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dog diabetes help/advice PLEASE

A

abby5meg5

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Friend
Treatment type
Insulin
Hello
our 11 year old springer dog Abby has been diagnosed with diabetes last week she is due to start insulin injections this week
we have searched the internet for advice and are at the panic stage and confused by it all as we want to treat our dog as best we can with her diabetes.
PLEASE can anyone offer advice.
Thank you so much.
 
You are not alone... I was once owned by a diabetic cat and went on an eventful health care journey with her for a few years before she eventually passed away. There are lots of knowledgeable, experienced dog or cat owners out there who can help you.

I used an excellent cat diabetes website and forum for advice, but it was many years ago. That site is still going strong but I am not sure about dog diabetes websites. This is a good website that I remember from that time, that seems to be still current:
http://www.caninediabetes.org/

Here is the cat one - they may have links to dog info, and info that applies to both species:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/

Feel free to ask me any questions if you like. There are similarities between dogs, cats, and humans who have diabetes, as well as differences of course. Managing insulin for a pet is a bit like managing it for a human toddler - in that they can't tell you much about how they feel. So you have to learn what signs to look for, and rely on the experts and other experienced people for guidance. I am sure your dog will be feeling much better soon.

It is possible to do home testing of blood glucose levels for pets, just like in humans. The method is a bit different though. You can also test their urine, and I can give you some tips on how to do that if you want. The main thing at the moment is to take your vet's advice and read up on advice from other owners when you get the chance.

Good luck... remember to breathe. It will get easier.

=^..^=
 
abby5meg5 said:
Hello
our 11 year old springer dog Abby has been diagnosed with diabetes last week she is due to start insulin injections this week
we have searched the internet for advice and are at the panic stage and confused by it all as we want to treat our dog as best we can with her diabetes.
PLEASE can anyone offer advice.
Thank you so much.
Click to expand...
Same as with humans: get a meter. (I sincerely hope you have a health insurance for your dog. I know my cat's insurance covers more diabetes care than my human one!) For our cat, it was important to have one to figure out how much Caninsulin (later human Lantus) was required. If he pukes, or eats something he probably shouldn't (carby), if he's got the runs, or has played more than usual or anything... Keep an eye on his bloodsugars. I know what Night does when he has a hypo, dunno what it's like with a dog though. If you have the feeling something's off and you can't put your finger on it, test. Usually if I go with my gut I'll catch something just before the cat crashes. (Always have sugar on hand you can inject into the mouth. Your vet'll have a needle-less injection for you, same thing that's used with forced feeding. Just scoop sugar in, add water to dissolve it, and you're good to go.)

Mind you, Night's been a diabetic for uh... Lemme check... Oh my, he's been a T3c since at least '12...! He's an old cat now, but don't tell him that, as he won't believe you. ;) He's a bit of a difficult one because he gets depressed when we're gone, and stress makes blood sugars go up, so we haven't been on holiday, or even away for a single night, in years. Home at 6 am and pm for his kibble, shots and kidney medication. Other people can take care of him, but he just spirals down into a depression because he misses us, and his sugars run up out of control. And I'm not stiffing my inlaws with an ill cat, even if I would put Night through that, which I won't. If your dog's less of a handfull than our fuzzball, it should be alright though. There's kennels that'll be able to tackle insulin, though you might want to book well in advance, (might want to consider going in the off season) and it's easy to teach someone else how to, should you go on vacation for a week or so.

Get regular check ups for eyesight and kidneys, as they get a knock in a diabetic.
Good luck!
Jo
 
Please be aware this is a 4yr old thread, the OP may not respond.
 
We previously had a diabetic cat and used the diabetic feline site for help. We resorted to low carb wet cat food and were able to help the cat quickly achieve remission. He never again needed insulin once he was eating canned wet cat food (low carb: 5 or less). The feline site described how to test the cat by pricking near a vein in his ear (that was the hardest part for us). Injecting insulin was easily done using information on that site. I haven’t looked, but I image similar information can be found for your dog. Best wishes for you.
 
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