Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used

[O'Riley]

Re: Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used

I'm new also, and I'm learning that there are only baby steps when it comes to safe insulin dosing. One quick fix that lowers blood glucose levels is exercise. Since there is a specific time slot that you're particularly worried about, could you walk Tucker at that time every day?

Riley's blood glucose levels are higher in the evening. I wonder if there's a circadian timing thing going on?

"Time in the biological sense is measured by cycles that range from milliseconds to years. Circadian rhythms, which measure time on a scale of 24 h, are generated by one of the most ubiquitous and well-studied timing systems. At the core of this timing mechanism is an intricate molecular mechanism that ticks away in many different tissues throughout the body. However, these independent rhythms are tamed by a master clock in the brain, which coordinates tissue-specific rhythms according to light input it receives from the outside world." (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12198538).

~Rosey

[CarolW]

Re: Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used

On circadian rhythms - Rosey, thanks so much for mentioning this and providing a link.

I think it's helpful to any Human Diabetic-Dog Parent to understand that such a thing is involved in our dogs' physiology and neurology. I think it helps us comprehend that day and night are different (! - haha!), and so, come to understand why blood glucose levels differ, day from night.

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 07:34:26 (PDT)

[ankh1972]

Re: Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used

I'm new also, and I'm learning that there are only baby steps when it comes to safe insulin dosing. One quick fix that lowers blood glucose levels is exercise. Since there is a specific time slot that you're particularly worried about, could you walk Tucker at that time every day?

Riley's blood glucose levels are higher in the evening. I wonder if there's a circadian timing thing going on?

"Time in the biological sense is measured by cycles that range from milliseconds to years. Circadian rhythms, which measure time on a scale of 24 h, are generated by one of the most ubiquitous and well-studied timing systems. At the core of this timing mechanism is an intricate molecular mechanism that ticks away in many different tissues throughout the body. However, these independent rhythms are tamed by a master clock in the brain, which coordinates tissue-specific rhythms according to light input it receives from the outside world." (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12198538).

~Rosey

WOW!!! tHATS fascinating....I can take him for walks when he's high..thanks for the advice...

[rschwank]

Re: Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used

Dog's name, breed:
Samson, lab mix 11 yrs

Weight:
80 lb

Diet:
Hills W/D dry and canned

Insulin:
Humulin N 17 units 2x day
every twelve hours

Brand of BG meter if home testing:
Use Urine test strips -
ReliOn ultima


3-15-2010 diagnosed new to this hopeful. completed some curves 180 to 450

[tardischan]

Re: Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used

Dog's name, breed:
Fuzzy (or FuzzButt, whichever works at the time) , black lab mix 15 yrs (16 in August)

Weight:
52 lbs, 65 before her medical problems began

Diet:
Whatever she’s willing to eat. She’s a very picky eater. Fuzzy has had IBD digestion issues for at least 6 months before being diagnosed with hyperglycemia last Saturday. She ate half a can of w/d and then refused to touch it. Some nights she’ll eat Blue Buffalo Wilderness dry and canned, other times I microwave oatmeal and chicken thighs with broccoli, or will scramble eggs and serve with ground turkey, oatmeal and some cottage cheese. She gets a multivitamin, SAM-E and standardized milk thistle capsules to control elevated liver enzymes. I’ll give about 3 oz of greek yogurt or cottage cheese with half a teaspoon of probiotics and enzymes powder. This morning, the yogurt was the only thing she would eat, which worried me greatly. I discovered slippery elm bark powder, and read that it’s good for pets and people with sore digestive tracts. I trekked out to the health food store this morning and got about 5 oz of the stuff. One teaspoon of the powder cooked with diluted chicken broth made a gooey “soup”, and can be given 4 times a day. She lapped it up readily. I’m hoping that it will help soothe her intestines enough to eat higher protein meals. Her regular vet is out until May.

Insulin:
Vetsulin, 6 units 2X a day.

Brand of BG meter if home testing:
None yet, still researching possible meters.

“And feel free to add any additional information.”

How much time do you have? LOL. Here's the short, short version.

I got Fuzzy as a 5 month old puppy when I was 11 years old. Except for a 4 year absence when I lived out of state, she has always been there for me. While I was away, she lived with my Grandma and developed large tumors and cancers on her legs and shoulder. We’ve had them removed, and other then that, has been pretty healthy her entire life.

