Daygo - Switching to NPH

[minpinlover]

Dog name and breed: Daygo, miniature pinscher
Age: 7 years
Weight: 17-18 lbs.
Diet: Science diet adult light with a small amount of canned light mixed in
Insulin: Vetsulin 7 units twice a day (just changed dose from 8 units)

Daygo was just diagnosed on April 29, 2009, so we're still really new to this.
I did his first glucose curve last week and his readings were really good, but he started getting too low around 9 hours post insulin dose. We just started him on the 7 units a few days ago. We give green beans as his treat and he loves them! I use a Reli On ultima meter (Walmart) for his glucose testing.

[We Hope]

Re: Welcome Daygo!

Welcome to you both!

You might be new to this, but it's so great to see that you've mastered home testing already!

Now since we are some of the nosiest people on the internet, please tell us more about Daygo!

Kathy

[k9diabetes]

Re: Welcome Daygo!

Welcome to the forum!

We have a few minpin members - some who have had a heck of a time injecting or home testing! Does Daygo put up a fuss?

Would love to see the results of your curve - Congratulations on completing it at home!

Natalie

[eyelostit]

Re: Welcome Daygo!

Welcome !

Lots of info and help here, looks like you have the hometesting under your belt.

Dolly & Niki

[minpinlover]

Re: Welcome Daygo!

Thanks for the welcome!! I just kind of stumbled across this site one day when I was doing some research on canine diabetes and I'm so glad I did!
I helps so much to know there are so many other diabetic dog owners who have the same worries and problems. Daygo's a very mellow min pin, so we havent't had a lot of problems so far with his shots. Usually my husband holds him and I give the shots, just in case.
Here are the results of his first glucose curve:
Fasting @ 6:45 AM 88 fed and 8 units Vetsulin given
8:45 AM 84
10:45 AM 88
12:45 PM 85 called vet - he said to test every 3 hrs.
3:45 PM 64 gave 1 tsp. Karo
6:00 PM 90 no PM insulin per vet - fed at 6:10 9:00 PM 439
12:00 mid 365
Vet changed insulin dose to 7 units twice a day. It will be interesting to see what his next curve is like. He was diagnosed in the middle of a pancreatitis attack with a glucose of 551. I have to wonder if that didn't make his glucose a little falsely elevated.

[janspack]

Welcome Daygo

Hi and welcome

Can't see your name anywhere so couldn't welcome you by name.

I am fairly new to it all as well but learning fast due in the main to this forum.
You seem to be doing really well - testing and doing curves etc and it looks as though Daygo is doing pretty well already.

Dazzle, my 10 yr old Border Collie was diagnosed on Feb 6th this year. It's been a rollercoaster with her because she has chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic insufficiency (needs digestive hormones as well). All this has made her very difficult to stabilise.

You'll love this great group of people I'm sure. They all care so much about each and every dog.

[k9diabetes]

Re: Welcome Daygo!

That's a really really nice curve even though it's a bit too low. Glad the vet decreased the insulin... you might find that a half a unit adjustment will work better but time will tell.

Sometimes after they've had enough insulin for a week or two they break through some insulin resistance that built up while their blood sugar was high. That could be why now the 8 units was a little too much.

That's just a wonderful curve! Congratulations!! And also congrats on having a mellow minpin!

Natalie

[pgcor]

Re: Welcome Daygo!

Another red min pin! My Pip was diagnosed at 7 years too. He's a big boy at 22 lbs. now. But he's not fat, very very skinny. We're still trying to put on weight. So glad to see such a nice curve and that you can home test!

We have the anti-Daygo though. Had to be muzzled for shots and won't let us home test. Actually, I didn't think there was such a thing as a mellow min pin! Why, oh why couldn't I have one! Natalie, you weren't talking ab out us were you? LOL They are wonderful dogs, aren't they?

Warmest Welcome,

Pam and Nutcase Pip.

[Busy07]

Re: Welcome Daygo!

Welcome. I'm impressed and jealous!

I'm so glad things are going so smoothly with injections and home testing for you. I hope to hear more from you and learn too!

[minpinlover]

Re: Welcome Daygo!

