Lucy, our rescued cattle dog, is an angel... April 21, 2014

[Fishslayer]

Re: Got Lucy's NPH today

Was the 8 units a different dose than what you normally were using?

I'd check her AM fast, then 2 hrs after food, 4 hrs and 6 hrs and 8 hrs, if you can that should do it.

Niki's insulin starts to wear down around 7 hrs after that she sorta floats downward just a bit till the 12 hr mark.

Yes. She has been on 10 IU Vetsulin twice daily.

I've backed off about 1/4 cup per meal on the "normal" dog food. She still gets about 3/4 cup Kahoots + 1.5 cups SD light per meal. Would this be a good time to back off a bit more on the food?

Here are her recent numbers

Date Time BG ................................... Urine

3/03/09 1917 246
3/03/09 0725 146

3/02/09 1926 288
3/02/09 0640 140

3/01/09 1901 196
3/01/09 0716 124

2/28/09 1929 203
2/28/09 0736 259 Ketodiastix@ 1500... Neg BG/Ketones Negative

2/27/09 1939 142
2/27/09 0736 200

2/26/09 1932 113
2/26/09 0733 298 Ketodiastix@ 11:00 AM 250/Ketones Negative

2/25/09 1935 259
2/25/09 0733 298 Ketodiastix@ 1:30 PM 500/Ketones Negative

2/24/09 1942 146
2/24/09 0732 203 Ketodiastix@ Noon Neg BG/Ketones Negative

2/23/09 1941 203
2/23/09 0733 180 Ketodiastix@ 9:00 AM Neg BG/Ketones Negative


Rick

[k9diabetes]

Re: Lucie has a foster home!! Yes!! Thank you Rick!!

Hi Rick!

Got your phone message - sorry I missed the opportunity to talk to you! Jack and I were taking advantage of a very brief break from the rain so he could get out of the house and wander a bit.

Usually... I'd say 80-90% of the time over the years I've been watching... the profile of NPH is gentler than Vetsulin so I'm hoping you will actually see a flatter curve. The most typical low point on NPH is around 6 hours, but of course dogs are all different so that's why it's good to cut a couple of units and then just test and see what you get.

Probably the only other problem you sometimes see with NPH is that it doesn't last 12 hours so you'd be looking for sharp rises in blood sugar in the hours just before the next injection is due. Chris got only about 8-9 hours from NPH - he metabolized insulins quickly once they got into his system.

Good luck! I hope it works great for Lucy!!

Natalie

[Fishslayer]

Re: Lucie has a foster home!! Yes!! Thank you Rick!!

Hi Natalie,

Dr. Wheaton said to give Lucy a week before doing a curve.

So maybe a BG test at 6 and 10 hours tomorrow?

Rick

[k9diabetes]

Re: Lucie has a foster home!! Yes!! Thank you Rick!!

Plus maybe an early one of you can - at about 2 hours.

[Fishslayer]

Re: Lucie has a foster home!! Yes!! Thank you Rick!!

Plus maybe an early one of you can - at about 2 hours.

I can do that. Am I guarding against a low? I have my Karo & bikkies at the ready.

Any particular high number I should start being concerned?

Rick

[k9diabetes]

Re: Lucie has a foster home!! Yes!! Thank you Rick!!

Lows are really the only major concern.

A high number would be temporary and is possible since this is 2 units less than the Vetsulin.

But it's pretty typical to cut the dose by 20% or 25% when changing over as their response to a new insulin can be very different.

[Fishslayer]

Re: Lucie has a foster home!! Yes!! Thank you Rick!!

Here's her recent numbers...


Date Time ... BG .............................. Urine

3/04/09 0931 101

INJECTION 0740........8 IU NPH

3/04/09 0724 193 Ketodiastix @ 0730 Neg BG/Ketones Negative

3/03/09....INJECTION 8 IU NPH 1930

3/03/09 1917 246

INSULIN CHANGE.... RELION N (NPH) 8 IU X TWICE DAILY

3/03/09 0725 146

3/02/09 1926 288
3/02/09 0640 140

[k9diabetes]

Re: Lucie has a foster home!! Yes!! Thank you Rick!!

Wow! Looks like 8 units is plenty.

[Fishslayer]

Re: Lucie has a foster home!! Yes!! Thank you Rick!!

I think I'm going to test again in a couple hours (or maybe an hour?).

I have to leave the house at 1:00 & will be gone for a few hours & I'll worry less if I know it won't go any lower.

I'll test about 1:00 which will be at the 6 hour point.

If she's under 100 at that point should I give her a bikkie or two?

Rick

[k9diabetes]

Re: Lucie has a foster home!! Yes!! Thank you Rick!!

If you're in doubt, give her some syrup and a snack when you leave. Better safe than sorry. If she gets long duration from NPH, she could continue to drop after 1pm.

This is very encouraging though!

[Fishslayer]

Lucy's insulin change

I've been wondering a bit if my injection technique could be causing variations in BG?

I was reading about needle length & it said that variations in injection depth, etc. could cause more or less efficiency in absorbing the insulin.


Rick

[Fishslayer]

Re: Lucie has a foster home!! Yes!! Thank you Rick!!

Sweet!

Her BG at 11:00 was 159.


Rick

[Cara's Mom]

Re: Lucie has a foster home!! Yes!! Thank you Rick!!

[grrrrrrreat!!!!!

[We Hope]

Re: Lucy's insulin change

I've been wondering a bit if my injection technique could be causing variations in BG?

I was reading about needle length & it said that variations in injection depth, etc. could cause more or less efficiency in absorbing the insulin.


Rick

Rick,

Some people and pets are doing fine when they use a standard 1/2" length needle, but slip out of control when going to shorter ones. It doesn't happen to everyone but it can happen. We had someone on another board whose dog was doing fine with regulation until the switch to shorter needles was made. Then he/she suddenly went into a string of unexplainable, higher numbers.

Everything else was looked into and they weren't "it". Switching back to standard length needles solved the control problem.

When you give the shots, you want them to be subcutaneous--under the skin. Going intramuscular (into the muscle) means that the insulin will be absorbed much faster than if it's just under the skin--that can lead to a hypo. Using insulin in a vein (intravenously) is the fastest absorption of all. This is what sometimes needs to be done by doctors or vets for DKA; you can't use anything but a clear fast or rapid acting insulin like that--it has to be R, Humalog, Novolog, or Apidra.

Not sure this is helping, but hoping so,

Kathy

[Fishslayer]

Lucy on NPH

Here's her first couple of days...

Date ... Time.. BG .................Urine

3/05/09 0745 324 Ketodiastix @ 1030 500/Ketones Negative

3/04/09 1938 226
3/04/09 1105 159
3/04/09 0931 101

INJECTION 8 IU NPH @ 0730

3/04/09 0724 193 Ketodiastix @ 0730 Neg BG/Ketones Negative

INJECTION 8 IU NPH 1930

3/03/09 1917 246

INSULIN CHANGE RELION N (NPH) 8 IU X TWICE DAILY


Rick