Scooter's cataract

[jesse girl]

Re: Is there a number that equals "stabilized"?

jesse has epilepsy and when she has a seizure her numbers spikes up

i contribute some of her instability to this

also when she had digestive issues her sugar would get more unstable . its a delicate balance just a bit off and things can fluctuate

somethings are just out of our control .

[amydunn19]

Re: Is there a number that equals "stabilized"?

Maggie tended to go low when she was fighting off pancreatitis but she was always opposite of what normal reactions are. I have heard that many dogs get high numbers when they are in pain. Is the IBD predictable at all? I didn't know if you could give something like Pepcid (we did this for pancreatitis but not sure if it would work for IBD)

[Scooterspal]

Re: Is there a number that equals "stabilized"?

... Is the IBD predictable at all? I didn't know if you could give something like Pepcid (we did this for pancreatitis but not sure if it would work for IBD)

Well, if Scooter happens to get into something while we're walking he is likely to get an upset stomach. Truth be told, my giving him some pizza does not help the situation. I make sure no onions or pepperoni.

For years now he has gotten dry old fashion oatmeal in his food. This helps him tremendously. The Pepcid stops the stomach gurgling from the acid drip. The Flagyl works on the inflammation. Sort of a double whammy if he is really suffering. Seems the diabetes may be contributing to the IBD as he can go for months with no issues.

[Raysaint]

Re: Is there a number that equals "stabilized"?

My dog used to have occasional bouts of colon inflammation. After research, I put him on a good probiotic. Vetri Science mega probiotic. Inflammation can be caused from too much bad bacteria, so the probiotic helps the good bacteria to flourish.

But now after having pancreatitis, I took him off it because the research isn't conclusive that probiotics are good or bad for pancreatitis. But, because his food has more fiber, the good bacteria feeds off the fiber and wins the battle over the bad bacteria. So more fiber can also help some.

[amydunn19]

Re: Is there a number that equals "stabilized"?

I totally missed that you already give him Pepcid. Yep might want to avoid pizza for Scooter.

I don't know if diabetes would contribute but the change in diet to a higher fiber food or an ingredient that causes more gas and discomfort certainly could. You might want to look at simplifying the diet and at an ingredient list to see if something might be triggering it. Maggie could not tolerate potatoes or rice at all. It upset her stomach/digestion terribly. Once she got a food with garbanzo beans or peas, her problems lessened a great deal. Sometimes, you have to be a detective to find the problem. Not very easy at times.

[Scooterspal]

Re: Is there a number that equals "stabilized"?

Both Scooter and I take a (human marketed) probiotic capsule every few days. We have for many years. Without getting too graphic, I can tell from Scooter's "deposits" it's working. The Pepcid / Flagyl administration is a rare occurrence most of the time. Not something he gets daily for no specific reason.

As to his diet, while I thought of trying home cooking in the beginning of all this, I cannot cook and could never have kept that up. He is back to his regular food packets with a tablespoon of dry oatmeal mixed in. As simple as one can get. I'm lucky in that he was never a beggar. He eats his own food and he's satisfied with that.

I'm the one being bad for giving him something he should not be eating.

[Scooterspal]

Re: Is there a number that equals "stabilized"?

I read another posting on this forum where giving less insulin when your dog has not eaten or not finished a meal was discussed.

I believe it was 1/4 dose for not eating or eating very little, 1/2 dose for eating half their food.

Is this OK to do and won't that throw off their BC regulation?

[MikeMurphy]

Re: Is there a number that equals "stabilized"?

I read another posting on this forum where giving less insulin when your dog has not eaten or not finished a meal was discussed.

I believe it was 1/4 dose for not eating or eating very little, 1/2 dose for eating half their food.

Is this OK to do and won't that throw off their BC regulation?

Yes, it’s OK to reduce insulin in this manner because you don’t want their BG to go too low. Actually you need to do this to prevent a possible hypoglycemic event.

[bichons9]

Re: Is there a number that equals "stabilized"?

Now..don't everyone get mad at me..but I think that if using NPH..nothing is ever "for sure" consistent. I want so badly to try Lantus but too many warnings against it in dogs!!!

[Raysaint]

Re: Is there a number that equals "stabilized"?

Lantus doesn't have enough of a peak effect to bring down blood sugar after eating. Lantus is used in humans in conjunction with fast acting. That's my regimen as a human diabetic.
Your dog would have high sugars all day, I'd bet my life on it.

[bichons9]

Re: Is there a number that equals "stabilized"?

Thanks..That is why I do not try it. However, on my cat, I changed from NPH to Lantus and Elliott has been in remission for 2 years..I do realize that dogs do not tend to have type 2 and Lantus is approved in cats and not in dogs, for the most part. I simply read where one DVM is having good results with Lantus in dogs..I am not going to change based on exactly what you (and the majority of DVM's) have said..Thanks!!!

[Scooterspal]

Re: Is there a number that equals "stabilized"?

Are any of your dogs having skin issues?

Scooter is getting sores all over his skin and is picking at them constantly. Nothing I have tried seems to soothe him and working to get them to heal is a battle.

Thought food allergies, the usual culprit, and stopped giving him the broiled chicken. It has only gotten worse and more so since his diabetes diagnosis.

[bichons9]

Re: Is there a number that equals "stabilized"?

Are any of your dogs having skin issues?

Scooter is getting sores all over his skin and is picking at them constantly. Nothing I have tried seems to soothe him and working to get them to heal is a battle.

Thought food allergies, the usual culprit, and stopped giving him the broiled chicken. It has only gotten worse and more so since his diabetes diagnosis.

I was researching DM and liver issues yesterday (over the Ursodiol) and there were entire articles on skin issues being a culprit or a clue? for some form of Liver or related DM..I can't remember it much but DON'T THINK IT APPLIES TO YOU..It was quite a complicated diagnosis. Can you post pictures of the skin sores?

[bichons9]

Re: Is there a number that equals "stabilized"?

I am sure this is very uncommon but this is what I ran across searching for liver precesses."Diabetic hepatopathy is a disease of the liver which causes lesions to develop on the liver. It is associated with diabetes mellitus, and for unknown reasons, this type of liver disease is also associated with lesions on the skin. One of the possibilities may be a link to metabolic system and a change in the organ systems.

This is a relatively uncommon disease and there is no breed that is more disposed than others, but it does tend to affect predominantly male dogs that are middle-aged to older.

[Scooterspal]

Re: Is there a number that equals "stabilized"?

This shot on his side down near his rump.




This is the base of his tail.