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  • Ketone and urine strips

    Hello, I am new here, have been reading for the past week and posting at Cushing Forum (under name BeachGirlK) -- my dog has recently been diagnosed with diabetes, and Cushings (Cushings arrived first but was diagnosed, after many months of testing, a week after the diabetes.

    Sonoma's diabetes is not yet under control, her testing is in the 400's at the vets, but the endocirniologist/specialist said that I really MUST treat the Cushings immediately because of how sick Sonoma is.

    When first diagnosed with dibetes, two weeks ago, I bought a BG meter at CVS, thinking that they were all the same. I guess they're not!

    I finally for a BG reading at home off Sonoma yesterday afternoon (7 hours after her shot) of 210 and I was very happy for that.

    Today I took her into the vet for a BG reading off their ALphatrack and their reading was 422 and my meter reading from the same sample was 236! A huge difference!

    I need to new meter obviously, as her readings need to be taken here at home while she undergoes her Cushings therapy.

    I'd love any advice on how to get the best meter NOW (as in, I can't order one off the internet).

    Does anyone know of stores that sell good ones so I can get it right away?

    (PS, My CVS meter does have a glucose calibrating solution and it calibrates okay, but it is in the low range (30~80) -- maybe it needs a calibrating solution in a higher range??)

    Thanks for all advice. Everyone here is invaluable. I also have trouble getting blood from her, but I have seen all the videos, etc., I guess it takes time and courage! I know she's tired of getting pricked!)

    Karin

  • #2
    Re: Help with meter advice!

    Welcome Karin,

    A human meter WILL read differently than an animal validated meter, some more than others. It has nothing to do with the control solution.
    If you are looking to buy a meter ASAP with no time for a good deal (as there are lots out there) two meters that have shown to be good with our dogs are the Freestyle Lite as well as The One Touch Ultra2.
    I do believe it has been found that the Freestyle for smaller dogs and the One Touch for larger dogs.

    I think Walmart sells the Freestyle Lite for about 18.00, not sure about the One Touch.

    If you are in a big hurry you will pay an enormous amount for the test strips in a pharmacy compared to what they cost on line...but, to get started it may be worth it, then find online sources.

    Most of our dogs get use to be tested. My Mildred has been pricked thousands upon thousands of times, most always on the same side of her lip. She accepts it as part of her daily routine.

    For years I used a human meter to watch Mildred's trends. I have since gone to using the Alpha Trak which I am very happy with.

    Looking forward to following your story.

    Eileen and Mildred, 12 yo Border Collie Mx, 24.6 pounds, dx diabetic/hypothyroid 2004, gallbladder removed 2005, cataract surgery 2005, spindle cell sarcoma removed 2009, stroke 2009, tail removed 2011, dx with bladder cancer 2011, CDS, Organix~chicken / NPH,Humalog

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    • #3
      Re: Help with meter advice!

      Thanks, Eileen, I really appreciate your advice. I would love to get an AlphaTrac if Sonoma can get better from this illness, but the vet is worried that Sonoma will have a drastic drop in insulin needs due to her Cushings treatment this week, and a working dependable meter at home will surely cost less than vet readings!

      Thank you again. Give your Mildred a high five for Sonoma and I!
      Karin

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      • #4
        Re: Help with meter advice!

        Here is Sonoma's thread at the Cushing's forum:
        http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2211

        She's a big dog so I would go with the OneTouch Ultra.

        Successful Cushing's treatment is likely to reduce her need for insulin but she's currently on a pretty small dose for her size and still has fairly high blood sugar so that makes it a little easier than if she had worked up to a big dose of insulin.

        Testing would certainly be good though - you will have a much better handle on everything if you can test her blood sugar.

        Sounds like you started lysodren yesterday. Hope all goes smoothly and she will be on her way to better blood sugar soon.

        Natalie

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        • #5
          Re: Help with meter advice!

          Hi Karin;

          If cost is no object, you could go with the Alphatrak. But if it's a consideration, then I'd suggest the OneTouch Ultra2. This latter meter won't read as accurately as the AlphaTrak (in principle, anyway), but it's reliable and consistent, and probably not very far off.

          Wanted to welcome you to the forum I'll be watching and cheering you on.

          Sun, 20 Jun 2010 06:29:07 (PDT)
          http://www.coherentdog.org/
          CarolW

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          • #6
            Forgot to give shot -- what to do?

            Hello, I got some bad news about my mom this evening, and got involved on a phone call about it and forgot to give my Sonoma her insulin shot this evening -- I don't know if I should give it late or just start fresh in the morning. Another problem is she is supposed to get a BG reading at the vets Wed morning (this morning now) and Wed afternoon to see if the Cushings Treatment has lowered her insulin needs. (She started her maintenance lysodrene today -- that is why the vet wanted her to get BG readings tomorrow.)

            Should I wait another 7 or so hours and give her the shot? Will she be okay overnight without a shot? This is the first shot she's missed since I started her on May 24... *She is still not regulated...

            Any advice is helpful!
            Karin

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            • #7
              Re: Forgot to give shot -- what to do?

              Since you mentioned waiting 7 hours, I assume the shot should have been 5 hours ago? If so, then you need to wait until morning to give her the next dose. One hour is about as far as you can stretch it. If you inject her now, you will be running into a never ending cycle of overlap.

