin because if you don't, then you won't know what really worked.

[CraigM]

Re: Help/New to this glucose game

+1 with Amy. Many pups do fine with just NPH. After several curves you might see where adding "R" might be helpful.

Craig

ps. Just picked Annie up from the groomer. She was 154 this morning (7AM), and 95 now 2PM. The groomer, who is a family friend so Annie knows her, said Annie acted like Cujo during the grooming. I'm pretty sure she worked herself up into a frenzy (Annie, not the groomer) causing the drop to 95. I'll test in another 2 hours and I'll bet she is much higher than normal because she has used up some insulin, and has / is releasing glucose.

[jim maceri]

Re: Help/New to this glucose game

Just a quick comment on exercise…..

I use walks to help control Spirit's BG along with the insulin they are every bit as important. 2 examples:

2 weeks ago I noticed spirit was running mid 200's to mid 300's very very unusual for him. To make a long story short, I determined the insulin lost it's potency on day 21 even though it was supposed to last 30 days. Walks kept bringing him down from the high 200's to high 100's…not for long but it really kept him down when the insulin wasn't doing much. I opened a new bottle the next day and his numbers where back to normal.

Today, spirit had a mid afternoon reading of 325…again very unusual for him at that time of day. We went on a brisk walk about an hour before his evening meal and that walk brought him down to 165!!! I've done hundreds of pre walk / post walk tests so I have a better feeling of how they affect him at different times in his insulin cycle.

Point is, for MY DOG walks are every bit as important as insulin in controlling it from a day to day basis.

[6K9S]

Re: Help/New to this glucose game

Thank you....I have been trying to take Bowzer for a walk everyday as well. I too have noticed a decrease in his numbers after a brisk walk. This afternoon he was at 325 and after a walk was down to 216. When you have 6 dogs, however, it can be quite a to be problem getting out of the door with just one dog....lol. I appreciate all the advice I have been getting. I feel so much better knowing the numbers I was seeing these past few days are not so uncommon during the beginning stages of trying to stabilize. I just wish I hadn't tried a food change quite yet, as I am uncertain if that had something to do with the increase in his readings.

[CraigM]

Re: Help/New to this glucose game

Since you are now a family member, would you like to change the name of your thread from "Help/New...." to something like "Bowzer the Aussie Cattle Dog", or something else? Just post here and a moderator can change it for you.

Craig

[6K9S]

Re: Help/New to this glucose game

Sure....Bowzer the Aussie Cattle Dog it is....thanks

[CraigM]

Re: Bowzer the Aussie Cattle Dog

Title change is done!

[6K9S]

Re: Bowzer the Aussie Cattle Dog

Morning. I just wanted to thank you all for the advice and support yesterday. Nice to be able to ask for opinions on a subject that all have been going thru. This morning I was very happy to see that Bowzers glucose was 178. The lowest it has ever been in the morning before his meal and shot. Starting out on a good note today. Thanks again

[Judi]

Re: Bowzer the Aussie Cattle Dog

6 dogs! you are something! great news on the sugar reading and if the food change is how you plan on going forward, at least you are adjusting for what it is going to be

[6K9S]

Re: Bowzer the Aussie Cattle Dog

thank you. yes I have 6 dogs. (rescues). They range in age from 1 yr to 17 years old. (would you believe I just adopted the 17 year old less than a year ago)...someone decided after 16 years that he no longer fit in their family....makes me sad. I think the combo of food as I have it now will work. (fingers crossed). How do you get that little bio underneath your posts?. I see everyone has them. Thanks again.

[CraigM]

Re: Bowzer the Aussie Cattle Dog

178 is a nice number. Just realize that his numbers will likely bounce around, VERY few (if any) are able to keep their pup in a 100-200 range all day / every day. I might get a few days in my goal range of 100-250, then BAM she throws a 400, or a 70.

Even after nearly 7 years I can't correctly predict what will happen to her numbers. Yesterday afternoon, when I got Annie home from the groomers, she tested 95. I was sure she would be much higher later after she calmed down since I figured she had used-up insulin while fighting the groomer. NOPE! She was a fairly low 73 at her 7PM test! Maybe it was because we had a little dinner party with 6 extra people in the house??? Yes, whenever I think I can predict what she will do, she throws a curve-ball. Heck, I guess this is what makes Annie's diabetes such an interesting "hobby" for me.

Craig

[Charlie's mom]

Re: Bowzer the Aussie Cattle Dog

Under User CP you should be able to select Edit Signature

[amydunn19]

Re: Bowzer the Aussie Cattle Dog

It takes a special person to adopt a senior dog - how wonderful!

Diabetes is always ups and downs it seems. The great thing about our forum is that there is usually at least one person who has some experience with just about every complication one can encounter.

[6K9S]

Re: Bowzer the Aussie Cattle Dog

Got it...thanks so much!

[tplace]

Re: Bowzer the Aussie Cattle Dog

Hi from another Australian Cattle Dog owner. My Pepper was diagnosed in April 2014 after she was treated for cancer. My vet (her oncologist), like your vet, was pushing her insulin dosage all over the place. Since finding this forum, and with the help of the members, I put the brakes on the crazy doses. Now, when I change her dosage, it's usually by 0.5 or 1.0 units.

Brooke (SidneyDog) created an excellent excel spreadsheet, which I plagiarized for keeping track of Pepper's numbers; https://www.dropbox.com/s/n6ashbwimf...LY%202014.xlsx The Dropbox account has been very helpful in sharing where Pepper is with the members here.

Pepper has been ALL over the map with her BG, a good day is in the high 200's, low 300's.

The people here are terrific, I don't know what I would have done without their help.

You'll do fine.