My baby Ricky

[Ricksma]

Hi! My name is Teresa, and I am a new member here. I have a 4 yo Chihuahua named Ricky Ricardo (I know he was Cuban, but it seemed to fit). He was diagnosed in July of 2007, and I was devastated. Since that time, we have done fairly well, but now I think it is time to start some supplements to his diet, and I wonder if anyone knows what I can give him for kidney health? CoQ10 has been recommended...does anyone else here give that? Thanks so much for this forum...it is sorely needed.

Love and hugs,
Teresa and Ricky

[ladysmom06]

Re: My baby Ricky

Hi Teresa,

My Lady gets a multi vitamin call pet plus and also is on fish oil and cosequin. I just bought milk thistle for her and will be starting that soon. She is on a homecooked diet. Sorry I don't know anything about CoQ10. Hugs to you and Ricky.

[johanna]

Re: My baby Ricky

Teresa....
OMG !!!! you have Ricky!!!!!!! I have Lucy !!!!!!
TO funny,,,,,
We named her that because nothing else fit.....
shes new a rrescue...
And she is a complete Lucy ....
And we call her that with the Ricky axcent !
And shes always getting into something and getting in trouble ( still a puppy )
And the line around here is .....
LUUUCY LUUUCY... You Got SOME SPLAINING TO DO !!!!!!!

[Ricksma]

Re: My baby Ricky

Hi all!! Just a question, not really a problem, yet. I keep a log of Ricky's bg readings, and going over them this morning, I noticed that about every 7 - 10 days, he throws me a high reading...not HI, but higher than normal for him. He is usually in the 90-170 range, but every few days, he will be 220, 230, 195. Has anyone else had this happen with a fairly well-regulated kid? I know that there is a threshold for organ damage, though I'm not sure what it is? Any thoughts??

Thanks so much.

Love and hugs, Teresa and Ricky

[johanna]

Re: My baby Ricky

Teresa......
Good morning,....
I would Kill for your numbers.... Those are really good......
as far as the hi every few days... Well I get that too... But my highs are so much higher......there in the hi400's.....
Someone just posted this very same thing ( I think)... I would have to go back to see who....
I dont know why that happens.... Same food... same time of feeding.... same amount of Insulin... but after days of good numbers it shoots up.....
Maybe someone here has the answer ... I dont... sorry...
but I will be looking back to see if someone has a explanation for it...

[Ricksma]

Re: My baby Ricky

Johanna, I think part of the reason that Rick stays in a pretty good range is that he was diagnosed VERY early on....since I had previously had a diabetic pet, I knew exactly what I was seeing.....and when he was diagnosed, his bg was in the 300s. So, he didn't get really sick, thank God, and the journey down to normal range wasn't so far. At least that's what my brain is telling me. (Sometimes I'm not sure I should listen to it, though!!!) LOL

[k9diabetes]

Re: My baby Ricky

Hi all!! Just a question, not really a problem, yet. I keep a log of Ricky's bg readings, and going over them this morning, I noticed that about every 7 - 10 days, he throws me a high reading...not HI, but higher than normal for him. He is usually in the 90-170 range, but every few days, he will be 220, 230, 195. Has anyone else had this happen with a fairly well-regulated kid? I know that there is a threshold for organ damage, though I'm not sure what it is? Any thoughts??

I wouldn't worry about those numbers at all. Since they come back down on their own, I imagine they're some uneven cortisol release. Chris' BG wanders through a range too, almost like waves of slowly increasing, then slowly decreasing in small amounts. He's always been that way.

I don't think anyone knows at what point organ damage occurs. And the good news is that dogs do not generally suffer the same kind of complications from diabetes that people do. Dogs who have stayed in the 200s and 300s have lived long life spans with the main side effects being cataracts and the tendency to get UTIs. I think they chalk a lot of it up to the shorter life span of dogs. The damage that occurs in people probably comes in part from living with high blood sugar for 20 and 30 years. But dogs also seem to tolerate the higher levels better.

I firmly believe in good regulation but also believe that it's not the end of the world if a dog can't stay in the 100s. Some dogs just aren't going to be able to get there and it doesn't mean they can't have a good full life.

You and Ricky and doing great!!

