My pup - too much peeing, water and moping around!

[SEVIIN]

Hey guys, I have an 8mth old German Shepherd X Siberian Husky and for the past few weeks since it's been really warm and muggy out she seems to be drinking a lot of water. She seems to be slowing down the last couple days but I'm wondering if it's the heat? She will drink so much sometimes that she will have to pee once every 2 hours and sometimes as soon as she stands up she'll just go by mistake and then stop herself so she can finish outside.

During this time since it's been warm also, she seems to lose interest in a lot of things now. She loves going for walks but today she wanted to go home sooner and lagged behind a bit (it's also very hot today). She never wants to end the walk but today she just doesn't have as much excitement about anything except her breakfast lol. I've been noticing over the last couple weeks that when I call her to come to me she mopes and walks slowly over. We have a rule never to tell her to come to us whenever she's being bad but only to make it a good thing so that she knows she's not in trouble and we trained her this with treats. We did this while training her re-call. I have stopped giving her treats for coming to me so do you think that might be why? Should I give her a treat now and then so she isn't bored with coming to me and thinks she's going to get nothing out of it? She is treated with more love imaginable and we would never harm her. Now, I'm just worried that people are going to see how she acts while coming to us and that they might think we do hurt her and the very thought of that makes me want to just die :sad: She's making us look bad, HELP! How can I cheer her up!

We are going to be taking her to the vet this coming week just to get her a check-up so I'll find out more then but until then .. what do you think? Thank you!

[mummummum]

I think I would count on bringing a urine sample and having her blood tested while she is at the Vet. While it's normal for dawgs to show lethargy in the heat and to drink more water, you are also describing increased output of urine (which she wouldn't be doing if she was thirsty due to the heat, she would be panting more and expiring and exces through panting), incontinence and signs of depression (the moping, not interested in what's going on around her or you). If your dog spends most of time outdoors, you may want to bring her inside for the majority of the day to ensure she stays cool and comfortable all the same. Let us know how you make out at the Vet.

[SEVIIN]

Thanks mummumm (cute name). Yeah she's inside more of the time than outside. But we make sure she's out for a bunch during the day with us for daily walks etc, so she doesn't get too used to it, don't want her to be a burb lol.

Thank you very much for the advice. I'll try to get back on this site so I can keep you updated on how it goes at the vet. We actually just got back from the beach and she did wonderfully, full of energy but she had about 3 small pee's, so I think she might have a urinary infection I'll make sure to get her anything she needs from the vet, she's such a good dog, she deserves to be healthy (well even bad dogs do, but you know what I mean ). The thought of knowing she might be uncomfortable upsets me so hopefully all goes well. Thanks again.

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Update - Well we took our dog Rayne to the vet this morning and just to refresh her problem for you, she is only 8 months old and has been losing weight noticeably in her rear and tummy, drinking water obsessively and peeing a lot, she has also lost a lot of energy and seems quite depressed.

So we got blood tests done for her this morning and the vet told us she has a high chance of having diabetes and if it's not that, then it's Cushing's disease but he said most likely Diabetes. He said her glucose levels are supposed to be around 4 - 7.9 and they are at 27 Last night before I brought her in she was bloated in the chest area so I called emergency and they told me to give her 2 tablespoons of corn syrup. I asked the vet if that could effect her glucose levels today and he said it's possible so he's asking us to take her in again on Thursday for another glucose test and if it turns out that she does have high glucose levels again, he will need to keep her for a few days to monitor her while he does her insulin levels. After that he will show us how to give her the insulin shot every day and what diet to put her on.

I'm so worried about her, I told my dad and he feels bad for me but he thinks because she is young to take putting her down into consideration and I don't think my boyfriend and I can do that, it breaks my heart. He brought up questions I need to ask my vet like, how long she can live, what she can and cannot do, the expenses etc, because he is worried I won't be able to afford it. I'm not taking price into consideration because she is my baby and I feel that if you have a pet, you take on the responsibility of knowing things like this might happen and you deal with it. It's just unfortunate though that it happened so early, like I said she is only 8 months old. She is a German Shepherd X Sib. Husky, so does anyone have any ideas of how long a large breed dog will live with diabetes if kept healthy and can she be happy? Also, is there anyone here with a pet with diabetes? Some advice would be really nice right now, I'm feeling pretty terrible at the moment :frown: Thanks

[chico2]

I had a cat who was diabetic,he lived happily to 17 yrs of age,when he died of cancer,of course he was not diagnosed until he was 10yrs old,but with daily injections he was doing fine.
The insulin is really not expensive once you get him on a proper dosage,I would not ever consider having an animal put down because he/she is diabetic and I know you don't want to.
The initial testing etc,might be a bit expensive,but I am sure Rayne will be fine for several years.
Good Luck and please keep us posted.

