Time to call Dr. Jean Dodds

It happened again this morning. I wakened at 4AM, went downstairs and gave Lily her thyroid medication. Then we return to bed, I thought. But Lily was restless and would not settle in the bed. We returned downstairs once again. I opened the door and we went outside. Lily did not go to the bamboo......but she paced.  By now it was about 4:20 AM.

At 4:30 AM I fed Lily, thinking the food might stabilize her blood sugar and wanting to get her morning meds into her system.

I am beginning to recognize the body language. Tail tucked, slow movement head down. At about 4:45 Lily threw up a bit on the carpet in the family room. I put Andre into his crate so he would be safe.  And then I got out the Häagen-Dazs ice cream. This time I let Lily consume the entire carton.

It is now 5:30 AM. Lily wants to settle but she is still restless. I have put blankets on the sofa where she is not allowed and she is curling up at one end of the sofa and then moving to the other end. Then she moves to the floor and curls into her small wicker basket. Then she moves across the room to her mat she just can't get settled anywhere.  Lilys normal behavior after a seizure is to curl up into go to sleep. This is unusual behavior so it may not be over yet.

I am remaining downstairs with Lily because the ice pack is downstairs, the valium, is downstairs all the seizure remedies are downstairs.

6:00
I am going upstairs and getting dressed just in case. Lily follows me and hops into bed, curls up and goes to sleep.  More wait and see.

6:30
Lily is sleeping.  I have sent email to both Patty Ungar and Jean Dodds for help.  I asked Laurie for input and have added her wise advice into the Comments  below.



I can't help but feel that Lilys seizures are connected in some way to low blood sugar.  I absolutely know, after this morning, that the ice cream prevented a seizure.

I want more information. I know from my diabetic alert dog friends that high blood sugar is as dangerous as a low blood sugar. I cannot overdo the ice cream with Lily. I need to know more about what I am doing.

This is for Wendi

An unusual morning today. This has never happened before. I gave Lily her thyroid medication at around 3:30 AM. Then we both went back to sleep. We awakened at 5:30. I came downstairs to prepare Lily's breakfast but she stayed in bed. Eventually she came downstairs and lay on the floor in front of the kitchen.

I prepared her breakfast as usual and set it in the usual place. Lily ignored her breakfast. She was quieter than usual. I don't know anymore if I'm looking for more than I'm actually seeing. However, I pulled out the ice cream and let her lick a half a tub of Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream, thinking perhaps she was nauseous and needed to settle her stomach in order to eat her breakfast.

She slowly went over to her for food dish. And she eventually ate her breakfast.  But not in her normal manner.  I suppose I would describe her behavior as lethargic.

I don't want to make the ice cream a cure-all for everything, but I let her finish the last half of the small container of ice cream. Then I made a place for us both on the sofa with blankets for Lily to lay upon.  If something were to happen I wanted it to happen downstairs instead of upstairs.  Lily curled up and went to sleep for about an hour.

Now we are just having a quiet morning. The gardeners have been here and she has interacted with them. We have been upstairs and downstairs several times and made several trips to the garage.  I filled the fleece ball and tied the strips into knots and she played with that for almost half an hour.

Maybe it's just one of those mornings.  Only time will tell.

Working Toward A Handstand

Curious George and Winnie the Pooh




books on yoga blocks




footstool




footstool in a different position




chair w/o cushion







chair with cushion




the yoga mat adds needed traction







Next we moved to the fireplace hearth. I think it's about one or 2 inches higher than the chair.  We brought the yoga mat with us.

"When ever you change one thing about a behavior make everything else easier."

Diabetic Dog: Testing blood sugar at home

http://youtu.be/V8YDSaDZ6X0

Follow up

Today is Thursday morning. It is approximately 6:20 AM.

Last night because of the heavy traffic after leaving the vet office, we didn't arrive home until 6 PM. I pilled and fed Lily at six.

This morning we slept in and I didn't give Lily her thyroid medication until 5 AM. I pilled and fed her the remaining medication at approximately 5:50 AM.  Shortly after 6 AM Lily ran down the stairs to the front door. I followed and let her out. She ran directly to the bamboo patch and began eating the bamboo. Using that as my clue, I immediately went to the freezer and got out a small container of Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream which I then allowed Lily to lick half directly from the container.

Then….I waited to see what would happen.

I left the front door open. Lily was free to come and go as she wished. She could have returned to the bamboo patch. But… she didn't.

I carried something to the trash and she followed. We walked in the backyard and in the front courtyard. Then I return to the house but left the front door open. Lily voluntarily returned upstairs and jumped onto my bed.

I am assuming that she no longer felt nauseous and therefore was comfortable returning to the normal morning routine.


