Winnie

[Suzanne123]

Thank you for your posts. Yes, the 3 units twice a day seems really low to me. She said we would raise it to 4 units (or even higher) shortly if her numbers are still high. I know we are both just so worried about hypoglycemia but her numbers are so high I don't see that likely, though I'm new to all this. Yes, I am using the U-40 needles that I get directly from my vet. I was going to see if I could them cheaper off the internet but I'm afraid to risk it knowing that different needles have different dosages and I don't want to make a mistake with my little girl. They aren't very expensive - $3.50 for a pack of 10. Did Annie get 9 units twice a day or each day? Also, my Winnie isn't much for exercise - other than her 3-4 short walks per day to go poddy, she just gets tuckered out pretty quickly and doesn't like to walk more than about 15 minutes tops. She always has been that way, since she was a pup. She's 12 now.

[Suzanne123]

Winnie's blood sugar was over 600 this morning. Vet is increased her Vetsulin to twice a day at 6 units each. I hope this will do the trick. Her numbers are all over the place but always way too high. Still drinking lots of water and urinating alot.

[CraigM]

I’m hoping the 6 units will make a noticeable difference. Let us all know.

I think (no longer have Annie’s notebook of 9 years ago) that she was around 7 units, twice a day, while on Vetsulin. She ended up her last several years at 9 units of Novolin-N. She was on Vetsulin about a year, and we were still in the learning phase. Her diet changed several times and the dosage also increased over time.

Craig

[Raysaint]

Going to 6 units seems like a big increase all at once. High morning blood sugars can happen even on the right dose, from the dawn effect, or if she rebounds during the night.
Small incremental increases is easier for the body to adjust to, and safer.

[Suzanne123]

I did a glucose curve test on Winnie yesterday. She started out at over 600, then I gave her 6 units insulin with her breakfast, and her numbers went basically like this every two hours: 545, 455, 354, 250, 355, 450. Then she had her dinner and another 6 units, and I checked her before she went to bed and it was 350. This morning she woke up and it was 545. She had her breakfast and another 6 units, and three hours later it is 445. I'll keep checking it throughout the day. Does this look like a good glucose curve? Do you think once within a few weeks on this new dose she might be getting regulated? I really don't want it to go too low.

[Judi]

you need to wait at least 5 days to a week for her body to adjust, then do a curve and see how it is and where her lowest number is. hang in there

[Raysaint]

The pattern of those numbers looks not bad. A bowl type curve with a god drop at nadir.
Dose increases over the next few weeks should get you on a good road to regulation.

[CraigM]

As others suggest, I’d stay at 6 units for 5-7 days and then run another curve to evaluate.

Yes, we are concerned about very low blood glucose, but you still have a way to go. Remember high blood glucose can give reoccurring problems like infections: eye, teeth, ears, UTI, etc. From here, I’d limit increases to one unit at a time. Don’t be surprised if she needs another 2-4 units, but going slowly is key.

Keeping meals consistent can be very import. I used a kitchen food scale to weigh out Annie’s meals because I didn’t think measuring cups / scoops were repeatable enough. Weighing the meals might not that important, but it probably is important not to very by too much.

Craig

[Suzanne123]

Thank you all so much for your words of wisdom. I am thrilled that on this new dose (6 units morning and night) Winnie has stopped the excessive thirst and urination. She was soaking three wee-wee pads every night and up drinking water all night and that has all stopped. I'll run another glucose curve this weekend. I can't tell you all how much your advice has helped me. There is so much to know about dog diabetes and my vet only spent about 5 minutes with me.

[jesse girl]

yep its like buying a car . here is the keys and go figure out how to drive it yourself but today we have the internet to help us figure things out