Regulate your Diabetic Pet at Home & Make a Personal Pet Glucose Curve Yourself! Switching pets over from Vetsulin to DNA based insulin is not hard and daily regulation using your pets urine along with a product, available at Walgreen’s, called Diastix, will help you regulate your diabetic pet at home as quickly as possible. Most diabetic pets should be regulated within a week of beginning their new stable DNA based insulin.
Learn how to make a glucose curve for your pet at home. This will prove to be very helpful and will provide you and your vet with valuable information. It will allow you to monitor sugar level trends and follow your pet’s sugar levels accurately and cost effectively. You can also add a box at the end of each day to mark down any important signs you noticed in your pet that day such as appetite, energy levels, attitude, water consumption, frequency of urinating, etc. Whenever you visit your vet bring your chart along and review it with your vet.
Once you make your pet’s sugar curve chart, be sure to post it in a convenient place like your refrigerator door. This way everyone in your family will be on the same page when it comes to your pets insulin dosages. To Make Your Pet’s Personal Sugar Curve: Take a piece of notebook paper and write down the date each day. Place the dates vertically down the left side of the paper. Across the top of the paper, mark down the time of day, the urine sugar reading and the dose of insulin you have given every morning and every evening. You simply match the color of your pet’s urine to the numeric value on the Diastix strip and adjust the insulin dosage accordingly. This is vital to try to minimize further internal organ damage and preserve what if any vision is left, before cataracts occur.
It is important to remember that your goal each day with the urine Diastix is a reading of “trace.” Each time you get a reading of “trace”, that means you are doing a great job and you just repeat the previous insulin dosage. If the Diastix reads minus 1, reduce the insulin dose by 1 unit. If the Diastix reads minus 2, decrease the dose by 2 units. If the Diastix reads plus 2, increase the insulin dose 2 units, if the reading is plus one, increase the insulin dose one unit. It is important to remember that you NEVER, ever increase or decrease the insulin dosage by more than 2 units.
It is always a good idea, to keep a jar of honey or karo syrup handy just in case, after giving the insulin your pet looks dazed or gets wobbly. This is a sign that the insulin dose was too high and as a result your pet’s blood sugar is too low. We call this hypoglycemia. If this occurs, rub a teaspoon of the honey or karo syrup directly into your pets gums. It is immediately absorbed through the gums and enters the blood. This raises the blood sugar level almost instantly which then makes your pet feel much better and avoid hypoglycemia or a low blood sugar crisis.
The daily home routine for most diabetic pets is as follows:
- When you wake up, take your pet outside and collect the first morning urine. Use the Diastix and get a urine sugar reading so you know what dose of insulin to give. Feed 1/3 of your pet’s breakfast, then give the insulin. After that, give your pet the remainder of his or her breakfast.
- In the evening, just repeat the same procedure. If your pet does not eat the first part of his or her meal, before it’s time for you to inject the insulin, this is a sign that something is wrong. If this happens, do not give any insulin, call your veterinarian.
- Dr. Carol’s Tip: To save dollars: Cut each urine test strip in half longitudinally. This turns 50 Diastix into 100 and cuts your cost in half.
We have had a lot of success at our veterinary clinic with our diabetic canine patients by adding in digestive enzymes to help take the work load off of the already sickened pancreas. We also add probiotics, which are referred to as “good’ or “friendly” bacteria, such as Lactobacillus. Probiotic supplements are helpful for dogs and cats.
For example you’ve probably see a commercial on television for a type of yogurt called Activa. It is fine to offer pet’s yogurt and most pets enjoy the taste. Unfortunately your pet would need to consume so much yogurt to get enough friendly bacteria he would likely end up with another stomach ache. So we use concentrated PROBIOTIC supplements, mixed with your pet’s meals. This way, we promote normal digestion while letting your pets sickened pancreas rest, recuperate and take a break.
“Friendly” bacteria are normally present in the digestive system and are responsible for absorbing digested dietary nutrients. With repeated bouts of indigestion and sensitive stomachs, the good or friendly bacteria get replaced by “bad” gas forming bacteria which prolong digestion issues and make returning to good health that much harder for your dog.