[sugarcatmom]

Awww, sorry to hear about Rayne having diabetes, but guess what?!! It's totally treatable and most assuredly not something to euthanize her for. I've had a diabetic cat for the past 4.5 years and while there have been some challenging times, I don't regret it for a second. Looking after a special needs pet can be very rewarding. The bond between Aztec and I has become incredibly strong and I pray that he lives at least as long as chico2's cat did.

Treating a diabetic dog is a bit different than a cat, and in some ways can actually be easier. Insulin dose is often determined by a dog's weight (not so with cats, which can make it hard to find the right amount). Dogs also tend to have Type 1 diabetes, while cats have Type 2, Type 1 being a little more stable and predictable. As well, dogs often do fine with one insulin injection a day, while 99% of cats need at least two.

One of the biggies to watch out for with diabetic dogs is how quickly they can lose their eyesight from the development of cataracts, so it's important to start treatment as soon as possible. Here is a really great website (Canine Diabetes) that I urge you to start reading, it has lots of stuff that you're going to need to know. It can be a steep learning curve at first, but very soon it will all be second nature to you. I can practically test my cat's blood glucose and give him an injection in my sleep!

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

[SEVIIN]

Originally Posted by chico2

I had a cat who was diabetic,he lived happily to 17 yrs of age,when he died of cancer,of course he was not diagnosed until he was 10yrs old,but with daily injections he was doing fine.
The insulin is really not expensive once you get him on a proper dosage,I would not ever consider having an animal put down because he/she is diabetic and I know you don't want to.
The initial testing etc,might be a bit expensive,but I am sure Rayne will be fine for several years.
Good Luck and please keep us posted.

Thank you Chico, that is really comforting to hear. My boyfriend and I could never put her down for that, she means too much to us, I don't care what my dad or anyone says. We've been doing our research on it all night and there is no reason she can't be healthy and happy for a long time to come. It really isn't that expensive no and that's good, it wasn't my main concern because I will do anything for her but it can be stressful thinking about it at times. I can't wait till she's herself again, I miss it when she teases the cats I'm so happy to hear that you had a wonderfully long time with your cat, you're very lucky!

[SEVIIN]

Originally Posted by sugarcatmom

Awww, sorry to hear about Rayne having diabetes, but guess what?!! It's totally treatable and most assuredly not something to euthanize her for. I've had a diabetic cat for the past 4.5 years and while there have been some challenging times, I don't regret it for a second. Looking after a special needs pet can be very rewarding. The bond between Aztec and I has become incredibly strong and I pray that he lives at least as long as chico2's cat did.

Treating a diabetic dog is a bit different than a cat, and in some ways can actually be easier. Insulin dose is often determined by a dog's weight (not so with cats, which can make it hard to find the right amount). Dogs also tend to have Type 1 diabetes, while cats have Type 2, Type 1 being a little more stable and predictable. As well, dogs often do fine with one insulin injection a day, while 99% of cats need at least two.

One of the biggies to watch out for with diabetic dogs is how quickly they can lose their eyesight from the development of cataracts, so it's important to start treatment as soon as possible. Here is a really great website (Canine Diabetes) that I urge you to start reading, it has lots of stuff that you're going to need to know. It can be a steep learning curve at first, but very soon it will all be second nature to you. I can practically test my cat's blood glucose and give him an injection in my sleep!

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

Thank you Sugarcatmom, I really appreciate the information. We checked out that site and it is very helpful. I like that you says that you can practically test your cat's blood glucose and give him an injection in your sleep lol, that honestly comforts me a lot because I'm was scared to give her a needle. A good few years ago my sister was getting me to help her give one of her horses a shot (I don't remember for what) and she showed me how to do it, she said, just pat his neck a few times in the spot where you will be injecting and then POP push it in ... and I stood there with the horse for about 5 minutes just going PAT PAT PAT .... nope not ready .... PAT PAT PAT .... nope still not ready ... PAT PAT PAT .... AHHHH FORGET IT!!! Then I just gave up cuz I couldn't bring myself to do it So now that's all I've been thinking of and you saying that it's easy really makes me feel better about it and I appreciate that. Thanks again!