December 2009, I found her laying in diarrhea and vomit. I thought she was dead, but as soon as I saw her breathing I got a harness on her and gently lifted her on her feet. She could barely walk, so I had to get her on a towel and pick her up and carry her. Once her vitals stabilized, she went in to surgery. The surgeon said she had the largest gallbladder he’s ever seen. Gallbladder, spleen, and a portion of her stomach were removed. Biopsies found no cancerous materials, but found she had inflamed an inflamed liver and intestines, and e coli in her gallbladder. The e coli found was resistant to most antibiotics except gentamicin and trimethsulfate or something like that. The TMS was prescribed for a couple of weeks, and then prednisone would be started after that for 3-4 months. An insane, bumpy ride with the prednisone and other issues would soon follow.

The side effects of these medications did more harm then good. The TMS made her anemic. The prednisone did strange things to her blood and enzyme levels. Not only has she refused to eat on and off again, she's got elevated liver enzymes and now hyperglycemia to worry about. I was poking around 1800 pet meds to find a multi-vitamin for Fuzz and discovered Marin. My vet told me that it was mostly silymarin, or milk thistle extract. SAM-e could also be used together, and both supplements have shown to reduce bad liver enzymes. I got those off Amazon.com, along with a probiotics and enzymes powder to try out.

One night, she began eating, drinking, and peeing like a horse. It was really, really scary. I took her in the next morning to get a full blood test, just like before. My regular doctor was out until May, but I went in anyway because I was afraid for my poochie.

Turns out, I had every right to be concerned. Her blood glucose level was so high it was off the charts, and was checked twice just to make sure the first test was a fluke. Off to the emergency vet again late in the afternoon. Her BG did not start to come down until 7 am the next morning, and was at 400. As that specific vet was only open 7-8 AM during the weekdays and 24 hours weekends, I had to go back and forth from the ER vet to my regular vet to get her BG lowered. Last Saturday, Fuzzy stayed about 24 hours to get a curve, and is due for another one in a week.

While my regular vet is awesome, she is not going to be back until May. I got to talk to the nurse when I got the Vetsulin and needles. She appeared to try to talk me out of doing at home blood monitoring, and if I’m worried I should just bring her in to the office. Pfft, please. I thought this was rather odd. Besides telling me how to administer the insulin, I’m pretty much on my own. I was told not to give any insulin if she would not eat. I tried to tell her that Fuzzy has had a history of not wanting to eat anything due to IBD. I figured out that cooking chicken, broccoli, eggs, and a small amount of oatmeal together would be the best thing for her before an insulin shot.
I am still looking in to the best lancet, monitor and strips to use. Stress, stress, and more stress all around. All of this is overwhelming to me.

However, one thing still keeps me going and that’s my dog. Yeah, she’s pretty old for a dog her size. But, she’s strong, and always has been. She’s not ready to go yet – there are still a lot of squirrels to bark at.
If you’ve read all of that, I thank you.

- Lynnie and Fuzzy

EDIT: Now I realized I posted a reply to one person, and not the OP. Oops. :P

[Bagel's Mom]

Re: Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used



Bagel ( AKA Miracle Dog)

10 yr old Beagle/Basset

weight now 34 lbs. Down from 41 which was a good thing to do!
Back surgery in 2004. Doing fine since then with that.

Diagnosed with Cushings March 09
Bladder stone in August 09..dissolved hopefully.
Diagnosed with Diabetes Nov 09

Switched from Vetsulin which was never stable to Relion N ( Walmart brand of Novolin ) 3 months ago.
Currently 17 Units 2X a day ...BG averages 300...has gone to mid 200s but not in a couple of weeks.
meter: One Touch Ultra
VERY healthy...much more mobile now that she lost the weight
takes Lysodren for the Cushings 3 X a week...1375 mg total
SAM-e daily to protect her liver
1 daily Synovi for joints
10 mg pepsid generic to protect stomach from the Lyso
food: each meal 1 C Purina DCO and 1/4 cooked chicken breast
treats: one small milkbone at shot time
occasional steamed broccoli.
BATHED IN MUCH PRAYER DAILY
Sande

[claire81]

Re: Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used

Dog's Name: Jess or J-Dog
Sex: Female
Breed: Staffy / Ridgeback cross
Age: 10, we think..maybe 11.. haven't had her all her life.
Current weight: 22kg
Weight when diagnosed: 21kg
Average weight: 25kg
Diagnosed with diabetes June 14th 2010

Insulin: Caninsulin, 10.8 units twice daily

Food: w/d dry with some chicken & home made broth (water added to pan to gather juices) - 1.5 cups of food with the chicken added, twice a day.

