Mik is gone...

[robertpri]

Re: Mik: 13 yr old Shih-Tzu

My hat is off to working moms everywhere, who work all day, come home to maintain a home and family, and discovers their pet has fleas. I have NO idea how they cope.

[robertpri]

Re: Mik: 13 yr old Shih-Tzu

One giant step forward: Mik now prefers to go straight to the Purina dog food instead of baby food or cheerios. After he has eaten and medicated, I offer a dab of baby food as a reward.

Going well [crossing fingers]

I plan to have his BG tested later this week so it will be about 10 days on this new insulin regime.

[peggy0]

Re: Mik: 13 yr old Shih-Tzu

Robert you should write a book

[We Hope]

Re: Mik: 13 yr old Shih-Tzu

Bob,

If you believe in "paying one's due", I think you've "paid" more than your share to get to this point!

Hoping this trend will become a habit!

Kathy

[robertpri]

Re: Mik: 13 yr old Shih-Tzu

Thank you, and we both owe many thanks to all the information and advice on this forum. Without you guys, well, Mik might not even be here today.

One more winner: after dinner, Mik has only traveled to the kitchen and barked for "more" two times in a week. I ignored him. He had a full meal and he is not going back to that "demand food" mode.

He only barked a few minutes and quickly gave up.

[BestBuddy]

Re: Mik: 13 yr old Shih-Tzu

Robert I think you are amazing. You really have gone above and beyond for Mik. I remember the frustration on the very few times that Buddy wouldn't eat and I can't imagine having to go through that constantly. Mik certainly is one lucky little dog to have you.
Jenny

[robertpri]

Re: Mik: 13 yr old Shih-Tzu

. Mik certainly is one lucky little dog to have you.
Jenny

Thank you, but I am very lucky to have Mik and Mak. Karen and I had no children of our own, so these little guys are my last living connections to her.

I have two sons from a marriage 45 years ago, and they accepted Karen as "mom", but she picked out Mik and Mak herself and raised them 24/7.

And I am VERY lucky for the support and advice from this wonderful forum!

Still a long ways to go, but thank you all!

bob

[brittanyt]

Re: Mik: 13 yr old Shih-Tzu

I agree Robert. I also think you are amazing! We've never talked but I follow your thread. When Greyson goes just a day or two without wanting to eat I almost lose my mind. I can't imagine going through what you do. He is getting worse by the day but is being tested tomorrow for cushings due to his triglycerides being through the roof. Maybe once we get him going on treatment he will get his appetite back.

I do have a question. I saw where you give baby food that is about 100 calories. What kind is that? When he will not eat anything else I can usually get some beef or chicken baby food in him but those are only 50-60 calories.

Robert I think you are amazing. You really have gone above and beyond for Mik. I remember the frustration on the very few times that Buddy wouldn't eat and I can't imagine having to go through that constantly. Mik certainly is one lucky little dog to have you.
Jenny

[robertpri]

Re: Mik: 13 yr old Shih-Tzu

I do have a question. I saw where you give baby food that is about 100 calories. What kind is that? When he will not eat anything else I can usually get some beef or chicken baby food in him but those are only 50-60 calories.

I think I tried about a dozen before some success. Vet wanted me to use Gerber's Chicken and Rice, but Mik prefers Beech-Nut Chicken and Rice. [someone will have to explain how he can tell the difference--but he can]

But he got bored with it in a month or so, and still won't eat it.

So during his worst "I am NOT going to eat" days, and I knew he had to be force fed [syringe] I just looked at labels for the highest calorie content.

The tops was Gerber's Chicken and Chicken Gravy, 2n Foods, 100 calories, no sugar, 7g fat, 0 trans fat, 8g protein. Really small jar, and the most expensive, about $.92 to $1.10. [I shopped around]

Even then, it was a challenge so I emptied a jar on a small saucer and of course it was radio active to him. I dipped my finger and then forced his little mouth open just enough to sort of "smear" it across the corner of his mouth.

He licked it, thought about, and figured it was okay. During the bad times when he needed insulin but refused ANY food, then it was syringe time and he got two jars, or 200 calories.

I don't pretend to understand any part of the nutrition aspect, but it was high calories, and the vet said he needed calories.

[brittanyt]

Re: Mik: 13 yr old Shih-Tzu

greyson will not eat gerber's either, only beech-nut! glad to see there is another out there as picky as he is! i never thought about using a syringe. that is a great idea. the past few days he hasn't gotten over 1 or 1.5 units because he just won't look at food. lately he literally turns his head when i put it in front of him and he has started running away and trying to hide. it is very frustrating to say the least. i know i don't have to tell you that!

thanks for the info. i'll go pick up some chicken and rice tomorrow.

