My Dog Pip is an Angel 08.30.13...

[pgcor]

Hi Everyone!

I'm very excited to be here as Natalie was so, so kind to Pip and I when he was first diagnosed. That was a year and 5 months ago!

We started with W/D and Vetsulin (7 units) and he did okay for awhile, but he had bouts of high blood sugar that were not explained. We thought Cushings for awhile, but the Vet put that on the back burner for now.

With the help of Carla, I switched Pip to Humulin N and he now gets homemade food. I've had to steadily increase his food as he lost a considerable amount of weight. He also dropped his insulin requirements with the change in food.

He gets 7.5 oz. of turkey or chicken (ground) and 5 oz. each of ground zucchine and ground green beans, 1 oz. of ground chicken hearts and 4.5 oz. of pumpkin. He's at 5.5 units of Humulin N. Actually, he's more stable than ever on the new food and insulin - so THANK YOU CARLA wherever you are!!!

Over 2008 he's had eye problems. He gets tacrolimus once a day and another "aspirin-type" drop (as the Vet describes it) once a day as well. I can't remember the name of the drop though.

He sees an eye specialist for this. And if he remains free of ulcers they won't need to see him for year. Fingers crossed!

I haven't been able to blood test him at home, but we remain vigilant about testing urine. It may not be accurate, but coupled with his behavior, it does let us know when he's unwell.

Lately, he's been showing sugar in his urine (usually he shows none) and has been vomiting (a little). So, we are calling the Vet today to check him out.

Hopefully it's not pancreatitis again. He NEVER gets anything other than his food and diabetic dog treats. So, I get nervous that maybe he's one of those dogs with chronic pancreatitis. He's had it 3 times since diagnosis.

Anyway, it's been a long haul getting me comfortable with his diagnosis! (It's all about me). But, I'm nowhere near the hysterical point I was a year ago. I never, ever though I could stick a needle in my beloved Pip! Isn't progress wonderful!

Hugs to all! Pam and Pip

[Debbie & Apollo]

Re: Pip's Story

Hi Pam and Pip,

Your Pip sounds a bit like Apollo...we even did the Cushings tests..... however we are still using Vetsulin....
anyhow -- do you give Pip any supplements?

I have been giving Apollo - SamE (Denosyl), and Milk Thistle.
both are good for the liver etc... and since we too have a history of pancreatitis - anything I can do to prevent .... it's worth it!

another thought -- Apollo gets 'hungery' and at times he will eat too fast -- that's usually when we might see a bit of upchuck I stand by his food now to slow him down and I also put his food on a larger plate and spread is out to help the speeding.

hope the vet appt goes well.

Debbie and Apollo

[birdk]

Re: Pip's Story

Hi Pam and PIP.....Hope the vet visit goes well and Pip is on the road to recovery.....

[pgcor]

Re: Pip's Story

Hi Kay and Debbie!!!

I will let you know how the appointment goes. Debbie, I forgot to mention that Pip is on Denosyl and Sam-e. I'm getting so forgetful as I get older. I have to have a list of his foods and supplements in front of me - everday - or I'm afraid I'll forget something!

Pam

[eyelostit]

Re: Pip's Story

Hi Welcome,

Nat and Kath are the greatest, Nat helped me with Niki alot back at DX.

I hope with Nick it was just an up chuck thing. Changing or adding food etc, is always hard on me and Niki

Niki has lost enough weight to have me concerned, so I am working with new diet and insulin, not easy as you know.

You've come a long way, good job

[birdk]

Re: Pip's Story

Pam sounds like you are fighting dry eye like I am with Nick. Nick is on cyclosporine drops. I also had him on antibiotic ointment and then some lubricant in between times. His eye is puffy around it. The other eye looks fine. The infection looks much better but I am trying to figure the puffiness. I read about it this am of Marvistavet but now forget what I read!!! Oh age and menopause!!!!