The pancreas is a small flat organ smaller than a kitchen sponge. Half of the pancreas makes digestive enzymes and the other half makes insulin. With repeated stomach upsets, including bouts of vomiting and diarrhea, the half making digestive enzymes gets inflamed and releases digestive enzymes to the point that it becomes so exhausted, pancreatitis results. With repeated bouts of pancreatitis, the other “insulin producing” half of the pancreas gets worn out and can no longer make insulin. The result is Diabetes.
We also discuss pet diets with our patients and have enjoyed success in many of our diabetic pets using home-made organic diets and an all-natural, patented vitamin-supplement for dogs called Paaws.
Paaws vitamins balance out your pets home-made pet diet, boost internal immunity and help to further stabilize blood sugar levels, making insulin regulation for diabetic dogs and cats that much easier.
Many diabetic dogs also suffering with kidney issues have returned to normal kidney function by adding in the Kidney Essentials, a wonderful, natural, herbal kidney supplement.
For blind pets that already have cataracts, there are no products to restore vision. For diabetic pets that can still see, many have benefited from the Eye Essentials, which are a natural, herbal eye supplement.
To join the Vetsulin Class Action Law Suit,
call 1-419-255-5990.
I hope this information is helpful for all the diabetic dog and cat owners affected by the Vetsulin issue, looking for help with their pets.
Hi,
I just discovered your website. My Mollie, 12 year Keeshond, was started on Vetsulin on Jan. 27,2010. I had surgery the next day, or I would have read about this sooner. I went to the Vetsulin website and saw the alert, then started reading more. I am horrified that I am giving her something that could harm her. Although she has had a positive reaction (so far) as soon as I can call my vet, I am getting her off it. I am also going to start the urine testing.
I am still trying to figure out the vitamin supplements. I am treating her diet “close” to my own as I am pre-diabetic so reading all I can on canine diabetes and comparing it with what I know will be taking up the next few days.
Enough of my rambling, I am glad you are here, as I am kind of lost. Thank you.
Hi Jeri,
If you need help with getting Mollie re-regulated on her new insulin, I am glad to help you and am available toll free at 1-866-372-2765.
An excellent vitamin supplement, you might consider for diabetic dogs is PAAWS, available at chagrinfallspetclinic.com
Best Wishes
Dr Carol
Today is February 19, 2010 and I just found out about the Vetsulin issue yesterday, on my own. My vet has yet to mention there are issues with Vetsulin. When we called this past weekend to get a renewal on the Vetsulin, all the vet said was they didn’t carry it anymore and now they were now prescribing NPH.
They knew we had enough Vetsulin to get us through the weekend; but did they say, STOP!? No, we put two more injections of that poison in her.
I didn’t understand why the change and just made a joke to my husband, I “hope there is no recall going on”. OMG! I started to cry yesterday when I began reading all the blogs on this subject. My dog, Ally was put on Vetsulin last May 2009 and she has suffered all the excessive thirst, complete bladder loss, hair loss, weight loss; and in the last 3 weeks, went completely blind!! I sit here and look at her and think; if I had been informed in Nov of the issues, would it have saved her from going blind?? It makes me sick to think my pet has suffered.
She just turned 10 in Nov, but somehow we were told it was all due to her age. As of today, she has been on NPH for a week and seems to be doing better. My husband is a diabetic and therefore, we were very informed and intelligent on how we monitored and administered the Vetsulin. It never seemed to work. Luckily for us, we just didn’t keep giving her more and more.
I am calling the law office today. Again, this is so wrong. I am just as mad with the vet for dropping the ball. I am looking for another vet today. Why did they not call their animal’s owners?? I don’t understand this at all.
Dear Phyllis,
I am sorry your dog suffered through all of this and am glad to help you.
Please feel free to call our office toll free at 1-866-372-2765.
If you need help regulating her. I recommend using urine test tape called Diastix or Keto-Diastix, both are available at Walgreens.
We have been re-regulating these dogs in 3-5 days with no problems at all!
Bets Wishes,
Dr. Carol
Dear Dr. Carol,
I have a 10 year old Walker Coonhound, Zack. Last January we found out that he had diabetes, he has been on Vetsulin ever since. I just found out about the recall, and I asked my vet if I should be concerned. They said no, and they they were still prescribing it.