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by SEVIIN

Thank you Sugarcatmom, I really appreciate the information. We checked out that site and it is very helpful. I like that you says that you can practically test your cat's blood glucose and give him an injection in your sleep lol, that honestly comforts me a lot because I'm was scared to give her a needle. A good few years ago my sister was getting me to help her give one of her horses a shot (I don't remember for what) and she showed me how to do it, she said, just pat his neck a few times in the spot where you will be injecting and then POP push it in ... and I stood there with the horse for about 5 minutes just going PAT PAT PAT .... nope not ready .... PAT PAT PAT .... nope still not ready ... PAT PAT PAT .... AHHHH FORGET IT!!! Then I just gave up cuz I couldn't bring myself to do it So now that's all I've been thinking of and you saying that it's easy really makes me feel better about it and I appreciate that. Thanks again!

The main thing to remember when giving animals a shot is that they don't have the same needle phobias that people tend to have. There's no anticipation of pain, they just feel a tiny sting and that's it, all done, no big deal, where as people get all anxious leading up to the whole procedure, building it up to be more painful than it actually is. It's a mental thing. Just be calm and confident (easier said than done at first, but it will come!), and know that you're doing a great thing for Rayne.

Pets are also very forgiving of our clumsy first attempts, especially if there's a treat in it for them. Is there something extra special that Rayne loves, a piece of freeze-dried liver or maybe some fresh chicken chunks? I find a favourite treat given only at shot or test time ensures it will be a positive experience. My cat actually comes and asks me (or wakes me up!) for blood tests so that he can get some freeze-dried chicken. As well, many people find it easiest to give shots while their pet is distracted by eating. You'll quickly figure out a system that works best for you guys.

Just one last thing: you might have to ask your vet about home-testing Rayne's blood glucose. Many vets don't want to overwhelm their clients with too much info and risk scaring them off the idea of treatment, and some don't even realize that you can test the animal's blood at home with a human glucometer, but it really is a hugely valuable tool in the management of this disease. If the vet isn't able or willing to help you with that, look on the Canine Diabetes website for more info.

Again, all the best to you and Rayne.

[SEVIIN]

Thank you very much Sugarcatmom, This is good advice thank you. I tell ya I don't know what I would do if a place like this wasn't on the net, it's very important!

Last night I was so worried about her I couldn't stop crying because her breathing was especially fast, about 2-3 breaths for every SUPPOSED to be one breath. You know the ridiculous thing about this city? .. the nearest emergency vet is over an hour and a half away and when I called them the other night, the only advice she could give me was to give Rayne 2 tbsp's of corn syrup. She even told me she couldn't take her because they didn't have an x-ray machine?!?!?!?!? What the?? What kind of place is this?? I'm so frustrated because what if something happens to her at midnight or whenever and I can't either they can't do anything about it or I don't get her there on time. Or what about if animal here gets hit by a car or needs emergency help, they have to drive over an hour, possibly risking their pets death on the way?? It should be law that there is an emergency vet in EVERY town or city. Our city is classified a city but it's closer in size to a very big town, I just moved here a year ago and I think it's weird.

Sorry, I just had to rant there for a second because I've been really upset about this and the worst for people and myself keeps going through my head. Can't diabetic dogs/cats go into shock or seizure?? I heard something like that on tv and this womens dog started to seizure so she grabbed whatever she could that was sugary and started giving it to the dog and the vet apparently told her if she hadn't have done that her dog possibly wouldn't have come back. This was awhile ago so I'm not sure but is this something I should find out from the vet if it does happen? Because I want to know what to do if she goes into one and I want to be prepared for it.

I'm definitely going to give her a treat during shot time to make it more pleasant, she's kind of wimpy so wouldn't want to discourage her from shot time. At the vet yesterday she even gave a teeny yelp when he put the 'ear checker' (?) in her ear. He didn't hurt her, she just didn't like it. So I'll have to avoid those reaction. Thanks again for your advice sugarcat, I'll make sure to ask him about testing her blood glucose levels at home. We still have tomorrow to find out for sure if this is what it is, it's so frustrating not knowing, she's just laying on the floor right now with a bony little butt and I feel so helpless. Just want all this waiting to be over and for her to be back to normal again :sad: I'll keep you posted on what exactly is wrong with her, Thursday I should know. He said it's high chances because of her tests that it's diabetes but it could even be Cushing's disease but he said thats highly doubtful. I just wish I knew!!!!!!!!

