Zak - Possible Diabetes Insipidus

[suzieq]

Am worried about my boy Zak.
It seems that he may have Diabetes Insipudus.
Everything has happened so quickly this last week. Noticed he was drinking a lot more than usual, and peeing much more. Got us up at 5am in the morning for a wee(something he's never done since he was a puppy) and the next day did the most enormous puddle in the lounge(again something he hasn't done since he was a puppy) Poor lad, he looked so confused - like 'how come i'm doing this?'
Decided a trip to the vets was definately in order on wednesday.
They did a urine test on thursday which rules out infection and as there was no sugar also ruled out diabetes mellitus, but the sample was apparently way way too dilute to be any where near normal so..
blood tests on friday. the blood tests ruled out cushings disease, liver disease and kidney disease so we've been told that the most likely diagnosis is diabetes insipidus and Zak is booked in tomorrow for a water deprivation test. Sounds horrible, withholding water and measuring the density of his urine at regular intervals to see if his body can concentrate his urine.
He seems absolutely fine in himself, done his usual rabbit chasing and pheasant flushing this weekend
But i am so worried about him and the effects that it will have on him if he does have this form of diabetes.
Does anyone on here have a dog with this illness? Or know much about and its long term effects?
Any help or advice would be much appreciated.

sue, zak and strider

[Sheryl]

Yes!  See the thread about Holly.  Despite the fact that it is diarrhoea that is the current problem, the Diabetes Incipidus is what we went originally to the vets for.  When she gets over whatever she has just now, we will start on her drops.  They are human nasal drops but are given to the dogs in the eye.  Holly only had one drop twice daily and the excessive drinking stopped almost immediately   Apparently you have to fiddle with the drops whilst measuring the water intake.  For Holly, the water intake should be about 500-700 mls daily.  If they drink less, you cut the drops down to one a day, more and you up the dose.  Hope that helps   Don't know about long term effects but the vet didn't tell me any, just that it was easily treatable.

[Helen]

No advice, just sending healing thoughts and hoping that it's under control asap and that Zak is feeling an awful lot better soon

[suzieq]

Thank you so much for your kind thought Helen
Sheryl, i'm really sorry i completely missed your thread, just been totally focused on Zak for the last week.
Your information has really helped, the vet did say about treatiment being with eye drops.
I knew Zak was drinking an awful lot, he always has drunk loads more than strider but i always thought that it was strider not drinking enough
He's averaging about 60 - 70 fluid ounces in 24 hours at the moment. Which, looking at Hollys requirements, is an huge amount more than he should be.
Will just be glad when tomorrows over and if it is diabetes then we can get treatment started.

sue, zak and strider

[Sheryl]

Sorry, I only work in litres now   Holly was drinking about a litre and a half to two litres when I first took her.  They didn't do a water deprivation test I think   They just told me that there are 17 things that cause excessive drinking.  If you go through all the tests and they are all normal, then DI is what you are left with as there is no test for it.  Once we start the drops (again ), I will be measuring her fluid intake but it has to be 500-700 mls for her.  I think the problem with the drops is that too much and they can dehydrate the dog so as soon as you start them, then the measuring starts!  Good luck for tomorrow.  As I said, when you start treatment, the effect is almost immediate.

Just looked at the ounces/litres conversion chart and Zak was doing the same as Holly.  Funnily enough, the only other dog in the vets with Diabetes Insipidus is another cocker.  He is just one drop a day now.  Give Zak a hug from me and hugs to you too.  It is worrying.... I know!

[Annette]

I hope Zak is soon feeling much better whatever the problem is.

[suzieq]

They told me that this is how the water deprivation test works
He's to have no water or food from when we get up. We have to get a sample of his first urine.
When he gets to the vets they'l weigh him and from then on he has no water and they test his urine regularly to see if his body is managing to concentrate it.
 If it does they stop the test and it isn't diabetes insipidus,
 if it doesn't they carry on until he's lost a percentage of his body weight(i thought they said 5% but that sounds quite a lot so iive probably got that wrong )
If it still doesn't concentrate then the most probable diagnosis is diabetes and they will start to treat for it.
Apparently the test will take till late afternoon, so an all day job.

[Sheryl]

I will be thinking of you both tomorrow.  Holly had 3 all day tests before her drops   Let us know how he gets on won't you?

[*Jay*]

Sorry to hear about Zak. My old boy had this for about a year before he died (this wasn't the cause of his death) and we treated with tablets.  As soon as we started with the medication, the excess drinking stopped and so did the wetting in the house.   I hope you can get a diagnosis one way or the other so you know what you are dealing with

[beebee]

Sorry to hear about zak, i have no experience of D I, but wanted to wish you well for tomorrow and hope  you find what the problem is. 
Barbara

[suzieq]

It has really helped to know that the treatment can be so effective so quickly.
Thank you all so much.
It so good to be able to share my worries and know there's other people out there that know how i'm feeling.

[Countrygirl]

I hope everything goes well at the vets tomorrow.  Will have all fingers and paws crossed here for good results.

[Sheryl]

Sue, good luck today with Zak.  Hope the tests prove conclusively it is DI and you can get this all sorted out and medication started.  Thinking of you

[suzieq]

Thanks Sheryl, dropped my little lad off at 9oclock, complete with sample
Honestly, he never gave me a backward glance, went off with the vet nurse all waggy tailed, bet he won't be quite as happy when i pick him up!
So now its down to waiting.
Thank you all for your kind thoughts, will let you know how he gets on.

sue,zak and strider

[Sheryl]

What were the results Sue   Hope all is ok.