Why is my diabetic dog lethargic, not eating, and not improving?

I am very sorry to hear that you are experiencing these issues with Matilda. These clinical signs, inappetance and increased water consumption are unfortunately very common for diabetic dogs. Because Matilda's body cannot handle the Sivan she eats in her food in a normal way, an excess amount is passed through her urine. The sugar drags water with it, meaning that Matilda will urinate more of her water intake and reserves then a normal dog will. Keeping her insulin medication and feed intake carefull monitored will help slow this diuretic effect and keep her more hydrated. The same issues with handling sugar inside her body can affect her appetite. If you are noticing that these problems are becoming worse, I suggest a recheck with your vet to make sure that the medications are at an appropriate dosage, and that there aren't any complicating factors present, such as a yeinary tract infection, which are common in diabetic dogs. I hope this answer was helpful, and more Importantly that Matilda feels better soon. Warmest regards to you both.

Hello. If she is still drinking and peeing and having glucose in her pee then the diabetes isn't under control. Chat with your vet about checking for infections (urinalysis is recommended) as well as Cushing's disease. If these are present the diabetes won't become controlled. Hair loss is associated woth Cushings as well. Good luck with her!

Lyme’s disease does not typically cause elevated blood glucose. So I don’t think it is Lymes dz. It sounds like Mia’s blood glucose is not being regulated properly. The goal is to get Mia’s blood glucose close to normal again or at least below 150. The veterinarian needs to check her glucose to see if she is on the appropriate dosage of insulin to get her blood sugar to decrease. If her sugar/glucose remains elevated then she will continue to have symptoms of diabetes(increased thirst/urination). There are several types of insulin that can be used in dogs. Some dogs respond better to one type vs another. Ask the vet to try a diff type of insulin if he/she can’t get the blood glucose regulated by increasing the dosage of insulin Mia is on. Once the blood glucose is regulated, she should start to act normal again. You can also get a glucometer to monitor the blood glucose at home. The vet can show you how to do this.

Since Cairo has just started being stabilized with insulin and diet, it may take a little while for her body to adjust. In general, it is safer for a diabetic dog to be slightly above the desired range than to be too low, so if we are going to err on one side or the other, we generally prefer a little high. Depending on the frequency of your checks, Cairo may be falling slightly below the desired range at some point of the day which may account for for lethargy or she may just not yet be well adjusted. And every animal is different, so that may be the range that she feels the best. I would discuss your concerns with your veterinarian and see what range they would recommend maintaining her. It will likely be fine to maintain her a little high right now. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answers your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This could be a possibility. If your vet thinks Cushing she could be complicating her diabetes, you could consider testing her for cushings. If she definitely has cushings then you can start treating her for that. In the meantime, y'all will need to work on getting her diabetes under control. Another option would be to see if there is a specialist (internist) near you that could take over her case to help you get the DKA under control while also diagnosing and treating for cushings if needed. The main difference between a specialist and a general practitioner is that the specialist specializes in these complicated metabolic diseases and usually have facilities and specialized equipment that can care for them 24 hours if needed. If there is a cost concern and yall are unable to get the DKA under control and she is continuing to decline then yes, I would consider euthanasia. Unfortunately, even with intensive care and extensive testing, sometimes these guys don't improve and continue to decline no matter what we do. I know this is a difficult time and decision. Just know that you are doing the best thing for her whatever you decide. I hope this helps and know we are thinking of you. Hugs!

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Abel has diabetes! Abel will need to be started on insulin, which will need to come from your vet. If Abel has been lethargic and not eating much, my recommendation would be to have him hospitalized at the vet as soon as possible to get his blood sugar under control, so I'd call them right away and see how quickly he can be seen again - even if the vet isn't free to talk to you when you call, I'd recommend you ask the front desk how quickly Abel can be seen. Untreated diabetes can definitely make a pet become much more sick very quickly, so now that you know it's diabetes I would get Abel rechecked. That way when you bring Abel in, you can talk further about the diabetes diagnosis, and your vet can help you become comfortable with measuring and giving the insulin. When I diagnose new diabetic animals, I usually have the owner practice giving injections of saline to their pet in the hospital so we know they will be comfortable with drawing up the correct dose of insulin and giving injections at home. Your vet will also likely want you to start Abel on a prescription diet formulated to help maintain a more steady blood sugar. I hope this helps and he feels better soon!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite and lethargy can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Dexter evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!