Don't be too jealous , Pam! We also have a black and tan min pin named Tess that is almost 2. She is a true min pin through and through! If she was the diabetic we'd be in for a challenge for sure. They are wonderful little dogs. We call Daygo our little gentleman. I guess the home testing is a little easier for me because I've been a med lab technician for 30 years. Our vet thought I was crazy when Daygo was diagnosed because I could smell acetone on his breath, but I've been around enough diabetic humans with sugars out of control that I just had a feeling that was what was wrong with him. No wonder the little guy was so sick!
Thanks to everyone for all of the support and suggestions given on this forum. I think I'm starting to get over the feeling that our world just got turned upside down and realizing this can be handled. It sure helps having others to share with!!
Linda and Daygo

[forloveofandy]

Re: Welcome Daygo!

Linda and Daygo, welcome!
He is one cute little guy. Gosh and one lucky little guy. You are already on top of it all home testing and doing a great job.

Andy weighs 19 lbs and the only time I can push his insulin up to 8 units is when he is sick, has an infection or something that is really pushing up his glucose. Even then it is only for a brief period.

Of course every dog is different and so are the insulin requirements.

Just really glad you joined us!

[minpinlover]

Switching to NPH

With all of the issues with Vetsulin, my vet has agreed that switching Daygo to NPH is the best option. I'm really confused about the dose I should start him on. He's on 6 units of Vetsulin 2x a day right now and the vet said that I should start him on 1.8 units of NPH. From the info in some of the other threads I've been able to find that dose just doesn't seem right to me.
Now I'm wondering if the last curve I did on Daygo on Oct. 11 was even accurate. We changed his Vetsulin from 7 units to 6 from those results. I have about 5-6 days of Vetsulin left but I need advice on what the starting dose should be. The vet clinic we use does not use NPH for any of their patients now so I guess I'm a little nervous that she calculated the dose right. Should I just check his sugars before feeding/injection and if he seems to be acting funny while I switch him? I feel like I'm starting over again!
Thanks for any help you can give me!

Linda

[amberiu99]

Re: Switching to NPH

I spoke with my vet regarding switching my MinPin to Humulin N and they wanted to start him at 2 units (which I thought was too low) I went to an internist and she said 4 at most and that I need to monitor him closely. We just switched two nights ago. I ran out of test strips and am giving him 3 units until I can spot check him tonight.

Do you check Bg at home? If so, it will be easier to adjust if necessary. It is better to start too low and work your way up gradually so that you do not end up with a low Bg episode. We have never had an episode, but I hear they are really scary. Jory (my dog) was at 6.4 units of vetsulin and curved nicely, but I think that when the vetsulin when out of specification we started to have problems.

Jory weighs about 18lbs., I am not sure of your dog's weight, but you can use him as a guideline. The important thing to note is that each dog responds to each type of insulin differently. I will let you know how it goes for us over the next few days. I will probably curve him in about 2 weeks.

[ravenecw]

Re: Switching to NPH

With all of the issues with Vetsulin, my vet has agreed that switching Daygo to NPH is the best option. I'm really confused about the dose I should start him on. He's on 6 units of Vetsulin 2x a day right now and the vet said that I should start him on 1.8 units of NPH. From the info in some of the other threads I've been able to find that dose just doesn't seem right to me.
Now I'm wondering if the last curve I did on Daygo on Oct. 11 was even accurate. We changed his Vetsulin from 7 units to 6 from those results. I have about 5-6 days of Vetsulin left but I need advice on what the starting dose should be. The vet clinic we use does not use NPH for any of their patients now so I guess I'm a little nervous that she calculated the dose right. Should I just check his sugars before feeding/injection and if he seems to be acting funny while I switch him? I feel like I'm starting over again!
Thanks for any help you can give me!

Linda

My dog was on Vetsulin using 8 units, I currently use NPH and at 9 units (this may change but she is doing much better than on the Vetsulin, no extremes anymore unless I walk her- I need to watch closely when she gets excercise, maybe a treat at those times but anyway...)..

The vet told me to start at 2.5 units. I"m not sure why this is but part of it is you just don't know how your dog will react and starting low is better than starting too high (you can adjust as you go but obviously you don't know unless your home testing). Natalie will chime i'm sure but I think she told me to start at 4 or 5 units if my dog was sort of regulated and go from there, I ended up starting at 4 I think it was and it was way too low so I adjusted rather quickly (but I do home test so I know her numbers anytime I want to).

Hope this helps, I always say though I'd rather have her run a little high than too low, and you can always adjust. Hope all goes well.

[pgcor]

Re: Switching to NPH

Hi Linda:

When I switched Pip from Vetsulin to NPH he was 7.5 units of V. I switched him over to NPH at 5 units. How much does Daygo weigh?

I can tell you this...I don't blood test at home and started with 5 units of NPH and Pip was fine.

Pam