Switching insulin

[Lisa and Smoky]

I am thinking about switching insulin and would like some input on that. Smoky has been on Vetsulin since Sept 6 and it doesn't appear to be doing much for him.
What I would like to know is how long a vial usually lasts: Prozinc or Lantus is what I am looking at trying. Also, the difference between using vials vs pens. I know drawing insulin from a pen is different than from a vial. Smoky is taking meds for nausea and to clear up a UTI. He was recently diagnosed with pancreatitis, IBD, and Triaditis/ I've heard that triaditis is just a combo of liver, pancreas, and IBD

 

[Squalliesmom]

I am thinking about switching insulin and would like some input on that. Smoky has been on Vetsulin since Sept 6 and it doesn't appear to be doing much for him.
What I would like to know is how long a vial usually lasts: Prozinc or Lantus is what I am looking at trying. Also, the difference between using vials vs pens. I know drawing insulin from a pen is different than from a vial. Smoky is taking meds for nausea and to clear up a UTI. He was recently diagnosed with pancreatitis, IBD, and Triaditis/ I've heard that triaditis is just a combo of liver, pancreas, and IBD

I don't know much about Prozinc, but I can tell you My Squallie did well with the switch from Vetsulin to Lantus. I use the pens, and a pen lasts him just about a month, but he is on a high dose - a pen would typically last longer if your cat is on a lower dose. The same is true with a vial.

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

Here's your last post ..it's helpful to put the link to your prior post in a new one so it's easy for people to quickly go back and see what's been going on

There's no way to really tell you how long a vial would last because it depends on what dose Smoky needs.....Like I said earlier, a 10ml vial of ProZinc is going to hold 400 units.....so if you give 2 units twice a day, that'll last you 100 days

The lantus pens are the better deal compared to the vials because each vial is 1000 units....so at 2 units twice a day, that would last 250 days...BUT the insulin in a vial won't usually last longer than 4-6 months and then you're going to end up throwing a bunch of it away

With the pens, there's a date on the box for expiration....usually at least 2 years away....and as long as the pen isn't opened, it's good until that expiration date. Since each pen is only 300 units, you're much more likely to be able to use every last drop from the pens

 

[Lisa and Smoky]

How is drawing insulin from a pen different than from a vial. I learned the hard way not to shoot excess insulin back into the vial. The insulin in a the vial became contaminated

 

[Lisa and Smoky]

I don't know much about Prozinc, but I can tell you My Squallie did well with the switch from Vetsulin to Lantus. I use the pens, and a pen lasts him just about a month, but he is on a high dose - a pen would typically last longer if your cat is on a lower dose. The same is true with a vial.

The vet thinks smoky will eventually need 3-4 units of prozinc twice daily. She said Lantus is a longer lasting insulin so hard to tell what his dose might end up being.

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

How is drawing insulin from a pen different than from a vial.

It's really no different......You pull the cap off the pen and there's a rubber stopper underneath that's just like a vial....it's just like having a "mini-vial" that only holds 300 units instead of a big vial that holds 1000

You use the same insulin syringes you'd use on a vial and just pull the insulin out of the pen

 

[Kris & Teasel]

I hope your new vet will be more helpful in getting Smoky feeling better.