Bubba 11y/o Peekapoo

[inavthof]

I am new here too,last week my little peekapoo was diagnoste with diabetes, he is overweight by about 7 lbs and I have all his life given him too many people treats. he also was a free feeder,as I work all day and he's alone . we are having to make some big changes no more people food at all, and two meals a day.And take two shots of Humulin N 4 units a day. I'm having a hard time getting my Bubba to sit still for the shot and I waste a lot,not good.He doesn't like it and wiggles terribly. Don't know what i'm doing wrong, his glucose was still 400 last week. I feed at 5.00 am and shot at 5;30 and pm he eats at 4;00 and shot at 5;30. I have not learned to test at home as of yet, getting used to this is very stressfull , for me and Bubba. I'm glad i found this site , I have been reading and learning a lot for you all. By the way he eat Benefull healthy weight and I put a little spoon full of little champions for pedigree in with it, or he won't eat.also for a treat i give his a piece of chicken .anyone has any sugeestion ,please feel free,I too am totally new at this. Bubba is 11 years old . thank you :

[Patty]

Re: Bubba 11y/o Peekapoo

Welcome to you and Bubba!

How much does Bubba weigh now? Sounds like he's getting 2u am and pm then?

Also wondering if he's had a full curve at the vet's office yet (where blood sugar is taken every 2 hours throughout the day to see how well the food/insulin are working together). I'm wondering if that's the reason for the difference in food/shot time in the evening?

Glad to have you here I think you'll find others can share helpful tips on helping with struggles at shot time.

Take care,
Patty

[pgcor]

Re: Bubba 11y/o Peekapoo

Hi and welcome!

When my dog was first diagnosed he had to be muzzled for his shots! He's a very feisty min pin to say the least.

Since Bubba is a small dog too, I'm wondering if my method may help with shots for you?

I put Pip in the countertop for his shots. I also have a small plate with two diabetic treats. I have my syrine all loaded and warmed.

I get Pip to lay down and then slide the plate in front of him. While he's eating I inject.

We had to work up to this, but as long as he's distracted it's easier for me.

Hope that's somewhat helpful! Welcome again!

Pam and Pip

[inavthof]

Re: Bubba 11y/o Peekapoo

Bubba weighs 17 pounds now, used to weigh almost 19. He has been off people food for one week and doing better then I expected,I thought he would drive me crazy begging . have now had him at the vets for a curve, I take him every Teusday afternoon for a blood glucose test. last week it was still high

[inavthof]

Re: Bubba 11y/o Peekapoo

Thanks I'm going to try that tonight ,see if it works.

[inavthof]

Re: Bubba 11y/o Peekapoo

Difference in shot/feeding time in the evening is because I get home for work and always have immediately fed the dog,it is what he is used to, and I will have change the feeding time until closer to 5;00 pm and he has had a lot to deal with lately and haven't been able to as of yet.

[Patty]

Re: Bubba 11y/o Peekapoo

have now had him at the vets for a curve, I take him every Teusday afternoon for a blood glucose test. last week it was still high

I wanted to ask if Bubba has had a full curve just to clarify (where he goes in to the vet and they take his blood sugar every 2 hours for the duration of the day). Or is he just getting a one time spot check on Tuesday afternoons?

If you have the results of a full curve, would you mind posting his numbers? That will provide a good picture of how well his food/insulin are matched up.

Take care,
Patty

[inavthof]

Re: Bubba 11y/o Peekapoo

No he hasn't had one .First week his levels where 451,second week it was 400. Both times he had just ate dinner but had not had his shot yet. Should I feed him closer to shot time?

[CarolW]

Re: Bubba 11y/o Peekapoo

I'll be most interested to follow your thread on Bubba. It's a bit tough, all right, as you get started! I'd like to sort some things out, if possible. That is, you'd said he was overweight - what do you think his ideal weight should be?

Also, I want to add that people-food isn't necessarily bad for dogs at all; it can actually be very GOOD for dogs; it's just that you need to plan the diet so it's complete and balanced - and so it works with the diabetes!

You'll be glad to know you can give SOME treats, depending on what the food is that you use for that. For instance, if you want to give some to help at injection-time, it could be what I used for Kumbi - his canned diabetic dog food - he absolutely loved it! Or bits of steamed broccoli - he loved that too. Or bits of boiled chicken breast (no skin on it). Any of that stuff is safe, though I avoided any other snacks during the day (and evening), apart from a period when I fed him a small snack before his afternoon walk (to boost his glucose levels at a time when they would drop rather fast - on the walk).

I was glad to see Pam describe how she gets Pip to cooperate for injections. Putting a dog up on a counter is a great idea. You do have to secure the dog's safety. I used to put Kumbi's harness on him, hook a thumb through it, to make sure he couldn't jump off. Oops - that took up a hand, so once he learned not to jump off, I'd merely block any exit with something in front of him, something in back of him, something at his other side - and my own body at the side nearest me. (I'd put him up facing sideways to me.)

You could also go to the link in my signature, for excruciating detail on giving painless injections.

I discussed injection technique with my vet; she showed me a particular way of holding the skin - kind of folding it, instead of making a tent. I found that worked really, really well.

And I learned here on the forum about checking to make sure the bevel on the tip of the syringe needle is up (facing my face) when I inject. I was surprised to discover that made quite a big difference to Kumbi.

The other REALLY useful piece of information about giving insulin injections is, to make sure the contents of the syringe (insulin) is warm, before injecting. I think some can manage if the insulin is only at room temperature, but Kumbi told me, please warm it to my body temperature approximately. So my vet said, tuck the filled syringe (with the needle re-capped) into my armpit for 15 to 30 seconds, before injecting.

