Sissy became an Angel December 29, 2016

[Rubytuesday]

Re: trouble regulating my SIssy

Hey Jackie, Patty ended up at the emergency room with her girl last night, so I will try to help.

Do you home test? That can really help when they vomit. I think.....the level of danger is determined by how long the food was in the belly and how much digestion had taken place. If the vomit was right after eating it is more dangerous then say four hrs. later.

Honestly I rely very heavily on my home testing during times like these as Ruby had in the past gone down to a 30 without showing any signs of hypo.

If they do show signs you want to give a quick acting sugar followed by a carby snack that can kick in after the sugar is gone. A lot of folks use syrup/honey and a biscuit.

[stylynjm]

Re: trouble regulating my SIssy

Thanks ruby , thoughts go out to Patty,hope all is ok. Thanks for the info.I do test at home,alpha trak 2. I don't know how u could handle this without home testing.its like a lifeline.lol. Sissy seems fine this am and didn't throw up any more. Honey and a biscuit sounds good.Lolol,we could both have one!!!!! Thanks for help.I continue to learn from this site.it is such a help.

[stylynjm]

Personality change makes me sad

Has anyone else noticed that their dog losses her spunk?? Sissy has never been very active,but she actually seems depressed.we r at a hard point right now,she's not terribly stable with numbers. 80 - 300 .doing curve next week. Also,I don't exercise(walk) her,the vet said to wait until regulated.I think she would feel better if we did a little walk. 100 yards or so to start. I just feel stuck and it is up to me to be the leader....some ideas please.!!!!! Also,can she have a few raw vege snacks without regard to bg's or r they affected. Broccoli,gr beans,carrots r her favorites.

[Cebe]

Re: Personality change makes me sad

Can you tell us more about what's going on with you dog?

Weight
food
amount of insulin
complete curve results?
Are you home testing?

I think there's a tendency in the beginning of the diagnosis and treatment to think our animals are so fragile that they will break with the slightest pressure. It's not necessarily true.

I exercise my dog regularly, but you do need to know that it can lower bg significantly. However, it is important for their quality of life and to help with the disease.

I think a glucose curve is a good idea. That's testing every two hours for 12 hours to see how the insulin and food are interacting.

The low numbers you are getting are worrisome, but without a curve, it's hard to know why you get such drastic lows and highs.

My dog has her spunk back. I'm not sure she ever lost it. I think I myself was so depressed that I projected my feelings on to her, but I also didn't restrict her exercise, and that can be depressing to a dog who is used to going outside.

[stylynjm]

Re: Personality change makes me sad

Sissy is 13 lbs. She gets 5/8 cup DCO am and pm. She is on humilin N 6 1/2 units am, 6 units pm. I will do a curve next week when I can get more alpha strips!!!!

Can't wait to see what's going on. I think I am guilty of thinking she will break, but am adjusting better I think. The more knowledge I get, the more comfortable I get.

[Yulismum]

Re: Personality change makes me sad

Hi and welcome.

I am just learning but you will get lots of help from the forum.

Humans can get depression with diabetes. Dogs can get depressed or she may be picking up vibes from you. She may also just be feeling rotten with the condition.

My dog is definitely feeling more like his old self. Hang in there she will improve as you get things under control.

[Judi]

Re: Personality change makes me sad

hang in there, it will get better. I can definitely tell a difference in Jenny's personality based on where her blood sugar is. When she is back though she is BACK! LOL

Your vet may be discouraging exercise because he is trying for regulation but if a walk will make her happy and you can check her to make sure her blood sugar hasn't gone low, I'd do it.

[stylynjm]

Re: Personality change makes me sad

Thank u all. I am going to go with some of ur ideas.she is running high this week,was just 355.last week she was running 70-140!!!!!! Nothing has changed. What is going on??? She and I both need a little walk when it cools off....

[jesse girl]

Re: Personality change makes me sad

just to put it out as a possibility your baby might be getting to much insulin for what her body likes a clue for jess is giving more insulin makes the numbers more erratic and getting worse with each adjustment higher multiple curves from different doses can help with that and you can post them

you show numbers from 140 to 70 yes that is good but maybe in a range that is to low for her wright now my jesse does not seem to like those low 100s for an extended period of time and what happens her body releases sugar from a protective response thinking she may go to low and she bounces back up very quickly sometimes a 100 points in an hour

now she doesnt go as high as the 300s or 400s anymore maybe high 200s i think her body has a little better control over sugar dumping but that took some time

jesses tail did not come up too 12 o'clock till after about a year after diagnosis insulin and the disease was very hard on her at the beginning and for sometime but she slowly improved

it would be nice to let her explore her world a bit you may want to walk when insulin is at its weakest for us it is hour 10 or 11 after shot some dogs are the opposite. if walking always carry some liquid sugar just in case

[k9diabetes]

Re: Personality change makes me sad

It sounds like Sissy desperately needs to have a curve done so you can know what her blood sugar is doing throughout the day instead of having to guess.

Would it be possible to do one ASAP?

You could use Freestyle Lite Strips with your AlphaTrak meter and get a general idea what's happening if you are unable to get the AlphaTrak strips right away.

Even though the readings from the FLS strips may be somewhat off of actual, they would be close enough to tell you whether her blood sugar is going through a roller coaster of highs and lows, going too low, staying high all day.

With your description of her lack of energy, for example, that can come from both high blood sugar and low blood sugar. It is dangerous if the blood sugar is high enough to create ketones and especially dangerous if her blood sugar is going very low. So it's really important to know what is actually happening.

Natalie

[stylynjm]

Re: Personality change makes me sad

I have 14 strips to last until Oct 3rd. Income problem. I know, I could do the curve, but then would not have them for the week. I have wondered many times whether she is on to much insulin. However, 4 days ago she was 134, 179, 148 from 10 am to 10 pm!!!! Today she was 355 at 11 am, 335 at 1 pm and 307 at 3:30 pm. She got Insulin at 7 am. Any ideas?

I have wanted to lower her insulin,but vet keeps wanting to raise it. What would happen if I lowered by 1 unit am and pm??

[stylynjm]

Re: Personality change makes me sad

Sissy has very yellow urine. Would that indicate to much or to little insulin.. I think I might do a 16 hr curve tomarrow and take my chances on just a few strips for the weekend.

[k9diabetes]

Re: Personality change makes me sad

The urine is concentrated, which leans toward lower blood sugar. When the blood sugar is high, they tend to be very thirsty and wash the sugar out so the urine will be weak and straw colored.

But.... (there's always a but, isn't there? LOL)...

Some dogs don't get very thirsty with blood sugar in the 300s. Ours didn't. He wouldn't start drinking a lot of water until his blood sugar was staying above 450 for some time.

Is she drinking a lot of water?

Is she urinating often?

Higher blood sugar can be a sign of a urinary tract infection, which is common in diabetic dogs because of the sugar in the bladder.

Natalie

[stylynjm]

Re: Personality change makes me sad

Her numbers today in 300's except for just now before supper 283. She does not drink or pee a lot anymore.Lolol to exceptions. She is holding weight now too.

[stylynjm]

Re: Personality change makes me sad

Signs of urinary tract infections????