I think I tried about a dozen before some success. Vet wanted me to use Gerber's Chicken and Rice, but Mik prefers Beech-Nut Chicken and Rice. [someone will have to explain how he can tell the difference--but he can]

But he got bored with it in a month or so, and still won't eat it.

So during his worst "I am NOT going to eat" days, and I knew he had to be force fed [syringe] I just looked at labels for the highest calorie content.

The tops was Gerber's Chicken and Chicken Gravy, 2n Foods, 100 calories, no sugar, 7g fat, 0 trans fat, 8g protein. Really small jar, and the most expensive, about $.92 to $1.10. [I shopped around]

Even then, it was a challenge so I emptied a jar on a small saucer and of course it was radio active to him. I dipped my finger and then forced his little mouth open just enough to sort of "smear" it across the corner of his mouth.

He licked it, thought about, and figured it was okay. During the bad times when he needed insulin but refused ANY food, then it was syringe time and he got two jars, or 200 calories.

I don't pretend to understand any part of the nutrition aspect, but it was high calories, and the vet said he needed calories.

[robertpri]

Re: Mik: 13 yr old Shih-Tzu

I didn't even think of the syringe until day three, after the kitchen [and me] looked like the morning after a food fight. But at one time, Mak would not take his heart pills and they dissolve in water. So, vet showed me how to drop a pill inside with a bit of water and let it sit. Luckily, I had kept them.

It's a perfect size to 'suck up' thin baby food, and relatively easy to get into Mik's mouth. I had no idea an 11 pound, 14 year old Shih-Tzu could have just a strong jaw. Force feeding solid food was a messy disaster. But with the syringe, you don't even have to force the mouth open, but just sort of push along the side of the mouth between teeth/gums and cheek.

Gently hold his mouth and he has to swallow it.

Although getting the mouth open, inserting syringe and squirting works better..

more

Chicken and Rice is only 70 calories and it's a 4 oz jar. Chicken and Chicken Gravy is 100 calories and a smaller 2.5 oz jar. So, if you have to force feed, the smaller jar with higher calories is less work for you, and less stress on Greyson.

[robertpri]

Re: Mik: 13 yr old Shih-Tzu

Natalie, I got your Vesulin warning and called the vet. We discussed it briefly on the phone and we have an appt Thursday PM.

He is so pleased with Mik's improvement that he hesitates to change from Vetsulin. We will test and discuss on Thur.

Thanks for the FDA warning


bob

[robertpri]

Re: Mik: 13 yr old Shih-Tzu

my calcs:
two weeks ago, Mik vet tested at 688 BG 2 hours from 1 IU and eating about 100 calories. 4 hours later with no more food, he tested 562 BG. or 6 hours from food and Vetsulin.

one week ago, Mik vet tested at 555 BG 10 hours from 2.0 IU and 200 calories.

Today, he tested 654 after 10 hours from 2.5 IU and 350 calories.

He was getting 2 IU in the am and 3 IU in the pm, but his am feeding was increasing so I increased his Vetsulin from 2.0 to 2.5 for the last two days. But still tested 654 at 10 hours.

Obviously, he needs more insulin, and based on my obsessive record keeping, it seems that he should get about 1 IU per 100 calories of food.

Vet agrees, so suggested 3 IU in both AM and PM. Because Mik have been getting the larger dose with the greater food intake at the PM feeding, I could not test the evening results.

Ergo: I am going to slowly [1/2 IU at a time] until he gets 3 and 3, AM and PM.

But generally vet was very pleased with Mik's wt gain and his general appearance. So he said let's try the 1 IU per 100 calories of food.

Tonight, he was stressed after the vet trip so only ate 200 calories but I still gave him 3 IU because he was high BG already.

[robertpri]

Re: Mik: 13 yr old Shih-Tzu

Tonight, for only the second time, I must have done something wrong because Mik bled after the shot. Not much, and he did not squeal or whimper. It was just like every other shot.

Does this happen a lot, or did I do something wrong?

[k9diabetes]

Re: Mik: 13 yr old Shih-Tzu

I often think it's amazing we almost never hit a capillary as they are everywhere under the skin. It can happen and fortunately doesn't often.

One thing you have to watch out for is accidentally injecting into a small blood vessel rather than subcutaneously... insulin injected directly in the bloodstream will have a very very potent effect.

Where was the blood?

Was it on the outside of the skin at the injection site? On the tip of the needle when you withdrew the needle?

How much blood was there?

Natalie