Wiggins is a 9 year old wire-hair fox terrier. We got him when he was a couple of months old, and before he reached 9 months he developed severe skin allergies (he would scratch himself until he bled). We had blood tests run to see what he was allergic to, which was almost everything. They developed an antigen and we gave him shots once a day and eventually once a week. During this period he was on Temaril-P to keep the scratching under control, but he still scratched and his skin quivered every time you touched him, which is does to this day. He does loved to be brushed/scratched. After a couple of years we found the allergy shots did not work and we eventually took him off. About 6 months later, even taking the the Temaril-P he was scratching himself and bleeding. We went to a veterinarian allergy specialist who tried some additional allergy medication and once again did all the blood tests, and put him on a new set of allergy shots. After a year and a half, Wiggins was no better. When he was about 6 years old he was diagnosed with a thyroid condition and put on Soloxine. When he was 8 he was diagnosed with diabetes and we were told he would have to get off the Temaril-P, which was not a pleasant thought. We tried many allergy drugs, including sprays, and found a combination of a spray and Hydroxyzine/atarax that finally got him to stop scratching himself until he bled (although he still scratches himself).
His initial blood sugar was approximately 390, and he was given a dose of 8 units of vetsulin (6 am and 6 pm). We did a wave approximately 1 month later (6 hours after an injection) and his blood sugar was at 280. We moved his dose to 10 units of vetsulin and did another wave 1 month later and it was at around 180 (6 hours after an injection). After the third or fourth wave we finally ended up giving him 15 units and his blood sugar was at 120, which we thought was safe. He was on 15 units for about 1 month and suddently went into shock. I called his regular vet to find out what to do and they could give me no information. We went online and found that you can give them karo syrup via syringe, which we did. We then lowered his dose to 13 units. We had no faith in the vet and assumed since he was at 15 units for so long and was okay, 13 would do the trick. It was around this time that he lost his sight. Approximately 1 month later he again went into shock taking 13 units twice a day. After that his dose was lowered to 11.5 and in 3 weeks he again went into shock. We now have him at 9 units (for the last couple of weeks). We purchased a glucose monitor 1 week ago and we checked his blood sugar that night after we gave him his 6 pm injection. It registered 26. We gave him some karo syrup and hoped for the best. The next morning we took his blood sugar and it was 385. We reduced his insulin to 6 units and that night his blood sugar was 285. The next morning after his injection his blood sugar was 36. We gave him 9 units that night and we checked his blood sugar and it registered 249. The next morning his blood sugar was 82, and the next night 242 (still using 9 units). His blood sugar seems to be all over the place and drawing blood is very difficult (we do it at the base of his tail). We are going to start checking him every Saturday and Sunday (6 hours after his injection) to see where he is at (we both work). At this point we are keeping his dose at 9 units and are mostly depending on how he seems to feel (if his tail wags it is a good day and if he can do his usual 30 min. walk every morning without my carrying him the last few blocks it is a good day). We have him on a diet of homemade whole grain rice/oatmeal, ground turkey and fresh vegies (cooked in a crockpot), along with 1/4 regular dog food. He gets approx. 3/4 cup to 1 cup in the morning and again at night. I would like to be able to level out his blood sugar level, but am feeling pretty helpless right now. Wire hair fox terriers are known for being "fearless." But at this point Wiggins is anything but fearless.
His initial blood sugar was approximately 390, and he was given a dose of 8 units of vetsulin (6 am and 6 pm). We did a wave approximately 1 month later (6 hours after an injection) and his blood sugar was at 280. We moved his dose to 10 units of vetsulin and did another wave 1 month later and it was at around 180 (6 hours after an injection). After the third or fourth wave we finally ended up giving him 15 units and his blood sugar was at 120, which we thought was safe. He was on 15 units for about 1 month and suddently went into shock. I called his regular vet to find out what to do and they could give me no information. We went online and found that you can give them karo syrup via syringe, which we did. We then lowered his dose to 13 units. We had no faith in the vet and assumed since he was at 15 units for so long and was okay, 13 would do the trick. It was around this time that he lost his sight. Approximately 1 month later he again went into shock taking 13 units twice a day. After that his dose was lowered to 11.5 and in 3 weeks he again went into shock. We now have him at 9 units (for the last couple of weeks). We purchased a glucose monitor 1 week ago and we checked his blood sugar that night after we gave him his 6 pm injection. It registered 26. We gave him some karo syrup and hoped for the best. The next morning we took his blood sugar and it was 385. We reduced his insulin to 6 units and that night his blood sugar was 285. The next morning after his injection his blood sugar was 36. We gave him 9 units that night and we checked his blood sugar and it registered 249. The next morning his blood sugar was 82, and the next night 242 (still using 9 units). His blood sugar seems to be all over the place and drawing blood is very difficult (we do it at the base of his tail). We are going to start checking him every Saturday and Sunday (6 hours after his injection) to see where he is at (we both work). At this point we are keeping his dose at 9 units and are mostly depending on how he seems to feel (if his tail wags it is a good day and if he can do his usual 30 min. walk every morning without my carrying him the last few blocks it is a good day). We have him on a diet of homemade whole grain rice/oatmeal, ground turkey and fresh vegies (cooked in a crockpot), along with 1/4 regular dog food. He gets approx. 3/4 cup to 1 cup in the morning and again at night. I would like to be able to level out his blood sugar level, but am feeling pretty helpless right now. Wire hair fox terriers are known for being "fearless." But at this point Wiggins is anything but fearless.
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