Diabetes - Advice?

[Rhi]

Bacon and eggs for breakfast

Marrow bone for lunch

Chicken legs/lamb cutlets and low carb veges for dinnner!

Life of a dog is goooooood!

Just a suggestion (I'm diffinately no expert), when my realative was diagnosed with diabetes her diet changed from pastas to high fat meals (until she became better educated), she didn't have any problems with being 'under weight'

[bonny_beagle]

Assuming diabetes works the same way with dogs as with humans.....

The principles of managing diabetes are centered around maintaining a reasonably low blood glucose.

Glucose is an essential energy source for the brain and red blood cells so the idea is to feed a consistant amount of carbohydrate (which is broken down into glucose) and titrate insulin levels to achieve good blood glucose control. If the dog is eating a dry food in even quantities each day then you will achieve this.

The reason insulin dependant diabetics lose weight before diagnosis is that they absorb glucose from their carb intake into the blood but without insulin cannot use it as an energy source. It builds up in the blood and is excreted in the urine, so they are getting no energy out of the carbs they are eating.

Sugar is a carbohydrate and so is rice, bread, pasta, fruit the list goes on, all will affect the blood glucose.

Protein however will not directly afftect blood glucose levels, neither will lipids (fats), although as mentioned fat breakdown involves the liver. By all means check everything with the dogs vet but I would think adding extra protein (fresh meat) and fat (as a supplement with vitamins) to the diet should help put weight on, without compromising blood glucose control.

I believe signs of hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose) would be the same in dogs as humans - excessive drinking and excessive urination. Both hypo and hyperglycaemia can cause coma, if the dog is non-responsive at any time it will need immediate vet attention.

I must say though that I know nothing about diabetes management in dogs, I just hope some background might help you feel a bit more confident.

[Teebs]

Thanks

They wont change vet so that is out of the question.

Just trying to get as much info as i can fro them - how do you make Satinballs?

I don't think diabetes can be effectively managed without veterinary monitoring. If they won't change vets, is there any chance of feeding information to the vet? I don't want to dramatise the situation, but I suspect this dog's life is in danger.

Thank you, but if you do go and read above, i DID say that they will not do anything without the vets ok. That means they will take this info to their vets, and talk to them before starting any of it.

[Teebs]

Assuming diabetes works the same way with dogs as with humans.....

The principles of managing diabetes are centered around maintaining a reasonably low blood glucose.

Glucose is an essential energy source for the brain and red blood cells so the idea is to feed a consistant amount of carbohydrate (which is broken down into glucose) and titrate insulin levels to achieve good blood glucose control. If the dog is eating a dry food in even quantities each day then you will achieve this.

The reason insulin dependant diabetics lose weight before diagnosis is that they absorb glucose from their carb intake into the blood but without insulin cannot use it as an energy source. It builds up in the blood and is excreted in the urine, so they are getting no energy out of the carbs they are eating.

Sugar is a carbohydrate and so is rice, bread, pasta, fruit the list goes on, all will affect the blood glucose.

Protein however will not directly afftect blood glucose levels, neither will lipids (fats), although as mentioned fat breakdown involves the liver. By all means check everything with the dogs vet but I would think adding extra protein (fresh meat) and fat (as a supplement with vitamins) to the diet should help put weight on, without compromising blood glucose control.

I believe signs of hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose) would be the same in dogs as humans - excessive drinking and excessive urination. Both hypo and hyperglycaemia can cause coma, if the dog is non-responsive at any time it will need immediate vet attention.

I must say though that I know nothing about diabetes management in dogs, I just hope some background might help you feel a bit more confident.

Thank you!

[bonny_beagle]

Thank you!

No problem