Diabetes

[zacpud]

Hi all! My 9 year old silky X ,Oscar, was diagnosed with diabetes on Monday. He was in hospital for 3 days to be stabilised. He also has mild pancreatitis. I brought him home yesterday and he is now on Caninsulin 7 units daily. I have him on Royal Canin Diabetic diet...wouldn't eat the Hill's diet. Does anyone know of a fresh food diet I could give as well as the Royal Canin? I realise this will all depend on his BG levels but any info would be very much appreciated. Also, does anyone know where I can buy cheap syringes in QLD? Thank you for any help you may give.

[puggy_puggy]

For pancreatitis you would have to watch the fat content in any raw meats or bones you fed.

For the diabetes it's reccomended that you feed twice a day and a diet high in fiber. I would say that a normal BARF diet (with low fat meats and bones) with lots of veggies (fiber) would be fine for a diabetic dog.

[zacpud]

Thanks so much Puggy. The vet said no bones so I'll stick to that for the moment. However, I'll go with the low fat meat and vegies. I have managed humans with diabetes but this is the first dog one. So much to learn!

[puggy_puggy]

The vet said no bones so I'll stick to that for the moment.

I wonder why he said that. Maybe because of the fat content of some of the bones. I know that kangaroo is low in fat so a kangaroo tail might be a good alternative to other fattier bones.

You can also get kangaroo meat from pet produce stores.

[zacpud]

Yes, she did mention the fat content in the bones. I'll try to get on to some roo bones/meat. I live in a small town and we don't have a pet produce store. However, I should be able to get on to someone who sells roo meat. Thanks Puggy.

[baifra]

Hi all! My 9 year old silky X ,Oscar, was diagnosed with diabetes on Monday. He was in hospital for 3 days to be stabilised. He also has mild pancreatitis. I brought him home yesterday and he is now on Caninsulin 7 units daily. I have him on Royal Canin Diabetic diet...wouldn't eat the Hill's diet. Does anyone know of a fresh food diet I could give as well as the Royal Canin? I realise this will all depend on his BG levels but any info would be very much appreciated. Also, does anyone know where I can buy cheap syringes in QLD? Thank you for any help you may give.

Hi,

I had a dog with diabetes as well. We lost her in April this year due to heart failure at 12 years old.

I have plenty of syringes left over that I would be happy to send to you. Assuming that syringes can be sent in the post?

We didn't have Sammy on a particular diabetic diet but we adjusted her food as per her Blood Glucose levels. She had raw and dried food. It takes time to adjust but you will get there!!

Good luck with it. At first it is all a little overwhelming but soon it will be so routine you won't know any different.

Let me know if your interested in the syringes.

[zacpud]

Hi Baifra, I am so sorry to hear about Sammy. You must miss her a lot. 12 years is a good life for a fur kid. Thanks for your advice and the encouragement. Every bit helps.

[ex coordinator]

I have a 12 year old cocker spaniel who has been a diabetic now for over a year.She was a rescue dog and we got her ,when she was 10 years old.

I would have liked to have put her on other food rather than dry, but found that the dry is the more successful for her glucose levels to remain at the desired level. RoyalCanan and Hills Prescription WD mixed together has proved the best so far.I mix through this about a desert spoon full of canned maceral [from Franklins $1.34 a can] to make the dry food more tasty.Sometimes, some chicken fillet, no skin.

She has to have two meals a day. She has lost weight, as she was a little overweight and has got down where she is now on a maintenance diet. Also, I can pay with the amount of food and give her two other small meals, one in the middle of the day and one late at night, if I feel she needs it.

You have to be consistant with the time you feed your dog and give the insulin, each meal+ insulin about 12 hours apart from the next meal+insulin.

She can have no treats and must have regular exercise.We take her twice a day and try to get her to be as active as possible ,running around if possible.

She is a guts and ties to steal food from out Silky or the cats, from bins, picnicers etc.

You can try the needle exchange for drug addicts, some chemists dont care who use the service. Seems wrong that drug addicts can get them free,and human diabetics, but not dogs.

