Diabetic Pet Pug in Mumbai Receives Blood Sugar Monitoring Device

Mumbai: A 3-year-old dog with high blood sugar levels has received a blood sugar monitoring device to track his blood glucose levels. The pug has been wearing the Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) sensor since he was admitted to the veterinary hospital in Parel. 

The Continuous Glucose Monitor is a small, circular patch which is pinned to the abdomen or just above the neck of the pet. It is slightly larger than the size of a coin, and it displays constant glucose levels which the pet parent can monitor through an app on their phone. 

This sensor is live for a period of two weeks, after which is must be peeled off and disposed of. When he was admitted, the pug was on insulin and had a blood sugar level of 400 mg/dl when he was admitted. For context, the normal blood sugar levels for a dog of his size range between 80 and 120 mg/dl.

"This is a rare occasion on which we have used the CGM on a pet. It helps monitor blood glucose," said Dr Chandrakant Galdhar, professor of medicine at Mumbai Veterinary College responsible for treating the pet. For humans with diabetes, the sensor has become common in recent times to track sugar levels.

The sensor provides a relatively pain-free alternative to a glucometer. In a glucometer, the pet has to be  jabbed with a needle every time their blood glucose levels need to be checked. 

"Often, pets don't cooperate… they can be just like children," said Dr Rajiv V Gaikwad, professor and head of the department of medicine at Mumbai Veterinary College, affiliated to Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals (Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University). He also said that since this is an initial case, veterinarians will record their observations and publish their findings. 

The pug is also noted to have high levels of cortisol. The treating vet is currently analysing if the high sugar is a by product of high-cortisol levels. "We have started administering medication to suppress the high cortisol levels," said Dr Gaikwad.

Dr Mayur Dangar, manager at the hospital, noted that lifestyle-related conditions like cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity are on the rise. The CGM serves as a viable alternative to the needle-and-blood-test method, but it does have its own drawbacks. The patch itself lasts for 14-16 days, with the high cost and lack of compatibility with all mobile devices still being challenges.