Do any of you have a diabetic sheepie?
We tried managing it all last week but he was far worse on Friday so back to the vet Saturday morning - and he's still there. Vet is having a hard time getting his blood sugar down too. Hasn't been below 325 yet...and as high as 720 more often than not. Food is switched to SD diabetic food - a mix of kibble and soft. We tried to switch with just a little at a time last week but Mr. Sensitive Tummy had bloody diarrhea. She was able to do it all at once while he was on IV meds, so the tummy issues were managed there. I'm not feeling optimistic at all. Vet isn't promising he's ready to come home today either. Anybody else BTDT? |
|
|
| I'm assuming diabetes mellitus. This is a toughy because the dog will require twice daily injections at exactly the same time.......hard if you travel or vacation, carefully monitored diet, no treats!!!, carefully monitored exercise, etc. If the blood sugar goes whacky, it's back to the vet to be stabilized again. A dog with DM is more prone to cataracts. It is a big commitment in money for the meds, time and care. There is no oral insulin for dogs. Having a sensitive tummy just makes the job all the more difficult.  to you and Chap. |
The hardest part is the initial stabilization.  I have had several friends w/ diabetic dogs who do well. It requires a conscious effort on the humans to regulate and medicate. Faithful monitoring of what they eat, exercise, etc. It really is a lot like human diabetic management. The big thing long term is to know the s/s of hyper/hypoglycemia in your dog and get the correct adjustment when needed. Good luck to you both!!  |
BTDT.  I had a male sheepie, Ben, with DM, he lived with it for half of his lifetime. It's hard to set the blood sugar level with insuline at first, but after that, it's actually fine. He never had any problems, got his insuline under his skin twice a day (he learned the routine fast so he was really helpful, held his butt in place, then he opened his mouth for his treat  ). He got Eukanuba for diabetic dogs, lost some weight but otherwise he was in good overall condition. The cataracts came fast, within just weeks Ben went totally blind, but managed perfectly fine in the garden. The tough part was the injection-thing twice a day, on time, no more holidays for the whole family, no evenings out, nothing. Ben never ever complained ... |
| Yes, it is diabetes mellitus - sorry, I should have clarified that. He's lost 19 pounds (well he's still 79 lbs so it's not like he shriveled away to nothing) and I can tell he's developing some eye issues - running into things, etc. He has some neuropathy in his back end, too. I'm aware of the strict diet and insulin regiment. Another adjustment we have to make is that she has him at 8:00 am and pm for food (and 30 minutes later for insulin), and our other dogs are used to eating at about 7:00 am and 5-6 pm. So either he's just going to have to wait and be fed alone, or they are going to have to wait and all get fed together. Haven't figured that one out yet. They all start begging for dinner at 5 pm. |
| I hope after the initial stabilization things will be easier. Trying to figure out how you can give the shots because of your leg. Will he stand next to you so you can sit down to give the shot? Him getting up on something will probably be difficult due to the loss of strength in his back end. Just a thought but I'd wait and feed Chap alone at first as you get used to the new routine. Is it possible over time to gradually switch him to a feeding schedule closer to the current one... say a 7am and 7pm feeding? When we set the clocks back every fall for daylight savings time, the pack's internal clock needs to be reset too. They like spring better because they get fed an hour earlier when we set the clocks forward again. The big thing is getting the diabetics under control... he'll adapt to any vision loss with your help. It's easier when they're born with vision loss but if Chap is anything like his sis, he'll come to do okay with it. He will run into things and it will make you cringe but it's how he'll map things out. Have someone get down to his level and remove anything that might poke him, especially in the face. After that it's basically making sure stairway doors are kept closed, chairs are pushed up to the table, etc. Bright sunshine takes away any vision Kaytee has... she actually does better in low light situations. I'm so sorry you're going through all this. Please keep us posted on how you two are doing and if I can do anything from here, please let me know. Hoping Chap will be feeling better soon. |
| Oh poor guy and you! I was wondering why your vet chose SD for the food? Is it Science Diet S/d? That is typically used for struvite crystals or stones, if I am not mistaken! My chow mix was diabetic, she also went blind. Have they checked the pressure is his eyes? We had to use eye drops on Cody for quite a while If you have any specific questions feel free to ask and I will TRY to remember  |
6Girls wrote: I hope after the initial stabilization things will be easier. Trying to figure out how you can give the shots because of your leg. Will he stand next to you so you can sit down to give the shot? Him getting up on something will probably be difficult due to the loss of strength in his back end. I can get around enough to manage the shots. I have a knee walker and I can scoot and I can even get on the floor when I need to. Better each day. That part isn't a problem - my husband can do it, too.  Donner's Mom wrote: I was wondering why your vet chose SD for the food? Is it Science Diet S/d? I just meant SD diabetic food as short for Science Diet - w/d formula. He's down in the 170's today and my husband went to pick him up to bring him home!  Now, can I keep him managed?  |