Treats: 4 small liver chips a day (1 before and 1 after needle).... i tried a veg ear today and she enjoyed that, but i'm watching her closely at the moment because she's newly diagnosed.

Still working on getting regulated. Not yet doing home testing.

[efmarek]

Re: Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used

Hi all. New to this forum, but not new to K9 diabetes.

Dog's name: Darla
Dog's breed: Black Lab
Dog's age: 11 years old
Dog's weight (pre-diagnosis):101 lbs
Dog's current weight (following diagnosis and treatment): 66 lbs
(Boy how I wish I could lose 35 lbs )
Date Diagnosed: May 2005

Diet: Hill's Science Diet Light dry (Upon comparing w/d to the Light, it is very similar in makeup and saves me alot of $$$) and can food; 1 1/2 cup dry and 1 can wet in the AM; and 1 cup dry only in PM
Insulin: Vetsulin
Number of units per injection and injections per day: 36 units in the AM after meal
Brand of BG meter if home testing: Previously Accu Chek Active, but recently changed to the ReliOn Ultima when my Accu Chek stopped working. I don't like the ReliOn because the stick must be inserted into the machine when you collect the sample. With the Accu Chek, I could collect the sample on the stick, then insert it into the machine. I will probably be changing meters again shortly. Any recommendations????

So glad I found this forum. It definitely helps to find some support from those who actually treat and manage this disease with their sweet pets.

Lisa

[Rudy]

Re: Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used

Name: Rudy
Breed: Shitzu
Age: 11
Weight pre DX (4/10): 23
Weight now: 22
Diet: Hills WD
Insulin: Humulin NPH 6 units x2 - moving to Relion
Testing: Urine test strips
Treats: Chicken nibbles - Rudy runs to get his shots so he can have his treat afterwards

[Frannie03]

Re: Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used

Dog's name, breed: Frannie, lab mix
Dog's weight: 81 lbs
Diet: DCO 2 cups 2 times daily
Insulin: Humulin N
Number of units per injection and injections per day: 16 units 2 time daily
Brand of BG meter if home testing: Bayer Contour

[kimcita]

Re: Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used


Dog's Name: Kya
Sex: Female
Breed: Shitzu/Chihua mix
Age: 10-1/2 (11/1999)
Current weight: 13lbs.
Diagnosed with diabetes April 2009
Diet: Hill's Science Diet W/D dry (I mix it with water and let it sit). Feed twice a day.
Treats: Liver crackers (about a handful), chicken stripes with glucosamine
Insulin: Was Vetsulin (6 unites/twice/day) up until Saturday July 10 when I ran out. Now she was given an Rx for Humilin N (NPD), but I was given NO info about this insulin from her vet.

Home testing: just strips but she ALWAYS reads high (the last color on the strip). I would like to purchase a Glucose Meter but do not know which one to purchase, ANY SUGGESTIONS =)

Health history: She is a producer of bladder stones and has had 2 surgeries to-date.

When Kya was diagnosed last summer I was not given any educational material, so I know VERY little about how to maintain her levels. Her vet just pretty much wanted me to bring her in all the time and I'm sorry but I'm not trying to empty my pocket book and fill his bank account. I don't much like the vet and if I could afford to switch to a new one I would.

[Mesquito]

Re: Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used

Changed to Humulin N

Dog's name, breed: Ginger Shih Tzu
Dog's weight: 16 lbs

Diet: Ginger develops large bladder stones unless she is fed Royal Urinary SO to prevent bladder stones. She has had surgery twice to remove stones. We tried Hills C/D for a year but it never dissolved the stones. Royal does a good job. Our Vet says
Royal SO may be fed to a diabetic dog.

Changed diet" 1/2 Royal urinal SO food
1/4 green beans
1/4 steamed carrots


We feed twice a day: 7AM and 7PM

Insulin:Vetsulin

Twice a day after feeding

Number of units per injection and injections per day:

generally level 5.5 if a full meal is eaten

Brand of BG meter if home testing:

IPET, works well with small amount of blood. The blood enters the end of the test strip rather than the side like our Vets meter.

We also use Bayer diastix glucose strips to check for glucose in her urine. We have to ask for the strips at the pharmacy as they are not stocked on public shelfs.

Changed to Humulin N about a month ago under our Vet's guidence as regulation using Vetsulin was impossible to achive.

Ginger started with 2 units on Humulin N twice a day for around 5 days.
Then 3 units twice a day for another five days.
Then 5 units twice a day for two weeks.
As Ginger was generally high I then slowely raised her shots 1/4 of a unit over several more days. We are now at 7 units twice a day and finely her blood suger levels are in range. A quarter unit using a Humulin syringe is hard to set.


