Tell Me Everything You Know About Diabetes

[Guest 2dogs4cats]

I adopted Daisy who has diabetes and is 10 years old. I don't know much about diabetes and I am hoping to learn some things and to be prepared for things that might happen. Some things I would like to know about are:

 

What brand of Glucometer do you have? What do you like about it or don't like about it?

 

Are there things I should have at the house that could help in an emergency?

 

What kind of diet/treats do you feed?

 

How often do you give treats?

 

What are things I should watch for?

 

Any tips that you can give me in general?

 

I am looking for your real experiences and things you have found out along the way. I am hoping to learn as much as I can and be as prepared as possible.

 

Thank you in advance!

[teri_d]

it's been several years ago, but we had a schipperke (spelled wrong i'm sure) with diabetes. we kept Darla on a fairly rigid schedule - feedings and walks, etc. she got shots in the morning at 7 and evening at 7 every day. she basically did great. as far as for emergency, karo syrup is a must have. i'll refresh my memory when i'm not tired after work and write more to you later. teri

 

edited to add - darla died 7 years ago - and had had diabetes for 4 years i think prior to that - so i'm sure things have changed vastly since that time - we did not use a glucometer for her. i know food and treats have really changed in that time period as well - but darla ate regular food and had snacks just like the other dogs did - she was just on a schedule. - more later

Edited August 22, 2012 by teri_d

[tbhounds]

Feeding a low carb food or a food higher in fiber to allow slower absorption (avoid sugar spikes) helps. As already mentioned keep Karo syrup in the cabinet-if Daisy ever looks drunk or acts off never give the insulin without checking her sugar-avoid diabetiic coma:-)

Always just invert your insulin-never shake the vial. Make sure she eats prior to her injection. Store your insulin in the fridge and don't listen to your pharmacist about the expiration--your insulin well exceeds the expiration date.

Thank you or adopting her -sure it will become all so easy in time :-)

[Riverhound]

We had a diabetic cat for years in my late teens/early twenties. It was really, really easy. If he started to feel "off" he'd get bossy and meow at us. We learned to really pay attention to what he was "saying" about he felt. It's good to have someone outside of your household trained to give shots, etc. just in case you ever need to be off schedule for some reason. My mom taught the neighbor-kid (he'd have been about 15, and was our regular catsitter) to do it.

 

The cat was an adult stray when we brought him in. Probably 6 or 7 then. We had him for a good ten years, he was diabetic and healthy for most of them.

[Guest KennelMom]

We adopted Quilty who was diabetic. We would take her to the vet for the day for glucose curves. Never had a glucometer. She did best on a raw (low carb) diet. Snacks were dehydrated meat, usually.

 

We watched Quilty for weight loss, excessive drinking/potty accidents or extra bossiness/increased hunger.

 

You'll want to call around to price supplies. We got the cheapest price for syringes and insulin at Costco. I kept plastic milk jug in the laundry room and chucked the used syringes in there. When it was full, I just replaced the cap, secured it with tape and threw that in the garbage.

 

Other than the occasional vet visit for to have her glucose checked, staying stocked with supplies (you do NOT want to run out of insulin/needles) and the twice daily shots having a diabetic dog really wasn't any different than any other dog.

 

Thank you for giving this special needs girl a home! I can be hard to find a family that wil take on the expense and work of a diabetic pet

Edited August 22, 2012 by KennelMom

[Fostr_Mom]

My min-pin became diabetic between 8 & 9 years old. As KennelMom said, we would take her to the vet for the one day testing, and our city allowed us to put the syringes in a milk jug. I took the extra step of breaking off the needles. She had twice daily shots and would get a special treat only at those times. She had always been on a low calorie diet because she would pack on the pounds quickly, so I had to watch that carefully with her. She went blind about a year after dx, and started going downhill rather quickly the next year. We let her go at the age of 11.

 

I was a little nervous at first with the shots, but got over that quickly. It became very routine and Tai would come running up wagging her stub when she saw me preparing her syringe. She knew special treats were coming! Thank you for giving this girl a loving home.

[Hubcitypam]

Have never used a Glucometer (or heard of one used in dogs) Once we got him regulated, I just took him in every couple of months for a check. Didn't leave him the day, just made sure to take him in 6 hours after his shot. You can buy those urine test strips for people, but as one could guess, they're not easy to use on a dog and none of my vets have put much stock in them.

 

Like Heather said, keep a close eye on the water bowl and snarkiness one the high side. Poodle recently had a problem on the low side. He was falling down and wouldn't walk. I thought it was his legs, but it was his glucose. We've gotten him on an even keel again.

