A Yorkie Story

[clydesmum]

This time last year our beautiful Yorkshire Terrier, Clyde, rapidly went from around 5kg (about 11 lbs) to 3.8kg. He was being monitored for pancreatitis at the time, but this sudden deterioration was more than scary, especially alongside many other symptoms. With trepidation we took him to the vets on the Monday morning, and yes, he had diabetes. My poor little boy! He received an immediate injection of Caninsulin and I got a crash course in administering his injections, and managing his condition. By the Wednesday he vet was able to get a reading of 16 - progress. It took a couple of months to get consistent readings 4.7 (I think from reading other posts the US system is different. Normal is considered between 4 - 7, so 4.7 is excellent.) Clyde was soon back to his old self, apart from a thinner coat and needing to gain weight. We switched him from a barf diet to a prescription diabetic kibble. Fortunately he isn't fussy and will always eat.

He went from strength to strength - and then developed cataracts, very rapidly. I know some dogs can cope with losing their vision, but Clyde was frightened, bewildered and sad. So, at the age of 13 he went through dental treatment and then cataract surgery. He made a great recovery, although it wasn't possible to give him replacement lenses.

My reason for coming onto this forum last night was because I was searching for information about what to do after he ate some chocolate I dropped on the floor. I was overwhelmed by the breadth and depth of knowledge of all you amazing carers, and I realised I've found a place to share this journey.

We're coping at the moment with losing Clyde's litter mate brother, Rusty. We said a sad farewell to a gorgeous, feisty little character on 8th November when his short battle against kidney failure became too much to let him bear. He was noisy, inquisitive, mischievous and boisterous. Clyde misses hims as much as we do. In one year we've gone from having one dog at death's door, only to lose the other one. Sorry this is a long first post, I hope I'm not breaking any rules.

[CraigM]

Re: A Yorkie Story

Welcome to the forum and that was a nice first post

I don't have any comments concerning the chocolate incident. Just know, as you, that it should be avoided.

Look like we now have 3 - 4 active UK members.

Craig

[clydesmum]

Re: A Yorkie Story

Craig - thank you for your welcome! There doesn't seem to be a UK equivalent of this forum. It's clear that you have all travelled this journey and I'm in awe of all your knowledge. We feel lucky that our vet is fantastic and I can ring him any time I'm worried, but it's wonderful to have other people with diabetic fur babies to share experiences with.

The chocolate incident sent me into panic mode. It was just one square (10g) of 48% cocoa solids, but with such a tiny dog I was worried! I found a couple of toxicity meters online which helped to reassure me, and Clyde seems none the worse for his illegal snack.

[jesse girl]

Re: A Yorkie Story

hi and welcome

yes having a couple senior dogs and or medical challenges can be a bit difficult knowing time can be short but i try to learn a lesson from the dog living in the moment and not worrying to much about the future . easier said then done but i try

[clydesmum]

Re: A Yorkie Story

Thank you. In the last couple of weeks of Clyde's brother's life we had 2 different charts on the go, keeping track of all their meds etc. We still keep a chart on the fridge door to keep track of Clyde's injections, food and other medication. I find it reassuring to have everything written down! Is this a bit sad? I just want to do the very best I can for my brave little boy.

[Webley]

Re: A Yorkie Story

Hi Clydesmum, I'm just catching up with posts and finding my way around this forum. It's so good to find some support - there's not a whole lot available in the UK.

Sorry to hear about losing Rusty - must be very hard for you all.

Our Webley (a border terrier) too was diagnosed 12 months ago - 3 January - sticks in the mind for some reason ... After four months though he came off insulin as we couldn't keep his sugar levels up to 'normal'. Alarm bells should have rung - we were cautious, so kept doing urine analysis (not brave enough to blood test at home, yet!). In October his blood sugar went through the roof and became obvious when he became incontinent. We're now moe stbale, but not low enough.

It sounds like Clyde has found some stability, and fabulous owners, which is brilliant. We're still working on/with/for Webley - but he has rediscovered some of his joie de vivre and loves going to the vet (we are blessed!).

Hopefully, as the new year comes in, the weather brightens and the sun comes out (I can wish!) you and Clyde will adjust and things will start to look more positive.

