Your dog's diet, insulin, and meter used

[Lashly]

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

Sidney
Cattle Dog
12 years old
58 pounds
Diagnosed April 9th, 2014
Currently feeding him Hills' W/D glucose management dry and wet food mixed twice per day prior to insulin injection
We now have him up to 16 units twice per day on Novolin.
I use the Alphatrak 2 to monitor his blood sugar.

He is still very high in the 600's. I am very worried all the time and I feel like his insulin is not working. We had him down to the 400's and 300's last week, but then it spiked at 662 and has been high ever since.
I'm not sure if I gave him insulin incorrectly and thats why that happened, but we have been in the 500's and 600's since.

Does anyone have any experience with the insulin not working?

Help! I'm totally devastated.

My dog spent the day at the vet, who assured me that Zaar was not over 180 all day. This morning when I did the reading, he was 646!!!!!!!!!!!!! Am going back to the vet today, but must say.....this is not fun and it's scary. you are not alone.

[Lashly]

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

Teddy, 5lb toy poodle age 11.
Humulin N, 2.5u
Diastix

When first diagnosed (11/2013) he would eat the prescription Hills with no issue. Then as time went along he became more picky. We mixed his old food, then started feeding him boiled chicken mixed w/prescription hills.
His eating has gotten so picky that tonight I fed him ham, turkey, pastrami w/Gerber baby food (sweet potatoes). Unless it is something he can't refuse, he will hide under the bed and not come out unless we trick him.

I don't know how to test him with a meter. The vet is still trying to figure out his insulin level and just told me to use Diastix, but when I do they go right to brown.

I messed up with his insulin dose three weeks ago and was giving him 4units instead of 2. When they did a curve on him with 4units (thinking he was on 2) they said it was fine but still on the high side. Then when I started with the correct dosage (and told the vet what I'd been doing) he had high ketones and was at the vet for 4 days being flushed out.
They sent him home on 3units, and his latest curve was yesterday and they told me his first glucose reading was 47. They don't understand why when he was on 4units his curve was on the high side, now he's on less and it's like this. So now he is getting 2.5u.

The vet said in the beginning what's going on with Teddy is common. Maybe he's not eating enough, so she did a fructosimine (sp?). Has anyone else experienced this?

I want to do the glucose meter, but I need a very gentle one. My dog is really starting to hate me. The Diastix definitely are not helpful.

Thank you,
Natalie & Teddy

I'm reading through a lot of these posts - all so full of valuable information. I had to reply to this one, and about the comment: "My dog is really starting to hate me. " Cute.......I thought that between the BG readings and two insulin shots- as well as the multiple eye drops - that my dog would begin to hate me too...............but, he is such a trooper...so good....I hope your dog understands I sure he does.................(whether present or not.)

[aangulo]

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

Dog's name,breed:
Precious, Rat Terrier Mix

Weight:
12.5 pounds post diabetes, before diabetes she was portly at above 20 lbs

Diet:
Orijen,Wellness Small breed, and Whole Earth Farms Canned or homemade mix of chicken, veggies, and oatmeal

Insulin:
Vetsulin

Number of Units Per Injection and Injections per day:
2.5-3 units twice a day

[ConnieJJ]

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

Dog's name, breed: Australian Cattle Dog (Heeler, Red)
Dog's weight: Was 57 lb, when diagnosed 2 months later her weight was 45 lb!
Diet: Vet wants her on WD which she steadfastly refuses, prior to hospitalization she was on limited ingredient foods, Taste of the Wild -meat based foods, due to suspected allergies.
Insulin: Humulin N
Number of units per injection and injections per day: Still trying to regulate, yesterday it was 7u, 2 times daily
Brand of BG meter if home testing: Not sure, research is underway

My Ginnie is a 9 year old, previously active and healthy ACD. She developed a very bad yeast infection on her skin that refused to clear up. 2 runs of prednisone, medicated baths and limited ingredient hypo-allergenic, low sugar foods cleared her skin up, but she never recovered from feeling 'rotten' after the last run of prednisone. She had started having accidents in the house and then had incontinent events.
When we had to rush her to the emergency vet over an hour and a half away...over Memorial Day weekend, her sugar was 663! She is still in the hospital, this is day 5 and hope she gets to come home tonight. I am really kinda scared, we have very busy schedules and I am worried about leaving her for the long periods, working 12-14 hour days. She hates the food, WD and for the most part attempts to bury it when it is offered. We have never fed 'people food', and one of the vets at the emergency hospital is insistent that she must eat the WD....beginning to think he must have stock in the company or get a commission!
All of this has been very frightening for me, so glad to have found this forum.

