It's all so new

[amydunn19]

Re: It's all so new

I think you are doing a great job - it takes time to really put it all together. It is very hard - this is not exactly the type of thing you ever expect to have to deal with and hardly anybody has any experience. Our dogs are super resilient and can survive our mistakes.

Appetite is affected by high blood sugar, too. They tend to not want to eat if they are running high. So, the combination of pain and inconsistent eating might cause increased blood sugar causing more appetite issues. It can kind of get out of hand. I went through the food problems and you just have to take it one meal at a time. Maggie had pancreatitis so sometimes it had to be priority over diabetes. Sometimes, we got off schedule and I had to feed her more often to keep her from having attacks.

Just keep on doing what you are doing and hopefully, you can find something she will eat willingly and happily.

[Gomeysmom]

Re: It's all so new

THANKS for the encouragement! I am up for the challenge as Gomey relies on me! Gomey seems less sore today and picked through her food so as you said...ONE DAY AT A TIME!

[Gomeysmom]

Re: It's all so new

Gomey has been on 7 units of Novolin for 1 week now. We did a curve today with some horrible numbers! The first night of the increase (Sat., 5/20) Gomey had a long night of panting and waking every 2 hours until about 3am when she begins her deep sleep until 6am when I have to start roust her..sound asleep on her back! so peaceful! She used to be my morning puppy with just the mention of feeding her pony! Did spot check via human glucometer on Sunday night (7:30pm which is 30 minutes after dinner and insulin) she was 396. Monday she was very sore all day, her fasting before dinner was 308. Tuesday fasting before dinner was 267...Wednesday she felt amazing and was perky..never took sample. Thursday she was great again and her "brother" who doesn't live here moved in for the holiday weekend. He can be stressful as he is a bundle of energy and LOVES Gomey! Today (Friday) I did a curve:
7:23a (417) fasting (this is late for us to not have eaten)
9:37a (400) she ate at 7:45a got 7 units, rimadyl, and amoxy
11:58a (299)
2:05p (355)
4:10p (426)
6:26p (352)..she ate at 6:27 then insulin at 6:30 (she can't wait until 7p to eat)
7:32p (362)
So all and all not the best curve. I may try again when we don't have a visiting dog. I assume the vet will want me to up the units again. FYI...I used her ear for each reading. Hoping to gain more comfort with the lip.
I have to figure what I am going to use for a pain med. She is doing well on rimadyl but...(again this is for her hind end and basic gait, she gets up poorly but doing better on pain med. Baby Aspirin does not help)

[jesse girl]

Re: It's all so new

you might want to hold steady at this dose and do another curve . you could do it in 3 to 4 days to see i f there is an improvement and you maybe able to do a mini curve instead of a full

not terrible could be an odd day with feeling better earlier in the week with some better numbers

[Gomeysmom]

Re: It's all so new

I have been absent for awhile. I have been reading posts and found that there are so many of us that don't quite have a handle on this. I keep an accurate log book in a daily planner of what is going on with Gomey. I have been diagnosing maybe a UTI, maybe she needs less insulin, maybe she needs more carbs..all dependent on her actions.

I will start by saying that Rimadyl has helped Gomey be a "little" less sore but not consistently enough. I do not give it to her everyday but she gets a small amount a few times per week in the morning. She still gets up like a paralyzed pup. She will not always come out to the horses. She is willing to take a walk as long as I REALLY sell it! Once on the walk she enjoys it but sometimes goes slow, and sometimes asks for a ride. If a chipmunk appears she can and will always dart after it. She also goes in the creek every time, It's like and endless water bowl which I think at times is a diabetic dream!

How is her water intake? Not bad but she still has a few nights where she has to get up and drink, drink, drink!

