Buddy and his sister Cleo are both rescues from a puppy mill to which we paid a handsome ransom to get them out of there when they we 10 weeks old.
Buddy is now 9 1/2 and has been diagnosed with diabetes on January 20, 2010. After some initial tests (blood and urine), he was put on Glyburide until we got the results of the fructosomine, results 630. During that time, he went into hypo twice.
He was started on Caninsulin 8 units once a day, then moved to 11 units and then 13 units. He showed improvements for 2 days only.
Last Thursday, we noticed that he had gone blind and by Friday, he was in distress, was vomitting and refused any food. After his keytones were checked, showing the results at maximum the vet told us to rush him in to the vet hospital and diagnosed acute pancreatitis and ketoacidosis. They kept him overnight and flushed his system and we got him back on Saturday.
A bit of medical history on Buddy. When we got him at 10 weeks old, he was bald from the neck down to his tail and covered with open and bleeding sores. He always had respitory problems however, it never developed into anything more serious. He also had anal sack problems twice
2 years ago, he started getting interdigital cysts and one being so big, despite antibiotics, that the vet suspected a foreigh object and surgery was done (negative). He developed another infection post surgery, then ear infection and was on antibiotics for 2+ months. We consulted with an allergy specialist who gaves us a prescription for meds and suggested that we give him benadryl. It did not clear up. We then changed his food to MedCal hypoallergenic (dry) and treats and it seemed to subside. We inspect in between his paws and clean them with saline water nightly.
Before the diabetes diagnosis, he weighed 22 pounds, no fat and muscled. Now he weighs 15 pounds. He had gained a couple of pounds and has since lost again.
Now with the acute pancreatis, he was put on MedCal Gastro Formula (dry) and I add water and a few pieces of the wet MedCal Gastro, a teaspoon of pumpkin in AM and PM feeding. I give him a total of 2 cups, spread over 3 meals.
Our vet consulted with a specialist and mentioned insulin resistance. Buddy was switched to Novolin NPH and gets 3 units AM and 3 units PM. We are still in the anxiety stage of injecting Buddy and we have not yet learned to use the Glucometer however, our vet is receptive to teaching us.
So far, he has had 3 full days for a glucose curve and tests at the highest in the 600 and the lowest 300. The last time, the vet didn't even bother doing a curve since he was in the highest all day.
Since we started the Novolin, our vet suggested that we test the first urine and if higher than 2+, give him 4 units AM and 3 at night.
Both the specialist and our vet basically said that if the Novolin does not help, we >are behind the eight ball>.
Bkfst at 8:45am, 3 or 4 units 9am, walk 10:30, walk 3:30pm snack 4pm, dinner 8:45pm, 3 units 9pm.
He is showing slight improvements, but still drinks and urinates more than normal and can sometimes wake us up to 3 times during the night.
The walks are very slow and daddy picks him up for a few minutes to give him a rest but we keep trying to give him the exercice. We realize that he is slowed down by both the lost of his eyesight and the high glucose.
I share with many of the others on this board. I have never shed so many tears and experienced so much anxiety and guilt. We are both in our 60's, retired (thankfully) however, living on a fixed income.
Buddy is now 9 1/2 and has been diagnosed with diabetes on January 20, 2010. After some initial tests (blood and urine), he was put on Glyburide until we got the results of the fructosomine, results 630. During that time, he went into hypo twice.
He was started on Caninsulin 8 units once a day, then moved to 11 units and then 13 units. He showed improvements for 2 days only.
Last Thursday, we noticed that he had gone blind and by Friday, he was in distress, was vomitting and refused any food. After his keytones were checked, showing the results at maximum the vet told us to rush him in to the vet hospital and diagnosed acute pancreatitis and ketoacidosis. They kept him overnight and flushed his system and we got him back on Saturday.
A bit of medical history on Buddy. When we got him at 10 weeks old, he was bald from the neck down to his tail and covered with open and bleeding sores. He always had respitory problems however, it never developed into anything more serious. He also had anal sack problems twice
2 years ago, he started getting interdigital cysts and one being so big, despite antibiotics, that the vet suspected a foreigh object and surgery was done (negative). He developed another infection post surgery, then ear infection and was on antibiotics for 2+ months. We consulted with an allergy specialist who gaves us a prescription for meds and suggested that we give him benadryl. It did not clear up. We then changed his food to MedCal hypoallergenic (dry) and treats and it seemed to subside. We inspect in between his paws and clean them with saline water nightly.
Before the diabetes diagnosis, he weighed 22 pounds, no fat and muscled. Now he weighs 15 pounds. He had gained a couple of pounds and has since lost again.
Now with the acute pancreatis, he was put on MedCal Gastro Formula (dry) and I add water and a few pieces of the wet MedCal Gastro, a teaspoon of pumpkin in AM and PM feeding. I give him a total of 2 cups, spread over 3 meals.
Our vet consulted with a specialist and mentioned insulin resistance. Buddy was switched to Novolin NPH and gets 3 units AM and 3 units PM. We are still in the anxiety stage of injecting Buddy and we have not yet learned to use the Glucometer however, our vet is receptive to teaching us.
So far, he has had 3 full days for a glucose curve and tests at the highest in the 600 and the lowest 300. The last time, the vet didn't even bother doing a curve since he was in the highest all day.
Since we started the Novolin, our vet suggested that we test the first urine and if higher than 2+, give him 4 units AM and 3 at night.
Both the specialist and our vet basically said that if the Novolin does not help, we >are behind the eight ball>.
Bkfst at 8:45am, 3 or 4 units 9am, walk 10:30, walk 3:30pm snack 4pm, dinner 8:45pm, 3 units 9pm.
He is showing slight improvements, but still drinks and urinates more than normal and can sometimes wake us up to 3 times during the night.
The walks are very slow and daddy picks him up for a few minutes to give him a rest but we keep trying to give him the exercice. We realize that he is slowed down by both the lost of his eyesight and the high glucose.
I share with many of the others on this board. I have never shed so many tears and experienced so much anxiety and guilt. We are both in our 60's, retired (thankfully) however, living on a fixed income.
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