In January of 2014, Butterfly, my ten year old Lhasa Apso, was diagnosed with diabetes. We went for monthly visits to a doctor she loved, and did twice daily blood tests and insulin shots, and we seemed to be making progress. But, over the summer, her doctor left the clinic and Butterfly’s sugar started to go up and down like a roller coaster. By the fall, nice doctor or not, we had to go back to the clinic for advice.
Butterfly was not feeling well.
The doctor who saw Butterfly in October was a per diem, filling in for the day, and he was concerned about her sugar. He made me very nervous, despite his choir boy face and laughing Scottish accent and frequent stops to tickle Butterfly behind her ears, because he said there might be another underlying health problem. He wanted me to do a glucose curve at home: starting first thing in the morning, I would test her blood sugar every hour or two, until I couldn’t stay up any longer, then I should send the results to one of the regular vets, to see if they could recognize a pattern.
But she always loves her scratchies.
The glucose curve day was, possibly, the best day of Butterfly’s life. Every time I went to take her blood, she made me chase her around the apartment first, and after each test she got another chicken treat. I had to break the chicken treats into tiny pieces to avoid an exploding Butterfly halfway through the day. And, of course, Cricket matched her treat for treat, and attempted to climb the bookshelf to reach the bag of treats when the pieces were too small for her liking.
Butterfly’s tail is ready.
Cricket’s tail is running away.
Cricket and Butterfly, ready for their treats.
By the last blood test, at two o’clock in the morning, Butterfly was wiped out and ready for bed, but still willing to grab a last chicken treat on her way down the hall.
We made an excel sheet out of her test results, with comments about her moods, and meals, and exercise, and pooping. The vet we sent it to was duly impressed, but she said she was worried about Butterfly’s very low sugar numbers midday. She wanted us to lower the insulin dose and redo the curve in two weeks.
I liked the compliments – I really love compliments, and I especially like when my organizational skills are noticed and appreciated – but I was hoping for a different response. Anything but “do it again.” The second glucose curve, two weeks later, was closer to normal, and the vet told us to keep everything the same, and redo the test in a few months.
By December, Butterfly’s twice daily blood sugar readings were getting wild again, so I ordered extra test strips and lancets and chicken treats and woke up at 5:45 AM on December 30th and started testing her blood every hour or two, administering an enormous amount of chicken treats to get her, and Cricket, through the ordeal. We stayed up until 2 AM, or I stayed up, Butterfly took a few naps.
Nap time.
When we finally met Butterfly’s new vet in person, she had a theory she wanted to test: that Butterfly’s blood sugar was bouncing up so high as an over-correction to too much insulin, and if we lowered the insulin dose again, maybe things would even out. Two weeks on this dose, and then another glucose curve. This was becoming normal for us.
Cricket sniffed Butterfly all over when we got home, to make sure no extra treats had been consumed, but also to make sure Butterfly was still Butterfly. We’d tried taking Cricket with us to the clinic, once, and she spent the whole time hiding behind my legs and barking at everyone and everything. But still, staying home alone made her disgruntled and suspicious.
Cricket’s suspicious face.
Unfortunately, the low insulin dose skyrocketed Butterfly’s blood sugar levels into the too-high-for-the-meter-to-count range. She was drinking and peeing constantly, in the house and out, so even without a glucose curve, we raised the insulin back up. And, of course, waited two weeks and went through the whole day of testing again, to Butterfly’s delight. And the numbers were still not right.
I was afraid that the doctor would give up on getting Butterfly’s sugar normalized and tell me to accept that she’s just going to die sooner rather than later, and it’s not worth stressing about. But she’s my baby! And I am stressed about it! I was angry that being a conscientious dog mommy hadn’t added up to better health and better luck for Butterfly, and for my carpeting.
“What’s wrong with peeing on the carpet?”
And then Mom came up with a plan (okayed by the vet) to give Butterfly an extra unit of insulin when her blood sugar levels are high, and the regular dose otherwise. I have no idea if this will work long term, or why the doctors haven’t wanted us to try it before now, but so far it seems to be helping.
I just want Butterfly to feel better, and not need to pee every five minutes, and live forever. Is that so wrong?
rachelmankowitz 
No, that is not wrong! Can you change doctors? I know they want to get some sort of baseline (I think), but you are wearing yourself out–and Butterfly looks pretty pooped herself. I hope your mom’s idea works. Poor baby.
ps: I love Cricket’s suspicious face. What’s that they say about an old dog and new tricks? I can tell Cricket laughs at that!
