Canine Diabetes Education - The DDO-U: Diabetic Dog Owners University
There is so much to learn with canine diabetes! When Lucy was first diagnosed with diabetes I knew very little about the disease. Blood glucose levels, different types of insulin, U40 vs. U100 syringes, and much more were all new to me and I wanted to understand canine diabetes, so I dove in headfirst to learn all I could regarding this sometimes perplexing and frustrating disease. Once I learned about all I could and had a decent amount of experience I felt comfortable helping others navigate through canine diabetes. This led me down the path to becoming an administrator in our Facebook group Diabetic Dog Owners so that I could help others with my knowledge and personal experience. And honestly I love learning about all things diabetes, how the body functions, nutrition and the history and amazing discoveries made. Education is the key to successfully managing canine diabetes, just like insulin is the key to opening cells for glucose consumption.
We really wanted to help educate people so that we can change the median lifespan of diabetic dogs, so Alicia Belcher and I created a free online course that PetTest generously sponsors. Their sponsorship allows the platform to remain free to all students!
Our online course DDO-U: Diabetic Dog Owners University is an easy-to-follow class filled with valuable information along with graphics that can be saved and printed. The course is packed with just about everything we know, here is a list of all the modules with a brief description.
- Copyright Notice – must agree to the copyright agreement to enter the course.
- Terms of Use – must agree to the terms of use to enter the course.
- Welcome Module – The story of the DDO-U, explanation of the DDO-U and how to navigate through our Facebook group Diabetic Dog Owners.
- Introduction to Canine Diabetes – this module includes the 2018 AAHA Diabetes Mellitus Guidelines, diagnosis of diabetes, the cost of diabetes management, printables and some basic information.
- Uh Oh! “----” Now What? – probably one of the most popular modules that touches on the most common problems and how to deal with them: low fasting blood glucose, fur shots, double dosing, forgetting insulin, insulin left out, diabetic dog got into a sweet treat or carby food, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite and adjusting food and insulin time.
- Blood Glucose (BG) – an explanation of blood glucose along with ranges, different measurements, home testing blood glucose levels, blood glucose meters, collecting blood samples on test strips, where to lance for a blood sample, tips for difficult dogs and more!
- BG Curves – learn here what a blood glucose curve is, how to perform and how often to curve, insulin increases based on curves and how to get advice on curves.
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) – this module explains what DKA is, symptoms, monitoring for ketones in urine and what to do when ketones in urine are positive.
- Food, Water & Treats – commercial foods, homemade foods, toppers, personalized meal plans, the importance of weighing food and feeding the proper number of calories, treats, water consumption and much more is included in this module.
- Insulin and Injections – this module includes a quick guide for insulin administration, how and where to inject, types of insulin along with manufacturer instructions, syringe length, sharps disposal and tips for injecting difficult dogs.
- Hyperglycemia – explanation of hyperglycemia and what to do for hyperglycemia.
- Hypoglycemia – an important module which includes what hypoglycemia is, clinical symptoms and what to do for hypoglycemia.
- The Rebound/Somogyi Effect – What is rebound/Somogyi Effect and how to rule it out.
- The Dawn Phenomenon – an explanation of Dawn Phenomenon and what to do for it.
- Pancreatitis – an explanation of the pancreas, pancreatitis and treatment for this illness.
- Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) – UTI’s and diabetes, treatment and prevention.
- Over the Counter (OTC) Medications & Supplements for Diabetic Dogs – OTC meds that are safe for dogs along with supplements and homeopathic flea deterrents are in this module.
- Cataracts/Blindness – diabetes and diabetic cataracts, managing a blind dog and cataract surgery.
- Spaying Diabetic Females – the importance of spaying a diabetic female dog and why it is crucial to do.
- Miscellaneous Common Questions – other questions often asked that are answered in this module are minimizing the cost of diabetic treatment, excessive urination, gaining back lost weight, vaccinations, hind end weakness and calming aids safe for diabetic dogs.
- Canine Calorie Calculators: Make Your Dog’s Meal Plan – all the calculators you will ever need to make sure you are feeding the appropriate calories, carbohydrate and DMB, commercial foods calculators, homemade food calculator and combination food calculators.
- Diagnostics – if you are looking at your dog’s blood or urine results and want to know what they mean, this is a comprehensive breakdown of diagnostics.
- PetTest Resource Center – supplies, promo codes, learn tab and PetTest Project: Adopt a Sugar Baby are located in this module.
- Dr. Harvey’s Foods and Supplements – Dr. Harvey’s foods and supplements for our diabetic dogs along with the current discount code.
- DDO-U Resources – Printables available for download. These can be printed for future reference or use.
PHEW! That was a lot to type and every time I go through the DDO-U I realize just how much valuable information we have packed into this course. It is a lot of information, but the wonderful thing is that the DDO-U has no expiration date, so students can go back into the course as often as needed. The DDO-U is also updated with the most up to date information we have and I am very proud to say that we are a five star course!
If you have not joined the DDO-U yet, please do, you won’t regret it, even if you are a canine diabetes veteran you may learn something new and have resources available to you at the touch of a finger.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO PETTEST for sponsoring this course, we could not offer it for free without your generosity!
Link to the DDO-U: Diabetic Dog Owners University - https://ddo-u.thinkific.com/
Link to navigating the DDO-U – click here.
Until next week stay comfy and caffeinated!
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please start a conversation below.
If you are looking for a Facebook community to join for support, I have proudly been an admin in Diabetic Dog Owners for almost five years. You can also join Canine Diabetes Support and Information on Facebook as well.
Be sure to join the PetTest family on Facebook and Instagram. PetTest has fun, interactive posts AND they have fabulous giveaways every week!
Do you need a blood glucose meter kit for your diabetes arsenal? Click here to purchase one today!
For a printable version of this blog click here.