? Dose reduction and feeding

Pearl and Emily

Pearl and Emily

Member Since 2018
In order to keep a steady blood sugar I have been feeding Pearl every 6 hours a quarter can of her LC food. This has worked great because it prevents her blood sugar from dropping too low. However, now that she seems to want to reduce insulin dose, I believe that the feeding is keeping us "too" level.

ie: tonight, her +4 is a 76. She gets her quarter can directly after. If she was fed less frequently she would probably drop to that <68 range. The system ive created works for her safety but is making dose reductions slower.

What are your thoughts? Reduce number of feedings to every 6 hours instead of every 4? Reduce dose tomorrow? (Im going to test again at +6 to look for that low number still).
 
Pearl and Emily said:
ie: tonight, her +4 is a 76. She gets her quarter can directly after. If she was fed less frequently she would probably drop to that <68 range. The system ive created works for her safety but is making dose reductions slower.
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Maybe, maybe not. It depends on how carb sensitive she is.

I wouldn’t worry about rushing dose reductions. In other words, I’d suggest you keep doing what you are doing and take the reduction when she earns it even if she’s on a dose longer.

Because of the effect the depot can have on subsequent cycles after a reduction, we try to avoid taking back-to-back reductions unless you get a number below 58 (AT meter).

Does that help?
 
Chris & China said:
I think Marje's finger slipped.....it's below 68 on the Alpha Trak :D
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No.... I meant 58 on the AT and the reason I did is because if you subtract 18, per the TR protocol at lower levels, it’s 40 on a human meter. Granted, the TR protocol does not address numbers that low as there being an equivalent between human and pet meters and it likely will be different based on the meters but you have to draw the line somewhere.

If I got a BG between 40 and 50 on a human meter (or 58 and 68 on an AT), I would,not take a back to back reduction. But once you get below 40, human meter, or 58 AT, you are losing a safety net. In that case, I’d be more apt to take a back to back reduction and drain the depot some more.
 
Marje and Gracie said:
I meant 58 on the AT and the reason I did is because if you subtract 18, per the TR protocol at lower levels, it’s 40 on a human meter.
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OK.....why 40? She's not a long-term diabetic....or are you speaking specifically about the "back to back" reductions?

That we don't usually recommend B2B reductions unless they drop below 58 (AT) 40?
 
Chris & China said:
OK.....why 40? She's not a long-term diabetic....or are you speaking specifically about the "back to back" reductions?

That we don't usually recommend B2B reductions unless they drop below 58 (AT) 40?
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I’m only talking about back to back reductions.

Example 1:
Pearl drops to 65 (AT); Emily reduces her dose by 0.25u. Within two cycles, Pearl drops to 66 (AT). An additional reduction should not be taken at this time as it could still be the depot influencing the numbers.

Example 2:
Pearl drops to 65 (AT); Emily reduces her dose by 0.25u. Within two cycles, Pearl drops to 56 (AT). I’m suggesting she go ahead and take another 0.25u, even though it’s only been a couple cycles, for safety.

It’s really all about safety and draining the depot a bit more and doesn’t have anything to do with whether she is a newly diagnosed or long term diabetic. I’d do it for either out of caution.

There isn’t anything written down on this; it’s just something we’ve been doing as a safety factor. If after two cycles after a reduction, a cat is still dropping that low, the depot probably needs to be drained a little more.
 
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