Franklin has diabetes

[amholmesy]

Re: Franklin has diabetes

Jane

I am so sorry to hear about Franklin having another UTI - the poor little fellow. ANd poor you - he was doing so well. They always seem to throw us a curved ball when things are going smoothly. Maybe the dog diabetes vet can come up with some ideas? Thinking of you both. hugs xx

[Shellie]

Re: Franklin has diabetes

Aw, another UTI? I'm so sorry little Franklin is having another one! Getting the culture results will be good...you may have something resistant going on which should be treated more aggressively. Hope the Baytril will work for him tho! Hugs to you and belly rubs to Franklin!

[BestBuddy]

Re: Franklin has diabetes

Hi Jane,

Sorry to hear about Franklins UTI. I believe Buddy would have been crowned King of the UTI's in his time!

He had so many that cleared fine on antibiotics but with a few weeks it would be back again. Our specialist said that he felt it would be better to have Buddy on a constant low dose of antibiotics rather than the up and downs of waiting for a UTI to appear. We did this an it was good for us.

We got a script for the drug and collected at the (human) chemist so it really was only a few cents a day, much cheaper than vet prices.

I had a look at the Animal Diabetes Australia site and it it is the one in Melbourne I have heard lots of good things about the lady doc. It would not be very convenient for you though would it?

Another thing I have been wondering about, have you used any of the Human insulins? If you have only used Caninsulin then I could consider trying maybe NPH before resorting to a fast acting as well as the caninsulin.

As you may remember Buddy started on Caninsulin and had to make a change after many years to NPH. It was the cushing specialist who gave us our first NPH script (collected at the chemist) and it worked so well that our local GP who had never used human insulins was soon on board. He still started most on Caninsulin but would change them to NPH if he felt it could improve things.

Jenny

[Franklin'sMum]

Re: Franklin has diabetes

Hi everyone

Tara- thanks for not thinking I'm crazy for the questionnaire at the time we were changing Franklin's vet of 5 years, and didn't want to end up with another who didn't know certain things he should, and didn't want to learn. Towards the end of this time, it was such a struggle to get things done for Franklin. We've been going to Dr P since, and there truly is no comparison

Louise - thanks for checking in on Franklin. Hopefully this course of a/b's will clear it up and get him feeling better soon

Anne Marie - thanks for your well wishes and for checking on Franklin too. Hope CJ is doing great. Will be over to check your thread shortly

Shellie - it might be some sort of resistance, it might be that 10 days isn't a long enough course to clear it completely. I'll take in a pee sample for culture a couple of days after this round is finished to see if we need a longer course.

Jenny- your idea of constant low dose a/b's is a good one. I think first we'll need to find out if it's recurring infections or whether the course of treatment just hasn't been long enough to clear it completely.
The Animal Diabetes centre wouldn't be inconvenient for us to get to. The issue is everytime we travel down to Melbourne there seems to be less pup friendly accommodation than the time before. In my email to the doc, I'm pretty sure it was clear that Dr P and myself only need help if we are to introduce a rapid acting insulin. Dr P has said in the past that she only uses human insulin for cats, and that she uses caninsulin for pups. I'll have to find out what kind of insulin the cats get, and whether P would be willing to use for Franklin if needed.

The previous vial, the clumpy vial and the new vial are all from the same batch. If Franklin is going to lose near regulation numbers every few months due to the caninsulin, I will be asking about changing insulin brands.

The little booger has decided he doesn't need much food He's been eating half his meals, I've been giving half his dose, and he hasn't been lower than 17. The lack of appetite has been since starting this round of anti biotics. The time before, they came on a sheet with baytril 50 on the print, this time they were in a bottle with the generic name (which I had to Google). Wondering if that might be it? Gah! Seems to always be something.

Love to all

[Shellie]

Re: Franklin has diabetes

What a little booger! Eat your food, Franklin! I know your tummy isn't happy but eat anyway!

Is always something! Hope you get thru this round ok!

I'm not sure why your vet would be against trying something different...or if she would be. The good ones seem willing to give new things a go if the owner is willing. I'll cross my fingers for you!

Hugs to you and belly rubs to Franklin! Eat!

[amholmesy]

Re: Franklin has diabetes

Hi Jane

Sorry to hear that Franklin won't eat all his food . Is this in the morning only? Cj does not want to eat all his in the morning so now I just give him 1/2 then the other 1/2 about two and a half hours later. It seems to work and not affect his BG's so far.

I have also had problems with Caninsulin and have had to bin 3 bottles so far. I get so mad about this because we are paying a lot for the insulin and then it does not work because for some reason it is contaminated. Of course they will try and blame us saying we must have handled it incorrectly.

Hope the uti clears up quickly . I know what you mean about trying to find pet friendly accomodation - it's really difficult here too. In Europe we never had a problem in fact the dogs were more welcome than us!

Xxxx

[Patty]

Re: Franklin has diabetes

Jane,
I'm so sorry to hear about Franklin's UTI. Ali used to have recurrent infections. I was able to keep her clear for over a year, then they popped back up this last year. It's a challenge.

I'm glad you're having it cultured. It was pricey for us but worth it as Ali was resistant to some meds depending on the organism cultured.

The Wholecran Intense I liked a lot. D-Mannose powder is another supplement you can look into if he's culturing e.coli bacteria.

