schnauzer having potty accidents

[djs mom]

Started DJs first glucose curve today using alphatrak. Took sample from ear, it was surprisingly simple. Fasting bg was 546; fed him and gave 9u novolin. One hour bg reading is 346. Will keep posting and hoping for lower readings!

[djs mom]

alphatrac first time user

my mini schnauzer has recently been diagnosed with pancreatitis, hyperlipidemia, and diabetis. we're having trouble regulating his blood sugar, and after numerous glucose curves from the vet with no success or real direction, ive decided to try the alphatrac bg monitor and try working with him myself. im so happy to find this page. he's about 10 yo, 15 lbs and still so spunky. did our first curve on saturday and was pleasantly surprised that i can actually do this! it took a couple of trys, but now i can easily get that speck of blood needed. we are using the inner flap of his ear. his fasting bg was 524, fed him, gave 9 units of novolin. next hours reading was 368, 185, 176, 95, 430, 582, ate some kibble, 511, 546. im okay with those readings for now, right now my focus is lowering his triglycerides. his reading in jan was 6400 so he has been perscribed gemfibrozil. he gets half tab in the morning and quarter tab at night. will recheck his cholesteral and triglycerides next week, keeping fingers crossed🙂. im curious why his triglycerides are so high, vet said its the breed. hes been checked for cushings and hyperthyroid disease, both negative. he's on royal canin id lo fat, and gets a fish oil tab once a day. anyway, thanks for reading,msomehow, it helps me to have this community.

[MomofGus]

Re: alphatrac first time user

Congrats on learning to home test your pup. It is intimidating at first, but soon becomes second nature and just part of the normal daily routine of a diabetic pet. Home testing is very important, in my opinion.

I believe your vetis right in that schnauzers often have high triglycerides and there are some pets here dealing with this. I am fortunate that my schnauzer doesn't have that problem. However, he has been difficult to regulate and requires a lot of insulin - almost the max allowed for his weight. And, it took 9 months to find the right dose. Difficulty in regulation is another breed issues for schnauzers.

Hang in there. You are headed in the right direction. This community certainly does help to ease a lot of our fears and brings comfort in knowing that we are not alone.

[amydunn19]

Re: alphatrac first time user

The readings indicate a pretty wide swing - going from 500's to 95 is not desirable and indicative of imbalance but considering that you have a schnauzer, it might be the issue. What is your schedule as far as feeding/dosing? Are you giving shots 12 hours apart immediately after food? Any in between snacks?

[djs mom]

Re: alphatrac first time user

hi amy, yes, i am doing feedings and insulin 6am and 6pm. we cant seem to get him regulated, but his pancreatitis is our primary focus right now, as he is having a mild episode. i took him to a g.i. specialist and have him on antibiotics right now. i have started him on a homemade diet of boiled skinless chicken breast, rice, and a spoonful of hills science diet ID vegetable stew. he gets a small portion at lunch. he has really perked up today, so ill start a couple of new glucose curves over the weekend. if he continues the large swings, i was thinking of doing his insulin doses at half dose at 6 am, half at 10am, half at 2 pm, half at 6 pm. Thoughts??

[bontemp]

Re: alphatrac first time user

Hansel diagnosed late JAN. 2017, 17# male Mini Schnauzer, 6+ y.o.. Started at 4 units U-40 2x/day now at 6. Using AlphaTrak, on 2/25 curve was 347, 324, 289, 232 and looked good but on 3/2 was 360, 200, 450, today's first reading 3 hrs after shot/meal is 238. We believe that the size of the blood sample must have a direct bearing on the meter results i.e. on 2/26 at 4:30p we got 232 and 350 at same time (two strips, two pricks in same place). Is anyone else experiencing this - it is concerning and don't know which reading to believe, have had this on more than one occasion, any advice/comments?

