When your dog is first diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, it's critical that your veterinarian performs a glucose curve to ascertain the correct dosage of insulin that your dog needs. A glucose curve procedure involves a veterinarian giving small insulin doses to see how quickly your dog metabolizes the insulin, how long the insulin lasts, and how long it takes for the insulin to exit their system. 

 

Though it's important to have your veterinarian do an initial glucose curve,

it's also important that you know how to do one as well. In fact, many

diabetic dog owners chat their dog's glucose every single day. To do this, 

you first need to purchase a glucose monitor.

 

Why You Should Chart a Glucose Curve for Your Dog

 

There are a few important reasons to chart your dog's glucose regularly:

 

1) It let's you know if/when the insulin you give your dog is working as you

intended.

 

2) You will find out how effective the insulin is at reducing blood glucose in

your dog.

 

3) How quickly your dog's blood glucose rises and falls based on meals and

insulin shots.

 

4) When you need to plan your shots

 

How to Perform a Glucose Curve for Diabetic Dogs

 

If you are performing a glucose curve at home instead of at the veterinarian's office, here is a step-by-step program for performing the test:

 

1) Be prepared to perform regular blood tests every 1 to 2 hours.

 

2) Have a spreadsheet prepared to write down the results. You can then easily turn the spreadsheet into a graph to visualize how their body is breaking down glucose and responding to insulin treatment

 

3) Feed your dog on their normal schedule and make sure to eliminate any spontaneous snacks or treats

 

4) As soon as you and your dog wake up, test their glucose levels. Then, test them every 1 to 2 hours for at least 24 hours, or up to 48 hours. 

 

At the end of the test, the chart of your dog's glucose levels should look like rolling hills. If they spike precipitously up or down after injections, this may indicate that your dog is experiencing a Somogyi Rebound and you'll need to decrease their insulin doses. If their glucose levels increase significantly after meals and don't maintain a rolling pattern, it may be time to increase their insulin doses.

 

Here is what a normal glucose curve looks like: