Roxy the Boxer - An Angel June 12, 2020

[Andrea]

Re: Help I'm reading the boards..

My suggestion to you would be change vets quickly! You are going to have a long relationship with the vet after diabetes and other issues that arise because of it, you need to have a vet you trust and have faith in and this one definitely doesn't fit. Also most vets will sell prescription pet food because they make money off of it, I also feed my dog blue buffalo and he does fine on it.

Thank you I have been reading up on blue. I've been reading non stop since Saturday.

[CraigM]

Re: Roxy the Boxer

Changed the thread title

Craig

[amydunn19]

Hi and belated welcome! I had a few questions as well - when you say she was sick yesterday, was it just yesterday or has she been sick for several days? Is it vomiting? Was it with the food change or did it start before? With her not eating well, I would be careful with insulin until she is eating but the insulin amount she started on is pretty low for her size, I think it may not be as dangerous if you were actually giving a full starting dose, which for her would be 15 units. Another aspect of wd is the fiber which is designed for maintaining or losing weight. She has lost so much weight - was she overweight at 100 lbs?

Maggie was on Blue Buffalo Healthy Weight for some time but I was not happy with her digestive issues on it - she had pancreatitis and would still be upset occasionally so I found something I liked better. But, she was regulated well on it.

Let us know how the curve goes - make sure and ask for any results and feel free to post the numbers here.

Amy

[Andrea]

Re: Roxy the Boxer

Just a little update. I ended up dropping her back off at the same vet. None of the other vets could take her today. So I didn't feed her or give her any shots this morning like they asked.

They told me on Saturday ( the first day I took her in her numbers were 537) When they tested her this morning her numbers are 617 !! She doctor also told me that she won't eat. That makes sense because when we would board her she would not eat also. I don';t understand how they can give her insulin if she is not eating.

They are testing her every hour. As far as the ketone numbers they said she has not been able to pee for them yet.

[CraigM]

Re: Roxy the Boxer

Just a little update. I ended up dropping her back off at the same vet. None of the other vets could take her today. So I didn't feed her or give her any shots this morning like they asked.

They told me on Saturday ( the first day I took her in her numbers were 537) When they tested her this morning her numbers are 617 !! She doctor also told me that she won't eat. That makes sense because when we would board her she would not eat also. I don';t understand how they can give her insulin if she is not eating.

They are testing her every hour. As far as the ketone numbers they said she has not been able to pee for them yet.

Yes, in my opinion a curve without a "normal" meal is near worthless. I suppose something can be learned, but it wouldn't be representative of a normal day. Much better to do it at home when everything is as normal as possible.

Craig

[Andrea]

Re: Roxy the Boxer

Yes, in my opinion a curve without a "normal" meal is near worthless. I suppose something can be learned, but it wouldn't be representative of a normal day. Much better to do it at home when everything is as normal as possible.

Craig

Thanks i just want to go get her from the vet so bad. she was her normal self this morning so happy and playing.

[Andrea]

Re: Roxy the Boxer

Another small update;

I just called the vet again and she said they got her numbers down to 284. she would like to me to stay with 8 units ever 12 hours for now. For some reason they have still not tested her ketones. ( i am not sure why) They told me I could come get her tonight.

They would like me to still feed her and give her more shots tonight. They also would like me to come back and do a curve ever 1 or 2. What will happen if I don't do that?

I have my own meter at home. We have not used it yet. I bought the walmart brand for $9.00 and now i am wondering if i should buy another one?

I am so wondering about her food. She said if i can not get her to eat enough of the w/d to add brown rice in. Is brown rice ok for dogs?

[Andrea]

Re: Roxy the Boxer

Another quick question..

How soon after she eats do i give her the shot? I have read some people do it right after all the way up to 30 mins after.

Also I do understand that she needs to be feed at the same time every day and night and within 12 hours. What if at night it is an hour later, how bad would that throw her off ?

[jesse girl]

Re: Roxy the Boxer

for my jesse an hour early or later has not been a problem

some are very rigid with there schedule so not to upset the balance

it all about your goal for regulation. if you can get within that 150 to 250 area for the day consistently most dogs seem to do really well

some may want to have a bit tighter regulation to try to preserve sight or just feel health will be better

you must remember a dogs life is much shorter than a human so complications from the disease doesnt usually manifest as much in dogs

for my jesse my goal is more like 100 to 250 anywhere between that is good and we like half the time below 150

[CraigM]

Re: Roxy the Boxer

284 is looking better, BUT that was without eating?? Guessing the reading would be 100-200 higher if she had eaten a full meal, assuming the clinic gave pretty much a full dose of insulin. If the clinic gave less than a full dose because she didn't eat, that throws another variable into the number.

Give that meter a try (Relion Confirm?). No sense spending more $$$ just yet. Learn how to get a consistent blood drop with the relatively inexpensive test strips, then if you want to go to something like the AlphaTrak (expensive $1+ test strip) you might not waste too many. No, the Relion Confirm won't give a totally accurate reading with dog blood, but it will get you into the ballpark. I have the Confirm as a spare and find it easy to use and doesn't take a lot of blood - good to start with.

Brown rice might be better than white rice for a diabetic (more fiber), but I really doubt brown rice will make the w/d taste much better. My suggestion is to give the w/d a few days, but if she just won't eat it (and the quantity is going to be a lot and expensive) switch to something else. You are going to have enough problems without worrying if she is going to eat or not. Just try to avoid high fat foods.

Most inject right after they eat. Some inject while they are eating because eating distracts them from the injection. Really, the only reason I'd wait more than a couple of minutes is if I thought Annie was going to be sick and vomit the food. Another time I might delay the insulin, maybe 30-45 minutes, is if the pre-meal blood test was low (possibly below 90ish). As Jesse Girl mentioned, close to 12 hours is the norm but life happens! I've been 2 hours late and Annie's blood test was higher than normal, but it got back on track the next day.

Craig

[CraigM]

Re: Roxy the Boxer

Maybe adding an ounce or two of Chicken Stock would get Roxy's attention? Read the labels and probably go with lowest fat / lowest sodium. This one sounds OK??? http://www.amazon.com/Swanson-Unsalt...5E41RMNZ9V56DF

Craig

[Andrea]

Re: Roxy the Boxer

Thanks I picked her up an hour ago from the vet I was trying to get her to eat about 6:30 but she won't touch it. I bought the hard food also to see if she would eat that. She never had soft before this and she won't touch it either.

What should I do if she won't eat at all?

[Andrea]

Re: Roxy the Boxer

I keep reading that a lot of your are on blue. Exactly which one ?

[Dutch]

Re: Roxy the Boxer

Have you tried a "topper"(or mixers) food such as Stella and Chewy's? Or even any other dehydrated/freeze-dried product. Mine prefers it over kibble but will sometimes eat the kibble as well- will crumble some of it up and mix it up a bit with the kibble.

[Judi]

Re: Roxy the Boxer

If she won't eat at all give her half or maybe a little less than half of her normal dose. what was her last reading at the vet?

do you think she is just upset? Some people pour tuna juice on food to make it enticing.

At one point we were hand feeding Jenny