Oooh, that's such good news.  Not kidding, I'm teary eyed at hearing he's coming home. Great big hugs to Chap and you!! Please keep us posted on how you and your husband do with managing this. |
| So glad he is coming home! We used the w/d and dco. Make sure and have Karo Syrup on hand too! We had to regulate Cody's a lot with her water intake, she HATED needles Kathy |
Guest wrote: had to regulate Cody's a lot with her water intake, she HATED needles Kathy ^^ That's Donner's Mom... Kathy was the friend I mentioned! |
| I can't imagine managing by water intake. Kathy, THAT'S impressive! I bow to you! He is hovering around 200 tonight. Hope for better in the morning. Now the funny story out of this is via the vet. She warns me that he just hates his new food. But, he'll eat it when she spoon-feeds him. I told her, "I think he knows you'll spoon feed him!" She said well he will eat from a plate a little. Not a bowl, but if I put it on a plate he'll nibble at it. (He so has your number, woman!) Of course at dinner time, I put his food in his bowl, mix in his other meds and he lapped it up in no time.  |
rdf wrote: I can't imagine managing by water intake. Kathy, THAT'S impressive! I bow to you! He is hovering around 200 tonight. Hope for better in the morning. Now the funny story out of this is via the vet. She warns me that he just hates his new food. But, he'll eat it when she spoon-feeds him. I told her, "I think he knows you'll spoon feed him!" She said well he will eat from a plate a little. Not a bowl, but if I put it on a plate he'll nibble at it. (He so has your number, woman!) Of course at dinner time, I put his food in his bowl, mix in his other meds and he lapped it up in no time. That is not the easiest way to control it obviously but, Cody would fight needles so much there was no way to get an accurate reading! She was a little pain in the tail! Cody was diabetic for 3 years, she also went through bloat in that time I am not saying it is an easy battle but, it is doable! Battle, lol...when the pharmacist was slow filling her eye drops we almost had a battle! I think he will be fine and you can get him regulated I learned that levels can drop fast in that period, if you see him getting lethargic check his gums, if he is pale give him a little Karo Syrup tp boost him back up (of course if your vet says) You will be fine..you will learn to read him Hugs, white light and lots of prayers for you in the next few days! |
| Joan is diabetic, so does 25 years of marriage to a human diabetic count as experience? I don't understand the 8AM, 8PM thing. I would assume 7 and 7 would be just as good, ask the vet! |
| How's Chap doing this morning? Kaytee sends him sweet little nose licks. Quote: Now the funny story out of this is via the vet. She warns me that he just hates his new food. But, he'll eat it when she spoon-feeds him. I told her, "I think he knows you'll spoon feed him!" She said well he will eat from a plate a little. Not a bowl, but if I put it on a plate he'll nibble at it. (He so has your number, woman!)  Smart boy!! He's really working the sympathy thing. |
rdf wrote: Of course at dinner time, I put his food in his bowl, mix in his other meds and he lapped it up in no time. Just because he's down doesn't mean he's going to cede his canine advantage. Guess he read her right.  Fingers crossed for him. Kristine |
6Girls wrote: How's Chap doing this morning? gic today. He ate well and got his shot...so we're just up and down up and down right now. Unfortunately he spiked over 600 (max my glucometer reads) this morning and has been pretty lethargic today. So we're just up/down/up/down/up right now. Ron wrote: I don't understand the 8AM, 8PM thing. I would assume 7 and 7 would be just as good, ask the vet! I'm sure we'll get there eventually, but we're trying to stick to the every 12 hour schedule by the book right now. |
| I know DM in people, not dogs. Do they have you check his urine for ketones when his numbers are high? Do they have you encourage water for higher blood sugar numbers? |
| Hoping Chap's numbers will be better tomorrow. |
| We have 3 years experience with Hannah having diabetes. Feel free to ask anything you'd like to know or pm me. She started off having one shot a day but got a urinary tract infection and then pancreatitus for the 2nd time so we had to change and give her 2 shots per day, each 12 hours apart. We we're able to decide the times and 8 and 8 worked best for us. Yes, your life will completely revolve around someone being home for that. You have to make sure they eat before you give the shot. We never waited a 1/2 hour though between food and shots. We were never told that and she was fine getting her shot immediately after eating. She started out on animal insulin Vetsulin which was recalled. That was a blessing in disguise. She was switched to the human insulin Humulin N, made by Lily. We found the cheapest place to get it is Walmart. When she was switched after she was regulated she started getting more muscle back in her withered hind legs. She also lost her