Diabetes is a TREATABLE but potentially life long disease. We realize what a big commitment you are making and that is why we work with you to make a plan, teach you how to care for your pet and answer any questions you have.

Goals of Treatment

  • Do no harm! We do not want to cause a different issue while treating your pets diabetes. That is why we will routinely check urine and blood work, monitor weight and sugar levels. 
  • A good quality of life for you and your pet
  • Control diabetic symptoms
  • Well controlled diabetic
  • Avoid Hypoglycemia (very low sugar levels)
  • Avoid Diabetic Ketoacidosis (life threatening diabetic condition) 

​Insulin

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Insulin is an injectable hormone that must be given every 12 hours (unless directed otherwise). When your pet first starts on insulin it is a calculated dose based on weight. Within 2 weeks we will do a Blood Glucose Curve to make sure we are giving the appropriate amount of insulin. There are many different kinds of insulin available, we will choose the one that we believe is the most appropriate for your pet.

Pen

  • Easy to Use/See
  • Accurate dosing
  • Must be ‘primed’ prior to injecting
  • Hold pen button for 5-10 sec to give medication 
  • Store at room temperature

Needle and Vial

  • Can hold large volumes
  • Vial stored in fridge
  • Can be less expensive
  • Faster to administer/inject

Food

 For many pets we recommend switching diets once they are diagnosed with diabetes. We want to feed them a food that keeps sugar more regular throughout the day rather then having big spikes and drops.  (like the sugar spike humans get after getting fast food vs of the steady release of sugar they would get with a salad)

For cats, the right food can increase the chance of remission! 

Weight Management

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When diagnosed with Diabetes we make a plan to optimize your pets weight. Feeding the recommended food will help maintain sugar level, maintain muscle mass, decrease risk of secondary conditions and make sure your pet is feeling full. 
  • We figure out your pets goal weight (diabetics can be over or underweight depending on how long they have gone untreated and their lifestyle)
  • We find an appropriate food and calculate how much we need to be fed
  • Reweigh routinely to insure the pet is headed in the right direction (without loosing or gaining to quickly)
  • Slow down fast eaters ( maze bowls, throw kibbles, Feed smaller more frequent meals, use treat balls for kibble)

Remission

Emergencies