Possible Diabetic Dog - advice please!

misschoo

Hi my Westie has been drinking excessively and wetting in the house during the night. No weight loss but had to bring her to the vet for another reason & had to bring a urine sample. The glucose on the dipstick was at the top or at the highest reading. So we had to return the next day for a fasting blood glucose test which showed a Glucose reading of 15.7 - seemingly dogs should be under 9.

My vet says we should be able to get her glucose down with diet so she's now starting on the Hills Prescription diet for diabetic dogs and she's to go back for a blood test in 2 weeks. The vet isn't overly concerned & says that dogs wouldnt go on insulin til the glucose reading is in the 20's. If her glucose isn't down she will have to go on insulin. I'm really really worried about her. Does anyone have experience with a diabetic diet controlled dog? I understand all about an insulin diabetic dog as my mum has one but just interested to hear about diet controlled dogs. I'm just very stressed about her at the moment, she's very lethargic as well - she'll be 11 in November.
Thanks for any comments.

DBB

Hi OP, Westies seem to be terribly prone to developing diabetes especially as they hit her age group. I haven't had personal experience dealing with the condition, but I do know that a number of Westie owners have controlled it well by feeding Naturediet. The dry prescription diets can be a little unpalatable, and Westies on dry food are always at a risk of developing allergies to the little bugs that live in dry food (storage mites). By all means use the prescription food as advised by your vet, but just be aware that the side-effects of the dry might be a bit of a pain to deal with, if your Westie decides to become allergic, and that there are alternatives available if you need them.
I don't know if it's any consolation to know that it's a common condition in the breed, I hope it is to some extent. I'm sure there'll be others along here soon to give personal experiences of living with the condition.

Outkast_IRE

May I ask what food she was being fed previously ?

misschoo

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

May I ask what food she was being fed previously ?

Hi I was feeding her Royal Canin Mini Light weight management kibble twice a day. I would add a little chicken to it or else a little wet food. She gets no scraps or anything like that because I'm conscious of her weight.

Outkast_IRE

misschoo wrote: »

Hi I was feeding her Royal Canin Mini Light weight management kibble twice a day. I would add a little chicken to it or else a little wet food. She gets no scraps or anything like that because I'm conscious of her weight.

Was she always overweight or were you just trying to keep the weight down at the correct weight.

Realtine

misschoo wrote: »

Hi my Westie has been drinking excessively and wetting in the house during the night. No weight loss but had to bring her to the vet for another reason & had to bring a urine sample. The glucose on the dipstick was at the top or at the highest reading. So we had to return the next day for a fasting blood glucose test which showed a Glucose reading of 15.7 - seemingly dogs should be under 9.

My vet says we should be able to get her glucose down with diet so she's now starting on the Hills Prescription diet for diabetic dogs and she's to go back for a blood test in 2 weeks. The vet isn't overly concerned & says that dogs wouldnt go on insulin til the glucose reading is in the 20's. If her glucose isn't down she will have to go on insulin. I'm really really worried about her. Does anyone have experience with a diabetic diet controlled dog? I understand all about an insulin diabetic dog as my mum has one but just interested to hear about diet controlled dogs. I'm just very stressed about her at the moment, she's very lethargic as well - she'll be 11 in November.
Thanks for any comments.

Our Cavalier is diabetic and on insulin and he's doing great. It took a couple of months to get it regulated to suit him but since we did and with the vets advice regarding feeding and diet he's a different dog.

Its a bit daunting at first, his first blood test when we realised that something was not quite right with him, his glucose was into the 30's - so high. But you'd never think he was ill now, he's eight years old and his food is measured out, 100 measure of science hills twice a day, about an hour after his first insulin shot at 7am, a treat of either apple or a rice cake about 2pm, another shot of insulin at 7pm followed by dinner at 8 (an hour later) - it takes a little while for everyone to get into the routine (we have three dogs in total and we now feed them all at the same time) and it's grand.

He knows immediately when it's time for his needle cos he gets a tiny treat after, and it was no bother learning how to give it to him, I made the whole family learn how to give him his injection.
But hopefully your dog will lose some extra weight which will really help him.

The lower weight they are the less insulin you will need, if it comes to that and besides it's healthier, I would have never thought my dog was overweight but apparently he was. He has lost a couple of kilos and it suits him, the lethargy is part of the disease so once he starts getting treated, either by insulin or weight loss you should see an improvement.

It can be costly though, especially at the beginning while trying to get the blood glucose down. all those tests:eek:
Good luck, im sure with love and care she'll be fine.

misschoo

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

Was she always overweight or were you just trying to keep the weight down at the correct weight.