I changed from a IPET meter to a Walmart Micro meter. The Micro meter only requires 0.03 microliter. Micro meter cost is $12 and change and the strips are $22 and change for 50 strips. I add +35 to the Micro meter readings to get closer to a canine reading.

Time to update

We quit using I-Pet over a year ago as it required to much blood. We use a Relion Micro Meter from WalMart that works well. I add +35 to Micro meter readings to more reflect true canine level. I test Ginger on her rump each side of tail. I keep the areas shaved for proper access.

We changed to Novolin N and Novolin 70/30 some time ago.

At this time we feed Ginger three times a day and she gets 3 shots per day. See is fed at 6:00 AM, NOON and 6:00PM

First shot is near 6:00 AM, second shot noon and last shot at 6:00PM

First shot at this time is 9 units of Novolin N or Novolin 70/30, depending on her actions and blood level. If she will not eat a treat or her level is near 140 she gets 9 units of 70/30. If she will eat or her blood level is near 120 her shot will be 9 units of Novolin N. Shot at noon is 4 units of Novolin N. 6:00 PM shot is 9 units of Novolin N.

This regime seems to work fine for Ginger however subject to minor change depending on Gingers actions and glucose readings. In fact my Vet called last week and commended me. She also tried 3 shots per day and it helped with some of her problem dogs.

Her food is near 1/8 cup Royal SO and 1/8 cup of other foods, like chicken breast, Tuna, Ham, Winnie ETC. Royal SO controls non growth of bladder stones.


Other food is sprinkled with potassium citrate to prevent bladder stones. I use a salt shaker.I drilled larger holes in to apply a small amount to her foods.

[Mesquito]

Re: Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used

Dog's Name: Kya
Sex: Female
Breed: Shitzu/Chihua mix
Age: 10-1/2 (11/1999)
Current weight: 13lbs.
Diagnosed with diabetes April 2009
Diet: Hill's Science Diet W/D dry (I mix it with water and let it sit). Feed twice a day.
Treats: Liver crackers (about a handful), chicken stripes with glucosamine
Insulin: Was Vetsulin (6 unites/twice/day) up until Saturday July 10 when I ran out. Now she was given an Rx for Humilin N (NPD), but I was given NO info about this insulin from her vet.

Home testing: just strips but she ALWAYS reads high (the last color on the strip). I would like to purchase a Glucose Meter but do not know which one to purchase, ANY SUGGESTIONS =)

Health history: She is a producer of bladder stones and has had 2 surgeries to-date.

When Kya was diagnosed last summer I was not given any educational material, so I know VERY little about how to maintain her levels. Her vet just pretty much wanted me to bring her in all the time and I'm sorry but I'm not trying to empty my pocket book and fill his bank account. I don't much like the vet and if I could afford to switch to a new one I would.

Our dog Ginger was subject to bladder stones. She has had surgery twice a few years ago. She does well on Royal SO urinary food. We feed equal amounts of SO and other foods however we apply a small amount of potassium nitrate on other foods. Ginger has been bladder stone free over the last 8 years with this food regime. We tried Hills urinary at first but it did not control her bladder stone problem

[eileen]

Re: Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used

We changed to Novolin N and Novolin 70/30 some time ago.

At this time we feed Ginger three times a day and she gets 3 shots per day. See is fed at 6:00 AM, NOON and 6:00PM

First shot is near 6:00 AM, second shot noon and last shot at 6:00PM

First shot at this time is 9 units of Novolin N or Novolin 70/30, depending on her actions and blood level. If she will not eat a treat or her level is near 140 she gets 9 units of 70/30. If she will eat or her blood level is near 120 her shot will be 9 units of Novolin N. Shot at noon is 4 units of Novolin N. 6:00 PM shot is 9 units of Novolin N.

Curious...with NOT eating you give an insulin that has a fast acting portion, the 70/30? This strikes me as odd, could you explain the reasoning...thanks.

Also wondering how her glucose levels are during the night where the same day regimen is not followed.

[simonejg]

Re: Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used

..Monty..black lab 10 in Feb..was 36kg when diagnosed two months ago
Caninsulin 24 units am
diet...at the mo on Royal Canin healthy weight 1.5cups am and pm, might try making own food when bag finished

..blood glucose still high 25 in am, still trying to regulate..use Accucheck metre from his elbow

am new to this forum and have spent hours going through everyones notes and find it really helpful
thanks