# Help... Diabetic Dog



## Lynda Myers (Jul 16, 2008)

My female Kandy was just diagnosed yesterday with Diabetes. Dr said to keep checking the blood sugar, make adjustments to insulin accordingly and lower the carbs. So now I'm on the search for information on management, pit falls etc. I'm especially interested in knowing how to manage Diabetes with diet, exercise and supplements so that the need for insulin isn't so great. Kandy has never been an overweight dog so that's not an issue. Actually she was not holding her weight(65-70lbs) which was one of the reasons for the doctor's visit. The two symptoms she was exhibiting was moderate increase in water intake and weight loss. This however for Kandy is a neon sign pointing to an ingested sock that won't come out!](*,) 
Any advise or input well be appreciated. 
Thanks.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

So wait...she ate a sock or she really does have diabetes? How high was her blood glucose?

Here's a couple articles on managing canine diabete:

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3060

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3055


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## Lynda Myers (Jul 16, 2008)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> So wait...she ate a sock or she really does have diabetes? How high was her blood glucose?
> 
> Here's a couple articles on managing canine diabete:
> 
> ...


Thanks for the articles Maren.
No she really is diabetic. I though she had somehow gotten a sock because her M.O. for when that happens is increase water intake and she drops weight because she has an obstruction.
At the doctor's office(9:45am) it was 440. Last night at 12:00am it was 189. So following the doctor's instruction gave the 25 units of insulin and the fed her then when to bed. 
This morning (around 11:40 - 12:00pm) checked the BS it was 71. Called the doctor for advice he said kick the insulin dose back to 14 units and feed. Well I did that and at 4:30pm BS was 450. 

So on to day two - I will be staying home from work so as to check her BS every two- three hours hopefully this will give me a good enough baseline to go off of.

I've got to get this in hand with the quickness.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Knockin on wood for you and Candy, girlfren!


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## Edward Egan (Mar 4, 2009)

Have you thought about going raw?

Is normal around 100?


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## Brian McConnell (Feb 6, 2010)

Had a dog with this problem for treats we gave 3 pcs of English (long) cucumber she loved it and didnot feel she was missing anything.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Edward Egan said:


> Have you thought about going raw?
> 
> Is normal around 100?


The thing with going raw is there not a real compelling reason why that would help with the kind of diabetes mellitus dogs typically get. They get insulin dependent diabetes (or called type I), which is in humans like juvenile diabetes where the body attacks the endocrine pancreas and the pancreas can no longer make insulin on its own because it doesn't have enough of the cells (called beta cells) to do so. In type II diabetes mellitus, which is more prevalent in cats and adult humans (though is becoming more common in younger people because of poor diet choices and obesity), the animal can become insulin resistant. So what happens in that case, insulin is still being produced, but the body is resistant to its effects and the blood glucose remains high. 

In type II diabetes that cats get, a higher protein diet is typically helpful in reducing the cat's body weight and it likewise may help with the insulin resistance. Some cats that go on high quality canned food like Nature's Variety or EVO can even go into remission of the diabetes, particularly once they drop the weight. The idea in the first link I gave is that it's a different scenario for the kind of diabetes that dogs get. Plus I know Kandy is not overweight (unless she gained a massive amount of weight in like 2-3 months since I saw here ;-)). 

To answer your other question, yes, blood glucose is normally between about 80 and 120 or so. It may spike a bit due to stress, but not typically into the 400s. Lynda, did she have a urinalysis performed too?


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## Lynda Myers (Jul 16, 2008)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> The thing with going raw is there not a real compelling reason why that would help with the kind of diabetes mellitus dogs typically get. They get insulin dependent diabetes (or called type I), which is in humans like juvenile diabetes where the body attacks the endocrine pancreas and the pancreas can no longer make insulin on its own because it doesn't have enough of the cells (called beta cells) to do so. In type II diabetes mellitus, which is more prevalent in cats and adult humans (though is becoming more common in younger people because of poor diet choices and obesity), the animal can become insulin resistant. So what happens in that case, insulin is still being produced, but the body is resistant to its effects and the blood glucose remains high.
> 
> In type II diabetes that cats get, a higher protein diet is typically helpful in reducing the cat's body weight and it likewise may help with the insulin resistance. Some cats that go on high quality canned food like Nature's Variety or EVO can even go into remission of the diabetes, particularly once they drop the weight. The idea in the first link I gave is that it's a different scenario for the kind of diabetes that dogs get. Plus I know Kandy is not overweight (unless she gained a massive amount of weight in like 2-3 months since I saw here ;-)).
> 
> To answer your other question, yes, blood glucose is normally between about 80 and 120 or so. It may spike a bit due to stress, but not typically into the 400s. Lynda, did she have a urinalysis performed too?


Maren is correct Kandy has never been overweight. Kandy normally is a very hyper, busy AB. Yes dangerously close to a mal in that respect.

No Maren, he said the blood test would be more accurate. He also instructed that I put her on a low carb, high protein/fiber diet. So am now looking at raw, no grain like Wellness Core or cooking up a diet (meat,vegetables and brown rice) that will work. I got the high spikes in BS when feeding the premium edge's chicken/rice formula. And when I fed the leg quarter and 25 units got the low reading 71 (using a human monitor) so the actual BS was even lower. I'm wanting to try and control this with diet/supplements so that we're not using so much insulin. I'm not wanting Kandy to become totally dependent on the insulin. Especially if it can be managed with a properly modified diet, supplements and exercise. I mean if it can't and the insulin is the way it's gotta be then ok. But let's not start there.

What the vet did not do is work out a baseline for us. So with the help of a friend that's what I'm working on today. Took off work so as to be able to monitor Kandy BS every two hours.

Ok from what I've read it's more common in female dogs and male cats....hmmm. The material also recommends spaying. So may have to do that as well.


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## Lynda Myers (Jul 16, 2008)

Edward Egan said:


> Have you thought about going raw?


Yes, that or some kinda of no grain prepared food like Wellness Core or even working up a home cooked diet based around meat, veges, fruits and brown rice.
Up to this point al of the dogs have been getting on alternate days Premium Edge Chicken and Rice and chicken leg quarters, backs or other meats like beef, pork and turkey.




Brian McConnell said:


> Had a dog with this problem for treats we gave 3 pcs of English (long) cucumber she loved it and did not feel she was missing anything.


The vet mention this also will give it a go and see if the vegetables hold as high a value as the cheese and meat does for a reward/treat.LOL Otherwise that could put a real damper on training!:-o


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