[amydunn19]

Re: A Yorkie Story

Welcome to you and Clyde! He seems to be doing well. Do you test him at home?

So sorry about Rusty - I lost my other JRT a few years ago. I always thought Maggie would go first because my little boy dog was always really healthy. But he went the ideal way - just went to sleep and never woke up. It is never easy to lose one, no matter how.

[chucksmom]

Re: A Yorkie Story

Welcome to you and Clyde! This is a great group of people full of knowledge and support.
Sounds like Clyde is one tough little guy and doing fine. I'm sorry for the loss of your Rusty.
I am fairly new to the world of canine diabetes, my Rottie was diagnosed in September of this year. Still working on regulating.

I too hope this new year brings only good things for all our pups!

[k9diabetes]

Re: A Yorkie Story

Aw... so sorry to hear about Rusty. It has been a lot for Clyde and you to go through all at once.

Not only were you not breaking any rules... we encourage long posts! More information is always better. And still we may pepper you with questions.

Natalie

[clydesmum]

Re: A Yorkie Story

Webley - I'm sorry you are having such a difficult time getting stability. I don't understand why he was taken off insulin if his blood sugar was abnormal (this is my lack of knowledge - not a criticism, I'm trying to understand the condition better.) Well done to you though for keeping an eye on his urine analysis and catching it in time. Clyde is quite happy going to the vets, too - definitely a bonus when we seem to live there sometimes. Yes, it's great to have this amazing support on here. I'm sure the coming of spring will help us and our fur babies. Clyde feels the cold and it's so wet where we live, plus we now have the added worry of Alabama Rot in our area.

amydunn19 - No we don't test Clyde at home. The vet's never suggested it and he's never had a hypo and never refuses his food. But reading all your experiences, I'm wondering if we're missing a trick by not testing him?

chucksmom - I do hope your boy is soon regulated. It must be a worry for you while his levels are going up and down. How old is he?

Natalie - thank you. It's always a bit of a worry on a new forum in case you accidentally upset someone or break a rule. I think I'm going to be asking a lot of questions - there's so much I don't understand, and so much knowledge here.

Thank you all for your kind words about Rusty. I know it's a fact of life when we give our hearts to our doggies that they're going to be broken one day, but at the moment I feel I'm in a strange place - grieving for Rusty but very happy that after a traumatic year we are still blessed with Clyde in our lives. I feel torn in two directions. I know it will get better, but I also know that with Clyde approaching his 14th birthday we must make the most of every day we share his life.

[amydunn19]

Re: A Yorkie Story

I have found home testing to be invaluable in treating this illness and I think it has added years to Maggie's life. We can always help you get started if you want to - it just makes me feel better to know how she is doing. This disease can make you feel so powerless - it has given me the feeling that I am doing something. Also, it gives me a heads up on any type of problem or infection - when you know their pattern and suddenly they start going up, you know there is probably an infection that hasn't shown itself yet.

[clydesmum]

Re: A Yorkie Story

amydunn - I hope these don't seem like stupid questions!

(1) Do you test every day?
(2) Do you test at specific times or in response to suspected changes?
(3) Do you then adjust insulin doses or feeding regimes?
(4) Does your vet also monitor the readings?
(5) Do you get wildly different readings depending on other factors such as exercise?

Thank you for taking such an interest in Clyde. He's snoozing at my feet as I type.

[amydunn19]

Re: A Yorkie Story

Before I get too in depth with the answers, I will tell you a bit about Maggie. She has had several bouts of pancreatitis and she is pretty limited with her carb ingredients because certain items have caused her digestive distress. She is on low glycemic food which is harder to regulate effectively because I am constantly propping it up to keep her blood sugar steady. Most people would say change her food but she won't eat just anything and she culled all the prescription foods and many of the premium foods. It was very much trial and error that I discovered her sensitivity to certain foods but once I found her current food, it all fell into place. Not everybody has the same challenge with their dogs so what I do is individual to Maggie's needs just as many others have found their own routine and diet. Also, Maggie eats three to four times a day and getS two insulin shots a day. This is not typical and we started on two meals a day but it wasn't working for her. Many dogs can do well on two meals - I think everyone should start with what it is typical or recommended, evaluate and then refine what they do to fit their situation.

