OT: dog BG levels?

[Mandy & Rex (GA)]

Hi all, I'm taking care of a dog for a friend this week. I'm starting to wonder if he could have diabetes because he is constantly drinking water, which leads to peeing a lot, so much that he can't go more than 2 hours. I'm going to limit his water intake, but I have to wonder if there's a reason. Does anyone know what a normal BG range is for dogs? Do I test him on his ear like I do with Rex? I use a ReliOn Confirm meter.

Background on the dog: Brittany Spaniel, about to turn 14 years old, has a brain tumor, which led to one eye being removed, has a cataract in his other eye, is going deaf, and also has severe vertigo.

 

[Red & Rover (GA)]

From a quick search on the internet, it looks like 80-140 is normal range (unless the dog has just eaten a large meal - higher crabs in dog food). The ear is fine. Some people use the inside of the upper lip (really?).

Never limit an animal's water intake. It could be the kidneys. Will the dog use pee pads?

 

[Mandy & Rex (GA)]

Never limit an animal's water intake. It could be the kidneys. Will the dog use pee pads?

I didn't mean to limit it all the time, but after a certain time at night so he could hopefully not need to urinate until I am up to let out him and my dog out in the morning. He is currently wearing a male belt with a max feminine pad inside, but he peed a lot last night so our carpet still got wet. He does not warn us he needs to go potty.

I plan to put down some pee pads tonight in the "popular" spots, but I don't know if it will work. I don't know if he has ever used them.

 

[Squeaky and KT (GA)]

Unfortunately human meters don't work well with dogs - their platelets are too large for the strip to gather them correctly.

My elderly ShiChi is doing the same thing - someone just shared an Alphatrak with me. So far looks like it's something else besides diabetes...

HUGS!

 

[Mandy & Rex (GA)]

Unfortunately human meters don't work well with dogs - their platelets are too large for the strip to gather them correctly.

My elderly ShiChi is doing the same thing - someone just shared an Alphatrak with me. So far looks like it's something else besides diabetes...

Aw, bummer! So I shouldn't even bother to try and test the dog? I do not know anyone in town who tests their diabetic cat so I can't ask to borrow the pet meter.

I hope you figure it out with your dog and she/he will be ok.

 

[Tuxedo Mom]

If a human meter won't work, perhaps a urine dipstick might be useful to see if there is glucose in the urine. I would think that ANY glucose in the urine would be a red flag regardless of kitty, dog or human.

 

[Mandy & Rex (GA)]

If a human meter won't work, perhaps a urine dipstick might be useful to see if there is glucose in the urine. I would think that ANY glucose in the urine would be a red flag regardless of kitty, dog or human.

I don't want to run out and buy a bottle of dipsticks, just to test once. Hmm, maybe I can call the vet's office and ask.

ETA: That was no go. It has to be done in office, which I understand. I will just have to let my friend know to bring the dog in after they are home from Mexico.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

A human meter will work fine on a dog. The AlphaTrak is made for all animals with a different code entered to account for the differences in glucose distribution in the blood constituents. I have tested togs using blood from the inner lip with both an alphaTrak and One Touch.
For more information go to the dog diabetes website/forum.
http://www.k9diabetes.com/

 

[Squeaky and KT (GA)]

A human meter will work fine on a dog. The AlphaTrak is made for all animals with a different code entered to account for the differences in glucose distribution in the blood constituents. I have tested togs using blood from the inner lip with both an alphaTrak and One Touch.
For more information go to the dog diabetes website/forum.
http://www.k9diabetes.com/

Really Larry? That's where I usually read and and thought it was there that I found a whole discussion concerning the size of the platelets of human blood, cat's blood and dog's blood and testing meters. A human and a cat were close enough together but dog's platelets were much bigger and wouldn't penetrate the strip/meter evaluation area with the correct concentration. I've tested my dogs using a human meter and could get a number, one I expected and depended on it for years altho' none were diabetic. When I read that with all it's detail, guess I took it as too logical to not be true.

So @Mandy & Rex - guess you CAN! And I didn't need to jump thru those hoops to get that used AT...

 

[Tasha & Darwin]

We have a couple of clients that home-test their dogs, and use the inside of the lip. Dogs are a bit more tolerant than kitties in general, but depends on the dog. You can use the ear too. Is the dog on steroids due to the brain tumor? It wouldn't be unusual for that to be the case... That could be the culprit of the water consumption if on high doses of steroids. Obviously, could be diabetes, but also an even longer list in dogs than kitties for diseases that cause increased thirst and urine output

 

[Larry and Kitties]

usually read and and thought it was there that I found a whole discussion concerning the size of the platelets of human blood, cat's blood and dog's blood and testing meters.

FOr human blood:
A typical range of platelet volumes is 9.7–12.8 fL (femtolitre), equivalent to spheres 2.65 to 2.9 µm in diameter. Normal range is given as 7.5-11.5 fL.[5]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mean_platelet_volume
Of domestic animal species, cats had the highest MPVs (mean platelet volume) (mean 11 fL), followed by dogs (mean 7.2 fL), horses (mean 5.0 fL), cattle (mean 4.8 fL), and goats (mean 4.2 fL)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/mean-platelet-volume

 

[Squeaky and KT (GA)]

FOr human blood:
A typical range of platelet volumes is 9.7–12.8 fL (femtolitre), equivalent to spheres 2.65 to 2.9 µm in diameter. Normal range is given as 7.5-11.5 fL.[5]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mean_platelet_volume
Of domestic animal species, cats had the highest MPVs (mean platelet volume) (mean 11 fL), followed by dogs (mean 7.2 fL), horses (mean 5.0 fL), cattle (mean 4.8 fL), and goats (mean 4.2 fL)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/mean-platelet-volume

WOOT WOOT!! Thank you Larry!!!!