Does Giving Insulin Affect Cat's Appetite or Behavior?

[Cat Ma]

Starting insulin today. Cat is happy, eating well though he could use more energy. Will starting him on insulin (the vet insists on starting with Novolin N though from posts here that doesn't sound like the best option (?) ) affect his appetite, or mood? Would it help with energy?

 

[BJM]

Insulin will allow him to use the glucose in his body for energy. You may see a decrease in appetite, thirst, urination, and defecation because of this (less going in = less going out).
Because the cells will be getting glucose to fuel them, you may see an uptick in energy levels.

 

[Cat Ma]

Insulin will allow him to use the glucose in his body for energy. You may see a decrease in appetite, thirst, urination, and defecation because of this (less going in = less going out).
Because the cells will be getting glucose to fuel them, you may see an uptick in energy levels.

You are more encouraging than the vet. The vet said the insulin will probably make my cat miserable and lethargic. She is being put on Novolin. What insulin is your cat on? Did it take awhile before your cat improved in terms of energy or did you see improvements right away?

 

[BJM]

Depending on your cat's response to the dose (how much?), you may see immediate effects that then wear off quickly as the day progresses. This is because Novolin N (or NPH) tends to last 6-8 hours in the cat, 10 hours if you're lucky. To get good glucose control with the N, you may need to shoot every 8 hours. A better insulin choice that your vet might understand (ie not a depot insulin) would be BCP PZI or ProZinc. If your vet is willing to learn about the newer, depot insulins Lantus and Levemir, those work very well in keeping the glucose levels safely low.

And your vet is forgetting that all the non-specific signs of diabetes - excessive hunger and thirst, with concomitant excessive urination and feces - should start to resolve as the glucose becomes more regulated.

Here is our Humulin/Novolin primer. Please read this over to understand how to optimize your use of this insulin.


.

 

[Cat Ma]

Depending on your cat's response to the dose (how much?), you may see immediate effects that then wear off quickly as the day progresses. This is because Novolin N (or NPH) tends to last 6-8 hours in the cat, 10 hours if you're lucky. To get good glucose control with the N, you may need to shoot every 8 hours. A better insulin choice that your vet might understand (ie not a depot insulin) would be BCP PZI or ProZinc. If your vet is willing to learn about the newer, depot insulins Lantus and Levemir, those work very well in keeping the glucose levels safely low.

And your vet is forgetting that all the non-specific signs of diabetes - excessive hunger and thirst, with concomitant excessive urination and feces - should start to resolve as the glucose becomes more regulated.

Here is our Humulin/Novolin primer. Please read this over to understand how to optimize your use of this insulin.


.

Starting on 2 u every 12 hours. Of the depot insulins, which one do you recommend the most?

 

[BJM]

The 2 depot insulins are Lantus and Levemir. If you're in the US, purchasing from Canada can be significantly less costly. Buying the pens is more cost effective unless you have a very high dose cat (acromegaly, for instance). Lantus is a little lower cost than Levemir, but can sting for some cats, particularly as the dose gets higher.
Depot insulin doses are adjusted by the nadir, the lowest glucose post-shot.

Regardless of insulin being used, home blood glucose testing will help keep your cat safe. It will identify if the glucose is high enough to give the injection and alert you to when the dose may need adjusting.

 

[Cat Ma]

With repeat use of Novolin (especially if it will be long term), does Novolin's effectiveness wear off?

 

[BJM]

Generally, no, the effectiveness does not wear off because it is a hormone, not a drug. The exception to this is a condition where the cat develops antibodies to the insulin, IAA. You would see an increasing dose required over time in this case.

 

[Cat Ma]

I have noticed a decrease in appetite. Why would that be the case?

 

[BJM]

Without enough insulin, the cells are starving for glucose, so the appetite gets kicked into high gear. With insulin, glucose may enter the cells and be used for energy, so until there isn't enough available, the appetite can calm down.

 

[Cat Ma]

With cats drinking less water on insulin, do they risk getting dehydrated?

 

[BJM]

Very observant! Both appetite and thirst decrease when the glucose is at normal levels.
He is drinking less because he needs less. When the glucose is too high, some of it is excreted through the kidneys and it takes water to do that. Lowered blood glucose means the glucose isn't going out that way, it is getting used. for energy. And less water is needed.
Plus, if you are feeding a canned or raw diet, the cat is getting moisture from the food (check the label for the percent and you'll see).
Read over Cat Info for more feline nutrition info.