[pgcor]

Re: Pip's Story

Hi:

My husband just came back from the Vet and first of all Pip lost weight again. I can't believe it! He was doing so well. He actually gained a pound. He has been acting like he's starving lately - and that could account for the vomiting. He eats like it's his last meal.

Secondly, at about 3PM his bg was 66! The Vet didn't want us to drop his insulin, but give him more food. I have suspected that Pip might go low at the Vet because of nerves, but I have no proof.

I'm worried about 66 at 3 because based on previous curves, his lowest time of the day is usually noon.

He has not shown signs of hypoglycemia that I've been able to detect, but he never has actually gone hypo. My husband is home with him all day.

I'm quite depressed with this news - I just hope tomorrow isn't more of the same.

Pam

[rhodesian46]

Re: Pip's Story

Hi Pam
Glad u came over here. I would test urine at fasting tonight and test before you go to bed. What time does Pip get his eve shot? How much more does the vet want to increase his food?I forgot does Pip bite Is that why u don't home test?

[Brandy mom]

Re: Pip's Story

It could be the excitment from the vet. Brandy will drop like a rock at the vet. I give her treats before we leave and at the vet. Some dogs BG get higher at the vet some lower. Each dog is different.

With more food this should help raise the BG tomorrow. The low of 66. Is that why the vet wanted to increase the food and not the insulin?

Dawn and the girls

[pgcor]

Re: Pip's Story

Hi Marianne and Dawn:

You guys are everywhere! But glad to see you too Dawn!

I've never been able to get blood from Pip because it requires milking the site and he won't stand for that. He does bite and he's a horrible fighter. We've even wrapped him up like a papoose (sp?), but he actually seemed to foam at the mouth from fighting so hard. So, I've given that up for now. I'm hoping he will relax a bit as he gets older.

The vet said more food because it looks as though Pip has lost about 1 lb. again - not because of the 66. I just don't know how he could have lost weight again. He's been on this amount and type of food for at least 2 months and had gained weight. Now he's down again. Could be the scale, but a pound on him is a lot of weight.

Dawn, I think you're right, he might go lower at the Vet because he's never exhibited any hypo symptoms.

My husband called me from his cell phone and was very down and disgusted about Pip. I guess I caught a "contact low" from him. Sorry.

[k9diabetes]

Re: Pip's Story

Aw... don't feel down! Pip's regulation has obviously been pretty good since there's been no glucose in his urine tests until recently.

I wouldn't be surprised if the vet visit contributed to the 66 - Chris' blood sugar always dropped at the vet; similarly he wasn't ever one to rebound. His system just didn't do panic glucose releases much.

How much time has passed between the two weighings?

That would give an idea of how rapid the weight loss is, which makes a big difference in how severe it is.

Has the glucose on the urine tests been a lot or only a little?

Any pattern to when it shows up?

As in does his urine go negative a few hours after his shot and then show glucose later in the day - potentially rebound - or is there a little glucose in all of the urine tests?

What is the status of his eyes right now? Could infection or inflammation in the eyes be driving the higher urine tests?

Definitely you'll want to give him more food and whether the insulin should increase too depends on what you can sort out about whether he's rebounding or needs more insulin to maintain his regulation. Answers to some of these questions might help us figure out which one it is but the 66 at the vet suggests that rebound is possible.

If it is rebound, upping the food without upping the insulin could get you back to better regulation. If it's not rebound, then upping the food but not the insulin should drive even more glucose into the urine throughout the day. Either way, increasing the food but not the insulin could help clarify things along with more detail about what you've been seeing prior to now.

Anxious to hear more (and hope you feel a little cheerier!),

Natalie

[pgcor]

Re: Pip's Story

Hi Natalie:

I have to say, I'm getting pretty forgetful lately (it's a little scary at my age)! But, here goes:

Marianne: his urine was about 100 last night before we went to bed.

Increased food by 20% - fasting urine this AM was 250; at 10:00 it was 500 and he went negative at Noon. He usually goes negative by 8:30 - 9:00. Natalie, before this, once he went negative he stayed negative until his next shot. I'll have to see what it is today when I get home.