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by SEVIIN

Can't diabetic dogs/cats go into shock or seizure??

Yup, that is a possibility from getting either too much insulin or not enough food, called hypoglycemia. This is taken from the Petdiabetes website (another great one you should check out):

The most serious side effect of too much insulin is hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose. Hypoglycemia can be a life-threatening, even fatal condition.

Classic signs of hypoglycemia

lethargy (lack of energy)
weakness
head tilting
"drunkedness" - wobbling when walking, unbalanced
hunger
restlessness
shivering
ataxia - usually lack of muscular coordination, but maybe changes in head and neck movements
disorientation
stupor
convulsions or seizures
coma

The occurrence of signs depends on how far the bg drops and on how fast the blood glucose drops.

Owners of diabetic dogs have also reported observing these signs:

- sweating - check the nose and the paw pads.
- lip smacking or licking
- getting physically "stuck" in a place where the pet normally could get itself out (for example, behind a partially closed door that a pet would usually nudge open.)

Treatment for hypoglycemia involves trying to get the blood glucose back up, either with food or, if it's urgent (and definitely convulsions would be considered urgent!) using sugary things like corn or maple syrup. That's why I think being able to test your dog's bg at home is so important, it will help you figure out if some of the symptoms like 'hunger' or 'restlessness' are actually due to a low bg or not (takes a lot of the guesswork out of this whole process).

He said it's high chances because of her tests that it's diabetes but it could even be Cushing's disease but he said thats highly doubtful. I just wish I knew!!!!!!!!

I don't know a huge amount about Cushing's, but I do know that it's caused by a tumor on either the pituitary or adrenal gland. It tends to occur in older dogs, which is probably one reason why your vet doesn't think it's as likely as diabetes.

Good luck on Thursday!

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Thanks, god that hypoglycemia sounds scary. I'll do all the research I can to keep from that happening. I'm worried that when she goes to the vet tomorrow and once he starts her on the insulin, if that might happen to her. I really hope he just starts of slow with a little right away. I'll keep you posted!

[SEVIIN]

So we took our Rayne to the vet again today. We were going to wait until tomorrow but the vet that we had gone to, something just seemed off with him and he was highly pricey. I like going to vets that seem like they WANT to be in it for the pet, not the money. He left us in the dark with our last visit and didn't really tell us a whole lot. So we made the decision to travel an hour out of town from now on to an excellent vet. She's really great, my boyfriend met her, I didn't but he said she provided him with so much information, showed him how to do everything, along with the insulin shots and provided him all of his answers without him even needing to really ask.

The previous vet was going to charge us $40 for a vile of insulin that would last 15 days and on top of that, the supplies, regular check-ups and food. This new vet, was highly recommended to us. We spoke to a bunch of people who say to go to her over ANY of the vets here and even when my boyfriend met her, she didn't really go into detail but she said she heard a lot of things about him and many people end up leaving town just to find different vets, not just her. Anyway, she is charging us $29 per vile and they last about 2 months, she is also going to bring her medication and food into the city for us because her parents live here! I thought that was great that she offered that because she knew how far it is to drive there. So she figured if she comes here regularly, she might as well save us a trip. So how about that, a great vet with excellent reviews, highly knowledgeable and experienced with diabetic animals and she's in it for the animal, not the money.

It still is sad that our baby is diabetic but we have great confidence that she is going to live a long, healthy and happy life. Just can't wait for her to come home now. She's at the vet until tomorrow because she wanted to keep her over night. I'll keep posting about her progress over the next couple days/weeks and any advice is always welcome, cuz we're gonna need it Thanks again to anyone who's helped me out with this, it's great knowing there are others going through the same thing.

[sugarcatmom]

Yay, it sounds like you found a real gem in the new vet! That's so amazing that she's even willing to deliver "the goods" to you guys. What a difference it makes when you have a good raport with the vet, after all they'll need to be closely involved throughout this process.

I'm interested to know what type of insulin (is it Caninsulin??) and how much Rayne ends up getting, so do keep posting back here. I'd like to learn more about canine diabetes along with you.

