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Balto 9.5 year old husky

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  • #1

    Balto 9.5 year old husky

    Hi I've a recently diagnosed husky who is 9.5. The vet has struggled to get marked decreases in his blood sugar despite increasing the insulin to 2x 13 units. He's going into the vets tomorrow for a blood sugar curve. Really worried about my fur baby. Balto is on W/D dried food 560g a day. He went from 36kg (too heavy I know) to 29kg within a couple of months. His weight loss seems to be plateauing now we have upped the food levels. Already I've had a lot of comfort from reading the posts on this forum.

    Lorna
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  • #2
    Re: Balto 9.5 year old husky

    welcome Lorna! What is Balto's blood glucose running?
    Laura & Charlie 29 lb male lhasapoo diagnosed October 2013. 16ish units of Novolin N. 1 & 1/3 cup of Natural Balance Fat Dog twice a day. An egg with breakfast and chicken with dinner. Shares string cheese with us late afternoon. Cyclosporine ointment for KCS. Blind from cataracts January 2014. Crossed the rainbow bridge 2/1/2016 at 14.5 years

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    • #3
      Re: Balto 9.5 year old husky

      I think it is possible for a 63 pound dog on 13 units, that you may not have hit his dose yet. Many vets would have started him at 12 units so it is possible your vet started very conservatively and that is a good thing. It is important to start low and gradually go up. This process takes some time. I would love to see the numbers to see what is going on. If you can post those when you get a chance, we can take a look.

      I know this is frustrating and overwhelming at first. When was he diagnosed exactly and what was his starting dose?
      Maggie - 15 1/2 y/o JRT diagnosed 9/2007, Angel status on 6/20/16. Her mantra was never give up but her body couldn't keep up with her spirit. Someday, baby.......

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      • #4
        Re: Balto 9.5 year old husky

        Hang in there it takes lots of patience my dog Murphy is 60 lbs almost 11 yrs old and has had diabetes for a year now, we are still having trouble regulating his BG. He started at 15 units when he weighed almost 70 lbs, since then he is now at 24 units twice daily. You probably still have a ways to go to get the right dosage, it's a long process but when you see your dog start getting better it is all worth it

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        • #5
          Re: Balto 9.5 year old husky

          Hello and welcome

          It is very worrying at first. I think we have all felt like that - but being able to discuss worries with the group on here does help a lot. It does get much easier as you get used to it.

          (And just to demonstrate the variety in dogs' insulin needs, our dog is also about 63 lbs and he started on 8 units and has ended up on about 14 ie a lot less than Murphy needs. When we started I had no idea that each dog is so different and you can't just calculate a dose of insulin as you do for other medicines.)

          Hope it all gets easier as you go along.
          Antonia
          Eddie - Lab x golden retriever. Weighed 63lbs. Ate Canagan. Diagnosed October 2012. 13units of Caninsulin twice a day. Had EPI as well as diabetes. Died 20 June 2017. Loved forever.

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          • #6
            Re: Balto 9.5 year old husky

            Thanks folks. Blood sugar curve didn't go too well today. Stayed around 33 then dropped to 28.6 at its lowest. The vet nurse got me to inject Balto in order they could let the vet know we were injecting right. Vet is going to get onto some helpline re the insulin and get back to me within 48 hours. Continuing with 13 units twice a day. Balto is sleeping just now as he's been awake all day at the vets. I'm lucky that he absolutely loves the vets.

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            • #7
              Re: Balto 9.5 year old husky

              most of us hometest and also submit our curve results to the vet . based on the lowest number of the curve if its high like yours 28.6 we increase the dose by 1 unit wait 5 to 7 days and repeat the curve.

              wondering why the vet needs to get a helpline re insulin. Seems he. Or she isnt that knowledgable in dog diabetes.
              Riliey . aka Ralphy, Alice, Big Boy
              20 lb male. 5 1/2 nph insulin. 1/2 cup fromms. black cockapoo, dx Apr 2012 . 5 1\2 yrs diabetic. 2000 to 2017

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              • #8
                Re: Balto 9.5 year old husky

                Thanks my vet has experience with a lot of diabetic dogs and cats but I think he is trying to take it cautiously and he did want to see a bigger drop in the blood sugar. There's been practically no change despite gradually increasing over the last 3.5 weeks. He's on caninsulin via a vet pen.

