Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

[CraigM]

Re: Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

I wasn't able to compare the old grey Alphatrak and new purple Alphatrak-2: dead battery in the old meter :-(

You would probably feel better if you did your own comparisons. If you shop for FreeStyle Lite strips, they are much less expensive online. I usually shop at Amazon, but you might find good prices elsewhere.

You might want to get a bottle / vial of Alphatrak control solution to be sure the meter is working correctly. I also use control solution in the place of real blood when I do comparisons. http://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/a...tions_2756.htm

Craig

[amydunn19]

Re: Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

Prescription food is not a requirement and I think you need to get a food that he will eat reliably. I use a combo of wet and dry. Wet food usually helps get them to eat dry - I have used the Merrick cans that are like stews - they look and smell pretty good(Cowboy Cookout was Maggie's fav) and now I feed Nutrisca stew. These are diabetic friendly. I would look for a moderate protein, low fat, moderate fiber kibble to go with a wet. Many like the grain free ones which are easy to find these days - I haven't had success with the higher protein foods and some see wild swings in sugar with really high protein food. My Maggie has pancreatitis issues sometimes and she has issues with certain ingredients(through trial and error, I found out she can't tolerate white potato or rice) so this is how I went about finding her food. Every dog is different and practically everyone here feeds something different or a different combo. Find something that is readily available. If you have any pet stores locally, you can investigate what brands and read ingredient labels. If they have samples of some lower fat foods, you might get some to see if Ace will eat them. I think even Wal Mart has a brand called Pure Balance that is a pretty good food.

He can have treats - Maggie has days when treats keep her sugar steady. This will be trial and error, too. I stick with all meat treats, or sweet potato, and I recently found some pumpkin/mango fruitables. String cheese, boiled eggs, and green beans also are common choices. I never give carby type bones like biscuits unless Maggie is low and I am trying to give her sugar up. But, it is best to give treats at the same times and roughly the same amount daily. If you are walking more than usual, he may need some extra.

[kevbo887]

Re: Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

Thank you for the suggestions.

Hes liking the pure balance, but im still waiting for the merrick cans to come in. Are there any wet dog foods that you guys can recommend that you can get at a grocery store or walmart for example? He loves Cesars, but I hear its horrible. hes very picky. He also loves Ol Roy Health Mix rice and lamb stew (another wet food) Also, I noticed they had purebalance wet food cups at walmart. Would those be safe?

I know it sounds horrible asking about these probably crummy foods, but Im short on cash, so its tough to find the right balance.

Also, how big of a concern is it if he doesnt eat much with his morning insulin shot? He has never been a morning eater, so its a battle trying to get him to eat some right now in the morning with his shot. Thanks!

[Grayson]

Re: Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

We can all relate to wanting to get the best for your dog but maybe not having the money to do so...you get the best you can afford. Here is a link to a good site for comparing foods. You should be able to find info on most brands so you can make an informed choice. Once you get a food that works for you, be sure to see if it is sold by online companies such as Chewy. com or maybe Amazon. If they offer your brand, it'll likely be much cheaper than most stores, and there are often coupons and discounts to be found.


http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/

It looks like the Pure Balance is rated very well with most types either 4 or 5 stars. The Cesar's has a couple varieties that get 3 stars, and the Ol Roy isn't so great compared to either...

[jesse girl]

Re: Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

you would like a food that has lower fat . it seems diabetic dogs are prone to pancreatitis and thats something you would like to avoid . my jesses hospital stay for that was in the thousands and it was life threatening.

as far as feeding more or less with insulin . i give my jesse one meal a day with a full dose of insulin and for the morning i give her a snack and about half the dose she received with her full meal in the evening

[amydunn19]

Re: Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

I think that you will only be using a small amount of wet compared to dry. Have you ever tried boiling some chicken and using chicken and the broth with his dry. It is cheaper than canned dog food and pretty appetizing as a topper. Or you could use some chicken and a bit of chicken baby food mixed as a topper. Just some ideas for saving money and keeping him happy.

