New member 👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼

[Milly112]

Hi I’m Maria and my Yorkie Milly was diagnosed on Saturday.
Had a rough idea what the results would be as she was drinking lots, peeing round the house and constantly on the hunt for food!!
Her levels where 35 which th vet got down overnight to 19, still high but better .
Had vets appointment this morning where she is now on 2.5 caninsulin Once a day for the next two weeks when she will then be taken in and assessed to see where we are and how her body is responding.
A lot to take in but just taking it one step at a time, administered my first injection today which was actually fine and all stocked up on everything I need so just a case of getting on with it now!

[jesse girl]

Re: New member 👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼

hi maria It can be learning curve at the beginning but you eventually get into a routine and a new normal . We always recommend to test blood sugar at home sooner than later and lots of info on the site about that . The once a day shot hardly ever works as a insulin therapy and most end up with 2 shots a day 12 hours apart . Now some vets do like to start out with one shot do a complete curve and move to 2 shots and this maybe your vets approach . Its positive milly has shown a response to injected insulin which is a good sign

[Milly112]

Re: New member 👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼

So a lot has happened in a week Milly is now on two injections a day , I rang my vet as could see she needed the evening injection as water intake would suddenly appear so had a good idea that this is where we where heading! Seems to be doing well but still peeing at least twice in the night so trying to get her to use puppy pads.
Injection wise I am having major problems getting her to keep still, some days it can take up to 20mins to finally administer and I’m very stressed about the whole thing! Have tried getting someone to hold her , doing it while she’s eating and she always gets lots of praise and a treat after! I now have found the only way I can do it is to hold her to the side of me with her head facing behind me while I use my hand to cup her back legs stick her behind in the air and inject her in the butt!! I know it’s going to take time for both of us to get used to the shots but it’s literally making me depressed as I’m constantly thinking about it!

Milly goes back to the vet next week to be monitored overnight so will see how that goes but got a feeling her insulin will need to be increased slightly .
She’s currently eatting dry food along with some boiled chicken or turkey, and thus far her appetite has been very good.

[jesse girl]

Re: New member 👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼

Regulation can take months to achieve so dont get to upset over a first curve with 2 shots .

Its a bit unusual to hold a dog over night . Are they planing to do a 24 hour curve ?

Its takes a bit of time to get into a routine for both of you . Sometimes singing or just talking to a dog calmly while giving a shot or testing blood sugar can help . Sometimes it can help the human also

[katy1]

Re: New member 👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼

Hey Milly,

I completely understand your anxiety. As a pet parent of a diabetic pup, I was always instructed to administer the insulin in the soft tissue of the neck. Please don’t try to give the insulin while your pup is in the process of eating. Let her/him finish completely and then give the insulin.

Milly, I have a miniature schnauzer and she has been diabetic for a little over a year. The best way I have found to administer insulin is just grab your baby( they get over that part very quick) and pull up the scruff of the neck. At this point, it should be loose, and you need to be able to place your finger in a “hole” or a very vacant place in her/his neck. That is the place under the skin where the insulin needs to be injected. Please ask others, but I had one other diabetic pup years ago and the administration instructions to me were the same.

In light of all this, your vet is your go to person. Blessings to you and your baby. Karen

[Susan M]

Re: New member 👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼

It has been my understanding (and the only way Ive ever done it) to inject on the back of the neck, holding the loose fatty part with one hand and inject with the other.

In the beginning I would have anxiety just thinking about giving my dog his shots. He was not cooperative and would usually yelp, which made me feel horrible. I found that standing him on the kitchen counter (while Im standing right up to the counter) was the easiest way for me to not only control him but also be in control of how I was injecting him. In no time at all I was able to relax and give him his shots quickly. The only thing he worries about now is his treat that he gets right after his shot!
This all will become routine before you know....
Hang in there!

[amydunn19]

Re: New member 👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼

Injecting is tricky at first. I would vary the place or she will get scar tissue. The scruff is not a great place absorption wise. I used the sides up and down the body (not over the spine). Also, trying to tent is tricky, too. I just would pull up the skin and inject at the bottom.

[Milly112]

Re: New member 👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼

Thanks for the reply’s .... have been reading up a lot about where is the best place for insulin to go on your dog and there is a lot to suggest that stuff of neck isn’t great absorbent wise which is very interesting as this is where 90 % of vets tell you to put it. One vet in America that I read up on says bottom part of animal is the best and I must say that Milly seems to take to this really well and is literally back to her old self.
Milly is at the vets for the day tomorrow to monitor her levels for the day which I’m very interested in so will keep you posted.