Successful Treatment of Your Diabetic Dog

The following is some basic information you should know to
successfully treat your dog’s diabetes. Diabetes
can be a difficult and unpredictable disease to manage.By employing the techniques below the
treatment can be made less frustrating.

Most dogs are Type 1 diabetics.This means that special cells in a gland
called the pancreas are no longer producing insulin.Insulin is necessary to facilitate the use of
the fuel, glucose, by the body’s cells. It is necessary for survival and must be given
by injection.Insulin needs to be
refrigerated; always be aware of the expiration date on the vial.

TYPES
OF INSULIN:

Humulin-N®:this is a human insulin available without
prescription at local pharmacies. Humulin® is a U-100 product meaning there are
100 units of insulin per milliliter (ml) or cubic centimeter(cc). So there are 1000 units in a 10 cc
vial.Prices vary considerably so shop
around.There are few, if any, mom’n’pop
pharmacies anymore, but we checked some of the big guys and the prices ranged
from $47.99 to $124.89 per vial.Syringes
used must be calibrated for U-100 insulin.The syringes should have a 29 or 31 gauge, ½” ultra-fine needle – ½” to
be certain of injecting under the dog’s skin.Humulin-N® should be administered every 12 hours.

Vetsulin®:This is insulin made for dogs and available
only from your veterinarian.Vetsulin®
is a U-40 product (40 units per cc) meaning there are 400 units in a 10 cc
vial.If your veterinarian opts for this
insulin make sure he or she provides syringes calibrated for U-40.Like Humulin®, Vetsulin® should be given
every 12 hours.

THE
PROCESS:

Regulation:This refers to the process performed by your
vet involving the checking of blood sugar levels at certain times during the
day to determine the correct dose for your dog.The goal is to reduce blood sugar readings to more normal levels.While there is a “textbook” starting dose
(more on this later), the final dose can vary from dog to dog.This is a necessary step made to avoid some
of the possible complications of the disease.

DIA-TREATIES®:A nutritional supplement (nutraceutical)
developed by Vintek Nutrition® (www.vinteknutrition.com
) in 2009.Experience by Dr. Sam Lukens
and a number of other veterinarians determined that Dia-Treaties® made the
regulation process much smoother, reduced the amount of insulin necessary per
dose and reduced the incidence of diabetic complications:wild blood sugar swings, cataracts, weight
loss, skin disease and poor coat quality, frequent urinations and excessive
thirst.

TREATING DIABETES:Most folks are horrified at the thought of
having to inject something into their beloved pet.(their personal experiences with injections
being less than positive)After removing
the insulin from the fridge, gently roll the vial between your hands to suspend
the insulin in the carrier.Do NOT shake
the vial.If the dose is 10 units, say,
draw back the plunger to the 10-unit line taking in air.Insert the needle into the rubber stopper and
inject all the air.This is done to
prevent a vacuum in the vial by replacing the 10 units being drawn up with an
equal volume of air.Withdraw the
plunger to the 10 unit line taking up the insulin.The injection is best given at the scruff or
base of the neck slightly to one side or other of the midline.Pick up the skin with one hand to make a sort
of “tent” into which the drug in injected.Do not “baby” the needle into the skin, a quick thrust is better and
less noticeable. (don’t poke yourself!) Be
sure to insert the needle all the way to penetrate the skin completely.The hub of the needle will stop the forward
movement. The drug won’t work if all or part of the dose is injected INTO the
skin.If you have another person in the household
it is helpful to have him or her distract the dog by talking or, better yet,
holding a Dia-Treaties® in its face heightening its anticipation of the
goodie.Within a few days the dog will
not even notice you injecting and look forward to the Dia-Treaties® as a reward
for taking the shot.

INSULIN DOSE:The usual starting dose is about ¼ unit per
pound of body weight.Thus, a 20 lb. dog
would start at 5 units; 40 lb. at 10 units, and so on. Your vet should help you
with the arithmetic.Understand that
this is a starting dose and your vet will need to run tests as in “Regulation”
above to determine the proper dose.

FEEDING:It is best to have your dog on scheduled
feedings, giving half the daily ration shortly after each shot.Of course, you should be giving the proper
Dia-Treaties® dose at this time as well to smooth the usage of the insulin you
gave.Avoid the giving of “dog treats”
during the day as this can adversely affect blood sugar levels.Blood sugar is made primarily from the
carbohydrates in food, so if you can find a diet that is lower in carbs this
will be beneficial. The addition of
fiber to the diet – fiber is a complex carb – is also a good thing.We often recommend Kellogg’s Bran Buds® cereal,
a Tb or two, added to the food.Some
dogs will also eat canned pumpkin which is an excellent fiber source.Fiber seems to slow the sudden rise in blood
sugar.

This entire process seems a bit overwhelming at first, but
with professional veterinary counseling and some practice it’ll be fine.We feel strongly that ALL diabetic dogs will
benefit from the addition of Dia-Treaties® to the treatment regimen.Please visit our web site: www.vinteknutrition.com
.It contains more educational material
about sugar diabetes as well as how to contact Dr. Lukens or Vintek Nutrition®.We look forward to hearing from you if you
need our assistance.