[kevbo887]

Re: Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

Just had a brain fart. Gave ace his novelin n and dinner. Took his blood sugar 15 minutes later and it was 412. It takes about an hour or two to kick in right?

Ive also been contemplating giving him 3 units a shot instead of two. Lowest reading we have gotten with the alphatrek and his insulin is 200. Im think 2 units twice a day may not be sufficient.

Oh and my wife went online and bought the alphatrek 2 because the one we were given the screen broke. Do the freestyle light strips work on that too?

[Cara Sandler]

Re: Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

Have you done a curve recently? It would be helpful to see Ace's pattern before raising his dose. A best case scenario would be a test immediately before eating and insulin, then tests every 2 hours for 12 hours.

[kevbo887]

Re: Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

The meter broke before I could get halfway through the curve. Going to try the curve on thanksgiving since we will be home all day. I have an mri and therapy tomorrow so I wont be able to check every 2 hours.

I just fear that im hurting his chances if its still so high. Also im assuming the vet knows what she is doing by saying 2 units twice a day. Hes 16 lbs. not sure if theres a specific requirement per weight/doseage.

[Charlie's mom]

Re: Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

While its concerning to us when they are high, or doesn't seem to impact them. Check his urine for ketones, otherwise slow and steady does the trick. That being said, it is SO hard to be patient. Yes the strips should work on the new meter and really, 200 is not too high. To give you some perspective, Charlie ran in the 400's or higher for what seemed forever

[kevbo887]

Re: Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

Ok thank you. For some reason I was under the impression it was you give them insulin and within days everything is fine.

[Cara Sandler]

Re: Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

It's extremely rare that a dog is well regulated on the first try. Getting Ace to the right dose is going to take some time. I think the average time I've seen is several months. Some dogs take much longer.

[CraigM]

Re: Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

Ok thank you. For some reason I was under the impression it was you give them insulin and within days everything is fine.

Wouldn't that be nice? I guess there might a dog, or human diabetic, somewhere where that happened - but NOT LIKELY.

Although Annie has been on the same food (weighed to a 1/10 of an ounce) and basically the same insulin dosage for several years, I still blood test at least twice a day.

Two units for a 16 pound pup is probably a conservative STARTING dosage. A general rule-of-thumb is to start at about .2 units per pound, so 16 X .2 = 3.2 units (rounded down to 3 units). Of course some vets are more conservative and might start at 2 units, it's better to under-dose and slowly work up to a better dosage. Generally, we recommend 5-7 days at a dosage, then do a 12 hour curve. Evaluate the curve and make an adjustment if needed. This adjusting procedure will likely take several steps.

Also remember the two meals should be consistent during this time. If you feed more / less food, different foods, or between meal snacks / treats during the regulation process that could make things more difficult.

This might sound complicated, but it's really not so hard. We just need to keep everything as consistent as possible.

Craig

[amydunn19]

Re: Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

I know it is very hard to see the high numbers but regulation is a process that can take weeks or even months. Dogs tolerate high blood sugar very well - better than humans. If you raise his dose too quickly without having enough data to go on, his chances are actually much lower. Low blood sugar can be deadly, which is the danger with too much insulin. Insulin doses take time to "settle" - generally, you stay at a dose for 5-7 days then do a curve and re-evaluate. Sometimes, dogs may get a dose for a couple of days with no change and then he or she might begin to drop. Their bodies go through a conditioning process especially if they have been undiagnosed for a while. It is almost like a shock to their system to have insulin again so they gradually react.

I think the reason it is confusing is because human diabetics manage their diabetes differently than we do with dogs. Just wear your patience hat. I promise it will serve you guys better in the long run.

[kevbo887]

Re: Ace - Maltese diagnosed 11/2014

Thank you all very much, its appreciated.

Ace is really taking to his new food very well. Im excited about that because hes usually super picky.

He takes the insulin shot pretty good as well, but sometimes flinches when its injected because its cold. He pants a lot afterwords, but calms down in about an hour and acts normal.

Thanks again, and if I dont get a chance to post back, happy thanksgiving to you all and your pets!!