              She will run higher, and it may take a few days for her to get back to her normal. I would recommend calling the vet in the morning and postponing the BG check, since it won't be an accurate reading.

              Don't beat yourself up - life happens to everyone. I hope your mom is OK.
              Daisy & Noodle - 9 yr old Lab mix dx 1/09 ~ 51lbs ~ 38U Humulin N, 2x ~ 1 3/4 cups am/pm Blue Buffalo dry, 1/4 can am/pm BB Wilderness.

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              • #8
                Re: Forgot to give shot -- what to do?

                Thank you -- no I should have injected her 3 hours ago (she gets shots 10 am 10 pm Eastern USA time) -- but I thought I could start her earlier tomorrow since I missed her shot tonight. She doesn't like to eat in the morning until 9:30 or 10 am... so I always get started late.

                Yes, I guess I should cancel... what a mess. The doc wanted it the day after her lysodrene --- I have neglected everything else to concentrate on her for the past 2 weeks, and tonight got distracted by the other serious things going on.

                Thank you for replying!

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                • #9
                  Re: Forgot to give shot -- what to do?

                  Not sure what I would have done but I think I would still have given maybe half the insulin and then again 12 hours later and over the next few days gradually brought the time back maybe half an hour until you were at your usual times.

                  Missing the dose will probably be ok but you will have messed up BG for the next few days so I don't think the vet testing would be worth it.

                  Jenny

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                  • #10
                    Re: Forgot to give shot -- what to do?

                    Since she missed tonight's shot, you could definitely start her earlier tomorrow and then work your way back to her normal 10am/pm 15-30 minutes at a time.
                    Daisy & Noodle - 9 yr old Lab mix dx 1/09 ~ 51lbs ~ 38U Humulin N, 2x ~ 1 3/4 cups am/pm Blue Buffalo dry, 1/4 can am/pm BB Wilderness.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Forgot to give shot -- what to do?

                      I agree with the replies you have so far; if it were me, I'd just keep things simple, and omit the shot altogether, and resume on a normal schedule at the next shot-time. With me, I don't do complications well, especially if I have other distractions, such as the bad news about your mother.

                      Hope your mother turns out all right. And your DOG, too! And YOU! Rooting for you! I guess the vet-testing will probably have to be re-scheduled; sorry about that!

                      Wishing you the very best - please keep us posted!

                      Wed, 30 Jun 2010 02:09:03 (PDT)
                      http://www.coherentdog.org/
                      CarolW

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                      • #12
                        Re: Forgot to give shot -- what to do?

                        She will be ok without the shot, but I would have given her half of her insulin and then started with her regular schedule the following am.
                        Forbin, miss you every day. See you at the bridge Buddy.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Forgot to give shot -- what to do?

                          Karin - I remember the first time (actually only time) I forgot the shot - it was the first time I was doing a curve and I was so set on getting a reading every 2 hours I forgot the shot! I now have feeding time & insulin time scheduled in my ipod so my purse now barks 4 times a day as a reminder.

                          Hope things with your mom work out

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                          • #14
                            Re: Forgot to give shot -- what to do?

                            I am sorry to hear that there are other problems brewing and hope they are not too serious.

                            Don't worry about Sonoma - no reason the testing can't wait a few days so she has time to get back on track.

                            Natalie

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                            • #15
                              Help! My Sonoma had a hypo episode.

                              My Great Pyr Sonoma had a hypo episode (her first) this afternoon at 2:30, after getting her shot of 20 at 10 am. I saw her walking out on the gravel drive and I walked out to her. She threw up and I could tell she was spacy. I pulled her inside and her BG on the meter read "Low -- below 25" so we got the Karo syrup and gave her some, gave her some treats, and she was up to 33 in five minutes and I kept giving her food (which she ate) and some water/chicken broth, etc., and she was up to 160, then a few hours later she was up to 325. So I don't know if she was rebounding or it was from all the food I fed her. Now, for her dinner, she ate SOME food (chicken, and about half can of Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken/Turkey, plus Blue Buffalo Chicken Liver treats (2)), but not her normal amount. I gave her 15 units of insulin at 10 pm, and I think I'll be checking on her most of the night, might sleep down there next to her tonight. Do you think the 15 units will be okay? I think the reason she went hypo is because she didn't eat enough food this morning (my husband gave her a TREAT in the morning before I got up! So she wouldn't eat her dry food, and I had to force her to eat some canned food and she was probably tired from her visit to the vet yesterday.) She just lost her sight mostly this week, which is why we were at the vets. I think she's been upset over not being able to see, and it's been causing her to slightly panic. She is only 90 pounds right now, but I think the 15 units will be okay for tonight. What would anyone recommend for tonight and tomorrow? I am so upset, I've had such problems with her and eating, because she was undergoing Cushings treatment, too. Her appetite was just getting regulated... Sonoma turned 12 in August, so she's quite old for a Great Pyrenees. I am hoping to give her one last good autumn. She had a difficult summer, and it's been tough getting her insulin regulated. She's had as much as 21 units and no hypo episodes until today. I appreicate any comments. I have read the link on hypo -- it was VERY helpful when I was in the thick of things!

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