[chico2]

Seviin,I am soo glad you found a dedicated vet who understands your worry,a good vet is half the battle.
With me and my Peppi,the beginning with insulin was difficult,but it soon became part of the day,same as feeding them.
I don't remember much,it was sooo long ago,but I am glad Sugarcatmom has been helpful with info
Good luck and don't forget to keep us posted

[SEVIIN]

Originally Posted by sugarcatmom

Yay, it sounds like you found a real gem in the new vet! That's so amazing that she's even willing to deliver "the goods" to you guys. What a difference it makes when you have a good raport with the vet, after all they'll need to be closely involved throughout this process.

I'm interested to know what type of insulin (is it Caninsulin??) and how much Rayne ends up getting, so do keep posting back here. I'd like to learn more about canine diabetes along with you.

I know I'm so happy that we found her. I don't know, it just makes the whole process so uncomfortable when you don't feel completely safe with your other vet and have doubts. It's like going to a doctors office for yourself, you want someone you are comfortable with and you guys just 'click', that's important to me. Like you said we'll need to have her closely involved the whole time and so we need someone who we know we can trust and like. You are so lucky you are in Calgary now, they have some excellent vets. I just moved to NB about a year ago from Calgary and I'm surprised at the limited amount of animal care there is here (in my city anyway, like I said, the nearest emergency vet is over and hour away )

It is Caninsulin and she is going to be getting 2 shots everyday, we just don't know how much yet. Rayne is coming home later this afternoon so she is going to give my boyfriend all of the information that she found out over night. I was surprised that she would need 2 shots a day but I guess it's because some types of insulin only has a certain period of time that it works for, others go all day, so it allows for her insulin levels to be even all day? I don't know, that part confuses me, I'll have to get him to explain that one to me again !!

I'll know more tonight, thanks for wanting to go through this with me, that gives me a lot of encouragement actually

[SEVIIN]

Originally Posted by chico2

Seviin,I am soo glad you found a dedicated vet who understands your worry,a good vet is half the battle.
With me and my Peppi,the beginning with insulin was difficult,but it soon became part of the day,same as feeding them.
I don't remember much,it was sooo long ago,but I am glad Sugarcatmom has been helpful with info
Good luck and don't forget to keep us posted

You are exactly right a good vet IS half the battle and they are tough to find. We had to travel an hour out of town just to find her. I had to call our previous vet back last night to cancel Rayne's appointment for 8am, so I left a message just saying that we found another vet that is more convenient. Which definitely is NOT the case lol, she's just better, more knowledgeable, likable and cheaper.

How long has your little Peppi been diabetic for? Is that your cat in the picture or is peppi someone else? It's comforting to know it just becomes part of your day. I checked out that Canine Diabetes site sugarcatmom provided to me and it helped too because I'm afraid I'm going to do something wrong or forget to give her the shot! But our vet told my boyfriend that we need to be very regular with it and if there is ever a time where we are not sure if one of us gave her a shot or not, then NOT to give her another one, it's better none than too much because then that's when they can go into coma, seizure etc. So that made me feel a little better, knowing that none isn't going to kill her and if we are worried that she didn't get any and don't give her a shot, then just do a blood glucose test to make sure she's ok to not have one.

It's helpful because my mom is diabetic also, so she's been coaxing me through this too and I think she is going to be just as important to my dog as my vet is. So much to know in so little time! Thanks for sticking by me, I really appreciate your help in all of this.

[mummummum]

Have you started yet Sevin ? I, for one would like to know more about this so please update us on what it's like, what you have to do, how your doggie does with all of this, changes you notice in health and appearance etc.

[SEVIIN]

Originally Posted by mummummum

Have you started yet Sevin ? I, for one would like to know more about this so please update us on what it's like, what you have to do, how your doggie does with all of this, changes you notice in health and appearance etc.

Hey mummummum, no we start tonight. She comes home later this afternoon so we will need to give her a shot tonight. She had her first insulin shot at the vet yesterday and I'm not sure when she got her second one today. I will definitely keep you posted on how she improves and how it all works. The vet said that after a few days we will start noticing her energy level improving and she should start putting on weight and by the next couple of weeks she should start to look healthy again. She's very skinny right now in her rear area and her skull shows a little bit :sad: , she lost about 5 lbs since I weighed her 2 weeks ago. She was at 33.8 lbs I believe it was and the vet weighed her in at 29lbs when she should have been over 35lbs. So I will let you know how she comes along. Thanks mummum

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by SEVIIN

But our vet told my boyfriend that we need to be very regular with it and if there is ever a time where we are not sure if one of us gave her a shot or not, then NOT to give her another one, it's better none than too much because then that's when they can go into coma, seizure etc. So that made me feel a little better, knowing that none isn't going to kill her and if we are worried that she didn't get any and don't give her a shot, then just do a blood glucose test to make sure she's ok to not have one.

