Supplies for Your Diabetic Dog

So we now know the importance of keeping a journal and home testing, so now we need to know what supplies we should keep on hand.

Testing Supplies:

Strips: I always made sure that I had at least one new unopened package of strips besides the one that I was using. Why? Well, I have been that Mom that has dropped the entire vial of strips out of the container all over the kitchen floor. That was more of a big deal when the strips were just loose in the vial, but now with the  individually wrapped PetTest strips, it’s less of a necessity and more just a good practice to keep as many on hand as you can afford. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you have plenty of time to place your next order. All it takes is one round of low numbers when you have to test repeatedly to determine what a safe dose of insulin is to give your pup because their fasting number is lower than it should be and POOF… Now you’re running low on strips. Eeeeeeek! That’s what you scream as you’re running out the door to go buy one of the few “approved” human meters at your nearest pharmacy and paying twice what you would have for those strips until your order gets here! Does it sound like I have firsthand knowledge of this scenario? I may or may not have experienced this myself (that is for me to know…lol).

Meter: Did I always have a backup meter? Why yes, in fact, I did. Thank you for asking! I did not personally have an experience with dropping my meter or submerging it in the kitchen sink full of dishes because there wasn’t enough light where I was standing, but I know many that have! In order to save yourself from a repeat of the “Eeeeeeek” scenario above, when it’s in your budget, you may want to have a spare meter on hand. It’s one of those things that really won’t break the bank yet gives you great comfort just knowing that it’s there. I will share that the first 10 times that I saw on the Facebook group that I belong to that someone had dropped their meter on the floor or in the sink or wherever, I did check my supplies to be sure that my extra was still there. Phew! They are not fragile by any means, but they are not indestructible! I did have a second meter that was in my “walk kit”. Every day, at least two times a day, sometimes three, we took a walk. I always had a meter, strips, treats, emergency supplies like the  Glucose SOS for Pets in the event that Max needed intervention. Thankfully, it never happened while away from the house, but I have had some hypos that thankfully were caught in time. I tried to always be prepared and I knew his patterns very well. How did you know that you ask? I tested at home! ;o)

Syringes: I used Novolin N for my Max so if I ever was running low on syringes, it wasn’t a big deal to run out and replace them at a local pharmacy, but if you use Vetsulin, you need those U-40 syringes and they are not sold over the counter readily. So you’ll want to be sure that you have plenty on hand.

In case of a mild hypoglycemic event: If you test your pup and they are at or near 100, you’ll want to give a "carby" treat. Maybe a biscuit or my “go to” was a half of a Low-Fat or Fat-Free Fig Newton. Many keep the little peanut butter crackers on hand. In my “walk kit” I kept some organic dog biscuits that were small and would give me 50 or so points fairly quickly. If we weren’t close to home, I’d give two of them. The only way to know how exercise affects your pup is to test right before the exercise and again right after you return from it. This is another reason to note weather in your journal (we covered this in the blog on journaling), many pup’s numbers are very affected by temperature. Some can’t even lay in a sunbeam without their numbers being affected.

In case of a serious hypoglycemic event: This means that your pup has tested below 70 or worse, is in the throes of a seizure. Waste NO TIME getting your  Glucose SOS for Pets syringe or if you don’t have one yet, Karo syrup, honey or pancake syrup… smear it on the pup’s gums for optimal absorption, followed by a carby treat. We will discuss hypoglycemic events in a future entry.

These are the basics of the “must have” supplies. When we meet next, we will continue our supplies list. Until then, remember that you can never be too prepared with this disease and once you have your supplies together, all you have to do is replenish what you’re running out of. If this seems daunting, I will suggest that you have a look at the  PetTest Diabetes Survival Kit and use the code: DSK190DISCOUNT for an AMAZING discount! Not only are the “mandatory” supplies that you need in there, including a fabulous Countertop Organizer (the Stor-More), but a whole lot of other goodies too!