Can Atopica Cause High Blood Sugar?

Hi All

My Mum's Westie Leo who is 2yrs old has terrible skin & for the last 6-8 weeks has been on Atopica, which has done wonders for him he is hardly scratching & has lost weight due to being taken off the steroids.

However the last couple of days my Mum has come down in the morning to puddles on the kitchen floor. I mentioned to her that he may well have a water infection. He is also drinking a lot.

She has taken him to the vets today & managed to take a sample with her, the vet tested it & said that there was a lot of blood/protein in it. The vet was concerned so she took some blood & the test showed high sugar levels.

We are concerned now that he may have diabetes, or the vet did mention that using Atopica can cause high blood sugar levels. Just wondering if any body has come across this or have had any experience with this.

Any suggestions would be great

Many thanks

Amanda

Poor Leo! Sorry, I'm of no help as I don't know the answer to your question and have no experience of Atopica causing these problems. I just hope the vet can help Leo and make him more comfortable and get him sorted.

Hi Amanda, I have 2 westies, and bobby has c.m.o. known as lions jaw. It was suggested to me, from a lady who has been breeding westies for 40 years to try homeopathic treatment. I phoned Ainsworths in London, and they suggested 3 different tablets and what a difference, he is like a different dog. He can bark now, and could not do this before (I think hes making up for lost time). Hope things go well for you, contact me if you want the number in london. Best wishes Jane

Hi Atopica can cause diabetes whether or not its temporary only the vet can sort that out, but it is in the literture that comes with Atopica that it can be one of the side effects. Presume if doesn't settle poor little thing will have to have insulin injecions as well.
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Hi kathryn

Thanks for your comments i have just phoned Mum & told her

Amanda

I dont like the drug, it caused seizures, muscle wastage, and joint pain in my dog.

Can you check your pets urine with the Diastix or Keto Diastix? They may be called something else in the UK, check after 2nd pee in AM after night bladder has been emptied, as there will be more glucose in the urine at first p, the Keto Diastix will show both glucose and Ketones in the urine, if you see High BG constant, thats no good, and if you see Ketones present thats not so good. I have a diabetic dog. I hope this is not whats wrong with your baby, but here is website worldwide canine diabetes forum lots of info and can really answer your question on Atopica, most diabetic pets must have insulin. The urine strips really help check diabetes and ketones. Hope this helps. Here is the link with my ID on the end. You don't have to join, you can look at the info on top of the page

http://k9diabetes.com/forum/index.php?referrerid=18

Hi Pie

Many thanks for your reply, i have passed it onto Mum. Actually Leo went back to vets yesterday & had his levels checked again & they had come down to 12, so going the right way, but it still worry's me.

Once again thanks

Amanda

Hi All

An update on Leo. Mum had his blood test results back today & his blood sugar level is still very high. She has stopped the Atopica as told by the vet & now poor old Leo is scratching again now.

The vet has suggested that Mum may have to give Leo Atopica 2x a week, so thats better than every day.

However here comes the worrying bit. The Vet thinks that he has possibly got Diabetes & she said that with Leo's problems it is not going to be easy at all.

She didnt say exactly why but Mum got the feeling that she thought there was not a lot left they could do.

Mum is worried sick now that Leo will have to be put to sleep (he is only 3). Mum is going back to the vets a week Thursday, so i told her to ask lots of questions & get decent answers, otherwise i will go with her lol.

Does anyone know of what medications cant be given when a dog is a Diabetic? Does the vet mean that he cant have Atopica if he is Diabetic? Therefore he will go back to being very very uncomfortable with really bad skin & bold patches.

Many thanks

Amanda

HI,
I live in Florida, and have a westie with severe grass/pollen allergies. After being on atopica for a little over a month, she was diagnosed with diabetes and is now insulin dependent. My vet told me at the time that atopica has not been found to cause diabetes, but after some quick internet searches I'm doubtful that this is true. It has been over a year since her diagnosis and her blood sugar is still not controlled. I wish I would have known this at the time, I never would have started her on atopica.