My diabetic dog is lethargic. Can I keep her blood sugar higher?

It sounds like his diabetes is not controlled well. I would start with a glucose check and a urine test. This will confirm if the sugar is still high and if he has ketones in his urine. Ketones can make them sicker and feel bad. They usually require IV fluids and a different, strong but shorter acting insulin to help get it under control they can also do blood work to check for cushings or a low thyroid or a secondary infection somewhere as these are common with diabetes and makes it harder to control diabetes until these are treated also. Once the blood sugar stop fluctating and staying high, his appetite will come back and the drinking slow down.

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.

Please try to bring her appointment forward to get her rechecked and her blood sugar levels controlled more effectively if possible. It may be necessary to change her insulin type but she should also be checked for infections/inflammation etc which may be altering her ability to regulate her condition

Hi, I think you should check his blood glucose, which I think it’s going to be high. If you can’t because your vet is closed and you don’t have an emergency clinic nearby, I would give him half dose of insulin. Please get in touch if there is anything else we can do for you. Hope this helps.

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!

Continue insulin therapy as previously prescribed and follow up with your veterinarian in the morning. Do not alter insulin dose based on 2 spot checks without consulting the veterinarian treating her.

Consider having Mojo rechecked by your veterinarian. A bG curve should be done to confirm the insulin dose is appropriate or if it needs to be adjusted. In a diabetic dog, a bG between 5-12 mmol/L over a 24 hour period is considered "stable". Rapid or wide swings should be addressed by your veterinarian