She's 11kg so she always has been a little overweight so I was giving her the Royal Canine to keep her weight down.

muddypaws

misschoo wrote: »

She's 11kg so she always has been a little overweight so I was giving her the Royal Canine to keep her weight down.

The thing is though, adding bits to it like you were, would have negated any benefits from feeding a 'light' food.

I hope that you manage to get the diabetes under control, best of luck

Outkast_IRE

misschoo wrote: »

She's 11kg so she always has been a little overweight so I was giving her the Royal Canine to keep her weight down.

Best of luck, leave us know what happens in the future, hopefully it can all be under control.

misschoo

Realtine wrote: »

Our Cavalier is diabetic and on insulin and he's doing great. It took a couple of months to get it regulated to suit him but since we did and with the vets advice regarding feeding and diet he's a different dog.

Its a bit daunting at first, his first blood test when we realised that something was not quite right with him, his glucose was into the 30's - so high. But you'd never think he was ill now, he's eight years old and his food is measured out, 100 measure of science hills twice a day, about an hour after his first insulin shot at 7am, a treat of either apple or a rice cake about 2pm, another shot of insulin at 7pm followed by dinner at 8 (an hour later) - it takes a little while for everyone to get into the routine (we have three dogs in total and we now feed them all at the same time) and it's grand.

He knows immediately when it's time for his needle cos he gets a tiny treat after, and it was no bother learning how to give it to him, I made the whole family learn how to give him his injection.
But hopefully your dog will lose some extra weight which will really help him.

The lower weight they are the less insulin you will need, if it comes to that and besides it's healthier, I would have never thought my dog was overweight but apparently he was. He has lost a couple of kilos and it suits him, the lethargy is part of the disease so once he starts getting treated, either by insulin or weight loss you should see an improvement.

It can be costly though, especially at the beginning while trying to get the blood glucose down. all those tests:eek:
Good luck, im sure with love and care she'll be fine.

Hi Realtine - thanks for your post wow glucose in the 30's! I guess that's why my vet wants to try a diabetic diet initially to see if it gets the glucose levels down otherwise we're looking at insulin. Though from what I've read online diabetes in dogs isn't well managed just by diet alone & most go on insulin 😕. I wouldn't be daunted by that due to seeing all going on with my Mums dog. I feel so sorry for my own right now - drinking like there's no tomorrow & wetting bless her.

misschoo

muddypaws wrote: »

The thing is though, adding bits to it like you were, would have negated any benefits from feeding a 'light' food.

I hope that you manage to get the diabetes under control, best of luck

Hi I never added anything fattening & adjusted her kibble accordingly if I was giving her chicken or a little wet food with her kibble.

Judging what I was feeding her is nothing to do with my original post asking about anyone else's experiences with feeding a diabetic dog. But thanks for your good wishes. I'm very stressed and extremely upset about this.

muddypaws

misschoo wrote: »

Hi I never added anything fattening & adjusted her kibble accordingly if I was giving her chicken or a little wet food with her kibble.

Judging what I was feeding her is nothing to do with my original post asking about anyone else's experiences with feeding a diabetic dog. But thanks for your good wishes. I'm very stressed and extremely upset about this.

OK, sorry, I wasn't sure if her weight was a factor in the diabetes, the weight reduction food is specially formulated, and adding anything to it can negate any benefits, even if you think that you have adjusted the amount properly. I probably wasn't clear, but the Hills vet food is very expensive, so if you manage to get the diabetes under control, you may be able to switch back to the previous food, but if that is possible, I would recommend you just stick to that.

misschoo

Thanks - the vet wants her on a high fibre diabetic food hoping that this will reduce her glucose so we don't have to go the insulin route. When I was comparing this Hills prescription diet to her RC it is different as regards fibre/protein/carbs. I'm also mixing it with part Hills prescription diabetic tinned as she will absolutely not eat kibble on it's own so the vet recommended this or else soften it with water & add a bit of chicken so she'll eat it. I'm so desperately worried about her & it's all I can think about at the moment.

misschoo

I know that the Hills food is expensive but if it works & brings her glucose down then nothing else matters - I just want her to feel well

misschoo

Her weight isn't a factor in this as per the vet - it's to do with her age too but I guess if she lost a kg or 2 it would help her so all good if this happens.

boomerang

I feel for you OP, I know how scary and shocking it is when your dog gets an unexpected diagnosis of a significant illness.

