July 19th, Monday- I took my 14 yr old boo-boo to the Vet for excessive drinking and urinating. The Vet took Chase to a back room and I waited about 10 minutes before the Vet came back in the room to talk to me. He said I had a diabetic dog and I would need to leave Chase to come back at 4pm. I went back to the Vet at 4pm and the Vet told me Chase was dehydrated so they give him fluids and that he also had a UTI. He gave me a prescription for Cipro 250mg. He said Chase had a BG reading of 500 that morning at it was down to 257. He then showed me how to give Chase an injection and prescribed Humulin 15units, twice a day, to be given while Chase was eating. He also gave me a syringe to put Karo syrup in incase Chase started showing signs of low blood sugar. I had no idea what all this meant at the time but thankfully had found your website this evening.
- July 20th, Tuesday- Per the Vets instructions, Tuesday morning at 7:30am, I fed Chase his Proplan (canned chicken & potato entree). Chase only ate about 3/4 cup. I gave him the 15 units of the Humulin and within 5-10 minutes, he started shivering, not convulsing just slight shivers. He was extremely lethargic and I got nervous and gave him the Karo syrup on the gums. Within a few minutes, the shivering stopped. I called the Vet and he told me to bring Chase in at 5pm. Chase looked very sickly until 1pm in the afternoon. At 5pm, the Vet took a BG reading and it was 108. He laughed and said "so now what do you want to do?" I said, I don't know, you are the doctor, you tell me". He said, "ok, well, lets give him one shot a day of 12 units. I took Chase home, at 7:30pm, fed him brown rice, chicken and green beans (read online the home cooked food may be better).
- Wed, July 21st- I fed Chase at 7:30am and gave him his injection of the new dose at 12units. Chase again, looked very sickly and was lethargic until early afternoon. He did not get the shivers. Late in the afternoon, I called the Vet and told him Chase was still very lethargic and looking sickly. He told me to bring him in the next morning, to feed Chase and give him his injection.
- Thursday, July 22nd- Chase gets up easy this day, eats at 7:30am and I give him his injection at 7:40am. Chase is now acting like a puppy. Eyes look good and alert, not like he is intoxicated like over the past few days. I am hopeful and get him in the car to take him to the vet. The Vet takes his BG at 8:10am and the reading is 300. The Vet instructs me to bring him back at 5pm. Per the Vets instructions, I take him back at 5pm and Chase's reading is 191. I ask the vet at this time, if Chase's reading earlier in the day could be high because he is anxious. He laughed and said "only humans get anxious when going to the vet" He said "dogs don't get anxious". I am very concerned at this point because I have been reading your forum each night this week. I know at this point, the dosage should start low and then increased. I know dogs get anxious during vet visits. When Chase had to stay the whole day on Monday, he chewed thru his harness which was not an easy task given he is missing quite a few teeth. The icing on the cake with my lack of confidence with this vet is that I asked him if Chase could take the Novolin (generic Humulin). He said he did not know there was a generic. I also asked him if I should test at home. He was very opposed to this and said it would be cruel to test a dogs lip, he never heard of such of thing. I have read how much you all love your babies and know, you would not recommend this testing site if it hurt them. I am really scared at this point, wondering if I have given him too much insulin all week.
- Thursday EVENING, I decide to go get a BG testing device. I got the OneTouch Ulta 2 and was able to obtain a reading at 10pm. The reading was 350.
-Friday, July 23rd- Chase woke up not feeling good at all this am and refused to eat. he also, wet all over my bed. When I let him go outside, he urinated A LOT and drank excessive water (about 3 cups, I am measuring water too). I am anxious because I know I need to give him his insulin. Chase does not look like he feels good and keeps fidgeting- sitting and then re sitting. At 9:30am, I finally put the brown rice, green bean and chicken mixture in his mouth and he begrudgingly chews and swallows. I got him to eat about 3/4 of cup. I give him an injection but only 7units. I tried really hard to get a BG check but he would not let me. I got one sample but it was not enough blood. Because he does not feel good, I will try later. I am going to try the twice a day Humulin at the 7 units. I was able to get a reading on his BG two hours after he ate and had his injection. The reading is 284 at 12pm. He has been sleeping since this morning.
Any advice, I know I need to find a more experienced vet but I want to do my research this time and find someone good to spare Chase unnecessary anxiety. He is old at 14yrs and has major anxiety when I leave him.