That's right. Not enough insulin will do damage over the long-term, but too much insulin has the potential to do damage in the short-term. Definitely better safe than sorry. One way to avoid confusion when multiple people are involved in a pet's care is to designate just one person as the insulin giver, unless that person isn't home. That's what I do at my house. Others make up a spreadsheet or calendar for the fridge door that gets initialled by whoever gives the insulin (although the problem with that is what happens if they forget to initial the sheet?). Basically it comes down to good communication between those involved. I'm sure you and your boyfriend will be able to work out a good routine.

[chico2]

Seviin,my Peppi died about 10yrs ago at 17 yrs old,but not from beeing diabetic,he died from cancer,he too was white like Vinnie in my Avatar,but he did not have different colour eyes.
Good luck tonight giving the first injection
I wish I had had the internet when my Peppi was sick:sad: he was a wonderful cat,now buried in my backyard.

[SEVIIN]

Chico, I'm sorry to hear about Peppi. It's sounds as though he had a wonderful life though if he lived till 17, you are fortunate to have had that time with him and I'm sure he knew you did everything you could for him, having the internet or not Your Vinnie is a beauty I absolutely love the eyes!

---

So when I got home from work today Rayne was home from her new vet after being there over night. The vet did all of her tests throughout the day and got her insulin levels figured out. So my boyfriend showed me all of our new 'goodies' the glycometer, test strips, vein pricker and PAPER oh lordy the paper work. I was sick to my stomach looking at all this new stuff we have to get used to. Hey showed me how to prick her ear to get a little blood for the test strips, it read 19.6, so it was high but he said that was good compared to what the vet said she was at last night.

So we fed her and then he showed me how to give her the shot. I was so scared, the vet told him that a teeny bubble won't harm her because it's not going into the blood stream but to make sure we at least try to get all of them out. So he gently rolled the vile to mix the insulin and I watched in horror as he gave it to her it really wasn't THAT bad but it was his 2nd time giving her a shot because the vet did it yesterday and then showed him how to do it with saline solution so he would at least know how. So he was very nervous too I could tell but he handled it very well and I was pretty impressed. I was calm also but I felt flushed, my face was hot, my heart was pounding and my eyes were just wide. I think I was holding my breath the whole time or something.

She's doing great though so far, she has about 50% of her energy back and she's not peeing in the house and drinking near as much water as she was. I was shocked as to her improvement after only 2 days actually. Now the nerve wracking part is that I have to give her a shot in the morning and I've never done it before and I'm going to be all alone because my boyfriend has to work. I remember everything he told me though and I think I'm going to do ok. I just have to remember to keep my nerves calm because I don't want to be shaking when I do it or stress her out either.

She has a big tuft of skin around her neck because of her breed so if I pull up that skin into a hollow and then put the needle in, is there a big chance of hitting a vein? He said that is why you pull the skin up so you don't get one but I've heard two different things that I'm not sure about. When I put the needle in do I HAVE to pull the press of the needle out just slightly to check if any blood enters the insulin (if it hits a vein) or can I just push it right in without checking? I'm going to call my vet in the morning to get her to guide me through it but just an opinion if you do it too would be nice but I think I'll ask her again in the morning cuz I wasn't there for her to show me so I'm still pretty nervous about it. Thanks again and I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow morning.

EDIT - Just thought I'd mention it...

I guess at the vet, Rayne was VERY talkative so they decided to take her out of her kennel and let her hang out with them all day in the back. They even gave her a nice pedicure I thought that was really nice of them.

[chico2]

SEVIIN,How did it go this morning???
Soon you'll be a pro at giving shots,especially when you see her improvement.
Yes,my Peppi had a wonderful long life,he was an angel

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by SEVIIN

When I put the needle in do I HAVE to pull the press of the needle out just slightly to check if any blood enters the insulin (if it hits a vein) or can I just push it right in without checking?