This is a website I go back to again and again for excellent health and dietary advice - you will find these two articles on diabetes very helpful:


http://www.dogaware.com/articles/wdjdiabetes.html

http://www.dogaware.com/articles/wdjdiabetesdiets.html

misschoo

boomerang wrote: »

I feel for you OP, I know how scary and shocking it is when your dog gets an unexpected diagnosis of a significant illness.

This is a website I go back to again and again for excellent health and dietary advice - you will find these two articles on diabetes very helpful:


http://www.dogaware.com/articles/wdjdiabetes.html

http://www.dogaware.com/articles/wdjdiabetesdiets.html

Hi Boomerang thanks very much for those links - lots of information. She is eating the Hils food thank God so I'm hoping it'll make a difference but her bloods will tell us in 2 weeks. She has no energy right now & it's awful to see a dog that absolutey loves her walks only want to go out to go to the toilet

misschoo

Over the last few days my dog has deteriorated energy wise & has noticeable weight loss so I brought forward next Tuesdays blood glucose test appointment to this evening. Her glucose has risen a little so the vet has started her on Insulin earlier. She has also lost 2kg in the last couple of weeks so is now at a healthy weight of 9.2kg. I don't know if this is due to the dietary food or her condition but its all positive. Hopefully the insulin will turn her back to the happy little monkey she was before.

boomerang

Best of luck to her misschoo and lots of love to you both.

misschoo

H Realtine we're 2 & a half weeks into the insulin & I'm finding it really difficult to stretch the 12 hours between her feeding times as she's absolutely ravenous for at least 3-4 hours before she's due to be fed in the evening. I've found a great dog diabetes forum & they all recommend feeding your dog before giving the insulin - my own Mums vet recommends the same so I'm quite confused by this. I spoke to my vet last week & she said that when she first started out they recommended feeding first - then insulin but now it's the opposite! Thought my Mums vets says different. Also my vet isn't recommending glucose curve testing at all which bothers me a bit as my Mums dog had this done & the forum people say it should be done initially. All I've been recommended by my vet to do is do a urine dipstick each morning & if it is reading high (brown) up her insulin by 1 unit per day - I've also been told that it can take for up to a week for a dogs body to adjust to each increase so should I be increasing it this quickly (as per the vet)? I'm not necessarily asking for your advice as I know I should talk to my vet but I'm just asking you can you advice me based on your own experiences? Many thanks.

RH149

My 12 year old Westie had diabetes and I feel your pain about seeing him so hungry. My vet prescribed Hills Senior Light and a very small amount at that. She recommended I give him his insulin and then feed him...was normally no problem as he was so hungry he wolfed it down and licked and licked at the bowl looking for more but every few months he'd just go off it and refuse to eat it. I figured the Light food it must be like eating dry Ryvita and when he wouldn't eat it I'd add a few spoonfuls of chicken broth or sometimes a spoonful of tuna to the dish and mix it in to give it some taste which usually meant that he'd at least eat it. Not ideal but it was worse to have given him his insulin and then see him not eat.
Over the two years with diabetes he lost a lot of weight-was a little chunky to begin with so needed to lose a bit but it was very tough to see him lose so much and to feel like I was starving him with such small food portions....he was constantly looking for food, poor baby.
The vet also recommended Burns dry food too-forget which type but when he'd start to reject the Hills Light I'd switch to Burns for a few weeks and he seemed to prefer that.

RH149

Meant to add that my dog had the glucose curve done at the beginning and several times during those two years. He also took a few days or up to a week to adjust to each change in his insulin level. It was expensive too- your vet may be trying to spare you some expense if you don't have pet insurance.

misschoo

My vet doesn't seem to want to do the glucose curve - said she only had to ever do it once. To be honest I'm a bit surprised as I feel that it should be done. I have insurance so it's not a problem & she knows that. We were back for a blood test on Friday & her glucose has gone from 16.6 three wks ago to 27 so we're back again for another blood test next week. If its gone up again I'm going to discuss doing a curve with the vet as I'm not really happy about upping the insulin by a unit a day. I'm afraid it'll go up too fast & we could miss the correct unit for her as her system won't get a chance to adjust properly.

RH149

I wouldn't be happy just upping it everyday myself either- unless you're also bringing her in to the vet a few times a week which I had to do on occasion. Is your vet only recently qualified? Seems odd that she has only done a glucose curve once before. Seemed quite routine when my little man was getting it done and while I only know of one other Westie with diabetes the owners of the boarding kennels I used to use told me they've seen a big increase in dogs with diabetes in the last number of years. Hope you get it sorted.