Patty

[Franklin'sMum]

Re: Franklin has diabetes

Hi all,

Thanks for your replies and suggestions. I'll be looking into them and speaking with P about them

Shellie and Anne Marie- I passed along your EAT! request, and not much joy I'm afraid. His meals are supposed to be 246g each, and being as Franklin's not a morning person he had originally been eating 20-50g less in the am. He'd eat all his tea though. Since the baytril he's been eating about 130g per meal. I've been offering the rest of breakfast about 2 hours later and he'll give it a good go then. Has still been leaving a little, but does eat I've also used pieces of a mcdonalds burger as bribery

P said a bad bottle sometimes just happens, which would seem to me that we have the same problem as the USA when caninsulin was pulled This mornings fasting was 14.1 which is the lowest he's been in more than a week, but we may as well say he's not almost regulated anymore

Is there a better time to change insulins? Should I wait till his UTI has cleared? I have to go intomorrow to pick up some more phenobarb. Gives me tonight to Google insulin options.

Patty - I had been using the Wholecran intense but stopped 2 days ago. My thinking is his bladder might become used to the cranberry while having high bgs and the cranberry won't work as effectively when his bgs come down. I have nothing to base that thought on . Will definitely look into the D-Mannose, thank you for the suggestion

[Shellie]

Re: Franklin has diabetes

The UTI and the meds are going to fool with his bg's regardless of the insulin. I would probably wait til he was done before changing the bottle. It could be just the UTI and meds that are causing the current high but until that's done, you won't know.

Glad he's eating a bit for you! I've switched Hank over to the four meals a day and have to say...he's eating better and I'm not seeing a big change in his bgs. I thought for sure I'd see more swings and perhaps it's the levemir but if we switch back, I'll be checking again. I'm thinking it may work better since it's more of a constant source of glucose rather than loading a bunch at mealtimes. No more battles is one of the biggest changes.

I'd actually suggest you give the extra meals a try after all this has settled with Franklin IF he's still picky. Don't give him more...just spaced out evenly. More experimentation! lol Hugs!

[Franklin'sMum]

Re: Franklin has diabetes

Hi Shellie and thanks

I've only been checking fastings and spot checks, and have noticed he is getting more level-ish numbers. High, but level-ish. Do you think there's any value doing a curve on Saturday? It will be his last day of anti biotics. Would everything be out of whack still or would it provide info on how his broken up meals are working?

Even if Franklin doesn't stay picky, I'd like to keep him on the extra meals if it works for him bg wise. He's happier with smaller, frequent meals, and he looks and feels like his weight is stable.

I didn't get to P's today, but it gives me more googling time for possible insulin to change to if necessary.

Oh, Barb, I think it was you who mentioned dentastix raises Abby's bg and said you give her fish jerky now? Franklin's sampler pack just arrived and he almost inhaled a little fishy

Hugs to all

[Abby's Mom]

Re: Franklin has diabetes

Jane,

I don't think it was me... because I never used Dentastix with Abby, but I have started to use on boiled Chicken as a treat. I small piece, like the size of a pea. I realize that it is how often, and not how much for each serving that Abby cares about, she inhales it regardless of the size.

I have used Sweet Potatoes, if she needs a little more chew or those.... pizzles for additioinal chewing.

Part of Abby's supplements is Cranberry, and have found that she has not had a UTI, since she was first diagnosed. I also monitor her ph in her urine to be sure that we stay within normal ranges, and use this as a guide.

I think it is best to give the Cranberry in the evening, so it stays in the body a little longer.

Hopefully Franklin is doing much better.

[Franklin'sMum]

Re: Franklin has diabetes

Woops! You're right, it was Pippa's mum who wrote about the dentastix. Sorry Jenny The pizzles are called 'bully sticks' over here

Good thought on the cranberry at night staying in the system longer, thanks. I'll try that

Franklin is feeling good, thank you Barb he's humped his toy cow the last couple of evenings

[jenny]

Re: Franklin has diabetes

Hi Jane, no problem , hope that Franklin likes the fish jerky you got him to try, it stinks but im used to the smell now and my two love it , super crunchy and even better than the dentastixs. I think if G and P had a choice now they would pick the fish jerkies! Im not going to tell them about "pizzles" I think my husband would look a bit faint, and Ive never seen them here either .

Good to hear hes in humping the cow mode again...must be feeling brighter! I do hope the UTIS are gone for good. xxxxBig hugs to you both ( forgot to say I loved the TSHIRT you had made up for Dad, sounds wonderful! )

[amholmesy]

Re: Franklin has diabetes

Hi Jane

Glad Franklin is feeling a better. I agreee with you on the extra meals - CJ is now on 2 meals in the morning and one at night. It does not seem to be affecting his BG's too much - will see. Wish I could get fish jerky here I'd love to be able to give CJ a treat - he used to LOVE pigs ears!! xxx

[Shellie]

Re: Franklin has diabetes

Oh Jenny...you probably HAVE seen the pizzles ...just didn't know they were pizzles! LOL

Glad Franklin has gotten back into cow humping mode. Did I really just SAY that? The things we get excited about around here...REALLY! LOL I guess it's just the back to normal thing we're happy about! Feeling better? Go hump the cow! teehee...sounds like a commercial! Ok..all done giggling...actually, nope..am not done giggling!

You could try the curve on Saturday...he's obviously feeling better so it's likely that the infection part effect would be over. You still might have some residual over the abx but a curve is always useful.

It's funny but I was SO against the multiple meals a day but saw how well Hank has done and now I'm all for trying it. Every dog is different is just so darn true! Some dogs do better on multiple meals even while others do fantastic on just the two. It's amazing the variations we get on this disease!

Ok...done babbling and giggling! Hugs to you and belly rubs to Franklin!