Magoo is gone... October 6, 2016

[Magoo's Mom]

Magoo is going blind

After just a few months, Magoo is going blind. I can see the cataracts and he has trouble finding his "cookie" on the floor. Vet appointment Monday. He is still not regulated. Vet thinks he may have Somogyi rebound at night. I have slightly reduced his dose at night and he is at least eating some for me in the morning. I have to do a 24 hour curve at home. Still am lousy at the testing. Only place he will let me do it is his ear and I just don't seem to be able to get anything most of the time. Tried the warm sock, rubbing his ears, use the flashlight to find the vein and still no luck. Any helpful thoughts on what I am doing wrong will be most appreciated. Going to try to start this today. My poor little one, it just breaks my heart.

[stylynjm]

Re: Magoo is going blind

Have you tried carpal pads...they are on the back of front legs.i find them easier...

[MomofGus]

Re: Magoo is going blind

Aww, poor Magoo. My Gus went blind within 6 months after diagnosis, and it seemed like it was just overnight. He has adapted very well. I think it was harder on me than him. The biggest hurdle was getting him to learn and navigate the porch steps to go outside. I wanted him to learn it instead of me having to carry him up/down the steps. He does very well. I say "down" for each step, and he follows sounds too to make his navigation around. I have 2 other dogs, so following them helps too. The first time he went to the vet, he was a little nervous because he didn't know where he was and he was apprehensive about walking, but he does much better now when we have to go. They know their smells and that is their navigation. When he gets his frozen green bean treat, I do have to hold it right to his mouth because they don't smell, but he takes it and just chomps away like he really has something. He still loves sitting in the window and feeling the sun, even though he can't see out the door.

I have always used the carpal pad for his blood sample, and I generally test 2-3 times a day. No problems in getting the blood drop. My little guy lays back in my arms on my lap, gets his belly rubbed and just kisses my nose. He knows the routine and I'm lucky I don't have a problem. Would your Magoo let you love on him in that way and you test his carpal pad? I have to keep the hair trimmed around it, but that's not an issue.

[Magoo's Mom]

Re: Magoo is going blind

Thanks for the replies and guidance. I have not tried carpal pads. I tried the foot pads and that did not work at all! He is a little guy and a wiggle worm. The reason we ended up with the ears is my husband can hold him the same as we now do with his shots and I can at least get a chance of getting a decent poke. Did get blood today but it disappeared into the fur and I wasted three of the expensive Alpha Trak strips! I saw an idea about a little Vaseline and got some today and will try that. Wish me luck!

[jesse girl]

Re: Magoo is going blind

i know craig uses a trimmer to trim the fur off the ear

he is the expert of testing the ear maybe you might want to reach out to him

we have always used the inner lip for jesse

[carol1]

Re: Magoo is going blind

Vaseline works great for me, although I'm a newby at this. It also helps putting the lancet to the deepest- I use a onetouch so for me is a 9. I guess once I get the hang of things I can lower it.

I hope it works for you! I rub the Vaseline in circles to increase circulation. You'll get there, don't worry! ( advice for me too hah)

[Magoo's Mom]

Magoo is going blind + Some good tips from vet

Went to the vet this morning and he confirmed that Magoo is completely blind. He is doing well, eating and can find his way around fine. It will take some time for us to get used to what he needs but we will do our best for him. Vet told us to get Keto Diastix from Bayer. The kind we are currently using is a CVS brand and he believes these are better. Also showed us how to do the ear blood test. SO much easier than what we were trying to do with a flashlight to locate the right spot. Anywhere near the edge of the ear will work. Inside the hair is best. Just need to massage it and pump it a little to get enough blood. Also gave us really good advice on shot locations...from the right side behind the neck down the back and up the left side...count days of the week so each shot is a different day.(Mon., Tues, etc.) Much easier to keep track of. Magoo is pretty well regulated, not perfect but OK. Not losing weight and stable. I just thank God every day I have him with me.

[tonyr]

Re: Magoo is going blind

I advised where and how to give him his shots in post 65 and a lengthy 69 in another thread you have.

"If you are injecting into muscle then of course it will hurt, you should be injecting into the fat layer under the skin.
Choose different spots 1 inch either side of spine starting above forelegs working back to just before hind legs and it will be painless for him"
also
"How do you give injections, do you pinch the skin together and pull upwards before inserting needle, if you do this then you can be sure you are not hitting anything sensitive.
Do you inject along the spine area as I previously suggested, you can divide this up into 3 sections, so you can give morning on the left and evening on the right.
That would give a total of 6 injection areas so he does not get injected in the same area too often, and gives him a 2 day break from being injected in same area"
.
I am glad he agrees with me.