Breed- Terrier/Schnauzer Mix (he is about the size of a Cocker Spaniel)
Weighs- 33lbs
Diet- Brown rice, chicken, greenbeans, very small amount of chicken broth (low sodium)
Diagnosed July 19th
Humulin started at 15units x 2 a day, then 12 units once a day, now-trying 7 units twice a day
Sincerely,
Natalie
- July 20th, Tuesday- Per the Vets instructions, Tuesday morning at 7:30am, I fed Chase his Proplan (canned chicken & potato entree). Chase only ate about 3/4 cup. I gave him the 15 units of the Humulin and within 5-10 minutes, he started shivering, not convulsing just slight shivers. He was extremely lethargic and I got nervous and gave him the Karo syrup on the gums. Within a few minutes, the shivering stopped. I called the Vet and he told me to bring Chase in at 5pm. Chase looked very sickly until 1pm in the afternoon. At 5pm, the Vet took a BG reading and it was 108. He laughed and said "so now what do you want to do?" I said, I don't know, you are the doctor, you tell me". He said, "ok, well, lets give him one shot a day of 12 units. I took Chase home, at 7:30pm, fed him brown rice, chicken and green beans (read online the home cooked food may be better).
- Wed, July 21st- I fed Chase at 7:30am and gave him his injection of the new dose at 12units. Chase again, looked very sickly and was lethargic until early afternoon. He did not get the shivers. Late in the afternoon, I called the Vet and told him Chase was still very lethargic and looking sickly. He told me to bring him in the next morning, to feed Chase and give him his injection.
- Thursday, July 22nd- Chase gets up easy this day, eats at 7:30am and I give him his injection at 7:40am. Chase is now acting like a puppy. Eyes look good and alert, not like he is intoxicated like over the past few days. I am hopeful and get him in the car to take him to the vet. The Vet takes his BG at 8:10am and the reading is 300. The Vet instructs me to bring him back at 5pm. Per the Vets instructions, I take him back at 5pm and Chase's reading is 191. I ask the vet at this time, if Chase's reading earlier in the day could be high because he is anxious. He laughed and said "only humans get anxious when going to the vet" He said "dogs don't get anxious". I am very concerned at this point because I have been reading your forum each night this week. I know at this point, the dosage should start low and then increased. I know dogs get anxious during vet visits. When Chase had to stay the whole day on Monday, he chewed thru his harness which was not an easy task given he is missing quite a few teeth. The icing on the cake with my lack of confidence with this vet is that I asked him if Chase could take the Novolin (generic Humulin). He said he did not know there was a generic. I also asked him if I should test at home. He was very opposed to this and said it would be cruel to test a dogs lip, he never heard of such of thing. I have read how much you all love your babies and know, you would not recommend this testing site if it hurt them. I am really scared at this point, wondering if I have given him too much insulin all week.
- Thursday EVENING, I decide to go get a BG testing device. I got the OneTouch Ulta 2 and was able to obtain a reading at 10pm. The reading was 350.
-Friday, July 23rd- Chase woke up not feeling good at all this am and refused to eat. he also, wet all over my bed. When I let him go outside, he urinated A LOT and drank excessive water (about 3 cups, I am measuring water too). I am anxious because I know I need to give him his insulin. Chase does not look like he feels good and keeps fidgeting- sitting and then re sitting. At 9:30am, I finally put the brown rice, green bean and chicken mixture in his mouth and he begrudgingly chews and swallows. I got him to eat about 3/4 of cup. I give him an injection but only 7units. I tried really hard to get a BG check but he would not let me. I got one sample but it was not enough blood. Because he does not feel good, I will try later. I am going to try the twice a day Humulin at the 7 units. I was able to get a reading on his BG two hours after he ate and had his injection. The reading is 284 at 12pm. He has been sleeping since this morning.
Any advice, I know I need to find a more experienced vet but I want to do my research this time and find someone good to spare Chase unnecessary anxiety. He is old at 14yrs and has major anxiety when I leave him.
Breed- Terrier/Schnauzer Mix (he is about the size of a Cocker Spaniel)
Weighs- 33lbs
Diet- Brown rice, chicken, greenbeans, very small amount of chicken broth (low sodium)
Diagnosed July 19th
Humulin started at 15units x 2 a day, then 12 units once a day, now-trying 7 units twice a day
Sincerely,
Natalie
(. I hope he is not too old to be regulated...Fortunately, I work from home and can observe him 24/7.
, I would recommend another test at +4 and every two hours IF POSSIBLE. That is called a "curve" and you should see how low Chase actually goes.
Don't hold your breath, breathe naturally! You may not realize it, but at this early stage of learning to test, you are holding you breath! I know I did!
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