 

He's never had a seizure, but when his glucose was so very low the vet told me to skip his shot that night and give him food with honey or maple syrup poured on it. I know some that have seizure prone dogs find the honey bears easy to use. My vet taught me to roll the insulin in my hands a couple of times. When I got a new fridge with a great light I could see how it sinks to the bottom of the vial.

 

He ate Natural Balance Ultra Light for the longest time, but after Buddy came I switched him to Purina One Weight Management. Not sure if it the Purina had anything do do with his need for less insulin or it was random timing, but his dose in down by 1/3. He gets 2-3 Alpo Snaps a day as well as a chewy (smaller piece of tendon, bully stick or trachea). Felicity (Heartdogs) makes cookies for her Noelle from her dog food. Maybe she'll pop in here.

 

I get Insulin and Syringes at WalMart. Syringes are $12.88 per hundred and their brand Humalin N is $24.88. Brand name Humalin N is $65 at Kroger. If she needs less than 30 units ask for the 30 unit syringes. MUCH easier to see the dose. I do much better with the short needles. My vet sells these handy "needle cutter offer" things, as I call them. Give shot, clip off needle (that stays inside cutter) then toss plastic. May be a waste, just easier for me and makes me feel better somehow than tossing a bunch of loose neeedles. They cost $8 and last over a year.

 

Poodle gets one piece of thin deli sandwich meat when he gets his shots. I tear it in pieces and he never notices he's getting a shot while he snarfs it up I soak his kibble a bit and mix in 1/2 T. (teeny bit) of canned to make sort of a soup that makes sure he eats. He lives to hear that thin piece of chicken come out of the package and stands there waiting for his shot.

 

Like Riverhound said, line up someone to give shots if you need to/have to be gone. I was paying the vet tech $12 a trip but my neighbor that is a nurse is doing it now. They really are easy once you get used to it.

 

[Guest 2dogs4cats]

Feeding a low carb food or a food higher in fiber to allow slower absorption (avoid sugar spikes) helps. As already mentioned keep Karo syrup in the cabinet-if Daisy ever looks drunk or acts off never give the insulin without checking her sugar-avoid diabetiic coma:-)

Always just invert your insulin-never shake the vial. Make sure she eats prior to her injection. Store your insulin in the fridge and don't listen to your pharmacist about the expiration--your insulin well exceeds the expiration date.

Thank you or adopting her -sure it will become all so easy in time :-)

 

Thank you. Any specific food suggestions? From what I have read, it doesn't seem there are very many

good commercial diabetic foods?

 

We had a diabetic cat for years in my late teens/early twenties. It was really, really easy. If he started to feel "off" he'd get bossy and meow at us. We learned to really pay attention to what he was "saying" about he felt. It's good to have someone outside of your household trained to give shots, etc. just in case you ever need to be off schedule for some reason. My mom taught the neighbor-kid (he'd have been about 15, and was our regular catsitter) to do it.

 

The cat was an adult stray when we brought him in. Probably 6 or 7 then. We had him for a good ten years, he was diabetic and healthy for most of them.

 

This is a good idea. I will have to think of someone. Most people I know are needle shy.

 

My min-pin became diabetic between 8 & 9 years old. As KennelMom said, we would take her to the vet for the one day testing, and our city allowed us to put the syringes in a milk jug. I took the extra step of breaking off the needles. She had twice daily shots and would get a special treat only at those times. She had always been on a low calorie diet because she would pack on the pounds quickly, so I had to watch that carefully with her. She went blind about a year after dx, and started going downhill rather quickly the next year. We let her go at the age of 11.

 

I was a little nervous at first with the shots, but got over that quickly. It became very routine and Tai would come running up wagging her stub when she saw me preparing her syringe. She knew special treats were coming! Thank you for giving this girl a loving home.

 

The milk jug is a good idea. I have been putting them in a cardboard box ans was thinking about taking them to the vet to dispose. I don't know if I can put them in the garbage here.

 

Have never used a Glucometer (or heard of one used in dogs) Once we got him regulated, I just took him in every couple of months for a check. Didn't leave him the day, just made sure to take him in 6 hours after his shot. You can buy those urine test strips for people, but as one could guess, they're not easy to use on a dog and none of my vets have put much stock in them.

 

Like Heather said, keep a close eye on the water bowl and snarkiness one the high side. Poodle recently had a problem on the low side. He was falling down and wouldn't walk. I thought it was his legs, but it was his glucose. We've gotten him on an even keel again.

 

He's never had a seizure, but when his glucose was so very low the vet told me to skip his shot that night and give him food with honey or maple syrup poured on it. I know some that have seizure prone dogs find the honey bears easy to use. My vet taught me to roll the insulin in my hands a couple of times. When I got a new fridge with a great light I could see how it sinks to the bottom of the vial.

