£13 : My westie has just been diagnosed with diabetes, I've had to

Hello, and thank you for your question.

I am Dr. Devlin, and I am happy to assist you with your westie.

First of all, I am very sorry to hear about his diagnosis. It sounds like you are quite familiar with this disease and the care and expense that it involves. If at all possible, if you can work out some way to administer twice daily insulin, it will greatly prolong his life expectency and enhance the quality of his remaining days. I do have a number of patients who have been on insulin for year.

However, I know that isn't your main question, and if you have decided not to pursue treatment with insulin, then nutritional management and management of complications will be very important.

If you wish to have a home-cooked diets, then I suggest you use the balanceit.com site, or hire a veterinary nutritionist to formulate his meals:

www.acvn.org

For the blanceit site, you will need to purchase supplements, and your vet will need to enter the medical information. Home-cooked diets are very difficult to formulate so that they are complete and balanced - extra vitamins and minerals are needed, the calcium has to be balanced with the phosphorous, etc. In addition, he will need a high protein, low carb, high fiber diet. There is some thought that zinc and chromium may be beneficial, and I would look into these as well.

I do highly recommend Purina DM food for diabetic canines - it will help decrease blood sugar surges after meals, and is especially formulated.

In addition, treating with SAM-e can help decrease inflammation within the pancreas and liver:
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1319

As far as the Dia-LonX, I cannot recommend it. There have been a number of discussions about this on our specialty boards (I am a canine/feline specialist, and communicate frequently with internists, etc). There are no regulation on the nutriceutical market for animals, unfortunately, and no need for a product to meet label claims. The three main ingredients will not help regulate your dog's blood sugar. What he cells need is insulin, unfortunately. In addition, I would be skeptical of any product that makes claims like this company does... and I fear that many concerned pet owners who just want to help, will fall victim.

In addition, there is a report from November 2008 of a pet that died acutely after starting this supplement.

Until the regulations change regarding pet supplements, I would only use ones that have been through independent third party testing, and that are manufactured according to Pharmaceutical standards.

Unfortunately, with dogs, because they their diabetes is similar to human Type I diabetes (childhood diabetes) there are still no oral alternatives that work. (This is different from Type 2 diabetes, or adult-onset, which is also similar to the diabetes seen in cats)

More information:
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=627

Please let me know how else I can help.
Sincerely,
XX. XXXXXX

Veterinarian

>10 years practicing veterinary medicine including exotics, fish, reptiles. Canine/feline specialist

View the original article here