Canine Diabetes Non Greyhound

[HopeForHounds]

Do any of you have any experience?

 

My daughter's dog Skye (an English Sheepdog/Malamute mix) was just diagnosed with diabetes. She was peeing a lot last week and then in the house for the first time in 11 years so off to the vet she went. They see our fabulous vet also and it looked like a simple UTI. Fast forward to today and Skye isn't peeing in the house anymore, but was drinking tons, asking to go out a lot and then started vomitting. Amanda was hopeful it was the anitbiotics upsetting her tummy but no, her blood sugar was high, 33 it should be between 3 and 8 using the Canadian measurment but I know that is almost at the machine's limit to measure. Her ketones were up but only slightly.

 

Amanda and Darin got a course in doing the injections. Amanda did the injection at the vet and then they came home. The trick now is to get Skye to eat since she turned her nose up at a McD's cheeseburger.

 

So any advice and prayers would be appreciated.

 

Edited February 20, 2011 by foxysmom

[Guest TinasTroops]

Have they tried adding nutritional yeast to make her meals more yummy?

[tbhounds]

One thing I can suggest-- always keep karo syrup and an oral syringe in the house.

[Hubcitypam]

Poodle has been diabetic for almost a year. I don't know what your measurements are, but when we were regulating his insulin at one point his numbers were so high the machine would not read them. I think it stops at 400. We went from 9 units of insulin to 19 which seems a lot to me as he is 28#. He has been doing fine for many many months on 19 and his numbers stay around 120 - 130. When he was diagonsed I was assured by people with diabetic hounds he would have a seizure. He may still someday but hasn't so far.

 

I have been able to get him to eat by soaking some dry and mixing in a few tablespoons of canned. He also gets 2 thin slices of turkey lunch meat while he is getting his shot. He doesn't even notice since I moved giving them to pulling up skin on his haunches. He screamed bloody murder on his neck and shoulder area.

 

There is a diabetic dog forum that I tried for a while but they aren't very welcoming to newcomers. I did learn the preferred food on there is Wellness Core, but man, is it pricey.

 

Skye is beautiful. Good luck.

[heartdogs]

One thing that can help keep the sugar levels more even is to break the meals into 3-4 times a day with one being a snack before bed. Also a grain free food is better. There is a lot of info on the web & the vet should give a lot of help. Noelle goes in every month for a recheck & after getting her stable until this last month has been good for 4 1/2 years. Good luck.

[GeorgeofNE]

I had a friend with a diabetic dog. He did just great once they got him stabilized. She did have to give him insulin 2x a day, but it was easy as pie and she even asked me to do it for her a couple of times--

 

It's not ideal, of course, but it's manageable.

[Guest Stripeyfan]

I have no advice, sorry,but sending lots of prayers.

[BatterseaBrindl]

Nixon's greyhound friend 'Gracie' is diabetic and manages very well.

She is about 7 years old and as far as I know has never had a seizure.

 

Try adding some tripe to his food...it is very stinky!

 

Sending healing (and eating) thoughts to Skye. He is very cute!

[JJNg]

Hope Skye's eating and feeling better. Diabetes is a very manageable disease, but it does take quite a bit of work. A diabetic dog forum that a friend of mine highly recommends is:

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

[HopeForHounds]

Sorry it took me so long to update everyone. Crazy week!

 

So her numbers came down a bit then went back up. Amanda is doing twice daily injections and checking her ketones as well. Right now Amanda is very discouraged. Skye is sill not eating well. She has to be coaxed and then spoon fed to get even a minimal amount into her. The vet today said she likely is nauseated and likely dehydrated. A lot of her labs were off (not sure yet which ones I'll see them later) this too is likely the from dehydrations since everything she drinks is beeing eliminated.

 

I'm taking over some Pepcid, an assortment of canned foods and some gator aid to see if we can a) get her to eat and get some fluids other than water into her. Tomorrow Amanda is going to learn how to do subq fluids.

 

Any other ideas???

[mychip1]

Many prayers...what a beautiful dog.

[JJNg]

Sorry to hear Skye's not improving more quickly. The initial adjustment period can be rough, and it can take some time to find the right dose and type of insulin. For the ones that are really sick, sometimes they need to be hospitalized on IV fluids and meds to get them feeling better and regulated more quickly, but this would require a good hospital with 24-hr care. Since Skye is at least eating some with encouragement, she may not need this, and hopefully the SQ fluids will give her the boost she needs. I would really recommend checking out the K9diabetes forum. I know there are some very knowledgeable and supportive members there.

[HopeForHounds]

I had a nice visit wih Skye tonight. Since our vet's first goal is to get her eating again I took a couple of cans of Merrick canned one with trout and the other with salmon. She was somewhat interested, although she insisted on taking the salmon out and putting it on the floor for a while then eating it. Her sugar was very high since the machine didn't give a number. Amanda called the evet and they told her how much insulin to give her and then suggested holding on to the salmon for in the morning and to give her something with more protien and less carbs. We were having ginger chicken for dinner, so I gave her a raw chicken thigh - huge hit. We gave her a few more and she ate them looking for more.

 

Skye is very bright and went in and out quite a few times to take up her post on the back deck. She wags her tail and was happy to see us, Amanda says she is walking further out into the yard each day so her energy is getting better. Having seen her for myself and looking at what numbers are concerning the vet I think the subq is likely going to help a lot.

 

Those of you with diabetic dog experience what do you feed when they are really high?

[Guest mcsheltie]

I would keep her on straight raw chicken (or other meat) and nothing else until her numbers come down and her insulin dose is stabilized. 2% of her body weight is a starting point for the amount to feed daily. Aim to feed her 85% muscle meet, 10% bone and 5% liver over a week's time. In the beginning don't give the liver all at once, Cut it into 1-2 oz portions and give with a bone-in meal.

 

Actually I would keep this dog on a raw diet for the rest of her life. It is the easiest diet to regulate insulin on. I can help you tweak it (easy tweaks, nothing complicated) later one so it is balanced.