[Riliey and Mo]

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

welcome to the forum

hope Ginny comes home soon

the best food for Ginny is what she likes. She doesnt like w/d then feed her what she ate prior.

Need help with meters and hometesting we can help

mo

[Grayson]

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

My boy won't eat at the vet, even though he loves the girls there, and they're all so sweet with him. The first curve they did, I found out when he was picked up that he refused all food and water. The second and third curves, I went over to have a 'lunch date' with him - luckily my schedule allowed for that. Now that we are closer to regulated, the vet is okay with me home testing. I'll soon be doing a curve with the new Alphatrak2 I just got, and reporting the results to the vet. My first meter is a One Touch mini from Walmart (pretty cheap and I got a good deal on strips on eBay)- this brand gives the closest to vet meters in results. If you can get your vet to agree to home testing and reporting your curves, you'll save so much money...and for a dog that is stressed out by the vet, you're going to get more accurate readings at home. Be sure to point that out when you tell them your desire to home test. A stressed out dog isn't going to give true BG in the middle of chaos, so they aren't going to get a real picture of where his levels are. One of the techs at my vet has a diabetic cat, so she was happy to do dual tests with my One Touch meter beside the vets Alphatrak2. That gave the vet a better idea of how well it could work, so she was okay with home curves along with periodic vet visits. Now that I can give curve results from my AT2, I'm sure they'll be even more agreeable. You can get a handle on this...just try not to be too hard on yourself - its a learning process for both of you, and your dog knows that you're doing things out of love!

[Cara Sandler]

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

Most vets push the WD because they were taught in school that it is the answer to what to feed...and the vet schools are highly supported by the maker of the food (Hills has a vested interest in them being taught to use the product)! Also, the vets DO make a tidy profit in selling the food, or they'd leave it up to the pet stores to do it. It's ridiculous to pay such a big price for food that is loaded with fillers like cellulose (basically sawdust), and peanut shells! Fiber is important but there ARE food based, healthy sources for it... Corn is the first ingredient, and there is only ONE meat product in it, if I'm remembering the label correctly. My vet tried to push me to use it, and I pushed right back! I told them I would NOT be feeding my dog that 'food' in no uncertain terms. I did plenty of research on dogfoodadvisor.com and decided on Merrick grain free buffalo and sweet potato, which is a highly rated five star food. My dog loved it from the first taste... You need to feed the best food you can afford that your dog WILL EAT WILLINGLY on every feeding. You can't give insulin if they won't eat consistently. Feed her the food she WAS eating, if she liked it and it agreed with her digestion, and adjust the insulin to fit her needs. As many here will tell you, there is no prize for using the lowest dosage - every dog is different and needs what they need! Stick to your guns and don't give in to pressure to use the WD. Some dogs will eat it, but I've read of many that wont even bother to smell it.

After fighting with my dog for over 2 months, trying to get him to eat the prescription food, I have given up and switched him to Nutrisca grain free chicken recipe. He has gotten very picky about food too, and I've basically gotten to the point that I spend a ridiculous amount of time and energy trying to get him to eat. I totally agree with what everyone else is saying on this forum - the best dog food for your dog is the one he/she will eat consistently and feel well on. The insulin dose can be adjusted around the food.

[6K9S]

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

Bowzer eats a combination of Earthborn Holistic Grain Free Weight Control and Merrick Grain Free Chicken and Sweet Potato. He gets a teaspoon of Merrick canned grain free food and a teaspoon of pumpkin all twice a day He is newly diagnosed; and thus far he is on 19 units of Novolin N twice a day. I am currently using the Reli-on Confirm. Bowzer has a lot of anxiety issues (been dealing with these since he was a puppy). He currently takes 50 mg of Amitriptyline 2 xs a day as well as 2 Actistatin chews for his arthritis.