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                • #9
                  Re: Balto 9.5 year old husky

                  The biggest thing is to not raise the dose too fast or by too much. Your vet seems cautious and it is best to be patient. You are still virtually getting started. As I said, you may not have hit his dose yet and if the vet starts going all crazy raising the dose, you might miss the right dose and get into overdose, which is really a mess.
                  Maggie - 15 1/2 y/o JRT diagnosed 9/2007, Angel status on 6/20/16. Her mantra was never give up but her body couldn't keep up with her spirit. Someday, baby.......

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                  • #10
                    Re: Balto 9.5 year old husky

                    Are you checking for ketones?

                    He's about 64 pounds so that dose is still fairly low for his size so I wouldn't hesitate to increase it.

                    Perhaps by 1 unit and hold for a week, then repeat until you see some movement downward in the blood sugar - not a huge drop but a start towardthe right dose, maybe 16-15 (300s and 400s) and then settle there for a longer period of time.

                    Is he on Caninsulin?

                    When was he diagnosed?

                    Are you considering test blood sugar at home?

                    Natalie

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                    • #11
                      Re: Balto 9.5 year old husky

                      Hi there,
                      I don't really have anything to add to all the other advice you've received, and I'm also curious about the questions Natalie has asked.

                      I really put a lot of trust in my vet as well. He told me he's worked with countless diabetic pets in his practice, so I didn't question his expertise at all. However, he was very much against home testing, and that caused us a lot of money (with emergency trips to the vet's & animal er), as well as a lot of heartache. There were also a few times, I felt like he didn't spend enough time with me to get my questions answered. It wasn't until I started taking control, and testing my boy's blood sugar at home that managing his diabetes became so much easier and a lot less stressful. I still have the utmost respect for the vet we visit, but now I'm much more confident and can stand up for myself and my boy when the subject of diabetes and home testing comes up. Lol, he may not like it, but even he admitted to me the other day that out of all his diabetic patients, Bazz was by far the best regulated.

                      I wanted to share that with you because I think it's important to remember that you are an advocate for your pup. You know Balto better than anyone in the world. You can do this! We are all here to help you out, so feel free to ask us questions too!! I've never met a fellow forum member that wasn't happy to share their experiences . We would like to wish you the best of luck. Can't wait to hear from you!

                      Audrey & Bazzle
                      Bazzle - My sweet German Shepherd Chow Chow boy, born approximately 6/7/2002, adopted 8/7/2002, diagnosed with diabetes 12/28/2012, lived happy and healthy on Novilin 70/30 and Hill's Science Diet WD... Continued his journey into the next life on 5/15/2016. I miss you baby boy; you'll stay in my heart forever.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Balto 9.5 year old husky

                        Hiya, no ketones in any of the recent test. Though he has finished a course of antibioticd for a urine infection. He also slept all night which meant I got a full mights sleep too...yahoo. he seems livelier than he's been recently.

                        I haven't thought about home testing yet. He is on caninsulin.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Balto 9.5 year old husky

                          Hiya, no ketones in any of the recent test. Though he has finished a course of antibiotics for a urine infection. He also slept all night which meant I got a full mights sleep too...yahoo. he seems livelier than he's been recently.

                          I haven't thought about home testing yet. He is on caninsulin.

                          He has went from 7 units to 9 to 10 to 12 then 13 all twice daily. First trip was on 19/05. Hes also had an eye infection.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Balto 9.5 year old husky

                            his insulin needs may go down now that he is clearing up from his infections. not all dogs show symptoms of low blood sugar. My dog had slight trembling in her back legs when her blood sugar was 40 (us measurement)

                            make sure you have some honey or syrup around to rub on his gums if that would ever happen. glad he is feeling good!
                            Jenny: 6/6/2000 - 11/10/2014 She lived with diabetes and cushings for 3 1/2 years. She was one of a kind and we miss her.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Balto 9.5 year old husky

                              The vet has upped his insulin to 16 units twice a day. He wants another urine sample to make sure the urine infection is away as this could also be affecting his insulin. Good news was I got another full nights sleep.

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