I test Maggie three or four times a day. It may sound like a lot of testing and not every dog requires it. I test her at 6 am before her first meal/shot 6 hours later wih her mini meal at noon, 6 hours later at 6 pm with her 3 rd meal/shot and at 9 pm with her snack and to ensure she is not low. I also would test any time I felt like she was acting oddly or out of character.

I only change insulin dosage if she is low because hypoglycemia can be deadly. I typically endure highs and try to figure out what caused the high - infection, getting into something, messed up shot - there are several reasons why she could be high. Reacting to a high by increasing insulin can get you into trouble or get you on a roller coaster of highs and lows.

My vet stopped monitoring her a long time ago. He refuses to do a curve because she acts kind of awful at his office. Years ago, when I told him I was testing, we made a deal. I wouldn't change anything without discussing it with him first. Which I always did until he finally said that I was fully capable of doing this on my own without calling him every time I felt something needed changing. So, I just consult him when I feel like she has a real problem.

Maggie's numbers go down drastically with exercise, baths, company, change of routine and when I leave town so I never leave. Well, I do but only when I must. She used to be fine with me leaving but she is getting very old now and she doesn't adapt like she used to.

[clydesmum]

Re: A Yorkie Story

Amydunn - thank you so much for that information. It helps to explain a lot of my queries.


I had planned to think about all this and the possibility of home testing and then discuss it with my excellent and supportive vet when he returns from a sabbatical at the end of this month. However, things have taken an unexpected turn. On Friday evening (it's now Sunday) Clyde seemed unwell. He was unsteady on his feet, disorientated and hadn't fussed for his small evening snack. However, when I offered it he ate it and perked up. Overnight he vomited this snack up. I phoned the vet's surgery on Saturday morning and was advised to feed as normal, wait 1/2 hr or so and if he hadn't been sick give insulin. He ate ok, but not quite as enthusiastically as normal, so we waited over an hour to make sure he was ok. Gave usual 5u dose of insulin (as vet instructed) and 15 minutes later he was sick. Four hours later the vet tested his BG and it was 4.4 (it's usually 4.7). She gave him an anti-vomiting drug and suggested giving small meals, 3u insulin if he kept the meals down, and Zantac on an empty stomach.

He's refusing his normal kibble (we feed half Royal Canin Diabetic kibble and half barf diet) but eating his normal barf food. His stools have been a bit pale since Friday and this morning were almost cow pat-like.

I'm really confused about what we're supposed to be doing - when in relation to 2 or 3 small meals do we give insulin, when do we judge his stomach to be empty to give Zantac …. The vet asked if he'd ever had curves done - no he hasn't - but doing them in the surgery would be counter-productive because he would be so agitated. She was adamantly against home testing! She said there was no point in doing fructosamine tests - they don't tell you anything useful!! I'm going to use my instinct today and get back to the vets tomorrow and ask to see a different vet, but as this lady said, all vets approach diabetes differently, and this is the first problem we've had with the treatment Bob (our usual vet) has prescribed.

My instinct is that there is a problem with his absorption of food - rather than the 'tummy bug' she's treating. Has anybody got any thoughts on this,please?

[Abby's Mom]

Re: A Yorkie Story

Welcome to the forum. Your troubled post made me want to post, even though I do not post much any longer.

I know that you may receiving conflicting feedback from some vets, but I agree with Amy....testing gave me insight as to my Abby's blood sugar and how she reacted to new foods, as well as the first alert of when something else was going on, such as infection, and other ailments.

If I were changing food, I would test about every several hours to be sure she did not go to low, and would not change dose until I let everything settle in. Normal cruise control was always at least three times a day for testing.

I would share these curves with my vet, as well as my notes that I would take daily.

I am sorry Clyde is not feeling well. Just a question, has he been on this diet for some time. Did your vet ever do a curve?

I believe that vets do not want people to test at home, as they may change doses too frequently, without discussing it with them. If you have a good relationship with your vet, then perhaps discuss with him, you need to test at home and come up with a good schedule. I think it is the only way you will know if he may not be eating or is wobbly due to low blood sugar, or just experiencing a bug, and it may be food absorption issue.

Hopefully Clyde will be on the mend soon..

Barb