Cricket only believes in learning new things when treats are involved (and even then, only short term).
didn’t know about doggy diabetes, arthritis hip displacement, and cancer I’ve seen in my dogs.
So many awful things can happen to these babies. I’m very lucky Cricket hasn’t had problems, because she would not be a good patient. At all.
I feel your pain, I went through the same diabetic roller coaster with my mother-in-law’s cat because she couldn’t handle it, but I (same as you, I like to do the best with my caregiving) kept at it and the cat miraculaously adored me despite all of the needles and the prodding and poking. Butterfly adores you for it, I know it. On a side note I adore Cricket’s suspicious face, it is too cute. 🙂
Cricket practices her suspicious face quite frequently, that’s why she’s so good at it. Butterfly’s face just can’t seem to do it.
lol Butterfly does have the sweetest face 🙂
She does!
😀
There’s nothing wrong with your aspirations. I’m sure Butterfly agrees. I hope mom’s prescription will continue helping!
So far we have been slightly less inundated with pee. Fingers crossed.
good luck!
Thank you!
Two of the cutest tiny ones, ever. I applaud your stamina, diligence and creativity. And ingenuity with the chicken treats.
Cricket tries to get me to give her chicken treats at odd moments during the day, by staring up at the bag with a meaningful look. I’d say she’s the creative one.
😊
I hope you can get her sugar regulated! Keep us posted.
Butterfly is learning how to do her own excel sheets, so she will definitely keep everyone posted.
Perfectly reasonable!
How exhausting and scary! I hope things turn out okay.
Me too! Thank you!
I completely understand how you feel! Hoping for the best for all of you!
Thank you!
It’s awful when our babies aren’t well and there is no clear cut answer and solution to it. We do the best we can and love them to pieces, and hope for the best for them.And of course that they will live forever. I hope things even out soon
Me too! Thank you!
Oh, I hope your mom’s idea works! Fingers and paws crossed for Butterfly!
Every finger is crossed, and it makes those blood tests much more challenging.
Hope your fur baby gets better! We send you guys the best of wishes and good vibes!
Thank you so much!
Our Morkie has a liver shunt and we spent, what felt like an eternity, trying to figure out what was wrong and how to fix him. Finally the vets figured it out, he had surgery and he’s been in perfect health ever since. Don’t give up and don’t ever apologize for being that ‘dog Mommy’ because our fur babies need us to be persistent and do all we can for them. I hope things get figured out for Butterfly! I am praying for you 🙂
Oh my goodness, what is a liver shunt? I have to go to Google now.
I took Marcel to his vet Wednesday because he has worms but also because he was drinking a lot and since he will be 10, like Butterfly next month, he had neither failing kidneys or diabetes. The vet’s immediate response? “We don’t like diabetes.” Thank goodness his blood tests were normal on both counts.
I know how helpless you feel ,and sincerely hope your Mom’s plan works.
The other day, I found a tick on Cricket, and I realized that with all of the glucose curves I’d forgotten to give the girls their anti heart worm and flea and tick meds, since January. That was a bad day. Especially because Cricket kept refusing to let me touch her back to even figure out what that black bump was. Ooogy!
No, it’s not wrong for you. I totally understand your pain. She is lucky to have such a dedicated, loving doggie mom. (And you, of course, are lucky to have such an adorable, wonderful girl.) Best wishes & lots of luck to you!!
I feel ridiculously lucky to have found her. I feel that every day, well, almost every day. Sometimes she’s a snot.
Haha!!! I totally understand!!
Poor Butterfly and poor you! I hope the plan works for both of your sakes. Cricket’s doing pretty well out of this – as did Chienne out of my concern for the Man. He got a treat so Chienne had to get one – only fair, and like you I broke them in pieces.
Oh, Cricket is the big winner in the sugar sweepstakes, because not only does she get extra treats, she’s still allowed to eat some people food that’s off limits for Butterfly.
