Help with night time urination

[ChrisB]

Hello All

I am new to this forum and K9 Diabetes. Sara is 11 years old, Sara was diagnosed with diabetes about a month ago.

She weighs 22lbs and gets 4 units of Humilin N once per day.
She is fed twice a day morning and evening.
in the morning she receives 1 serving of Vital fresh dog food.
In the evening she gets 1/2 cup of Royal Canin Diabetic Food.

We have an appointment on 4/29 for a Glucose Curve

Any help would be appreciated. The Vet bills are out of control at this point.
Dont know if I can afford to keep taking her there

[amydunn19]

Re: Help with night time urination

Welcome to the forum! Diabetes can be expensive for certain but you can find ways to cut cost.

If you are using Humulin N then you should be able to switch to Novolin N and get it for $24 at your local Walmart. It is the same type of insulin - just a different brand. The syringes are cheaper there as well.

You also can buy a meter and do your own curves at home, which is better for cost and for your dog. Just ask and we can help you out with getting started.

[ChrisB]

Re: Help with night time urination

Thanks for the response.

I can't believe there is that much of a price difference. Definitely asking the vet to change Rx.

Any advice on giving the shots. My poor girl fights me every day.
She gets so upset and snaps constantly during shot time.
Makes me so sad.

[Grayson]

Re: Help with night time urination

If she is a good eater - always finishing her meal and not throwing up at all - it's often easiest to give the shot while they are actually eating. My boy is too into chowing down to be bothered much by the shot...and it's easier to hit a target when it's not moving much!
Just remind yourself that even if she doesn't like what you're doing, it's saving her life - and she likely won't hold a grudge, even if she lets out a yip now and then. Are you giving 4 units just ONCE a day? If so, that is unusual - most get TWO shots per day (one at each meal) - so you might want to clarify that dose with your vet. Walmart for supplies is definitely going to be your best deal, and the Novolin N is $24.88 there and doesn't require a prescription. Needles cost under $13 for 100, but you will need a script for those. If you decide to home test, you can save on the cost of vet curves (and the stress on her going to stay at the vet all day). My boy wouldn't eat when he was there, so even though he likes the people, he didn't like being left long term. The stress surely was giving his BG results a tweak, besides costing me $159 each time! After two curves at the vet, I took over doing them at home and reporting the numbers to them. If they are reluctant, you could offer to go for periodic fructosamine tests so they can keep tabs on her overall numbers. Good luck and try to relax at shot time - they feel your apprehension and react to it, even when you really aren't hurting them at all...

[Cara Sandler]

Re: Help with night time urination

I used to give Sparky a teeny, tiny little dab of peanut butter (about the size of 2 grains of rice) with every test or injection. He thought the peanut butter made up for any needle sticks, and would come running up to me any time I showed him the insulin syringe, knowing he was about to get some peanut butter :-)

[farrwf]

Re: Help with night time urination

Hello to you and Sara, ... welcome to the best place on the planet for doggy diabetes information, advice and fellowship.

I've had great success with "peaceful" insulin injections by having a "dessert plate" for the patient to hoover up as I give the shot. Whatever it takes to get her focus off you as you give the shot will make it quite an easy process. Food works best.

[CraigM]

Re: Help with night time urination

Welcome!
State & local laws / restrictions may differ, but in many areas NO prescription is required for Novolin-N and syringes. Yes, Walmart is a diabetics friend. Before we had one opened nearby, I'd drive 30 miles to get supplies (would buy 2 vials at a time).

Agree that once a day injection isn't going to work. Humulin-N / Novolin-N are intermediate style insulins that generally last around 12 hours.

Craig

[BMarra]

Re: Help with night time urination

Hello Grayson,

I just joined this forum as my Bichon was diagnosed with diabetes 10 days ago now. So far things are going well with giving the shots and my Lacie seems to be feeling good with the insulin.

Anyway, I noticed that your pup is on the Merrick Buffalo & Sweet Potato kibble. That is what we've been feeding Lacie for probably the last couple of years along with the various varieties of the Merrick canned food. My question for you - is that kibble good for a dog with diabetes? I know that particular one is quite high in protein & fat.

My vet just made us change her entire diet so she's currently on Hills R/D canned food. She likes it but I don't! It makes her mouth brown (she's all white) and it's quite dry as it has high fiber. I'm hoping once her diabetes levels off and pancreatitis is clear I can go back to the Merrick as I believe it is very good quality food.

