• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Bichon Frise (Dog) just diagnosed today

M

MikeB73

Member
Messages
17
Hi Guys
Genuinely gutted as I type this, but also a little relieved. I took my Bichon to the vets earlier today expecting the worst (only 5yrs old). The vet has just contacted saying they appear to have found that he’s diabetic and seemed to be checking me out to see how serious I am about treating Buzz (my dog)
I am very serious about treating him, but obviously I am looking for any advice that anybody can give me.

Buzz is having more test through the night which is already costing me over £500, but am told that full diagnosis can take 5 days.
its not really too much of an issue for the money, as like most dog owners, I would do pretty much anything for his well being.

I’m not insured as I also have a second Bichon.

can anyone pls offer any initial advice. I would appreciate anything

pls note that I have no real details as yet other than above.
Thanks in advance

Mike
 
I had a diabetic dog, sadly gone now. If I had known then what I know now, the first thing I would have done is switch him to raw food. There are a few things I could tell you.
 
Hi @MikeB73 , and welcome to the forum!
I'm sorry to hear about your dog.
For starters, here is a somewhat old thread about diabetic dogs which may be informative: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/forum-for-type-1-diabetic-dogs.172373/

There is also a UK Facebook group on diabetes dogs. I'm not a member so I don't know if it's any good but it can't hurt to have a look: https://www.facebook.com/groups/UKDiabeticDogs/

And I'll tag @Marie 2 for you. She has a diabetic dog and has diabetes herself as well, and I believe she's quite knowledgeable on diabetes in dogs :)

It may also help if you change your title to have 'dog' in it to catch the attention of members like me who have no clue Bichon Frise is a kind of dog ;)

All the best to Buzz and yourself!
 
xfieldok said:
I had a diabetic dog, sadly gone now. If I had known then what I know now, the first thing I would have done is switch him to raw food. There are a few things I could tell you.
Click to expand...
Hi
I am still coming to terms with everything.. last week we had a fun loving dog, last couple of days I thought we were losing him.. I’m sat on the couch with his little twin who is a little lost at the moment. We are going to do all we can to get him safely home, so any advice, however random you feel it may be.. I am all ears, and fully appreciate anything
Thanks
 
MikeB73 said:
last week we had a fun loving dog, last couple of days I thought we were losing him..
Click to expand...
Starting insulin is likely to have him perk up very quickly, I'd expect to have your fun loving dog back in a couple of days!
Of course, after that are the long and sometimes frustrating years of managing his diabetes but you'll likely have your happy fellow back quicker than you can imagine!

Have a hug for the scare.
 
Antje77 said:
Starting insulin is likely to have him perk up very quickly, I'd expect to have your fun loving dog back in a couple of days!
Of course, after that are the long and sometimes frustrating years of managing his diabetes but you'll likely have your happy fellow back quicker than you can imagine!

Have a hug for the scare.
Click to expand...

Thank you Antje77
I really appreciate your kind words and will do all we can to have him back playing with his brother Woody x
 
He is likely to be in for a curve. This is where they test his blood every 2 hours for around 12 hours.

I used to do that myself.

It is important to get their numbers down. Extended time over 14 (I think) can result in blindness. This happened to Yuli. The op at that time cost 4k, we paid a little over 7 and insurance paid the rest.

I don't want to overwhelm you.
 
xfieldok said:
He is likely to be in for a curve. This is where they test his blood every 2 hours for around 12 hours.

I used to do that myself.

It is important to get their numbers down. Extended time over 14 (I think) can result in blindness. This happened to Yuli. The op at that time cost 4k, we paid a little over 7 and insurance paid the rest.

I don't want to overwhelm you.
Click to expand...

Thank you. He is in for the tests, and we have just paid extra for additional tests. I have to go on a big learning curve myself and quick.
I need to know as much as I can to help my little Buzz
 
No more treats, you will be told. If you boil a chicken breast and shred it. Keep in a plastic bag in the freezer.
 
I can point you to a diabetic dog forum, it's based in the US but there are members from all over the world. They can walk into Walmart and buy insulin off the shelf.