Dr. Ungar tested Lily's blood sugar yesterday and did a fructose test. I do not know the results.

Test results normal.  But, as Dr Ungar says, "They are only a snapshot in time."

Back to normal

Today is Wednesday. Lilly has an appointment with Dr. Unger at four this afternoon. Sue and Syn left Monday morning. And our lives have resumed their normal pace. Lilly is a different dog.

Beginning on Monday I have resumed giving Lily her to  CET chews every day. Check the label on these chews. They contain sucrose and glucose.  I have tried Googling this product to determine what the ratio of sugar is to the other ingredients but I can find nothing.

Yesterday we spent half an hour at the marina. Later in the morning we went on the scooter for about a half-mile stroll/jog.  Other than two trips to the marina while Sue and Syn were here Lily had no further exercise. So we are resuming our scootering.

Normal blood glucose levels in dogs

Normal blood glucose levels in dogs are actually somewhat similar to those in humans. Knowing a dog's blood glucose levels becomes important when an owner suspects or is treating a dog for diabetes.

Blood Glucose in Dogs

Healthy dogs have normal blood glucose levels, which tend to range from 75 to 120 milligrams per deciliter of blood. Dogs that have levels of 80 milligrams per deciliter or lower are likely to develop hypoglycemia. When reaching a level of 60 milligrams per deciliter or lower, a dog may go into shock, coma or even be at risk for death.

On the other end of the spectrum, dogs that have blood sugar levels of 180 milligrams per deciliter on a consistent basis tend to need diabetic treatment as well. Maintaining normal blood glucose levels in dogs with either high or low blood sugar can be difficult, but is essential for extending the life of the pet.

Suspecting Low or High Blood Sugar

Most owners will first identify symptoms of low or high blood sugar in their dogs before they're able to actually test the dog's blood. A dog may be experiencing higher or lower blood sugar than normal if he exhibits the following:

• Excessive thirst
• Increased urination
• Loss of energy
• Excessive sleeping
• Loss of appetite
• Significant weight loss

Some dogs are born with type 1 diabetes and may exhibit these symptoms as puppies. Other dogs develop type 2 diabetes at a later age. Senior dogs, overweight dogs and dogs that don't get adequate levels of exercise are at greatest risk of developing diabetes. Feeding a dog a poor diet can also increase his chances of developing the condition.

Treating Diabetes in Dogs

Once a vet has tested the dog's blood sugar levels and has determined that they fall outside of the range of normal blood glucose levels in dogs, the vet will most likely prescribe a combination of oral medication, insulin and regular blood sugar testing. The owner can also help manage the condition by adjusting the dog's diet and making sure that he gets adequate exercise.

Testing Blood Glucose in Dogs

It is actually difficult to reach normal blood glucose levels in dogs that consistently have blood sugar levels higher than 180 milligrams. Even with medication, insulin, changes in diet and an increase in exercise, owners may only be able to reach blood sugar levels of 200 milligrams per deciliter or lower. (Remember also that blood sugar may rise temporarily immediately after eating.)

Owners should test the blood sugar levels in their dogs as instructed by a vet. If the dog struggles to maintain a low blood sugar level, this may be every one to two hours. As long as blood sugar remains below 200 milligrams, the owner may be doing all she can to keep the condition under control. If necessary, the owner can adjust the amount of insulin as directed by a vet if the blood sugar levels reach the higher end of the scale.

Read more: Normal Blood Glucose Levels in Dogs 

Testing for Hypoglycemia in Dogs

Hypoglycemia in dogs occurs when your dog's blood glucose concentration falls below 60 mg/dl. Your vet will use a variety of methods to diagnose your dog's condition. Besides a thorough physical exam, accurate diagnosis depends on a series of blood tests.

Blood Glucose Concentration Test

Blood glucose concentration is the amount of glucose or sugar per deciliter of blood. A dog is hypoglycemic if his blood glucose is lower than 60 mg/dl. A glucose concentration above 45mg/dl is considered mild.

This test can result in an inaccurate "positive" if the blood is kept for longer than a few hours before running the test.

You can perform this test at home using kits you can find at any drug store. Your vet can advise you on which kits are the most accurate. Perform this test at home using test kits for humans.

Complete Blood Count

A Complete Blood Count, or CBC, is a common test which measures the three types of cells in your dog's blood: Red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes) and platelets. The number, shape and appearance of these cells indicate how well your dog's organs are functioning and helps the vet track down possible underlying conditions that may be causing your dog's hypoglycemia. For example, a low red blood cell count or anemia may be a symptom of Addison's disease or liver disease, common causes of hyperglycemia in older dogs.

If a severe infection is causing the hypoglycemia, you may find an increased number of white blood cells.