I went through this with Mya. The last few months of her life, I was working more vigorously than ever to regulate her sugar levels. The vet explained to me that altering her doses depending on the glucose reading would not work because insulin reacts differently in dogs than humans. Maybe I shouldn’t have listened to them. I have no way of knowing. The best advice i can give you is to do what you feel is right for butterfly. If only their health did reflect the amount of love and care we give…. I imagine they’d live a lot longer. <3, Samantha
It’s been so confusing, because they told us the same basic thing for a year, no changing doses, and now they say to try it. She seems so happy, even when her sugar is sky high, and I try to hold on to that. I’m so sorry about Mya.
Have you tried switching insulin? It was a move I never made. Maybe I should have.
Thank you. She lived 14 1/2 years, 3 1/2 with diabetes. She was such a trooper.
Fourteen and a half years is great! The vet has been considering different types of insulin, that may be the next thing we try.
We wish you the best of luck. If you ever need to vent or bounce some ideas of someone, we’re here 🙂
Thank you so much!!!!!!
As we found out with Kyla, this “live forever” concept hasn’t been invented yet. Kyla understood that They can’t even escape that fate Themselves.
I think that’s why I’ve been taking so many pictures, that way I’ll always have her with me, even after she’s gone.
Thank you for sharing your pain with humour. These things are sent to test us. Unfortunately, there’s no prize for passing the test.
Butterfly likes to give out licks as prizes, and Cricket thinks the greatest prize she can offer is to allow me to scratch her belly.
These photos are among maybe the best ones of Butterfly and Cricket. Bravo!
You are such a loving and caring doggy mom. Butterfly is lucky to have someone who cares enough to go through all this to make her better. Of course, Cricket is lucky too, because you’re so fair and generous with the treats! I hope you get positive results soon, and that you can all settle into a new routine with less trauma for all of you.
Cricket doesn’t want things to settle down, though. She likes the extra treats and the extra trips outside. She loves the drama!
Well done. I really wanted to know the outcome as I read this. Let us pray she enjoys life a bit longer if not forever
I’m hoping for a lot longer, but I make sure to make the most of each day with her, just in case.
That’s what I call dedication! – not just the sleep deprivation, but the anguish you must have been, and perhaps still is, living with is unimaginable. Fingers crossed that it works out.
All fingers and toes crossed! Thank you!
Poor Baby. We love our pets so much and hate to see them in pain or distress. Glad you have a good vet. 🙂
taking good care of your pawbaby, it is hard to do but you are succeeding
Thank you!
As a pet sitter, I can say that testing blood and giving a dose that corresponds to current BG levels, can do wonders. We have clients/pets who do just that. Same way humans give themselves insulin. Good for you for trying that, and I hope it helps.
Me too! Thank you!
I so hope your Mum’s plan works out – for you and for Butterfly xx
Cricket’s suspicious face! So cute 🙂
Right now, Cricket is staring at Butterfly’s butt, trying to tell me that we need to test that blood again, because she wants more treats.
I hope the new plan works and Butterfly’s numbers stay in the normal range. The pictures were great! What a process you all have to go through when you have to do the Curve, I can just picture it. Cricket and Butterfly do make out pretty good though with the extra treats, we know the power of treats in our house too 🙂 You’re doing a great, keep us posted on how things go.
Cricket gets so spoiled after a curve day that she gives me grumpy face every day thereafter, trying to tell me that she is starving to death.
I understand completely where you are coming from. The stories I could tell about some of the dachshunds I’ve owned and the treatment plans for their problematic back conditions (not to count the money I’ve spent on vets and specialists). They are our babies, you are right.
I have three dachshunds now. One is 17 years old! He’s very white-faced, a bit deaf, and sometimes looks confused. He’s a thin old boy now, but he’s in good health for an old man. AND if a rabbit or squirrel happens to get on his property, he’s out the door in flash, giving good chase with his much younger sisters. 🙂
Seventeen years and still chasing squirrels?! I love it!
He is my feisty boy – when he isn’t napping!
Nothing wrong with that, Rachel. We all want to do the best for the dogs we love, and will go the extra mile for them. Sometimes it’s stressful and hard work, but so worth it when we can see them getting better. Your loving care – and the backup of your cooperative vet – will go a long way towards prolonging Butterfly’s life.
I just love watching her gallop across the back yard. I don’t want to lose that.
That’s definitely not wrong, that’s what we want all for our beloved furkids. I hope your vet will find a way what really works for Butterfly…. or maybe you will find an idea via comments, that would be great…
That would be wonderful!!!!!!
