Yuki has crossed the bridge Dec 2020

[YukiesMom]

Re: Diabetes, Cushings and Pancreatitis in my Dog

Thanks Everyone - he is due for a curve anyways so I will do one this weekend and post it.

[YukiesMom]

Re: Diabetes, Cushings and Pancreatitis in my Dog

So the vet had me increase Yukons insulin because it was in the 200s one day and then all the sudden 500s the next day. I increased to 13 units and he's been all over the charts tonight before his dinner I did a urine and his blood glucose was about 251 hour later it's 730.

[jesse girl]

Re: Diabetes, Cushings and Pancreatitis in my Dog

My jesse has always gone through periods of changing regulation actually she is running a bit higher fasting lately . Tried a lower dose ( i kind of do the opposite of most and lower in response to higher sugar ) and i did get a better fasting for a day and went higher again but i gave it a bit of time . Then i gave a bit higher dose and her fasting went higher so we are in a standoff between 2 worlds higher and lower dose . She has been shaking her head lately so we started working on the ears as that can bring higher fastings with jesse .

Just being reactionary is what most do but I try to find an explanation and try not to just draw straws but its not easy

[YukiesMom]

Re: Diabetes, Cushings and Pancreatitis in my Dog

So at 8:30 pm it now registers HI. And I took him for a walk about 45 minutes earlier. I am really questioning the Vetsulin. This is so frustrating.

[YukiesMom]

Re: Diabetes, Cushings and Pancreatitis in my Dog

I am doing a curve Thursday and I will post it. Hopefully the ocu glo was what's throwing him off.

[Raysaint]

Re: Diabetes, Cushings and Pancreatitis in my Dog

for many dogs, when you increase the dose, it can take some time for it to adjust. And during adjustment numbers can be erratic. I learned not to expect consistent improvement after a dose change for 3 - 4 weeks.

Logic seems to not be a part of diabetes sometimes.

[YukiesMom]

Re: Diabetes, Cushings and Pancreatitis in my Dog

Yes I understand but he has been on the Vetsulin since August so he should be seeing some type of stability and it is not happening. I am more concerned about the constant jumps from the 200's into the 600's after eating.

Here is the curve I started today - it is way too high. I just spoke with my vet and she is going to research other insulins which she thinks might be good for Yukon. I am going to give it a few more days and do a mini curve and if he is still high I am switching. I don't know if it will work - but at this point it is worth a try.


4/18 4:00 a.m. 400 Urine Sample - greenish/brown
6:05 a.m. 442
7:00 a.m. 687
8:00 a.m. 492
8:15 a.m. 500 Walked Urine Sample - light brown
9:00 a.m. 424
10:00 a.m. 498
11:00 a.m. 527
12:00 p.m. 523

[Riliey and Mo]

Re: Diabetes, Cushings and Pancreatitis in my Dog

Goodday

His urine shouldnt be green or brown!!!!
Could be a sign of infection
I.d take a urine sample into your vet right away!!!
A uti will cause high bg numbers

[YukiesMom]

Re: Diabetes, Cushings and Pancreatitis in my Dog

I'm sorry it is not his actual urine that is the color - it is the urine stick. I am using the Bayer Keto-Diastix Reagent Strips to check his urine for the glucose level.

If the strips are green at 30 seconds that is good - it is usually between 100-250, but if the strips turn brown it is 500+.

I like to use those a lot because they are a little cheaper than the Alpha Trak strips and it also doesn't stress him out as much.

[YukiesMom]

Re: Diabetes, Cushings and Pancreatitis in my Dog

SO here is the reading from his latest blood today. Seems like his BG doesn't get to the level it should until it's almost time for dinner and then it's back up again.



3:00 p.m. 326
5:30 p.m. 242

[YukiesMom]

Insulin

Hi Everyone,

I am going to my vet on Saturday and she is supposed to be looking into what other type of insulin I could switch Yukon to.

It seems like on the Vetsulin he does not get to a good BG level until about 4:00 p.m. (usually in the 100's), goes into the 300's around 2:00 p.m. We feed him dinner and it jumps up to 500 within an hour.

I need something a little more stable that can get him into the lower numbers and keep him there. I test his BG at least 6 times a day with either Alpha Trak or Urine Strips so I am not worried about it going too low.

Can anyone give me some advise on what they have had experience with?

[Raysaint]

Re: Insulin

Refresh my memory, was he on NPH insulin before? And did you increase the dose enough, and over enough time, to get improving numbers?

[YukiesMom]

Re: Insulin

He has only been on Vetsulin since September, 2018 - I have not tried any other insulin. He started at 4 units and is now at 13 units. The increase to 13 units was about two weeks ago.

Every day is a different pattern with the Vetsulin, but for the most part he is in the 250-300 range in the AM and I give him his food/insulin and it skyrockets to sometimes 600 - it remains relatively high up until about 4:00 p.m. and it goes down to 200's and by 5:30 it is in the 100's. It is then time to give him his insulin/food again (6:00) and it shoots up from 100's to the 500's within a couple hours.

I started a new vial of Vetsulin yesterday and he had a great day - his BG was around 175 right before dinner and I took it again at 9:30 p.m. and it was 238. That's the way it should always be.

[jesse girl]

Re: Insulin

From what i suggested on other posts there are maybe 2 other human insulin's that have a decent track record for dogs . That would be NPH and levemir . Now for levimer its usually better if your dog is on a fairly large dose of vetsulin or NPH because it is 4 times more potent so that would be about 3 units to the 13 you are giving for vetsulin . Small adjustments may need to be in quarter units so get those magnifying glasses but some have said it was nice and flat in nature

I would try NPH first but you must remember Yule may never be totally consistent with his other challenges and medications . I do think there is a big downside to trying something new

I have seen better numbers from using different vials of insulin . When i have a good one I try to stick with it as long as we can . There could be other reasons for that but it appears to look that way to me

Maybe stick with this new vial for a bit and see how it goes and if not happy make a switch . you can always switch back

[YukiesMom]

Re: Insulin

So I took his blood sugar at 5:30 and it was around 200. After insulin, food and a short walk at 7:15 pm (1 hour 15 minutes later) its 678!

Should I maybe lower his insulin dose at night? How can it jump over 400 every night?