Has she been incontinent? Yes but very rare. Probably only one real puddle, others were just a "leak" (is on those heavy drinking days)

How has her food intake been? Inconsistent. As I have seen another write, she likes her night time food and sometimes would like more...but morning food needs to be less and MANY days has to be hand fed. I am pretty sure she is not getting enough carbs as we have not found the perfect kibble still! I will probably be adding brown rice again to her "stew"

Lets talk about the evenings. UGGH..this is like have an infant. MOST nights we go to bed about 3 hours after dinner. She gets a small piece of dried meat and a Blue wilderness grain free biscuit. (I have also tried no snack and get the same results) Gomey will wake up about an hour after and be panting. Some nights she wants to be brought down to drink or go outside, others she just wants attention because she isn't feeling right. I am not a night person so I have never taken a glucose reading at night. Anyway she basically gets up every 2 hours until 3am and then she will sleep super soundly until I roust her between 5:30-6am. (again I have to carry her up and down the stairs. I also have to physically take her outside to use the "bathroom" in the evenings. She will walk to water bowl on her own if she is thirsty)
This week I decided to sleep downstairs on the couch. Worked like a charm Gomey slept very well. Maybe she liked having the knowledge that she could get up on her own to use the dog door and go to the kitchen for water? I am guessing??

Today when I spot checked her numbers:
fasting # 447@7:24a then light meal and (7) units of Novilin N
221 @9:20a
95 @2:30p...I gave her a snack..she was panting!

Recent #'s- 6/19=418 @ 6p,
6/18 442@8am, 172@10:30am, 110@745p, 266@9p
6/16= 147 @10:30a and 121@2pm
6/15=282@8p,
6/13= 140 @5:24p
6/12=294@6p
6/11=238 @6:37p
6/8 (fast) 345@8:09a, 97@11a, 80@1pm, 160@3:35p, 190@6p, 393@7pm, 392@9pm
6/9=415@734a, and 139@5:30p

We are going to the vet tomorrow just to see if there is anything I am missing but as you can see...I have some super high numbers and some super low numbers. I am pretty consistent that she eats around 6:45a and 6:30p...She gets insulin about 15-30 minutes after her meal.
Again she is at 7 units 2x per day

I have also given her some cheater snacks in the morning that are not grain free if she hasn't eaten enough for her insulin!

Just thought I would share where we are at...

[jesse girl]

Re: It's all so new

yes the swings from low to high maybe uncomfortable

you might want to get a few tests at night during a panting episode

it is helpful to write your thoughts down in your thread as you did to get an idea where your at and you laid it out very well .

it sounds like something is going on with what you described but what this is is the challenge

jesse is a rabbit girl all other critters are second best but glad your pup was very interested in the chipmunk

[amydunn19]

Re: It's all so new

I think if it was a UTI, she wouldn't be going down until it cleared. It is hard to look at all the factors going on and try to draw too many conclusions. I think one issue is finding a food or schedule of eating that can be more consistent. Believe me, it is a struggle I know all too well so don't take it as criticism - we just need Gomey to cooperate. I went through so many foods and tried to make things work and ultimately, I put together a combination of food that Maggie would eat. I don't know if your schedule allows for you to feed later in the morning when her appetite is better but that would mean moving to a later time at night. Just a thought as how to encourage her to eat.

I think if you could could get her to eat the same foods at the same times every day then it might help with getting her numbers a bit more consistent. Or at least, it would be easier to say that the insulin is too much. When the numbers have wide swings, it can be the protein- carb combo is not balanced, or the insulin dose is too much, or as mentioned just general inconsistent eating. What was she eating before diabetes? Is there anything that works every time?

As far as her not sleeping as well at night, does she sleep during the day? My Maggie went to work every day with me so getting up during the night was rarely a problem because the activity during the day would tire her out.

As far as snacks, Maggie could have some things that wouldn't raise her sugar but any kind of liver was her downfall. I don't know - others have said it didn't affect their dogs but it can be a little rich and fatty and it seems like pure liver spiked her every time. Biscuit type treats are what I usually saved for extreme lows because they also spiked her. I find grain free sometimes means the grain is replaced with potatoes and that might be too carby but without looking at the label I couldn't say. Every dog is different but I think you have to look at everything you are doing and analyze the possible effects. You may conclude that she just has some health issues that you will just have to be flexible with your insulin and food. Regulation is not always perfection but doing the best you can.