Nope, you really don't have to pull back on the plunger to check for blood. It just complicates the whole procedure and when you're doing subcutaneous injections like this, it's completely unnecessary. It's much better to just be as swift and efficient as possible. The chances of hitting a vein are nil to none. In fact, I'd like to see someone actually TRY to hit a vein doing this!

So ya, you're doing great kiddo!! And to already be doing the blood glucose testing, that's fantastic! Yay team Rayne!!!

[SEVIIN]

Alright so heres the story. I just gave her a shot about 1/2 hour ago and I was scared to death. But I kept my nerves calm and didn't shake. I was completely beginner though and clumsy as all get out. I pulled a tuft of skin like I was told from her shoulder, put the needle in (she gets 17IU) let the skin go and as I was pushing it in she pulled away NOOO Rayne, I didn't yell I just gasped for a second. Then I tried again and the insulin just wouldn't go in when I pressed the plunger, then the 3rd time it went in fine. Oh god, 3 times, I felt so bad for her. But she's alright and I'm really happy I got to do it.

I called the vet and told her about my horrible first attempt and she said it's natural but I'll get used to it and so will Rayne. I couldn't sleep last night knowing I had to do it and so at 2am I decided to test her blood glucose on my own and I ruined a couple strips cuz I didn't do it right, I don't think I got enough blood. So I didn't want to try again because 100 strips is $80! I told my boyfriend and he said he'll do it for me next time so I know. We'll get the hang of it, the 3 of us are obviously dummies about everything right now but it really wasn't so bad this morning and I know it will be better the next time around.

Thanks again!

[hazelrunpack]

You did a great job! Kept at it and finally got it right! You'll get used to it Seviin!

I totally relate to your flushed feeling and not being able to breathe. I get that way when they take my blood, as well as when I have to give a dog a shot! hazel is a mess when it comes to needles--but it gets so much easier the more you do it, so just hang in there!

Glad to hear that Rayne is doing better! Soon she'll be 100%

[SEVIIN]

Thanks Hazelrun, I'll definitely get used to it. Everything feels very overwhelming right now just because of everything we need to know but I think after a couple weeks we will have the hang of it. I'm just happy that shot is over with! She gets her 2nd one tonight and then I have to do the morning one again. So hopefully it goes better the 2nd time around.

[bendyfoot]

Hey SEVIN,

hang in there, it gets easier. When we got Jaida home she was on injectable antibiotics for about 7 weeks. It felt really hard and scary for a few days, but got easier. Like you, we had problems with Jaida moving forward while we did the shot when there was only one person around to do it, but here's what we did to solve the problem (you might laugh, but hey it worked):

We got a Kong and put just enough peanut butter in it to keep her occupied for about a minute. Then I'd sit on the floor with her between my legs, facing away from me, and I'd hold the Kong between my feet to hold it still. She'd dive into the Kong and be totally oblivious when the needle went in. It was easiest if she was lying down during this, so the skin at her neck/shoulders wasn't pulled tight, but if she refused to lay down, I'd just hold the Kong up on a footstool, so her head was high enough and still. That particular move took some flexibility, but it was worth it!
If there's two of you it's even easier. Just get one person to hold the Kong tight against either the floor/chair/stool (so she won't move her head all over the place getting at the treat), and the other person can do the injection. After a week or so (other than the odd time that the medicine wouldn't go right in for some reason ), it only took about 10 seconds to get set up and do the shot.

Hang in there!

[TeriM]

So sorry to hear of your poor pup :frown: but I'm glad you've got a diagnosis and some great tips from the others. Good luck .

[SEVIIN]

Bendyfoot, as funny as you think that sounds. I think that is a great idea! She loves her kong. I don't know if I can put peanut butter in it though, our vet told us not to give her anything until she can approve it first, so I might wait. We did go out and buy her some Freeze Dried Liver treats though, they are ONLY liver, lower in carbs, high in protien and one ingredient, like I said just dried liver. She only gets 2 a day, one for each shot time. Thank you very much for the tip, I'm going to crumble one I think and put it in her kong!

TeriM, thank you for your kind thoughts. I know, everyone has been wonderful helps to me. I couldn't have asked for more on this site, it's truly the best source for information and help available for your pets because there are so many different opinions and ideas that they all sort of come together to create one solution and VOILA the vet has a better clue lol. Thanks again!