 

He ate Natural Balance Ultra Light for the longest time, but after Buddy came I switched him to Purina One Weight Management. Not sure if it the Purina had anything do do with his need for less insulin or it was random timing, but his dose in down by 1/3. He gets 2-3 Alpo Snaps a day as well as a chewy (smaller piece of tendon, bully stick or trachea). Felicity (Heartdogs) makes cookies for her Noelle from her dog food. Maybe she'll pop in here.

 

I get Insulin and Syringes at WalMart. Syringes are $12.88 per hundred and their brand Humalin N is $24.88. Brand name Humalin N is $65 at Kroger. If she needs less than 30 units ask for the 30 unit syringes. MUCH easier to see the dose. I do much better with the short needles. My vet sells these handy "needle cutter offer" things, as I call them. Give shot, clip off needle (that stays inside cutter) then toss plastic. May be a waste, just easier for me and makes me feel better somehow than tossing a bunch of loose neeedles. They cost $8 and last over a year.

 

Poodle gets one piece of thin deli sandwich meat when he gets his shots. I tear it in pieces and he never notices he's getting a shot while he snarfs it up I soak his kibble a bit and mix in 1/2 T. (teeny bit) of canned to make sort of a soup that makes sure he eats. He lives to hear that thin piece of chicken come out of the package and stands there waiting for his shot.

 

Like Riverhound said, line up someone to give shots if you need to/have to be gone. I was paying the vet tech $12 a trip but my neighbor that is a nurse is doing it now. They really are easy once you get used to it.

 

 

 

Hmmm...I have always been a Walmart hater, but I have heard their drugs are cheaper. I may have to look into it.

 

I would like to find a good homemade diet for her, but if not I think Natural Balance might be a good food, I feed the LID to my maltese mix and it seems to be the only one that works with his allergies. Thank you for your post!

[Guest KennelMom]

The milk jug is a good idea. I have been putting them in a cardboard box ans was thinking about taking them to the vet to dispose. I don't know if I can put them in the garbage here.

 

Our vet said it's not considered "hazardous" medical waste and suggested the milk jug, IIRC b/c it's not used to draw blood or other body fluids. I just got a reminder email from our garbage company reminding people to dispose of needles in milk jugs (along with how to dispose of other "special" kinds of garbage), so apparently that's the way they prefer to handle it. You can always call your garbage company. That tool Pam posted looks pretty neat too.

 

As others have mentioned, roll the insulin container, don't shake it...I'd forgotten about that.

[Hubcitypam]

That tool Pam posted looks pretty neat too.

It is manufactured by a company called BD. Google BD syringe cutter. I love it - just feel like I don't have a porcupine in a milk jug. The bottom of the cutter does have a biohazard sign on it, but maybe that is just certain places. I just throw it away but the vet told me if I wanted I could bring it in and he'd put it in with his for free.

[Cynthia]

Hi Mary, If you send me an email with your email address, I'll forward you a couple of excellent recent articles from the Whole Dog Journal on diabetes & nutrition. Diabetes Mellitus isn't common in greys - my 12 year old Sunny has it (undiagnosed and returned because he was so sick a year or so ago). He's in the article so I have the documents which I can send via email. I feed raw, but WDJ covered all options for feeding so should be helpful to you. Before I switched Sunny to raw, he did really well on Orijen 6 Fish.

 

I have an AlphaTrak glucometer, but rarely use it. Early months, I had curves done at the vet. The glucometer is the same type my vet has. That's important because they all read a bit differently, so it keeps things simple. You'll learn to 'read' the dog without it though, and know when she's a little high glucose (drinking peeing more) or low glucose (disoriented, unstable, confused) and be able to adjust. Once their regulated, it's easy.

 

And do get one of those little syringe clipper thingies - it's fun to use (I'm easily amused) and holds something like 1500 needles. I've yet to fill one up. I use empty supplement bottles to dispose of the needle housing. Mark it as 'sharps' on the top and tape shut when full.

[Guest 2dogs4cats]

Thanks! I sent you a pm.

[Hubcitypam]

Attention Wal- Mart shoppers -

 

Just got back from buying a vial of insulin. Their brand has gone back to being called Novolin N and the price has dropped to $17.88!! That is FIFTY DOLLARS less than the name brand. Poodle has done fine on it since he was diagnosed.

[Guest 2dogs4cats]

Attention Wal- Mart shoppers -

 

Just got back from buying a vial of insulin. Their brand has gone back to being called Novolin N and the price has dropped to $17.88!! That is FIFTY DOLLARS less than the name brand. Poodle has done fine on it since he was diagnosed.

 

Yes, there has been talk of this on the K9diabetes forum. No idea why they dropped it when it was already so much cheaper than everywhere else! <Sigh> This means I will have to become a Walmart shopper. I have tried to avoid it all my life...