Weight Loss

[Konas Mom]

Hi All. I'm new to the forum and so glad I found it.
My name is Krista and my 8 year old Husky "Kona" was
Diagnosed November 2017.

I'm still feeling a bit overwhelmed at times.

Is weight loss normal? My vet had me keep her on her regular food and I added fresh boiled chicken to every meal. But I do feel like she has lost weight.

Our vet it almost 100 miles from us, so I can't get her in as much as I would like to.

She is due for another curve and I'm going to get that scheduled next week.

We've had our ups and downs with her levels and the meds. We are up to 18 units twice a day. She has responded really well and it back to her normal self.

She is not over weight at all, about 76 pounds. Is this normal or should I add more protein to her meals.

Thank you for any insight.

[Raysaint]

Re: Weight Loss

Weight loss is normal in the early stages, until blood sugar starts to get better, then she'll slowly gain weight back. Probably best not to add anything to gain weight. Stick with the food as is for now.
Later, depending on curves and progress, you might end up changing food (you want low fat, moderate protein/fiber), and you might add things to the food, for additional nutrition or carbs.

Below is the main forum page, which has many educational links and information to give you a general understanding and feel for the situation.

Biggest thing to remember is, it takes patience, consistency, and realistic expectations. Every dog is different, so don't compare with others (like I did), and you'll learn what works for your dog, and you'll realize there's no set time frame you'll achieve regulation. Might take months.
But that doesn't mean your dog is in danger. Their bodies handle high or unregulated sugar well in the interim. Just watch for excessive drinking or peeing, and changes in appetite.

http://www.k9diabetes.com/forum/

[amydunn19]

Re: Weight Loss

Welcome! As far as protein goes, you want a moderate amount of protein - high protein tends to make blood sugar unstable. With intermediate acting insulin, some carbs are essential to getting your dog regulated.

You could feed a ton of food but until you get your dog’s blood sugar down on a regular basis, the food just passes through without doing any good.

I would recommend testing blood sugar at home since your vet is so far away.

[Konas Mom]

Re: Weight Loss

Thank you both so much. I'm going to get the testing kit from the vet next week. I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can for her.

[CraigM]

Re: Weight Loss

Thank you both so much. I'm going to get the testing kit from the vet next week. I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can for her.

Keep in mind testing stuff is usually less expensive online, sometimes MUCH less expensive. I realize you probably want to get started, but you might find out what your vet wants to sell you, and then check places like Amazon for their price. Several years ago I bought an AlphaTrak kit for around $55 online, where the MSRP was nearly $150.