Frequently Asked, Frequently Answered
When we are told that our dog has diabetes and will require insulin injections twice a day for the rest of their lives our heads spin. We are quickly taught how to give injections, given a handout on diabetes (if we are lucky) and sent home. Once we wrap our heads around diagnosis the questions flood in. So many questions!
If you are lucky enough to be in a support group like Diabetic Dog Owners on Facebook, your questions are answered quickly…but not everyone is on Facebook. So today I want to go over some frequent questions we get from new members.
Grab a cup of your favorite caffeinated beverage and let’s get to it!
Will the excessive urinating and drinking ever stop?
Excessive urination and water consumption are quite common with newly diagnosed diabetic dogs and these symptoms may have been the reason you took your dog to the vets for a check-up to begin with. High, uncontrolled blood glucose can cause dehydration. The kidneys filter blood and when blood glucose levels are over 180 mg/dL (10 mmol/L) they filter out excess glucose. The kidneys require a lot of moisture to do their work.
Once blood glucose levels are lower the excessive urinating and drinking should subside. This can take some time so be patient with yourself and your pup!
Another complication of uncontrolled blood glucose levels is urinary tract infections (UTI). Glucose sits in the bladder until the bladder is full and glucose breeds bacteria. If you notice your dog urinating often, straining to urinate or urine is dark you should contact your vet.
Pro tips: Ketone urinalysis strips and UTI urine test strips are great tools to have in your diabetes arsenal. You can quickly act on ketone levels and possible UTI’s when you have these.
My dog is so thin, will he ever gain weight back?
Glucose is used as energy, or it feeds cells and insulin opens cells to accept glucose; think of insulin as the “key” that open cell doors for glucose to enter them. When there isn’t enough insulin to open cells to accept glucose, the body uses stored fat and muscle for energy. This is precisely why diabetic dogs lose weight.
Once blood glucose levels drop to lower levels they should start gaining weight. Remember, the body is a fine-tuned machine and all parts need to work together to function properly.
Another thing to check is food quantities. You need to ensure that your dog is eating for ideal weight and activity level.
Pro tip: Weigh your dog’s food each meal. Consistency is important with diabetic dogs!
What is a safe blood glucose range for my diabetic dog?
Non-diabetic blood glucose range is 70 – 120 mg/dL (3.88 – 6.66 mmol/L).
We don’t want to run our diabetic dogs in non-diabetic range since we risk hypoglycemic event so a safe range for diabetic dogs is 100 – 250 mg/dL (5.55 – 13.88 mmol/L). We call this “target range” and it helps take the strain off their organs. High blood glucose levels puts strain on blood vessels, the heart, kidneys, liver, can damage the eyes and can cause diabetic neuropathy.
Pro tip: testing blood glucose levels at home is crucial to managing diabetes and getting to target levels.
What is a blood glucose curve and how often should I run them?
Blood glucose curves show how food and insulin are working, it is the only clear window we have to see exactly how the insulin we inject is working. After a dog is started on insulin the vet usually suggests running a blood glucose curve in seven to ten days. Insulin is then adjusted based on these results. Insulin is increased in small increments, usually ½ unit and increases are based on the lowest blood glucose reading, not the highest reading.
How a blood glucose curve is run:
- Test blood glucose at AM fasting (before food and insulin)
- Feed
- Give insulin
- Test every two hours until PM fasting
- Viola, curve done!
A curve should be run every seven to ten days until target range is obtained. Once your dog is in target range you can run a curve every couple of months. Any time blood glucose levels are consistently off a blood glucose curve should be performed.
Curves run at home are more accurate due to stress levels being increased at the vet’s office. Stress can skew blood glucose levels.
Pro tip: The PetTest Digital Companion App is a great tool to have. You can enter your dog’s profile, blood glucose results, curve results, medication alarms and more.
Can I re-use syringes or lancets?
Simple answer, NO you should not re-use syringes or lancets. These products are manufactured for single use and should be disposed of properly after use. Needles dull each time they are used. Dull needles cause more pain and there is a risk of infection.
The only time we suggest re-using a syringe is if there is a situation where you do not have any more syringes available.
Pro tip: Purchasing multiple boxes of syringes and lancets ensures that you won’t run out of either.
I hope that today’s blog has answered some questions that you may have had! And now that you know the answers to these questions, you can help a fellow sugar parent with these frequently asked questions!
Below is a list with links to PetTest products including ketone urinalysis strips, UTI urine strips, blood glucose meter kit, digital kitchen scale and the PetTest Digital Companion App!
PetTest Ketone Glucose Urinalysis Strips - https://shoppettest.com/ketone-strips-for-pets/
PetTest Urinary Tract Infection Test Strips - https://shoppettest.com/pettest-urinary-tract-infection-test-strips-for-pets-2-packs-of-50/
Advocate Universal Digital Food Scale - https://shoppettest.com/advocate-universal-digital-food-scale/
PetTest Blood Glucose Meter Kit - https://shoppettest.com/pettest-meter-kit/
PetTest U40 Syringes:
0.5 cc, 31 gauge, 5/16” - https://shoppettest.com/advocate-pettest-u-40-insulin-syringes-31g-5cc-5-16-100-box/
Advocate U100 Syringes:
0.3 cc, 30 gauge, 5/16” - https://shoppettest.com/advocate-syringes-30g-3cc-5-16-100-box/
0.5 cc, 30 gauge, 5/16” - https://shoppettest.com/syringes-30g-0-5cc/
0.3 cc, 30 gauge, ½” - https://shoppettest.com/advocate-u-100-insulin-syringes-30g-3cc-1-2-100-box-1/
0.3 cc, 31 gauge, 5/16” - https://shoppettest.com/syringes-31g-3cc/
0.5 cc, 31 gauge, 5/16” - https://shoppettest.com/syringes-31g-5cc/
PetTest 21 Gauge Twist Top Lancets - https://shoppettest.com/pettest-twist-top-lancets/
PetTest 21 Gauge Safety Lancets - https://shoppettest.com/pettest-safety-lancets/
PetTest Digital Companion App - https://shoppettest.com/app/
PetTest Digital Companion App Tutorial - https://shoppettest.com/blog/pettest-digital-companion-tutorial/
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 over 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!
For a printable version of this blog click here.