Natalie

[johanna]

Re: My baby Ricky

Teresa.....
I just read Natale's post... and Killian i believe is one of those dogs who isint going to get there.....
His numbers are almost always in the 200's and low 300's....
I know I should try to get him lower, and i have tried....I also found too much insulin brings him higher sometime... ( cant figure that one out !)..
But I'm so use to it its normal for us.....
Its when he goes low I panic....... He don't do that too often ....
last time was the "Wendy's experience"... But as bad as that was I also learned a lot from it.......
I think as soon as I start using some R things might change.....
If I see a good improvement with the middle meal and shot of R,,,
Ill proubably try to use R morning and early evening and go to N for the night time.....
You were lucky to have cought Ricky's diabetes so early..... Most of us haven't been that lucky.... or had earlier experience...
I think its Deloris's post ... " Ilostit" who is experiencing the same thing....
I didn't go back to check ... I'm guessing... Hope I'm right....

[Ricksma]

Re: My baby Ricky

Johanna, Are you planning to use R with Killian? Because I give Ricky a small amount of R with his N at injection time, and it really seems to be working for us. I have been doing this almost since diagnosis, and the only time I don't give him any R insulin is when his BG is 80 or below. I think it helps, and I hope you find that it will help Killian, too.

Natalie, now that you mention it, I think that Ricky's increase is a slow gradual thing over several days, then he has a higher than normal number, then he goes back down to normal. That is really strange...I will try to pay closer attention to what is going on at the time, but honestly, like you said, I don't think there are any outside influences...I think they just try to keep us on our toes....I would be bored any other way!!!

Love and hugs, Teresa and Ricky

[johanna]

Re: My baby Ricky

Teresa....
Yes.... I'm leaving to go to Wall marts in a bit....
Im picking up more insulin... N & R ....
For me this is all new.... But Natale has been using R with 4 meals and shot for Chris for a long time now and it works well for her too...
She explained that R is pure insulin and has nothing in it.. That might just be what Killian needs... He was allergic to the Vetsulin and thats when we made the change....to Nph....
Im not mixing at this point.... What we talked about was giving the R at his middle meal at 5pm.... to cover that food till 11pm .....
Killian had Pancreatitis... ( Has ) and more frequent meals are recommended
I was doing 4 meals but he would miss a meal sometime because my job would require me to be some where and I was unable to give that meal....
I felt it better to go to the 3 meal a day plan ... that was i wouldn't break his schedule ...
But he seams to start running high after that middle meal.... so the R should cover that.....
I have one question about all this....
If Im going to start the R at the middle meal....should I still be giving the same 31 unit of N at the morning food and shot meal?...
even though there isint enough insulin working to cover that middle meal, there is still some there because N is a 12 hr insulin....
Im sure Ill have my answer before I begin.. ( tomorrow)....
And I think it will be only about 3or 4 units... This was already discussed ....
Then if I use R for both meals morning and early evening... the insulin dose will change to more at each shot because R only lasts about 6 hrs....
So at this point im not sure if its going to be used as a Supplement or not....

[eyelostit]

Re: My baby Ricky

Niki's reading do the same thing, we can be good at 150- 200 then in a few days get a 330 and that can last for 2 or 3 days then we go back to what I consider normal, i guess its just how there body works, with Niki's ups and downs shes AOK, 5 yrs diabetic now, so I guess I am doing things right.

As long as Ricky seems himself and is happy I'd say he is AOK

[Ricksma]

Re: My baby Ricky

Really funny this should come up today...last night Ricky was at 210 (high for him), so I tweaked the insulin just a smidge. Normally, when I do this, the next reading is normal, and we move on. Well, this morning, he was at 230. I didn't change his shot, but this is the first time I feel he was high for the entire 12 hours...at least since right after diagnosis. I hate it when they do this...nothing like keeping you wired for sound!!! LOL I am going to check him midday today, and see how it looks...

Love and hugs, Teresa and Ricky

[Kiska'smom]

Re: My baby Ricky

Hi Teresa,

You are so right about being "wired for sound!" These guys sure keep us hopping!!! Hope that things are now returning to normal!

Hugs,

Jeanne and Kiska

[forscooter]

Re: My baby Ricky

Hi Teresa,

Can I just tell you how much I love Ricky's ears???!!!

And the "just because" off-readings are enough to drive anyone nuts!

You sound like such a great mom though! And when I'm off, I "wire" my whole house for sound! LOL!

Lots of hugs!! Beth, Scooter and Bailey

[Ricksma]

Re: My baby Ricky

In the last few days, I have decided to drop the amount of protein in Ricky's diet, and increase the amount of W/D that he is eating. I have been concerned about too much protein being hard on his kidneys...we lost our last diabetic pet to kidney failure. Amazingly, and I hope I am not jinxing anything here, his numbers have been better than ever. Here is hoping that when he goes back for his blood work in a month, it will be even closer to normal than it was before. Fingers, toes, eyes, and paws crossed!!!

Love and hugs, Teresa and Ricky