Now what for Andy?

[Yvonne & Andy &BJ (GA)]

I think we are "around" the dose he may need but he still appears to be bouncing. Yesterday, I gave snacks as he was getting into the blue and again in the green. Then last night, he got his regular bedtime snack at +4. He must have bounced later again and was at 499 this morning. If I continue with 1.5u, I need to give more snacks but that is not feasible if I need to be away etc. Plus I am feeding him more calories to weigh 8 lbs but he is holding at 6.75 lbs. I need your guidance please. Thank you for all the previous help - this has been frustrating starting over.

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

Yesterday looked pretty good! This morning does look like a bounce. I'd stick with the dose awhile, feed some overnight to maybe soften the nadir and see how he looks in a few cycles.

Have you looked at an automatic feeder? We love our PetSafe5. It has 5 slots, is virtually impossible for them to break into (I had to try a bunch of other ones first) and easy to program any time you want. So you can put in small amounts of food or treats and have it go off at the times in his cycle when he might be going low (especially helpful at night) and shut 2 hours before the next pre shot test. I freeze my wet food (a silicone cupcake pan works great for this) and pop out a frozen puck when I need it. It'll thaw slowly and be ready when he needs it.

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

Also, I think I read here that PetSmart will price match Amazon (where it is a little cheaper)

 

[Yvonne & Andy &BJ (GA)]

Yesterday looked pretty good! This morning does look like a bounce. I'd stick with the dose awhile, feed some overnight to maybe soften the nadir and see how he looks in a few cycles.

Have you looked at an automatic feeder? We love our PetSafe5. It has 5 slots, is virtually impossible for them to break into (I had to try a bunch of other ones first) and easy to program any time you want. So you can put in small amounts of food or treats and have it go off at the times in his cycle when he might be going low (especially helpful at night) and shut 2 hours before the next pre shot test. I freeze my wet food (a silicone cupcake pan works great for this) and pop out a frozen puck when I need it. It'll thaw slowly and be ready when he needs it.

I have been feeding his regular nighttime snack at +4, abt 1/4 c ff. Would he need more after that? If so, I do have an auto feeder. (I have a lot of kittykids and no more "spare" rooms so would need to figure how this will work! I have been using a condo to feed separately from the others but it is small w a litter box in there also.)

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

Unfortunately, the only way to find out what is going on at night is to get some data overnight. Does he drop about +4 and would a snack help then? Or is it around +7 and is that when he needs a boost? Sometimes their cycles are similar day to night but often they are very different at night - maybe due to the inactivity, maybe due to food consumed. Who knows. So you get the data (painful I know) overnight and work with it.

 

[Yvonne & Andy &BJ (GA)]

Unfortunately, the only way to find out what is going on at night is to get some data overnight. Does he drop about +4 and would a snack help then? Or is it around +7 and is that when he needs a boost? Sometimes their cycles are similar day to night but often they are very different at night - maybe due to the inactivity, maybe due to food consumed. Who knows. So you get the data (painful I know) overnight and work with it.

Did a few tests last night and got some weird results different from other nights. I can't believe he would have gone so low before +3 to cause that red number - I will try again in a night or two. He was a bit unruly for his test this morning - probably needs some time off.

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

Last night was weird. (So let's not think about it. ). This morning his amps is 100 points lower than yesterday's. I like that.

My guess is that his body is panicking at the green for nadir and bouncing a little. I think I'd hold the dose a few cycles and see how he looks and if he drops gradually down. Until he stops bouncing, increasing the dose can deepen the curve and make the bounce worse. You're using an AlphaTrak, right? So we don't want a nadir much below 68 and 72 is pretty close to that...

 

[Merlin]

Good morning Yvonne. First of all, I want to compliment you on your testing. You are getting good samples with a great mixed of different times too. I do have a question. According to your SS, it looks like you are testing at +11 and then waiting an hour before dosing (PMPS). Is that correct? Also, I believe that you are feeding FF right? If so, would you mind putting that in your signature? I have short term memory so that way I won't be asking again.

 

[Yvonne & Andy &BJ (GA)]

Good morning Yvonne. First of all, I want to compliment you on your testing. You are getting good samples with a great mixed of different times too. I do have a question. According to your SS, it looks like you are testing at +11 and then waiting an hour before dosing (PMPS). Is that correct? Also, I believe that you are feeding FF right? If so, would you mind putting that in your signature? I have short term memory so that way I won't be asking again.

No wait, I am using 7amps and 6pmps which I know makes a difference but that is best for our schedule. Should I note that in signature also? 11/13? Thx

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

Good catch, Cindi. I completely missed that. Your schedule 11/13 is fine, Yvonne and yes, I'd note it in your signature (to help us remember cause most of us are getting pretty old, and for anyone new who might view your chart.) But it does perhaps help explain his ss. So his pm number is an hour early which explains why it tends to be a little lower than the amps. And the amps is a hour later than the norm, so that helps explain why the amps might be a little higher than the pmps. They are still in the same ball park. I do wonder if you did shoot 12/12 whether they would both be a little bit higher or a little bit lower. Someday when we are nick picking numbers that might be important.

 

[Merlin]

Oh that explains. Yes, I would put in your signature and maybe indicate on your spreadsheet somehow even though I can see that you test at +11 but others still ask why the hour delay just like I did. The majority of the time, I shoot 12.5/11.5 and 13/11 schedules too. I put in in my comment section the times and/or you can also color a row indicating your schedule. Even though I don't go over or under a full 12 hour cycle, I still use my PMPS or AMPS column for the number if that makes sense.

 

[Carl & Polly & Bob (GA)]

You can put something like "11/13 dose schedule" in your sig to make it more obvious if you want.

"I can't believe he would have gone so low before +3 to cause that red number - I will try again in a night or two."

I think if this is a bounce, the low number happened during the AM cycle, rather than in the first 3 hours of the PM cycle. Just because a sharp drop that soon after the shot would not be logical.