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Wow...This has been quite the experience already and ours has just started with a definite diagnosis on March 5th. I feel that I have read and re-read just about everything I can about dogs and diabetes online!
My Blackjack is presently 11 years and 7 months old, which I know is getting up there in years for a big guy! But..this guy has been been lucky to have had a pretty healthy life up until this. (and he was a much bigger guy, down to 78 lbs. from his previous 93 lbs.) Up until his diagnosis (and subsequent weakness in his hind legs) he was walking two miles just about daily. (weather permitting). He has some issues with a bit of arthritis, but I have always felt that the walks helped him with it.
All of a sudden, it seems, we noticed excessive thirst and LARGE urine spots overnight, which had never been an issue before. That lead us to the vet visit; the chem panel,urinalysis,etc. that pointed to the diabetes. I cannot believe now that I was actually almost relieved to hear him say that it was diabetes, thinking that at least it was a condition that can hopefully be controlled, as opposed to some of the other reasons that could not be treated. Ha...Little did I know that we would still be in the process of trying to get him regulated yet at this point...which I know it not really THAT long when I read of other's experiences in the forum!
Right after his "official diagnosis", he started to get the rear leg weakness, which was really bad for awhile, where we would have to help get him into the standing position, and prop his legs where they should be and help him take steps and lift him up over any obstacle (stairs) My vet didn't really give me any answer as to what this was, but I gathered from what I read on line that it was diabetic neuropathy and that there was hope that he would recover from it eventually after blood glucose levels were brought down. (Kind of gave us the encouragement that we needed to go on with him in that condition.)
The vet I go to is into the holistic medicine as well as traditional, so prescribed some Chinese herbal supplements for him a couple weeks ago, to help with symptoms of diabetes. Maybe they have helped, because it was shortly after that that we started noticing slow improvement with the usage and strength of his back legs. He is doing a lot better now, and that gives me great encouragement as far as that goes.
However, I am starting to wonder if our vet is being overly conservative about the insulin. We started out in the beginning with 10 Humulin N units twice daily after having the blood glucose curve done at the office that first day. It was about a week after that that we took him to the local animal emergency clinic on a Saturday evening as his legs seemed especially bad. The vet there increased it to 15 units twice daily.
We saw our vet again a week later, upped it 2 more units, recheck and one more,etc. Also had an ACTH stim test to make sure he didn't have Cushing's disease. I asked him if he would consider consulting with a vet specialist to see what their opinion for treatment would be and he did. He said that the other doctor recommended another blood glucose curve (we had just been doing spot BG checks in the afternoon mostly) Soooo...we had the blood glucose curve done on this past Monday..not good..still shows in the low to high 400's and even hit 500! He had me up the dose a couple more units, so now we are at 21 units twice daily and supposed to come back in two weeks for another check.
I am really starting to get disheartened with the treatment plan. I know that the other doctor had told him that "we have a long way to go with the insulin dosage" for Blackjack yet and that the dose is not even close to showing that he is insulin resistant. I am still waiting to hear from my vet as to what the specialist has said about the blood glucose curve results. I feel that this should be progressing faster than it has been and without such a big wait in between.
I am considering taking Blackjack and all his results to another vet in the area, who is a certified internal medicine vet, to get his opinion on what route he would be taking with him The only thing that has really given me encouragement is that his walking has become so much better and he continues to show improvement and gaining strength and endurance with his legs each day! Sorry so long and wordy! Thanks for reading this!
My Blackjack is presently 11 years and 7 months old, which I know is getting up there in years for a big guy! But..this guy has been been lucky to have had a pretty healthy life up until this. (and he was a much bigger guy, down to 78 lbs. from his previous 93 lbs.) Up until his diagnosis (and subsequent weakness in his hind legs) he was walking two miles just about daily. (weather permitting). He has some issues with a bit of arthritis, but I have always felt that the walks helped him with it.
All of a sudden, it seems, we noticed excessive thirst and LARGE urine spots overnight, which had never been an issue before. That lead us to the vet visit; the chem panel,urinalysis,etc. that pointed to the diabetes. I cannot believe now that I was actually almost relieved to hear him say that it was diabetes, thinking that at least it was a condition that can hopefully be controlled, as opposed to some of the other reasons that could not be treated. Ha...Little did I know that we would still be in the process of trying to get him regulated yet at this point...which I know it not really THAT long when I read of other's experiences in the forum!
Right after his "official diagnosis", he started to get the rear leg weakness, which was really bad for awhile, where we would have to help get him into the standing position, and prop his legs where they should be and help him take steps and lift him up over any obstacle (stairs) My vet didn't really give me any answer as to what this was, but I gathered from what I read on line that it was diabetic neuropathy and that there was hope that he would recover from it eventually after blood glucose levels were brought down. (Kind of gave us the encouragement that we needed to go on with him in that condition.)
The vet I go to is into the holistic medicine as well as traditional, so prescribed some Chinese herbal supplements for him a couple weeks ago, to help with symptoms of diabetes. Maybe they have helped, because it was shortly after that that we started noticing slow improvement with the usage and strength of his back legs. He is doing a lot better now, and that gives me great encouragement as far as that goes.
However, I am starting to wonder if our vet is being overly conservative about the insulin. We started out in the beginning with 10 Humulin N units twice daily after having the blood glucose curve done at the office that first day. It was about a week after that that we took him to the local animal emergency clinic on a Saturday evening as his legs seemed especially bad. The vet there increased it to 15 units twice daily.
We saw our vet again a week later, upped it 2 more units, recheck and one more,etc. Also had an ACTH stim test to make sure he didn't have Cushing's disease. I asked him if he would consider consulting with a vet specialist to see what their opinion for treatment would be and he did. He said that the other doctor recommended another blood glucose curve (we had just been doing spot BG checks in the afternoon mostly) Soooo...we had the blood glucose curve done on this past Monday..not good..still shows in the low to high 400's and even hit 500! He had me up the dose a couple more units, so now we are at 21 units twice daily and supposed to come back in two weeks for another check.
I am really starting to get disheartened with the treatment plan. I know that the other doctor had told him that "we have a long way to go with the insulin dosage" for Blackjack yet and that the dose is not even close to showing that he is insulin resistant. I am still waiting to hear from my vet as to what the specialist has said about the blood glucose curve results. I feel that this should be progressing faster than it has been and without such a big wait in between.
I am considering taking Blackjack and all his results to another vet in the area, who is a certified internal medicine vet, to get his opinion on what route he would be taking with him The only thing that has really given me encouragement is that his walking has become so much better and he continues to show improvement and gaining strength and endurance with his legs each day! Sorry so long and wordy! Thanks for reading this!
Yes, it takes a while to begin to see results, especially at first. But if you give too much insulin and get rebound, you have to reduce and basically start over. We have at least one member who had to do that 
mainly because the vet was too aggressive with the insulin dose at first. 
For home testing, we used the inner, upper lip. 
We fed Ruffles the Before Grain, too. Of course, she was a much smaller dog than Blackjack!
11 year old Lab mix. Diagnosed 4/5/2012. - Went up on Dose 8/10/12 to 18 U Humulin N 2 x day. Diet: Horizon Legacy, freeze dried "Stella and Chewy's," - Separately prepared food 3 tbs of butternut squash puree mixed with 2.5 tsp 4Life Transfer Factor supplement, Flaxseed Meal, steamed broccoli and green beans.
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