The time between the two weighings was about 1 to 1.5 months.

His eyes were fine at his last eye doctor check-up at the end of December.

Am anxiously awaiting the Vet's call to see what his chem panel says. Once I know what that says I can schedule a curve. It looks to me though that he was probably getting the right insulin and food before he went out of regulation. He has been acting "extremely" hungry lately and one of us has to hold him until his food is made. His barking is so bad and he quite literally gets hysterical. (Just like his mom!) Actually, there are times when I have not been unable to hold him - hubbie is stronger.

I just have to say one teeny little thing I HATE THIS. Okay, done. But, we do think Pip is trying to kill us so he can inherit "the estate" and get rid of Newman (our other dog).

[Ricksma]

Re: Pip's Story

Hey Pam!! I am keeping my fingers crossed that Pip's lab work is normal. Even though the 66 was low, it is still "within normal limits", and if you take into account that it might have been stress, and his actions at other times have never indicated hypo, I'm hoping that this is just a fluke. You know how I feel about MinPins, and Pip is just being Pip....he's just "high-spirited". Let us know how the bloodwork turns out..

Love and hugs, Teresa and Ricky

[pgcor]

Re: Pip's Story

Good Morning Everyone!

Well, Pip does not have pancreatitis (WHOO HOO), but my husband, in his wisdom told the Vet to only run the specific test for pancreatitis, so I was surprised when I picked up his lab report last night.

He was 31 on that test and anything under 200 is okay. I'm disappointed because I would have liked to have seen liver and kidney values. But, my husband is very concerned about money....so.

Pip did not vomit yesterday, but his urine has been mostly positive for sugar and that's high for him. He also had to go out at 4AM, so I tested his urine and it was 100 on the Keto Diastix. It was the same at 6AM too.

I work, so I asked my husband to check his urine today as often as he could. Who knows what that will be.

The vet said to leave him at 5.5 units today and see if he goes negative at all. If he doesn't she wants me to increase by 1/2 unit tomorrow.

Pip weighs 21 pounds again and this is what we're feeding him now:

9 1/4 oz. of chicken or turkey (ground)
6 1/4 oz. of zucchini (ground)
6 1/4 oz. of green beans (ground)
1 oz. chicken hearts (ground)
2 3/4 oz. of pumpkin

This seems like a lot of food for Pip. Hopefully he gains weight on this amount. He should be at least 23 lbs. according to our Vet.

Natalie - I read your response about a dog's reaction to going to to normal ranges after having high sugar. I didn't know that and always thought that Pip was sick because after his shot he always seems to be so tired. Now that he's running higher he's more hyper than usual. If you can believe it, and I guess that's why I think he seems better at higher sugar. Boy, you really have to know a lot to judge a diabetic dog by sight. Not always reliable.

[k9diabetes]

Re: Pip's Story

urine was about 100 last night before we went to bed.
fasting urine this AM was 250;
at 10:00 it was 500
went negative at Noon.

He usually goes negative by 8:30 - 9:00.
before this, once he went negative he stayed negative until his next shot.
The time between the two weighings was about 1 to 1.5 months.

His eyes were fine at his last eye doctor check-up at the end of December.

Well, I think you shouldn't worry too much as it seems that Pip is still staying fairly close to the renal threshold so his blood sugar isn't terribly high. From your description, I don't think he's been rebounding.

The weight loss was rapid... does it coincide with the food change? If so, then it's probably just an issue of not enough calories.

I just have to say one teeny little thing I HATE THIS. Okay, done. But, we do think Pip is trying to kill us so he can inherit "the estate" and get rid of Newman (our other dog).

LOL... our cat Katie thought she about had things handled when Chris passed away. She'd gotten rid of the evil cat Winky and then Chris, who she liked okay but you know... he's competition. So that just left Gus and he's not all that well. She was quite insulted when we brought Jack home. I will say though that she knows better than to try to kill me... I'm the supplier of all good things!

Natalie