I hear you there. It is worrisome to have your best friend sick.
Especially when she really really really wants to eat pizza!
Know that Sam and I are sending positive healing thoughts and puppy kisses. Good luck at getting Butterfly’s levels more manageable.
Thank you so much! We love puppy kisses over here!
Sending positive vibes your way! HUGS! xo
Nothing wrong in wanting the very best and a good life for your fur baby. Sending healing and blessings. You are such a good mum.
Hugs Sheila
Thank you so much!
Dogs should live forever that’s for sure. It is so unfair that they are with us for so short a time. Forever would not be long enough!
Forever would be a good start!
Your concern is admirable and there is nothing wrong with being the wonderful and caring pet owner that you are. I must say that my experience with Vets over the years with my multiple cats and now dog has been less then satisfying. I am a medical doctor and I know pets aren’t little people so I am not saying I know anything about veterinary medicine. I do know a little about diabetes. It is true what the vet said about the phenomena that low blood glucoses can cause a rebound high glucose. However, the solution isn’t necessarily reducing the insulin dose. Your mother is very wise. Your dog needs extra doses of short acting insulin to cover his high glucoses along with a baseline of long acting insulin to maintain a baseline that isn’t too high or low. I do think you are overdoing it with these glucose curves and since your dog is getting all these extra treats I am not sure what they mean anyhow. Good luck and trust your instincts.
Thank you!
I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award ! http://plan-b-chronicles.com/2015/04/26/versatile-blogger-award-for-recipes/
Thank you so much!
I think your idea is sound and I’m surprised your vet didn’t suggest a sliding scale of some sort. I care for an elderly aunt who has diabetes and she was on a sliding scale for a while. Before breakfast the care giver would take her glucose reading and depending on what it was administer a varying number of units based on the reading. Same at night before bed. Good luck getting things under control – sending positive vibes to you and Butterfly (and Cricket too of course)…
I hope it works. I have no idea why the vets told us not to do it this way from the beginning, Cricket thinks it’s very silly, and tells me this was her idea all the time.
Cricket is a wise soul 🙂
Awwwww, Butterfly! I wish things were a bit less bumpy on the road you are travelling at the moment. Hopefully they have prescribed exercise, and I am wondering if there is any sugar in those treats? They could certainly add to the conundrum.
No sugar in the treats, and her dog food is specially made for diabetics, but she loves to eat, so that could be part of the problem. She brings pieces of kibble with her everywhere, including going out to run in the backyard. Oy.
Oh good, I am glad her diet is supporting things. I totally share her passion for eating…if I could bring tidbits with me wherever I went, I would!!! It is a tough road…hang in there sweet Butterfly.
i had a chihuahua die quickly with diabetes… but when my husband got it, we found a herb called wormwood and made him awful tasting tea out of it, it cured him… really, it did, i know nobody ever believes me, but it’s true
Butterfly would probably love something called “wormwood” – that’s her style.
Buterfly is so beautiful; glad you are finding the balance.
I admire your efforts. We just want our babies to be comfortable and happy all day, every day. Keep take a good care of your babies and yourself. They need your health too!
Thank you!
No there is nothing wrong with what you want :(. Good luck xxx
Thank you!
Hope Butterfly gets better soon!!
She thinks she’s fine! No matter how goofy her glucose numbers get, she hops around like she’s having a party.
Here is hoping this works – I am amazed that people wouldn’t want to do what they could for their dogs. Losing a little sleep doesn’t seem like much of a sacrifice if it can help a dog you love!
– Sarah (and Choppy) –
Travels with Choppy
Are you wrong? Uhhhh…no!!!Your an amazing pet owner who wants the best for her pets. That is why you have them and they are the ones who you spend your resources on. Would you ever be interested in meeting an individual who didn’t want their pets to live forever? Hugging you from the Pacific.
Pam
Thank you so much!!!!
Of course you’re not wrong! No-one could be doing more to help than you (and your Mom, with her brilliant suggestion.) Diabetes can be difficult to manage, but you’re doing a great job and I congratulate you. Best wishes and hugs to you and your extended family 🙂
Thank you so much!
🙂 🙂 I’ve tweeted this and three other posts of yours. Good to spread your articles around the world…
You’re amazing! Thank you!
So sorry to hear Butterfly’s not feeling well. I hope the new plan works (and that she lives forever)
Me too! Thank you!