Something to keep in mind: it's not only we, the Human DogParents, who have to learn - the dogs ALSO have to learn - so we learn together!

After studying dog-behavior intensively for many years, I figured out that I could absolutely trust my dog telling me stuff. So, I learned to listen to my dog - if he complained, it was for a reason. Then I had to figure out the reason, if I could! Often enough, I could.

Please keep yelling if you need more help, or have more questions; somebody will be along to help you out!

Patty asked - I wasn't clear on this either - whether you're injecting 2 units in the morning, 2 units in the evening - or is it 4 each time?

Watching, and cheering you on, and here's a Big, Fat Welcome to you and Bubba!

Sun, 15 May 2011 12:54:19 (PDT)

[inavthof]

Re: Bubba 11y/o Peekapoo

Injecting only one 4 unit in the am and again another in the pm. he is suppose to weigh 10-12 pounds so he's about 6 overweight. Thanks for the advise on the shots that is helpful,i know I have never done this before so must have hurt him sometime.They do let you know don't they? this forum is very helpful, thanks

[CarolW]

Re: Bubba 11y/o Peekapoo

Yes, our dogs really DO let us know, and good for you, for listening to Bubba. Sometimes, with a diabetic dog, we have to find ways around the tough times, such as when you get home from work and Bubba expects to be fed right away. I'm thinking about possible ways around that, because it's really MUCH better for a diabetic dog, to be fed twice a day, 12 hours apart. Waiting so long after his supper before injecting really isn't very good; it risks having the insulin too far behind the food, and COULD result in Bubba experiencing hypoglycemia (low blood glucose).

Did your vet tell you about using Karo syrup, or honey, or pancake syrup, to bring Bubba's BG (blood glucose) levels up in case he experiences a hypo (hypglycemic episode)?

The sooner you can feed the evening meal later (ouch, haha!) say, at 5 p.m., the better (assuming 12 hours between meals). Injecting an hour and a half after supper isn't very safe. But, then, neither is injecting 10.5 hours after the last injection!

I think if Bubba were my dog, I'd give him a token snack when I got home, and then try to keep him a bit busy till his supper-time. You should inject within about 30 minutes after he finishes eating.

As time goes on, you can make the snack smaller, till it's not there at all! Bubba will adapt, in time.

And "should" inject twice a day, 12 hours apart. It IS possible to vary that by about an hour; just have to see how the dog-and-you do with the schedule.

Do you have other dogs as well, or just Bubba? Sorry if you already said; I'm very sleepy - need a nap!

You DO need to make sure to have something like syrup on hand in the house. If Bubba starts stumbling around looking drunk, his BG level has probably dropped too low. Being new to receiving injected insulin, that dose of 4 units in the morning, 4 in the evening, MIGHT (or might not) be a bit much for him. Actually, it's about the recommended starting dose of a quarter-unit per pound of dog. All the same, if you don't have Karo or other syrup, or honey, in the house, best get some as soon as possible.

If you see a hypo, rub the syrup on the gums - it's absorbed really fast that way. Follow up, as soon as Bubba becomes really coordinated again, so can swallow safely, with a high-carbohydrate - protein snack - some people use a cracker with peanut-butter on it. That's necessary because the syrup does bring the BG levels up - but then they will fall again - because the syrup gets used up - UNLESS you feed as well, afterward.

It will be important to have a full BG curve on Bubba. You could try learning to do this yourself, if you like. It's not very difficult, but it does usually take some practice to get started and get comfortable with doing it.

Again, both you and the dog have to learn! I can tell you are REALLY devoted to Bubba; he is a lucky dog to have you, and you have some good communication, so I think you'll do well together with the diabetes.

Sun, 15 May 2011 13:38:37 (PDT)

[inavthof]

Re: Bubba 11y/o Peekapoo

Thanks for the advise,i will try and give him some pieces of chicken after work tomorrow and feed him at 5.I know it's what he needs to get used to.Thanks for your help .

[MaryLea]

Re: Bubba 11y/o Peekapoo

Welcome to the board! We were extremely relieved to find it after Ruffles was diagnosed with diabetes. The advice here saved us several "hypo" incidents, I'm sure.

We were feeding Ruffles three times a day when she was diagnosed. The afternoon feeding was as I came in from work, as you are doing. Our vet said it was very important to get her to eat only twice a day and give the insulin very soon after she finished eating, with the feedings as close to 12 hours apart as possible. It took a few days, but she *did* adjust to that schedule.

Here's wishing you and yours the very best! It's alot to take in at first, but as everyone else has said, it gets easier as time goes on.

Mary

[inavthof]

Bubba 11y/o Peekapoo

Went to the vet thursday and his glucose was still 441 , he upped the insuline to 6 units twice a day. Got him finally "somewhat"accepting feeding 12 hours apart. So we are hoping this new dose will do it. I am feeding him Benecul weigh control but it has a lot of corn in it.Think pedigree weight control would do better?I live in a small town about 45 hours away from the nearest petsmart. Checking his BG again next thursday.By the way ,he did looze a pound he weighs 16.5 now.Two pounds down from before,diet is working.

[jesse girl]

Re: buba's test

if the dog enjoys eating the food and insulin works with it that is a plus even the prescription foods doesnt read very well

Is the vet adjusting the dose off one number 441 that does not give you enough information. multiple tests throughout the day is required to get a more complete picture and base the dose on the lowest blood sugar of the day