[Gomeysmom]

Re: It's all so new

I just read Gomey your note that she needs to cooperate!
As far as eating, I think that "pain" may be the issue as well as diabetes. If she isn't feeling well, she doesn't want to eat. That is mornings. Vet thinks her knees are sore. She also seems to have a sore front foot right now. she does not get to jump off furniture or anything but she will hunt or chase an animal and that can contribute to her soreness. She does seem to have symptoms of diabetic neuropathy but not as bad as she was, and for sure always has underlying anaplasmosis,
Before being diagnosed she ate pedigree for her kibble along with home cooked chicken thighs and chicken liver. and "too many" biscuits and "bacon" strips. I am an overfeeder..Food=love..NOPE! NO more!
Gomey eats best when she has other dogs to compete with. Her sister (who was a food hound) passed away about a year ago and her mother has never been a big eater. So the morning feeding is just plain boring!
Meat variety seems to be the answer. If I make my version of Ruby's Stew, and add a little extra meat that will start the interest...of course she prefers baked chicken to boiled, and doesn't typically eat steak/burger, or turkey burger, but will eat livers and duck breast. I worry too much protein will cause pancreatitis..
I make her treats but haven't noticed a difference in spikes from chicken liver, cow liver, chicken breast, or chicken thighs. Currently I have some venison in the dehydrator. She no longer wants sweet potato!
The dehydrated meat is the only food that Gomey will eat regardless of the situation. (She will not accept it from the vet though!) She will also eat a beneful "hug" if I just have to get her to crunch some carb...this is what I call her "bad" snack.
I recently bought "wellness" marrow roasts in hopes that she will eat that as a last minute crunchy food..it is chick pea flour, peas, and sweet potato so I am not sure what this will add to the curve.
As far as the UTI...It may not be an actual UTI but I can see her "area" getting red, dry, sore looking. (PS..I do clean her with baby wipes and dry her if she is incontinent to keep her skin and fur healthy) This is when I started the Amoxicillin again and it seemed to clear right up and then she is more comfortable and then she eats better. (only happened 2x since her diagnosis in April) This could also happen as her anal glads (when expressed) have been thick since the diagnosis and she will scrape her "area" on the grass at times..maybe not enough fiber? (not a fan of pumpkin)
I do need to do a urine culture soon. she was not cooperative at the vet the other day so I will attempt the at home collection. (sounds like fun!)
I try to watch my other dog and they seem to sleep about the same when I am home. Her mom has always been more playful and loves squeaky toys. Gomey takes the toys out the dog door as if to say enough already. She is not at all interested in that dumb game of fetch! She is active when we are outside hunting snakes, chippys, frogs, deer, etc..but she likes to sit at a rock wall and hunt more then digging and searching!
I cannot change her morning feeding time except on my days off and I have been trying not to do that as it seems consistency is key,
I think I am coming to the conclusion that she will eat about half a portion at breakfast and more at dinner. The issue is that she will pick out the meat and leave the carbs and this is where I worry that she won't get the most out of her insulin without having the carbs to "carry" it through.
Since the vet was happy with her numbers I am happy. I know she still has something off as she has been drinking a bit more and therefor had an accident today while I was at work. There is no reason for her not to use the dog door unless she is just sore or tired.
I think she also sleeps better at night downstairs as we have slate floors and they are nice and cool but this can't be good for sore joints to spend all of her time on hard floors. We all need a mattress at times!
The perfect recipe will be ours with patience and observance!..time...

[Gomeysmom]

Re: Need help, morning numbers suddenly bad

So I did the curve on Gomey..With her eating the new diet mixed with some old treats and not diabetic friendly kibbles mixed with good...
fasting 7am =359 then ate chicken and 2 snacks then 7 units Novilin N
9:30a =136
12:30p= 69..eek gave her some biscuits
3:00p = 149
5:40p =343....then she ate normal kibble mix and chicken thighs
Then I forgot her insulin (never have I done that)
7:40p (when I remembered) =456 then she got her 7 units
'after sharing this with the vet she would like me to come in for fructosamine test so we can look ,how the BG levels were over the past 3 weeks...

We have also experienced some trauma here so I am monitoring her..He birth mom (Fallulah ie "Louie") passed away yesterday at the vet unexpectedly. I have borrowed her brother Corky to keep her calm for a couple of days but I have my fingers crossed that she doesn't go into a depression and not eat or whatever else may happen. I of course am beyond devastated and now Gomey has turned into the only child that I am about to get a baby pouch and strap to my chest...So far she has been eating well today her fasting evening number was 300 and that is low for her...she also had a very active creek day...I am planning to go to the vet tomorrow if I can muster the courage...
Will post again when I get more results~