Serum Biochemistry Profile

A serum biochemistry profile or serum biochemistry panel is a series of tests to analyze the chemical composition of blood serum. Serum is an important component of blood, and the results of these tests indicate how well particular organ systems are functioning.

Some tests that may help determine the underlying cause of hypoglycemia in dogs are:

• Blood proteins (albumin and globulin)
• Liver enzymes (Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT)
• Kidney function (creatinine and blood urea nitrogen or BUN )
• Glucose
• Muscle enzymes
• Cholesterol
• Electrolytes.

Liver disease may cause an increase in some liver enzymes. Chronic liver disease may cause a decrease in glucose, cholesterol, albumin and urea. Addison's disease may cause the composition of the electrolytes to change.

Serum Insulin Concentration Test

A serum insulin concentration is the measure of insulin in the blood. This test is commonly done in conjunction with a blood glucose concentration especially if your dog exhibits only hypoglycemia with otherwise normal test results. The results of these two tests may indicate the presence of a tumor of the pancreas called an islet cell tumor. These tumors commonly cause hypoglycemia in dogs by secreting excess amounts of insulin into the blood thus lowering blood sugar.

These blood tests provide your vet with the information to effectively treat your dog's hypoglycemia.

Read more: Diagnosing Hypoglycemia in Dogs With Blood Tests 

Seizure questions

It's 5:36 AM. I am sitting downstairs in the living room with Lily. She had her thyroid medication at 4:10 AM. I fed her at 5:10 AM.  After eating normally she returned her bowl to me and I gave her a treat. We went upstairs and climbed into bed.  Within five minutes Lily jumped off the bed and ran downstairs and stood by the door. She wanted out. So I opened the door and she made a beeline for the backyard.  I followed. I turned on the garden lights. I watched her. She went directly to the bamboo patch and began eating bamboo.  This is what she has done in the past and what she did do prior to her seizure last Wednesday.  I came into the house and got a container of Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream. It was one of those little small containers and it was about half-full.  I allowed her to lick the entire container clean.  Now we are downstairs in the family room just waiting to see what happens. She is curled up on the couch on her blankets.

The Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream is recommended to be given after a seizure to help the dogs blood sugar level rise to normal level.  Is eating the bamboo a precursor to nausea to be followed by another seizure?  Will the ice cream raise Lily's blood sugar and prevent a seizure?  I have offered her ice cream when she acted stressed or frantic after two meals since last week's seizure. No further seizures so far.  I am remaining downstairs with her so that I can easily access the ice and the other post-ictal treatments in case she does have a seizure.

Sent from my iPad

It is now 6 AM. She is curled up on the couch sleeping. I will remain downstairs. Tomorrow we have an appointment with Lily's vet.

Questions to ask Dr. Ungar:
Is there anyway to test Lily's pancreas? Is it functioning properly? Could Lily be hypoglycemic? Could adjusting Lily's diet positively affect the seizure activity?

General recommendations from Dr Jean Dodds

I’ll list the alternative natural approaches to controlling seizures below:

1) Feed only a hypoallergenic, grain-free diet and treats [i.e. no wheat,
corn or soy]
2) Use DMG – dimethyl glycine
3) Consider adding taurine (twice daily). Consider low doses of magnesium (2.5 mg per pound daily), as long as his renal function is good.
4) Consider adding manganese – don’t have a dose.
5) Consider acupuncture or gold bead implants [if they do those in Australia].
6) Herbal remedy Epi-Still ( a commercial, herbal remedy available on line in USA). contains the following herbal ingredients:

• Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is widely used to support balance and harmony in the nervous system. It can also be used to settle and soothe the nerves and ease minor worries. (Bourin, M., Bougerol, T., Guitton, B., and Broutin, E. “A combination of plant extracts in the treatment of outpatients with adjustment disorder with anxious mood: controlled study versus placebo”. Fundam.Clin Pharmacol 1997; 11(2):127-132.)
• Skullcap (Scuttelaria laterifolia) is an herbal tonic that has been traditionally used to ease non-debilitating feelings of being ‘overwhelmed’. It has well-known carminative properties, helping to support the natural equilibrium normally present in the mind and contributing to the maintenance of a healthy attitude and ‘even keel’. (Wolfson, P. and Hoffmann, D. L. “An investigation into the efficacy of Scutellaria lateriflora in healthy volunteers”. Altern Ther Health Med 2003; 9(2):74-78.) Active ingredients include flavonoids, tannins, bitter, volatile oil and minerals.
• Cuprum metallicum (30C) is recommended for the maintenance of balance in the electrical activity of the brain.
• Cicuta virosa (30C) is a remedy with proven results for maintaining health, balance, and normal activity in the brain and nervous system.

Good luck ! Jean