one symptom

[dirty]

this is about my yellow lab, Sam. he has one symptom.

last Wednesday night he woke me up to go to pee. he never does that. well that has morphed in to his drinking about 50% more water than he normally does and he now wants to go pee every 4-5 hours.

i think he has slowed his eating down "a little". but i'm not positive about that.

i have now started keeping exact measurements of food and water. will call to make vet appointment Monday.

i can't see anything else wrong with him. we go on our normal walks. he doesn't appear to be in pain.

i'm guessing that maybe he has some kind of infection.

anybody have any ideas?

[Kathy]

If I was a betting woman I'd say it's either an infection or more likely diabetes. The good news is even if it is diabetes, it is totally treatable.

Wishing the best for Sam, hopefully it's just an infection that can be cleared up with some antibiotics.

Let us know, Sam is one cool dog!

[dirty]

thanks for the quick response.

i thought about diabetes, but i think it came on so quick. i guess i think of diabetes as something that sneaks up on you.

[Deleted]

I hope Sam's ok to! He's a cool dog. I found this on Canine Diabtetes:

www.natural-pet-care.com/natural-pet-health-blog/pet-health-issues/the-symptoms-of-canine-diabetes/


Canine Diabetes Symptoms To Watch For

Drinking a Lot of Water

Although it’s natural for your dog to be thirstier in the summer or after a bit of rambunctious exercise, excessive drinking throughout the day and that continues for several days can be a sign of Diabetes. If you notice that you’re having to fill the Water Bowl more often, you may want to have your dog tested for canine Diabetes. Other diseases may also cause an increase in thirst as well, so having a veterinarian check your pet is a good idea.

Urinating a Lot

It stands to reason, if your dog is drinking more, then they’re going to be wanting outside a lot more too. So, although you may not notice the increased water intake right away (as it can be very gradual), you’ll certainly be made aware of the increased need to urniate (think revolving door).

Your Dog May Develop “Sweet Breath”

Most of us dog owners will complain of a dog’s “Bad Breath”, so you’ll most likely notice if the breath takes on a “sweet” smell. This is a sign that your dog’s Blood Sugar Levels have risen to high and need to be brought under control.

Let us know how it turns out!!!

Kaza

[kyosa]

You may want to see if your vet can check to make sure his kidney function is OK. When we lost Pepper last December it was because his kidneys had shut down and our vet said a symptom of kidney failure was excessive thirst/drinking. He hasn't been anywhere to be able to ingest a small quantity of antifreeze, like drops on a garage floor? I think ethylene glycol attacks the kidneys. I'd think diabetes or some urinary infection would probably be a much more likely cause than kidney failure, but it might be something to have checked.

[dirty]

yea Kyosa, my first thought was some type of kidney infection. i'm fairly certain he hasn't eaten anything poisonous. unless there is something wrong with his dog food.

i'll try to get him into the vet monday.

[dirty]

couldn't get Sam an appointment till wed. morning. i did take him to see a friend of mine. she's an RN and she runs the county shelter. she looked at him. said she didn't feel it was a emergency. just to make the soonest appointment i could. so unless something changes wed. it is.

[Deleted]

That's good that it's not an "emergency" . Keep us posted how it goes ok?

[dirty]

Well just got the blood work results back. Sam has diabetes.

have to take him back for an insulin consultation.

oh yea also need to bring in a urine sample. this will be fun. glad the neighbors can't see me.

off to google dog diabetes.

any personal experiences would be welcome.

[Kathy]

Dirty, I'm so sorry that Sam has diabetes. At least it is a treatable disease and Sam can still be active for many years.

Here's a few sites I found that had info on Canine Diabetes.

ezinearticles.com/?Canine-Diabetes&id=934852

www.uspharmacist.com/index.asp?show=article&page=8_1000.htm

www.westieclubamerica.com/health/diabetesmellitus.html

[Deleted]

How's he doing? Been thinking about him, wondering if you ever found out what was/is the matter with him....

[dirty]

sorry for the lack of updates, having internet problems.

anyway, Sam needs a shot of insulin everyday. going back Wednesday to get another blood sugar reading. He seems to be doing better. eating a lot less though.

[Kathy]

Dirty, I think excessive hunger goes along with the increased thirst of diabetes.
You might want to ask the vet if there's a specific dog food that is better for a dog with diabetes-some are mostly carbs while others have a better balance of meat based protein & carbs.

You & Sam are in my thoughts.

[dirty]

well one week on insulin. his blood sugar is now 310. a normal reading was somewhere between 90-149. if i remember the numbers right. when i first brought him in it the reading was 500.

they raised the amount of insulin i need to give him. i'll go back in another week an he'll get his blood sugar checked again.

[Deleted]

It's comming down at least!
Hope by next week it's within the normal range and he's feeling better.

Kaza