eyesight but after about 2 years and it happened gradually. She also had neuropathy in her back feet and would barely tolerate her feet being touched. When our sheepie transitioned from vetsulin to Humulin N we took her to a different vet that was open 24 hrs and did the switch while we were on vacation. They did tons of glucose curves. They suggested putting her on Science Diet diabetic food I think it was W/D. First ingredients are like crushed peanut hulls. She did terrible on that diet. And they couldn't get her regulated. We took her back to our regular vet and put her back on a high protein diet Chicken canned wet food mostly and she was re-regulated right away. She also had to eat a very large quantity of wet and dry food to keep her weight on. Very large quantity. It's important that they have wet food as well as dry. And there have been periods where she only ate wet food. The day we found out she had diabetes a guy followed us out to the car and told us he had a diabetic dog that lived a great life and lived a long time. At the time I didn't understand the comfort that his words would later bring. Especially when we would give her a shot and she would cry. Broke our hearts. She would get a "shot of love" and we would sing to her and hug her and it made it easier, maybe for us but it seemed like it helped her. I think the first year she had it we had to do a lot of glucose curves at the vet to get the proper insulin dosage. I was never able to draw blood to test her at home. I tried just couldn't get the hang of it and it seemed to really bother her. Once she became regulated though it was easier. She had to have 3 meals a day. Because we gave her the exact amount of food everyday and her shots very timely we were able to keep her regulated and didn't have to test her blood. If they get exercise such as a walk though we had to give her an extra carrot stick. If they get anything like a bacteria infection or urinary tract infection you have to get them treated right away. We got a syringe, I think of glucose to administer orally in case of an emergency and also we were told that honey would work too. Good always to know the emergency procedures. If your dog should get any diabetic pressure sores you can shave the area and put honey on them and it clears it up. Before we knew about the honey, the 24 hour vet had given us a steroid cream and that didn't heal the pressure sores at all. Clearing the area of hair and applying regular honey healed the pressure sores in a very brief time. It was like a miracle cure. At first it may be overwhelming. We lost our beloved Hannah very recently and I would give anything to do it all over just to still have her here. She didn't die from diabetes. Believe me there is no relief in not having to do all of that, not when your sheepie is gone. Good luck and my very best to you and your sheepie. |
| Just wondering how Chap is doing with his blood sugar levels and how things are going for you. |
| Thanks for checking, Jaci! He's starting to come around, but we're really struggling to keep him under 200. I have a really hard time checking his levels by myself - the only way we can get any blood from him is by cutting a nail just barely to the quick. We can use that nail for several days by filing it just a bit - all we need is one bitty drop but it's a 2 person job right now so when my husband isn't home that's been my main obstacle. The lancet will not make him bleed inside his ear, in his belly, nothing! I've tried massaging the area with a warm washcloth, no luck. The quick is the only way I get anything! I had a meeting at my house one night and my daughter gave each of the dogs a small bone to keep them occupied, and that threw his sugar way high. Figuring out what happens with any exercise and treats and how to adjust for those is tough. But he is feeling strong enough to go upstairs to sleep at night, so that's a great sign. I really appreciate all the help and advice you guys! It has made a HUGE difference for us!  |
| I was wondering if you checked with you vet to see if maybe you can do the stick somewhere else. Maybe the ear flap is too thick. how about the skin at the stomach or scruff of the neck. If his belly is shaved it would be easy to get at the skin. I would think that the quik might hurt a little. |
sheepiegail wrote: I was wondering if you checked with you vet to see if maybe you can do the stick somewhere else. Maybe the ear flap is too thick. how about the skin at the stomach or scruff of the neck. If his belly is shaved it would be easy to get at the skin. I would think that the quik might hurt a little. My vet is the one who taught me to do it on the quick. I can't get it from his belly, either.  |
| I was doing a search to see if I could find another way to draw blood for Chap's testing. I have NO idea whether the method below is acceptable but thought I'd post it. Something to discuss with your vet before attempting. Lip stick- http://www.petdiabetes.com/bloodlip.html http://www.sugarcats.net/sites/harry/li ... nchor17927 http://www.petdiabetes.com/blood.htm You might also check to see if there's a good Yahoo Group for diabetic dogs. http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=dog+diabetes or maybe http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=%2 ... =relevance Sending you all big hugs |
| Thank you Jaci! I will try those methods! |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|