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Canine Diabetes
#47166 12/07/17 08:08 AM
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grelber Offline OP
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Originally Posted By: deniro
Financial plans were adjusted yesterday when I was told that my dog has diabetes. There will be the cost of syringes and insulin, twice daily, more frequent visits to the vet, and probably canned food to replace the cheap Iams I've been giving him. He's been a healthy dog until now. I walk him every day. I feel bad for the little guy, but I'm going to do whatever is best for him.
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I'd be interested in knowing how and over what time period the diagnosis of your dog's diabetes mellitus (DM) was determined. This is not an endocrine disease which comes on dramatically quickly. If you'd like to engage in a discussion of this, please advise (and respond to the following queries).

First off, what breed and age is your dog? Neutered? Weight – appropriate for breed?

You advise that he's "been a healthy dog until now." How did he demonstrate his becoming unhealthy? What are his drinking and urinating like, in terms of amounts and frequency?

Any other information, in particular your vet's discussion with you regarding your dog's diagnosis and treatment, would be valuable. Any lab work (blood chemistry, urinalysis) you can provide?

Re: Canine Diabetes
grelber #47174 12/07/17 09:55 PM
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He's an eleven-year-old male West Highland terrier who will be twelve on January 1. My intent was to get a pure bred, but after making the trip to buy him the breeder did some hedging when I pressed her on it. He may not be pure bred but pretty close. He's a fine specimen of the breed except his legs and tail are a little short. He lacks the skin problems most Westies have, and which my last Westie had. She was a female who lived to be almost seventeen.

Blood test taken last Friday revealed high glucose. Urine sample showed sugar in the urine. He was drinking a lot more water and therefore going to the bathroom more. Possibly he has been hungrier. I have two gel mats for him for sleeping because he heats up easily. I found a couple urine stains on the mats, and another last night, so he's letting go through the night. Dogs usually don't urinate where they sleep. He has been somewhat lethargic and less eager to walk.

He lost about one pound, so is now about 20 lbs. Usually he's around 21 lbs. For most of his life I've fed him Iams dry food, which the vet approved of. That's what I gave my previous Westie. In retrospect, with so many more brands on the market now, I would have started him on something else, like Blue Buffalo or Taste of the Wild. Caesar even has a dry food now.


Re: Canine Diabetes
deniro #47176 12/08/17 08:44 AM
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grelber Offline OP
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First off, that your Westie isn't exactly purebred is a potential blessing: even a little bit of hybrid vigor is beneficial in keeping the myriad congenital and hereditary ills that the breed is heir to at bay (and the skin conditions are only the tip of the problems). O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!

The description in your second paragraph seems to indicate that the problem came on gradually (as is usually the case). Lethargy and not wanting exercise, atypical of the breed, is typical of mid-stage DM. Because his own insulin generation is defective and/or he has developed insulin resistance, his glucose can no longer get into the body's cells to provide energy, so it stays in the blood and gets excreted in the urine. So at least his kidneys are nicely functional.

Don't worry too much about the food you're feeding. Dogs are omnivores (unlike cats which are obligate carnivores) and therefore can tolerate most 'balanced' (and less expensive) diets quite nicely.
However, food intake needs to be coordinated with insulin dosage and administration. He will need to be on a mealtime schedule with whatever ration you'll be using so that his insulin administration can be properly timed. No free-feeding or snacks (which might throw him for a loop).

Once you've got him regulated* on insulin — since your vet has ruled out oral hypoglycemics — you should have your old (ie, pre-diabetic) dog back.

* Regulation may require a fair bit of work on your part, but once you get into the swing of things, it's no sweat.
A glucometer (blood glucose meter) — which you can usually get for free with the purchase of blood glucose strips for same through any pharmacy — may be advantageous. Your vet will be able to guide you through the ups and downs of glucose regulation.

[My initial apprehension from your description of the problem in the other forum was that the diagnosis seemed a tad precipitous. Your latest descriptions have allayed my concerns in that regard.]

Re: Canine Diabetes
grelber #47181 12/08/17 04:54 PM
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Are you a vet?


Re: Canine Diabetes
deniro #47183 12/08/17 07:36 PM
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grelber Offline OP
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Yes. (See profile.)


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