[ConnieJJ]

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

Thanks for all of the encouragement about the food! Ginnie is doing great. Her sugar is usually in the 150-275 range, except when she sneaks into the outside dog's food. I wish it was a little lower, but am afraid to adjust her dose for fear of getting too low!. She is on 9 units X 2 daily and most of the time seems to feel pretty good for an old girl. She is after all an Australian Cattledog, did you know that they hold the Guinness Book of World Records for the oldest dog..28 years!! Ginnie is just a spring chicken at 11 years young! We went camping last weekend and she did great, only thing we have not started doing is hiking. I am afraid to try a 5 mile hike, as I get more comfortable with her condition, perhaps.
She is eating Pure Basic, which is made by Ole Roy (Walmart), but is rated 5 stars by dogfoodadvisor.com I feed her a can + 1/2 cup dry in the morning and same at night. I think the key is a quality food, balance protein and carb with moderate to low fat and consistency!
The vet can't get an accurate curve on Gin because she won't eat for them and is very anxious at being left. So the vet told me to do a curve and bring it in and she would look at it. I did a curve and adjusted her insulin dose and told the vet what I had done and she was very happy with it. Despite the fact that the number of diabetic dogs is growing, vets really are not comfortable dealing with diabetic dogs. Or perhaps it is just mine? They are very supportive of me home testing, I just keep a journal and take it to the vet's when we go and they copy it and put it in her chart. I am using a human meter which is probably not accurate but is precise as long as I am .
All that said, this is a great resource and thank you for all the support during a very stressful and emotional time. I have rambled enough!

[jesse girl]

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

when you think about it there isnt allot a vet can do for a diabetic dog . as you said more are showing up and there is just not enough time in the day .

glad your vet sees the benefit of home testing which makes it easier for everybody but most of all your pup .

yes thats a good range especially with a dog that has the potential to be active

with anything with this disease you have to build up slowly to give the body a chance to adapt .

there becomes more flexibility as you understand how your pup reacts to different situations

[weegie8753]

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

My dog spent the day at the vet, who assured me that Zaar was not over 180 all day. This morning when I did the reading, he was 646!!!!!!!!!!!!! Am going back to the vet today, but must say.....this is not fun and it's scary. you are not alone.

Have you heard of the somogyi response? My dog was in the 600's last week and I think he had a somogyi response. It is the body's defense mechanism to release glucose from the liver when he drops too low. If this is what is going on...the insulin needs to be reduced. Google and ask your vet about this response. It is uncommon in people but can occur common in dogs. Hope this helps.

[Imagekind]

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

My dog is a Catahoula Leopard Dog. He ways 83 pounds. He is 11 years old. He eats 1 1/4 cups zignatures grain free dry food and evingers grain free wet 1/2 can in the morning and for dinner.I use a prime meter from Walmart and check it against an Alpha Trac. He takes Novalin N 22 units in the a.m. and 20 units in p.m. He has exercise intolerance and hind end weakness along with what may be weakness in his throat. He does not have any trouble swallowing or eating. He has had 5 episodes of cyanosis and 4 significant events of stridor do to vet trips. He does very well in his home environment. He had an adverse reaction to his first round of medication Humilin N (blood pressure medicine one day discontinued and clavamox) his eyes swelled and he became extremely week. His thyroid T4 level dropped to .5 and now he gets a very low dose of thyroid medication .325 the thyroid medication amazingly instantaneously gave him strength. his level rose quickly so my dr. lowered it an unfrtunately he prsntd w/ knuckling.

[lori4486]

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

Dog's name, breed: Gracie, lab, rott and unidentified mix
Dog's weight: 62
Diet: ultra advantage 24/20 but lately has been refusing to eat it, unless I mix something like scrambled eggs or insulin: relion.
Number of units per injection and injections per day: 20 units twice daily
Brand of BG meter if home testing: have not started home testing.

[boxer*rott]

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

Breed= boxer/rottweiler..
Diagnosed= 01-09-14
Insulin=10 units twice daily.. Novalin N
Food= blue buffalo freedom grain free..1-2 cups am and 3-4 cups

zoey is 3 and a half and her bg was at 400 when diagnosed..she had a checkup a week later and it was at 301..she is still wetting the bed at night and having accidents some days.. Not really sure what to do?

[Winston]

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

Dog: chocolate lab, 13 yrs. old diagnosed March 2011 after siezures
Diet: wants to eat everything, currently on 1500 cal day that includes 4 cups purina true instinc, some chick breast, pumpkin, green beans, etc. 1/2 at morning shot 6:30am, 1/8 at 1:30pm, 3/8 at 6:30pm.
insulin: currenlty re-regulating, was on Novolin N 38 u 2 x day, currently re-regulating with vetsulin, probably switch back to Novolin
Meter: ipet, close enough to vets