Angel Monk... passed away March 6, 2012

[bowens2]

Monk has stayed pretty well regulated for awhile now. However, occasionaly he will throw up bile or bile and a little bit of what looks like digested food. Now I know that has something to do with the pancreas, should I be concerned? The thing is he acts like he feel perfectly fine, even great. I am thinking about taking him in but wanted to get some opinions first on what might be causing it. I did cut back about 1/2 unit of insulin to see if that helps. A far as I know he only does it about once or twice a month but there is that possibility he is doing it more.

[Debbie & Apollo]

Re: Monkey

Hi - -- if you think there may be pancretitis I would take Monk in for a test. It would so much easier to get a handle on it before it gets blown out of control and there is a need for IV fluids etc...

can you pin point anything different about when he throws up??
time of day, food habit -- gobbling up the food --- activity after eating???

When Apollo had his bouts (at least 3 big ones) he really was sick -- and had the runs... no desire to eat... changing his food was the best thing we did -- and we now give him Denosyl and Milk Thistle... also a great move -- his last blood work up was soooo much better.

good luck.
Debbie and Apollo

[We Hope]

Re: Monkey

I'd take Monk in for a checkup as soon as you can. Just as there are subclinical or hidden infections, there can be subclinical pancreas problems--

http://www.uq.edu.au/ccah/index.html...3392&pid=41544

Beyond Insulin Therapy: Achieving Optimal Control in Diabetic Dogs
Dr. Fleeman and Rand 2005

Page 2

Pancreatitis

"Subclinical exocrine (part of the pancreas involved in digestion--endocrine portion is involved in insulin production) pancreatic disease is also known to be frequent in diabetic dogs based on evidence from study of serum canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (cPLI) , which is a sensitive marker for pancreatic inflammation in dogs. In long term diabetic dogs, with no clinical evidence of exocrine pancreatic disease, serum cPLI concenrations in the diagnostic range for pancreatitis were found in 2 of 12 (17%) dogs, with a further 4 (33%) recording increases in cPLI values that did not reach the diagnostic cut off values for pancreatitis. An additional 2 (17%) dogs had laboratory evidence of exocrine pancreas deficiency (unpublished data)."

So while these dogs were showing no outward signs of having either pancreatitis or maldigestion syndrome, their lab tests did pick up signs of pancreatic problems.

http://petdiabetes.wikia.com/wiki/Exocrine_pancreas

I think you'll feel better if you take him in to see about this.

Kathy

[bowens2]

Re: Monkey

I backed off his insulin by 1/2 unit and he is still registering negative so even if it is not the cause of his occasionally throwing up, I imagine he was going pretty low. I will be at the vets tomorrow to pick up food and will check to see if they think they should see him. He is fine, happy, and frisky. I really don't want to subject him to tests if we don't have to.

[eyelostit]

Re: Monkey

Hope Monkey is doing better today

[k9diabetes]

Re: Monkey

Hi Betty,

How is Monk doing?

Natalie

[bowens2]

Re: Monkey

He is doing great. He has not thrown up again as far as I know. He was limping. I think he stepped on a splinter or something but he was fine the next day what ever it was.

[Ricksma]

Re: Monkey

Betty, I had just posted on Ricky's thread that he sometimes throws up a yellow foamy material...then seems fine afterward. Even though he seemed okay, I wanted to make sure, so I got his lab work done a little early. Everything was fine, so maybe Monk is doing the same thing...we will keep our fingers crossed that everything is okay for him, too.

Love and hugs, Teresa and Ricky

[rhodesian46]

Re: Monkey

Glad Monk isn't vomiting. anymore I had Dr B call in a script of Cerenia .This is an anti nausea med for dogs. I comes in 4 packs (1 a day.) It works fantastic to stop the vomiting. I am to have this on hand if Pebbles vomits again I think (since all diabetic dogs are more prone to get pancreatitis) that we should all have this med just in case.ASk your vet about it but don't buy it from them I paid $43 for it 2 weeks ago Got Dr to call it in to petshed.com for $16 a 4 pk. A big savings Hope Monk doesn't throw up again.

[k9diabetes]

Re: Monkey

I love good news!! Natalie

[bowens2]

Re: Monkey

Monkey's insulin (Lantus) is now up to $91.56. I have decided when it hits $100 I will change to a different type of insulin and pray it doesn't screw him up. It has gone up consistently $5.00 every 6 months. He goes thru one vile about every 32 days. The normal price on this insulin is $101.47 but they give me a senior discount although I don't think I qualify but I'm not going to argue with them about that. I think they felt sorry for me the first time I filled the prescription in 2006 because I was crying (you know "that how can this be happening to my fur baby feeling" - The first stage of finding out your dog is a diabetic - denial - "no not my dog and maybe it's a mistake - I just can't do this!")

I recently started volunteering at a dog shelter to get my dog fix. Ever since my daughter adopted Dahli, I have been craving another dog (since she won't give me Dahli) similar to Dahli. I went to this shelter to look at a 6 mo American Bull but I let her slip thru my hands to a nice young couple. But I am volunteering to get this dog thing out of my system and even though it is hard work, it is very rewarding.

[k9diabetes]

Re: Monkey

I'm so excited to get some news from you and Monk... very sorry about the price of Lantus!! I'm hoping that financial pressure will keep insulins like NPH around for a long time, for dogs and people with no health insurance.

We take Jack to the dog park every day so we have been meeting all kinds of dogs. It's a lot of fun for us too. Today we met Maggie (Irish Setter), Rocky (Aus. shepherd), Thunder (lab mix), and Sienna (vizsla), along with another half dozen whose names we didn't get. Jack has a new hurl-a-squirrel frisbee that he did his best to keep away from the rest of them.

I've been tempted, foolishly, once or twice to take a second dog but then I remember that we are still hauling ourselves over and around kitty gates and barely managing with one dog!

Maybe if Monk successfully changes over to NPH you will be able to afford to add another dog to your pack!

Natalie

[We Hope]

Re: Monkey

Have you done any internet pricing re: buying Lantus from Canada? Most of the time, the Canadian prices for drugs are less than what we pay here because they have price controls.

When it became impossible to get Lilly's old Iletin II Lente in the US not long after discontinuation, I wanted a back-up vial in the house. I was able to get one at a Canadian pharmacy online. The cost of the vial was about half of what I was paying for the same insulin here in the US.

You might want to do some internet research before making that decision.

Kathy

PS--all insulin in Canada is available without needing a prescription.

[eyelostit]

Re: Monkey

I use Canada Vet for my heartworm and I think an RX way back, I'd try it, I had no idea your insulin cost that much, thats a shame.

[bowens2]

Re: Monkey

I checked Canada online pharmacies back when Monkey was first diagnosed and there was no differnce in price unless I purchased 10 vials which besides having to have the money upfront, I am kind of leary of doing. What if it all expired in 3 mo or if Monk becomes sick and has to go on another insulin. Seems like every time I buy ink cartridges upfront, my printer breaks and I have a cabinet full of ink cartridges I can no longer use.