She has to go in monthly for the day to the vets to check her levels over a day, have regular urine tests.The worst thing is to get ketones in the urine sample, and this is where the diet is VERY important.Otherwise he kidneys suffer.

I didnt think I would be able to do the insulin needles twice a day, but do it now without wincing,which I would do in the beginning.

The eye sight is another important factor, and why the glucose levels must remain at a suitable level, as eventually they expect diabetic dogs to get cataracts.

It is like anything, once you get into a routine, it becomes second nature.

Good luck with your little one.

[jodie1]

Hi all! My 9 year old silky X ,Oscar, was diagnosed with diabetes on Monday. He was in hospital for 3 days to be stabilised. He also has mild pancreatitis. I brought him home yesterday and he is now on Caninsulin 7 units daily. I have him on Royal Canin Diabetic diet...wouldn't eat the Hill's diet. Does anyone know of a fresh food diet I could give as well as the Royal Canin? I realise this will all depend on his BG levels but any info would be very much appreciated. Also, does anyone know where I can buy cheap syringes in QLD? Thank you for any help you may give. :D

Hi Zacpud, Sorry to hear about Oscar - I had a Golden Retiriever with diabetes that we lost early this year at 12.5yrs . We had him on the Hills Prescription diet so can't offer any help with the fresh food ideas. As for the syringes I used to purchase Bensons online as it was much cheaper than the vet from http://vetnpetdirect.com.au/product.php?productid=16926

Good luck with your boy - as others have said it does get easier over time to give the injections, give him big cuddles from me

[zacpud]

Thank you so much for your input ex coordinator and Jodie 1. It really does help to find out what others do for their furkids. The mackerel in the dry food is a good idea. I imagine the dry doesn't have much taste. Oscar tries to steal food from the others as he has always been a guts. He is so quick too. He has lost 3 kg in the last 3 months so the vet said to try to keep him at 6kg for the time being. Still a tad overweight at 6. As for exercise, he runs around like a ratbag chasing the rest of the pack...I have 8.

Jodie 1, I have given him a big cuddle for you and he loved it. Thanks.

[zacpud]

Hi Zacpud, Sorry to hear about Oscar - I had a Golden Retiriever with diabetes that we lost early this year at 12.5yrs . We had him on the Hills Prescription diet so can't offer any help with the fresh food ideas. As for the syringes I used to purchase Bensons online as it was much cheaper than the vet from http://vetnpetdirect.com.au/product.php?productid=16926

Good luck with your boy - as others have said it does get easier over time to give the injections, give him big cuddles from me :D

Jodie, I was so sorry to hear about the loss of your Golden Retriever. It is very hard to lose a pet as they become part of the family. We never forget them. He was a great age which makes it so much harder to be without him...they leave a big hole in our lives.

Run free,dear boy!

[lovemypooch]

Hi all. I have nearly a full bottle of Caninsulin i need to give away.. I know that this stuff is expensive so instead of throwing it away i would like to give it to someone who will get use from it.

Im located in Brisbane on the southside, if anyone is interested please msg me. I also have some Advance Weight Control dog food dry/wet as well.

[sandgrubber]

I periodically (usually Xmas) look after a ~10 yr old Labbie with diabetes. She is fine on regular maintenance biscuits (I use the product that Eagle pack markets in Asia, called Prism) with half a trimmed chicken frame a day.

I expect it will take awhile and some patience to get your dog stabilised . . . but if the disease is not extreme, you may be able to go to a relatively ordinary diet. Some vets say 'no bones' no matter what the condition is. Sometimes you have to second guess your vet . . . or get a second opinion . . . on the bones question.

As others have suggested, bones are highly variable in fat content.

[ownedbyamstaff]

What part of Queensland are you in?

I may be able to get hold of some syringes & needles for you??

Will have to get onto my fav person (my Mum) :D

[Rappie]

Right now, the no bones recommendation is because this dog has a pancreas that is not functioning properly. It's not regulating the release of digestive enzymes, nor is it producing sufficient amount of insulin. It needs a low fat diet with a moderate fibre content, fed in consistent, measurable quantities while it is stabilising. Once the BG levels are stable, then yes, you can speak to your vet about modifying the diet but "stable" may take several weeks or months to eventuate.