Buzz is doing really well lately, health wise. He's gaining weight, I think he's almost back to his pre-diabetes weight! (Sidenote: he's going to be so mad when we do have to decrease the amount of food we give him. He knows exactly how much he should be getting at each meal - it's insane). He's still playful, energetic, loves his walks, loves protecting his house, and loves laying in the sun in the backyard.
With that said, I did a day-time glucose curve last Saturday, and the numbers weren't exactly great. I tested his sugar every 2 hours, starting before he ate breakfast and ending after he ate dinner. His sugar during the day never got below 300 (normal range for a dog is 80-120).
I have a hunch as to why his numbers were that high - we adjusted his morning insulin dose in August, which was right around the time we started giving him a 1/2 cup more food (since he wasn't gaining weight) - and I'm thinking the adjustment wasn't enough to cover the sugar increase from that extra food. The thing is, the food he is on isn't supposed to make his sugar spike or anything like that.
So I'm left increasing his insulin again (by 0.5 unit) and hoping that it's enough to bring his sugar down during the day. I'll do another curve in about 2 weeks to see what effect the new dose is having - and hopefully it will be good news! :)
This is one reason why it's awesome to be able to test your dog's glucose levels with an at-home glucometer (we use Abbott Labs alpha trak), because this curve would've cost over $100 at the vet. I spent $1/test strip - for a total of about $7. How awesome is that?
Glad Buzz is lively these days! Too bad about his sugars being wonky again though, but glad you've got it pretty much under control!
ReplyDeleteElyse and Riley
I'm glad to hear that Buzz is doing well!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear that Buzz is doing well, and I pray that he continues to do so.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Don't forget to stop by our blog THIS week and enter the "name game" contest I'm hosting, (for my newest guide dog puppy) - it only takes a few seconds to do... and you may end up being the winner!
I know Buzz is a dog but perhaps the folks at Diabetic Cats in Need may have some in sight for you?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/DiabeticCatsInNeed
http://fdmb-cin.blogspot.com/
Don't give up - Diabetes can go in remission with cats and I hope Buzz gets his chance at that too!!
Laure
Thanks, everyone! My hubs and I were just reminiscing last night about how far Buzz has come - I'm so proud of him for being so brave!
ReplyDeleteLaure - in dogs, diabetes is more akin to type 1, meaning its cause is genetic/environmental and non-reversible. In Buzz's case, he developed severe pancreatitis (he was about 5 years old when everything boiled over) that scarred more than half his pancreas and thus he will always be plagued with this disease. Research shows that dogs can live long, healthy lives with diabetes, so as long as everything else goes well, he's stuck with us for a long, long time! Luckily, he's a super strong dog and doesn't mind insulin injections twice a day and we don't mind careful monitoring of his food and exercise. I'll check out your blog! Thanks for stopping by!! :)