04/30 Mowgli AMPS 355 - Another dip last night w/ dose decrease warranted.

[AmandaE]

04/28 Mowgli

Good Morning!

Last night Mowgli dipped down to 50mg/dL @ +4. I am really happy that he is finally spending some time in the blues / dark greens but: This will be a half unit decrease total in two days. Should I be concerned about how quickly I am decreasing his dosage? If he dips down again tonight should I still stick with 0.25u decreases at a time or should I consider more? I'm a little nervous at the possibility of a Hypo when I'm at work.

That being said: He hasn't shown any signs of Hypo yet, and has mostly been eating normally... yesterday he didn't eat much for supper which could have added to his dip, but I think he just doesn't care for seafood or fishy flavored FF or Friskies pates. I think that the fact that he is being picky is a good sign - I'm interpreting it as he isn't as hungry as he used to be all the time. Once I got his +4 reading last night I threw out his remaining seafood friskies and gave him turkey and liver FF which he ate more happily. @+5 last night he was still at 65 so I encouraged him to eat a little more and gave him one temptation treat.

I'm feeling really good about Mowgli's progress lately, I'm so glad he's down in the greens, his appetite has died down (he was ravenous when he first arrived) and he's gained a pound since moving in with me. I just need a little more confidence when it comes to the right actions to take RE: dosage.

- Has anyone had this type of rapid decrease in dosage before?
- I felt pretty confident in how to handle low numbers the past few nights but: does anyone have any issues with how I handled it? these are definitely the lowest numbers that I have seen in Mowgli and I wouldn't consider myself at all experienced.

Thanks for any insight

 

[Wendy&Neko]

We do sometimes see cats whose pancreas wakes up fairly quickly, with the resulting race down the dose ladder. Last night’s numbers could still have been from the influence of the 1.25 unit depot. Larger depots can take 4-6 cycles to deplete after a reduction. With SLGS, you did the right call to reduce. Time will tell if he’ll hold the reduction or want another one. Good luck with the reduction.

You did a fine job last night. Since he was at 50, not under, low carb food worked to keep him safe. Under 50, a higher carb food would have been appropriate. You probably didn’t need the Temptation treat at +5. They are very high carb and he was rising out of danger at that point.

It sounds like Mowgli is doing so much better under your care.

 

[AmandaE]

Thanks Wendy,

It's really so great to see him doing better. I'm so glad that I decided to join this forum or else I think he really would be having a tough time. He would be getting 5u of Caninsulin and I wouldn't have even thought to test his blood... I would just assume the vet would have known best. I hate to think of it.

In the future I will use some of Nyx's 17% dry food when it seems like he's low and forgo the temptation treats.

In the meantime I will thank Mowgli's pancreas for finally getting a clue.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Actually, I was thinking more of high carb wet food. You've made progress getting him to eat wet food only.

 

[AmandaE]

Actually, I was thinking more of high carb wet food. You've made progress getting him to eat wet food only.

Figured! Haha I’m just trying to use what I have around the house without having to buy, open and potentially waste a can of higher carb wet when I have dry food that is 17% carbs that I feel like should work, especially in emergency only situations.

Honestly, I don’t think I’ll have a problem keeping Mowgli on wet food.. he loves it which was a total surprise to me. Nyx is starting to show some interest too so I’m hoping to slowly but surely transition her over as well, then I will definitely have to get some wet high carb food!

 

[MindyC]

When Max went OTJ the first time, he did a crazy slip-slide down the dose scale. He went from 2U to .25U in something like a week (very stressful!). I think we had a few more greens and blues than Mowgli is currently showing, but it does happen. I wish I still had his spreadsheet from back then...it was so long ago that at some point in just the last year, I think, I deleted it, thinking I’d never need it again!

 

[AmandaE]

@MindyC I’m glad to hear it’s “normal” or at least common. The past few nights have been like: what? Even how he started having an early nadir where he used to be having a later one. If it means his pancreas is kicking back into gear - I’ll take it.

Ugh, SO annoying about your spreadsheet, that would drive me bananas... it would also exacerbate my tendency to hold on to things for too long. I’m pretty sure google tracks literally everything about us, maybe they have a copy!

 

[MindyC]

@MindyC I’m glad to hear it’s “normal” or at least common. The past few nights have been like: what? Even how he started having an early nadir where he used to be having a later one. If it means his pancreas is kicking back into gear - I’ll take it.

Ugh, SO annoying about your spreadsheet, that would drive me bananas... it would also exacerbate my tendency to hold on to things for too long. I’m pretty sure google tracks literally everything about us, maybe they have a copy!

Lol, I’ve wondered that too!