[jesse girl]

Re: alphatrac first time user

Hansel diagnosed late JAN. 2017, 17# male Mini Schnauzer, 6+ y.o.. Started at 4 units U-40 2x/day now at 6. Using AlphaTrak, on 2/25 curve was 347, 324, 289, 232 and looked good but on 3/2 was 360, 200, 450, today's first reading 3 hrs after shot/meal is 238. We believe that the size of the blood sample must have a direct bearing on the meter results i.e. on 2/26 at 4:30p we got 232 and 350 at same time (two strips, two pricks in same place). Is anyone else experiencing this - it is concerning and don't know which reading to believe, have had this on more than one occasion, any advice/comments?

i do think sample size does have an affect. definitely with a sample to small possibly giving a false low . i also believe submerging a strip into a sample to large which appeared to me on occasion giving a number higher than what it should be . i dont totally submerge a strip into a large sample any more for this reason . i will just skim the top of the blood drop if that makes sense

its not an exact science thats why i use a human meter why pay the extra money but thats my opinion and what i have seen with jesse

[CraigM]

Re: alphatrac first time user

Hansel diagnosed late JAN. 2017, 17# male Mini Schnauzer, 6+ y.o.. Started at 4 units U-40 2x/day now at 6. Using AlphaTrak, on 2/25 curve was 347, 324, 289, 232 and looked good but on 3/2 was 360, 200, 450, today's first reading 3 hrs after shot/meal is 238. We believe that the size of the blood sample must have a direct bearing on the meter results i.e. on 2/26 at 4:30p we got 232 and 350 at same time (two strips, two pricks in same place). Is anyone else experiencing this - it is concerning and don't know which reading to believe, have had this on more than one occasion, any advice/comments?

My theory is that blood isn't 100% evenly mixed as it moves through the body. Since many meters only require .3 of a microliter (sounds like a tiny sample to me), one test can be different from the next.

I've seen different readings from the same blood sample, but I think it's usually in the higher range, like during your example. I believe multiple tests in the "healthy" low 100 range are usually within just a couple of points of each other?

Again, just my theory/thoughts.

Craig

[bontemp]

Re: alphatrac first time user

Concerned about Somogyi effect with Hansel - after showing progress by increasing insulin from 4 to 5 to 5.5 and now 6 over a 30 day period (U40 2x/day) we got the following yesterday; inject/fed 7a, 10a 238, 12p 219, 3p 474/460/580 (3 samples), fed 5p, 5p 570, 8p 450 then 339 this morn. Will take readings today but considering reducing insulin. Any advice/comments?

[djs mom]

Re: alphatrac first time user

DJs glucose curve yesterday: fasting 6am-449, ate, 9u novolin n, 730a-429; 830a-239, 1130a-68, fed, 130p-213, 230p-388, 430p-596, 530p-698, fed, 9u novolin n, 730p-401, 830p-293. Next morning at 5 am, fasting-656! Fed him, gave him only 8u today, 630a -540, 730a-649, 830a-392, 1030a -300, 1230p-368, fed, 130pm-630!!! I did two separate tests to confirm. Should I give him a couple units of insulin?

[Riliey and Mo]

Re: alphatrac first time user

hi

just got a minute

question are u feeding 3 times a day?

how much does DJ weigh

what food is he eating and how much

[djs mom]

Re: alphatrac first time user

Yes, I started feeding him 3x day about a month ago at the docs suggestion. He weighs 15lb, I boil plain chicken breast and mix with white rice. He gets about a cup of the mixture for each meal.

[Riliey and Mo]

Re: alphatrac first time user

I am concerned feeding a 15 pound dog 3 times a day 1 cup of food

1/2 a cup twice a day should be enough.

the extra food will raise his blood sugar

also the white rice will raise BG also.

good your using the alpha track its a life saver!

have you conciderd a low fat, low protein dog food?. it should meet up better with the insulin twice a day.

another alternative would be to add novolin R a fastacting insulin

[djs mom]

Re: alphatrac first time user

he has been on royal canin id for the past year, we switched to chicken and white rice at the gi specialists advise. i'll get back with him and let him know about the higher readings, and maybe switch back

[djs mom]

schnauzer having potty accidents

my sweet dj has been doing well living with diabetes and pancreatitis for almost two years now. recently he has started drinking LOTS of water and peeing everywhere. No uti but has high glucose in his urine. he is also getting that "pot-belly". he seems so happy and active during the day but lately seems uncomfortable at night. but just when i start thinking its "time", he gets all perky, wagging his little tail and singing his sweet little tune. ive taken him to a specialist, with no luck, they wanted to put him to sleep. he's been on 9u of novolin 2x day for over a year now. will doing another glucose curve do any good?