Thank you,
Brenda

[CraigM]

Re: Help with night time urination

One other thing
It's generally best to feed two identical meals. Insulin and food work together, so it's sort of like figuring the required amount of insulin for the meal. In fact, many of us use a food scale because some pups are that sensitive to the amount of food. Consistency is very important.

Craig

[Pojo]

Re: Help with night time urination

Hello Chris,

I find it best to inject when eating. Also that the scruff is best, tenting makes the whole experience good for Pojo and me. I think the Royal Canin is good and had success with it, though Po likes chicken with it. Having some chicken on hand every day has become a grocery item! Feeding and needle twice a day is our routine, as regular as possible. He is obviously hungry for it after 12 hours. I do home test, but not as much as first. Pojo's insulin needs climbed up after first diagnosed, that and the Vet cautiously started low.

Definitely home testing is a good idea you will get an immediate understanding of Sara"s state and gain control of the treatment.

[amydunn19]

Re: Help with night time urination

It is funny how these guys are so different - my dog has always cried when I injected her in the scruff so I avoid it. you might get better absorption elsewhere, too. Everyone has their own method.

Also, there is a product called Inject ease that many have used with success.

[mzizgayle]

Re: Help with night time urination

welcome to the group, I solved my squirmy yelpy furbaby by purchasing the autoject, which is great, she does not realize I am actually injecting her even when I pull up the skin. She doesn't mind the noise of the clicker. I did first get the inject ease but I had trouble being able to click the button and then manually push the syringe to inject the insulin (little hands lol)

[Charlie's mom]

Re: Help with night time urination

I think we all have had challenges with injections. With a chow hound injecting while the are scarfing down their meals works. We had that nipping problem with his eye ointment and resorted to a muzzle. It took only a few weeks before he learned the eye drops equal a tint strip of homemade jerky

[chucksmom]

Re: Help with night time urination

Welcome Chris and Sara!
I have to admit, I've been lucky with my boy, he's never given me a problem when I give injections or test his blood.

But here are a few more tips, besides the other wonderful ones you've already received.
Cold insulin stings, so draw up the insulin and warm it up a bit before your injection. I draw up the insulin, re-cap the syringe and tuck it under my arm while Chuck eats then roll it between my hands to make sure it's mixed before I give the shot.
Point the bevel of the syringe up when injecting. I find the "up" side before I fill the needle, and mark it with a sharpie, that way when I inject, I know if the mark is up, the bevel is up.
Only use the syringe once, dull needles hurt.

Walmart and Relion Novolin N is fantastic money saver. One vial of insulin and 100 syringes around $38.00.

I'm not sure why your vet suggested once a day injections, NPH insulin, (Humulin or Novolin) only lasts 12-14 hours. Food should be the same at both meals, 12 hours apart, with injections given with/after food.

Home blood testing will also save you money and usually help regulate your pup sooner. I use the Alpha Trak 2, it is calibrated for animals, the cost of the meter isn't too bad, it's the strips that are expensive. But still less costly in the long run, than going to the vet for spot checks or curves. The sooner Sara is regulated, the sooner she will stop needing to urinate so often.

You have found a wonderful place for support and answers to any of your questions. I hope your girl is on the road to regulation soon!

[LindainFL]

Re: Help with night time urination

Hi BMarra.

Our almost 8 yr old female Bichon was diagnosed on March 26, 2015. The vet is keeping Chloe on her regular diet which includes: 1/2 can of Science Diet Lite with a small handful of FiberOne cereal for breakfast and the other 1/2 can with a little shredded boiled white meat chicken and a few green beans. Although Chloe is still begging frequently through the day (that started with the onset of the illness), she is restricted to a few small bits of chicken and green beans mid-afternoon, and 2 or 3 baby carrots later in the evening.
She is taking 3 units of Vetsulin twice a day. Now that we are letting the insulin warm up a little, she is not crying out like she did when we first began. We use the scruff of the neck because she doesn't have much to grab anywhere else on her body. Her overall weight loss seems to have stabilized at about 2 lbs (from 16.2 to either side of 14 lbs).
We aren't home testing yet, but that is a conversation we will have with her vet tomorrow.
Thoughts and prayers are with you as you give your Bichon baby the wonderful care she deserves.