The more I read online, and the signs that Zack is showing, ie… increased urination, and it seems that he has lost a lot more weight, I am more and more concerned. I asked the vet, and they said that it was time for him to come in for a glucose curve, so they could look at his dosage of vetsulin. I made the appointment for this coming Thursday.
I am so afraid that they are going to want to him him on the vetsulin. I don’t know that much about the different options out there for my dog. Can you tell me what type or brand of insulin I should tell the vet that I want to switch Zack to? Thank you.
Kim
Hi Kim,
The vetsulin is not effective at all, which is why its recalled and why Zack is showing all the signs of unregulated Diabetes.
There is a $29 million dollar Vetsulin class action law suit because many dogs are already dead!!
Waiting until Thursday for a curve is not in your dogs best interest and every hour and day he remains on Vetsulin,
irreversible damage is occurring inside your dogs body.
My recommendation is to ask your vet for a prescription for Humulin N (100IU) available at Walmart.
Walmart’s brand of Humulin-N, is called Novolin-N. It’s $24.00 a bottle and its excellent! Be sure to get matching needles that are also 100 IU.
Then if you’d like to get your dog re-regulated at home using urine, pick up a bottle of urine test strips at Walgreens.
They are called Diastix. If they are out of Diastix, get the Keto-Diastix.
If you would like me to help you get your dog regulated, just call our office toll free at 1-866-372-2765, and we can begin today.
We have been getting these dogs, just like yours re-regulated accurately and easily in 3-5 days.
Thank you
DR Carol
I am so incredibly sad. I just found your website today after researching vetsulin. Rocky, our lab, was at our vet today. He switched his insulin from vetsulin to Humulin N and advised us of the instability and voluntary recall of vetsulin. Rocky has had continual shifts in his sugar levels. We have regularly found sticky puddles of urine and empty water as well as toilet bowls. (Thankfully we have all hardwood and slate floors.) He has been on a very strict diet and always seems hungry. Not long after he had been diagnosed with diabetes he went blind. Exactly one year ago we had surgery to correct his blindness and I am grateful we were able to do that for him. I was just sick when I read all these stories about vetsulin.
My heart went out to everyone who has also had a pet that has had side effects from treatment. I told my vet if either he or his partner would ever mistakenly do something in error even with tragic results I would quickly find forgiveness in my heart knowing that we are all human and also knowing that they have done and given so much for all my animals; however, when a company knowingly puts a product on the market that causes so much heartache and pain I find it hard to let that go.
I am grateful my Rocky Dog is alive and hopefully on the road to recovery. I am glad my doctors realized what was wrong and corrected the problem. They are wonderful vets and have seen me through both the joys and sorrows of pet and livestock ownership. I couldn’t ask for finer or more caring doctors. I would like everyone to know that my heart goes out to you and your pets and I understand your heartache.
I’ve had a rough day. Not only did I have this difficult news but my husband failed to advise me I needed to use the new needles with the new insulin and I administered too much insulin. My vet quickly responded and all is once again well. I thank this site for providing that information otherwise I would not have known. I just thought Mike had bought additional needles to have on hand.
This weekend I’ll do some further reading and check into supplements from Dr. Carol that might help Rocky further with his diabetes. I want to do everything I can to help him feel better so that he can enjoy his life to the fullest.
Blessings to all from high atop a Ridge in beautiful Colorado!
Dear Rebbecca,
I am sorry Rocky suffered through this recalled Vetsulin issue and am glad to help you.
I offer diet suggestions and home-made diabetic dog diet recipes and can teach you how to regulate and monitor Rocky’s blood sugar at home daily with urine.
We have been getting these diabetic dogs re-regulated from Vetsulin to Humulin or NPH Insulin within 3-5 days with no problems at all. It is very easy. We use Diastix or Keto-Diastix urine test tape, both available at Walgreens.
I teach diabetic pet owners how to set up a simple chart which they use twice a day to calculate their pets insulin dosages.
The chart actually is urine glucose curve for their dog which is quite useful to them and to their veterinarian.
The reason the appetite increased etc is because the Vetsulin insulin was not working so all the signs of Diabetes returned.
Feel free to call my office. Our toll free number is 866-372-2765.
Thank you,
Dr Carol
delicious!