Once I was diagnosed, I researched diet and discovered the foods I should avoid were in dog food. His face was a picture when he was served sausage and egg for breakfast.
 
xfieldok said:
No more treats, you will be told. If you boil a chicken breast and shred it. Keep in a plastic bag in the freezer.
Click to expand...

Yes.. I think treats will b out the window now. Which will ‘hurt’ both Buzz and Woody
I feel
Like my life has been turned upside down

I really appreciate any advice and tips that you give (and have given)
I’m a bit of a mess today

My little Mops mean the world to me
 
xfieldok said:
I can point you to a diabetic dog forum, it's based in the US but there are members from all over the world. They can walk into Walmart and buy insulin off the shelf.

Once I was diagnosed, I researched diet and discovered the foods I should avoid were in dog food. His face was a picture when he was served sausage and egg for breakfast.
Click to expand...

Wow. They will love that advice
 
I had to rooting. The forum is k9diabetes.com.

A couple of things. It will take a little while to to get the insulin doses right, it's trial and error. Once it has been established, ask your vet for a prescription and get it online. If you can, get someone who used dpd.

The vets use a meter called alphatrak. It's hugely expensive and the strips are 50 quid a shot. I read somewhere that a lady used her own meter on her cat. I never followed up on it. My strips are around 7 quid. And they threw in the meter for free.

When he is back to his old self, if he is very active, you need to beware of hypos. You have time to research this.
 
xfieldok said:
I had to rooting. The forum is k9diabetes.com.

A couple of things. It will take a little while to to get the insulin doses right, it's trial and error. Once it has been established, ask your vet for a prescription and get it online. If you can, get someone who used dpd.

The vets use a meter called alphatrak. It's hugely expensive and the strips are 50 quid a shot. I read somewhere that a lady used her own meter on her cat. I never followed up on it. My strips are around 7 quid. And they threw in the meter for free.

When he is back to his old self, if he is very active, you need to beware of hypos. You have time to research this.
Click to expand...

Jeez.. I have so much to learn and research
What’s a meter and strips?
Sorry but this is so new
 
We use a glucose meter. Fingerprick to get a drop of blood on the strip, the meter gives us a reading of what our blood sugar. We go on to have an hba1c test this is sent to a lab to give us a number that is the average for the previous 3 months.

Your vet will give you the equivalent it's called a fructosamine test.

I learned that vets know about as much about diabetes as most of our doctors
Very little.

Do not let them prescribe diabetic food. 4 quid a tin and the bags I got were 57. He was a big dog though.
 
xfieldok said:
We use a glucose meter. Fingerprick to get a drop of blood on the strip, the meter gives us a reading of what our blood sugar. We go on to have an hba1c test this is sent to a lab to give us a number that is the average for the previous 3 months.

Your vet will give you the equivalent it's called a fructosamine test.

I learned that vets know about as much about diabetes as most of our doctors
Very little.

Do not let them prescribe diabetic food. 4 quid a tin and the bags I got were 57. He was a big dog though.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your advice
I will be researching what food to give, as I have is twin to think of, and they normally do everything together.
 
I don't see why he should be at the vets for 5 days unless there is something else going on.

Look up raw feeding. There are groups on facebook
Barf is one of them.

Ask the k9 forum whether they use human or animal meters.

Important to note that the US and UK use different measurements. You don't need to know now, but put it on the list.

Breathe. Pour a drink and have a snuggle.
 
MikeB73 said:
Jeez.. I have so much to learn and research
Click to expand...
I feel for you! Never had a diabetic dog but have experience for caring for elderly sick cats. Deep breath. Bad news is your boy can't process sugar in the blood, good news there is medication, bad news this means injections twice daily and checking his blood by doing little skin pricks and checking with a meter. It's a lot to take in. You might want to research dog behaviour specialists as you have to manage your/his anxiety in this new world, it would be good for you to have some support.

One observation about caring for pets in this way is that you can develop a really special bond.
Hugs to both Buzz and Woody.
 
Back
Top