Diagnosed yesterday and need advice

[SweetPea]

My cat, Fatty Fat, was diagnosed yesterday. She went to the clinic when I suspected a bladder infection, only to find that she had the infection, but that her glucose was also 460. While I was able to talk with the doctor and tech for about an hour, I left completely confused. THANK GOODNESS for this site. It helped calm my nerves.

I left the clinic with a bottle of ProZinc and needles with directions to give her 2.5u every 12 hours. I asked the doctor if I needed to check her blood before giving the dose and she said, "yeah, that would probably be a good idea," but they had no monitors available and that was that. I would need to bring her in in two weeks for a curve. I can't imagine a person with diabetes just giving themselves shots without knowing their level...cats can't be that different, right?!

I read that ReliOn was recommended but are there others that work well? Calibration necessary? What about a pen or using a lancet?

I know I am to blame by feeding her dry kibble. I took the easy way out and didn't take the time to switch her over a couple years ago when I adopted her. That is the part that makes me feel terrible.

SP

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

I can't imagine a person with diabetes just giving themselves shots without knowing their level...cats can't be that different, right?!

You are 100% correct!!! Your vet's blasé attitude is one we hear all too often

I read that ReliOn was recommended but are there others that work well? Calibration necessary?

The Relion Confirm or Micro are favorite meters around here because they take the tiniest sample size and the strips are affordable. Any meter will work, but the cost of strips is what ends up being the biggest expenditure . If you live near a 24 hour WalMart, you can also get strips at 3am on a Sunday morning if you need to! (and cats have an uncanny way of going too low at the worst possible times!) They also don't require calibration

What about a pen or using a lancet?

Some people like using the lancet device, but most of us just freehand the lancet because it's easier to see where you're poking.

I know I am to blame by feeding her dry kibble. I took the easy way out and didn't take the time to switch her over a couple years ago when I adopted her. That is the part that makes me feel terrible.

No need to feel bad! We all know what we know.....when we learn better, we change for the better!! We trust our vets who tell us stuff like "dry food is better because it keeps their teeth clean", we believe them....they're the expert, right?? (WRONG)

You're here now....that's what's important!! You're already doing great just by realizing you need to be home testing!! Now it's a matter of getting started!!

By the way, I wouldn't start at 2.5U.....that's a pretty high starting dose. I'd suggest you start at 1U until you know how your kitty is responding.

 

[Tanya and Ducia]

Hi welcome,
I have no ProZ experience (a Lantus user myself) but a can answer a few things:

I left the clinic with a bottle of ProZinc and needles with directions to give her 2.5u every 12 hours.

It does sound like a bit too high of a dose to start on...

I asked the doctor if I needed to check her blood before giving the dose and she said, "yeah, that would probably be a good idea," but they had no monitors available and that was that. I would need to bring her in in two weeks for a curve. I can't imagine a person with diabetes just giving themselves shots without knowing their level...cats can't be that different, right?!

Your instincts do you credit! No one ever would inject a human baby without knowing the starting BG level was safe to shot. The pre-shot numbers check is a must - otherwise one risks hypoglycemia. The curves at a doctor's isn't very accurate due to "vet stress' - it could elevate the numbers by a lot and that makes many vets to Rx unnecessarily high starting doses.

I read that ReliOn was recommended but are there others that work well? Calibration necessary? What about a pen or using a lancet?

I use Relion Micro - cheap strips available @Walmart 24/7 including on Holidays (important for me), no calibration required and the dosing methods we use here were written for Human meters - makes things easier to understand. Also I used to get Relion lancets - gauge 26 or 28 to start.

I know I am to blame by feeding her dry kibble. I took the easy way out and didn't take the time to switch her over a couple years ago when I adopted her. That is the part that makes me feel terrible.

There is one to blame...please try stopping these kind of thoughts...
But note that if you are going to switch her to the low carbs (LC) wet canned food like Friskie or Fancy Feast Pates then her BG numbers might be reduced significantly and the dose should be lowered accordingly.

I hope someone proficient with ProZ will chime in re: dosing. I a meantime it would be good to start home testing and recording her results so we can look at it and help you with the dosing decisions.

It would be good if you start testing a few hours prior to the tonight shot so that you can discuss her dose (I really think that 2.5U is too much) with someone experience.

I hope it was helpful.

Please ask anything - no things are to small to ask once our fur kids are concerned.

PS. Welcome! (I should have started with it)

 

[SweetPea]

Thank you so much for your replies. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. LOTS!!

On a side note, I brought Fatty to the vet with a suspected issue. So on top of everything else, they gave her a rabies vaccination without authorization. Nothing like loading her up with toxins with she least needs it. So frustrating. I may have to find another clinic.

I had only a little time between finding out and dosing, but I thought that 2.5u was high. But, again, how would I know since I never checked her level?! CRAZY. They didn't even want to check it before I took her home after she had been at the clinic all day. Then on top of the $400+ bill. Right at Christmas...ugh.

SP

 

[Callie & Patches]

I wish start at 1 u it and than adjust the dosage as needed. We have a saying here, "better a day too high than a minute too low". It's easier to increase the dose than to lower it. Prozinc is a great insulin.

 

[Vader723]

YES YES YES start at 1u and work up from there. My boy was started on 2.5u by the vet (who advised against testing because it would stress our bond..?! as if) and a week later we were in the ER with a hypo episode. The ER vet said 2.5 is really high starting dose for a cat, and she recommends 1u twice daily and blood sugar checks. He is doing well now, but the crisis could have been averted if I had found this site and its invaluable information sooner! Best of luck to you and your SweetPea!

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

Right at Christmas

Ho Ho Ho!! Merry Christmas!!!

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

No one ever would inject a human baby without knowing the starting BG level was safe to shoot.

Welcome to the only place on Earth where "This cat is my baby" won't have people snickering at you. Forever has to mean something!

 

[SweetPea]

What about switching to canned food? I'll follow Dr. Lisa's "transitioning" paper, but I suspect that I need to go really slow. Does that mean even more BG testing? What about her current dry food? Just keep her in the same stuff until transitioned? Again, confused!!

 

[Veronica & Babu-chiri]

Changing her food will probably lower her blood glucose numbers so yes you'll need to monitor her more closely so that you can adjust her dose accordingly, or if you feel it's too much you could maintain her on her current diet, get the hang of the testing and shooting and then start the transition, some cats do it very quickly some take longer.

When I changed Babu to wet food I had to change everyone else ( got 4 ) and three of them including Babu did the change with the first plate of wet food I gave them but one of the civies took almost three months before she was eating just wet

 

[Larry and Kitties]

What syringes are you using? ProZinc is U40 insulin (40 units per ml) while human insulins (with two exceptions) are U100 insulins (100 units per ml). If you are using a U100 syringe (orange needle cap) then fill that to the 2 1/2 unit marking on the U100 syringe would be 1 unit in the syringe. U40 syringes have red needle caps.

 

[SweetPea]

I'm using the U40 syringes.