[Magoo's Mom]

Re: Magoo is going blind

Hi and thank you. We were using the 29 gauge needles and he was not liking them at all. I changed to the 31 and much better. I have been doing his shots in different locations as suggested now that we have the smaller needles it is so much easier. The day of the week idea I liked as it is helpful for me to keep track of "where we are" for his shot. Using the days of the week helps. I now have a "chart" for where we give the shot each day.

[tonyr]

Re: Magoo is going blind

Hi and thank you. We were using the 29 gauge needles and he was not liking them at all. I changed to the 31 and much better. I have been doing his shots in different locations as suggested now that we have the smaller needles it is so much easier. The day of the week idea I liked as it is helpful for me to keep track of "where we are" for his shot. Using the days of the week helps. I now have a "chart" for where we give the shot each day.

You could use a simple piece of card say triangle shaped and write on it 1,2,and 3 at each corner.
If you are using 6 different spots, it would be 3 left and 3 right of spine,
Then simply place your syringes or needles on this card and rotate after each day after last shot.
So 1= above forelegs
2= midway
3= above hindlegs.

No need to use days as you are just following sequence 1,2,3. Using Left morning and Right night
Simples

[Magoo's Mom]

Magoo at ER Not eating Need Help

I haven't posted in a while as things have been going pretty well with Magoo. He stopped eating on Tuesday and we took him to the emergency vet yesterday AM. Of course, I had given him no insulin. BG at vet 400 which was not too bad. My vet is consulting. It seems his proteins were very low. Apparently there are several causes which I did not fully understand. The specialist is to see him this morning but has been on the phone with the emergency vets since he was admitted yesterday. Has anyone had any experience with low proteins? The vet bill so far is $1500. They mentioned doing some invasive tests with anesthetic and I am not sure I want to put him through that. I just talked to them and he did eat his own food last night so I think that is a good thing. Any thoughts, help, questions I should ask would be most appreciated. I am just lost here and scared to death.

[jesse girl]

Re: Magoo at ER Not eating Need Help

With our dogs being prone to pancreatitis testing for that maybe prudent . There can be many things for appetite problems from a serious medical issue to a toothache . dont know about protein issues . has magoo been a picky eater at times ?

It seems you are concerned with the intervention with tests . are there any other symptoms besides the appetite problem . I don't remember if you test blood sugar if so how has that been doing

usually its not a problem to give a quarter of the normal dose if no food is consumed

hope you figure what going on with magoo and gets back to his old self

[k9diabetes]

Re: Magoo at ER Not eating Need Help

Have they talked about protein losing enteropathy? Just one potential cause -

http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/...ng_enteropathy

Take notes when you talk to the docs. And there shouldn't be a rush to do anything invasive. Let us know what you find out.

Natalie

[Magoo's Mom]

Re: Magoo at ER Not eating Need Help

The diagnosis is protein-losing Enteropathy. They did every test imaginable - at least that is what it seems like. They think it might be IBS. He also tested slightly positive for pancreatitis but the vet seemed doubtful. The only thing they didn't do was an ultrasound. My vet said we could wait a bit about that and see how Magoo does. He is on Metronidazole and Omeprazole. He ate last nite well and not great this morning (about 2/3) so I gave him 2/3 of his insulin. I put a little Hills AD on his food and that did help. He is very tired and still seems somewhat "lost". Had a good walk and bowel movement so that seems OK. I haven't blood tested him but did urine test before his walk and he was N ketones and not quite 250 on the sugar. I'll try to test him later. I just don't know how worried I should be. I hope his lack of activity and acting lost is that he is tired from the vet and recovering from all the tests. Any thoughts or input appreciated. Many thanks.

[k9diabetes]

Re: Magoo at ER Not eating Need Help

If he needs to take steroids, don't worry about that. Diabetic dogs can be treated with steroids - they need more than the usual amount of insulin and their blood sugar may never be ideal (but then most diabetic dog's blood sugar isn't ideal anyway), but it is completely doable.

Many years ago... 2004... I was on an older forum for people caring for diabetic dogs and there was a little Westie who had such terrible allergies that he couldn't survive without steroids. So steroids he got. And he lived a long happy life.

I also know of another dog who had protein losing enteropathy. Again, not perfect regulation but did just fine for many years.

Ultrasounds are often expensive, but they are not invasive and I wouldn't hesitate to have one done if needed, especially if Magoo would not require sedation. Our diabetic dog had many abdominal ultrasounds and cardiac ultrasounds during his life and the dog we have now has had several as well. They can be extremely helpful in sorting out what's going on with the body without having to cut into anything.

So far, you vets sound quite good. That's a huge plus in your favor.

Natalie