Laurasboyz
Member Since 2020
Hi there,
I'm Laura and my cat Toeby was recently DX'd. The vet started him on a half unit of Lantus twice a day. We stopped feeding any dry food, even the dry Purina DM sent home by the vets. He's been eating canned pate and freeze dried Stella and Chewy's chicken. After 2 weeks without home testing, he had a glucose curve done at the vets. I didn't get to see the curve (long story involving Covid-19 restrictions at the vet) but I was told he started out at 7 mmol/L (126 mg/dL) after his insulin, went UP to 14 or so (250 mg/dL) and fell back to 7. The vet said she thought we might have to move to 1 unit once a day, but to take him home, carry on at 0.5 units b.i.d., and come back in 3 or 4 weeks for another curve. I was assured he wouldn't go hypoglycemic on a half unit. We went and bought a Freestyle Libre monitor and reader with the thought that we'd get the vet to apply it, perhaps next week if we could get in. He is a former feral, and has not like being manhandled.
Wednesday morning of this week something was obviously wrong with him - I found a battery for an old glucometer, and the out-of-date strips and took a reading - 1.9 mmol/L (just over 30 mg/dL). Yikes! I gave him higher carb food and he felt better. I'll never know if those old strips were accurate, but he was telling me he felt awful, so I believe the reading.
I immediately went out Wednesday and bought new strips with the new glucometer - One Touch Ultra 2 and have been doing preshots and spot checks. He's surprised us, and takes the ear sticks like a champ.
This morning his BG was only 7 (126 mg/dL)- I decided not to give him insulin because he wasn't eating much and I felt that was a recipe for disaster. He did eat some wet food over the day today.
Tonight, his preshot BG was 11 (198 mg/dL) - I gave his half unit. 4 hours later he was at 2.1 (37.8 mg/dL) and from what I have read here, that was hypoglycemic.... although he exhibited no symptoms.
I gave him corn syrup and food and after a couple hours he was back up to 7.1 (128 mg/dL).
It seems to me that despite the curve at the vet's, he is responding to the Lantus, and I am at a loss if I should try to give LESS than 0.5 unit twice a day, or switch to once a day, or just see if food alone will keep him low enough? Was I wrong not to give him insulin when he was at 7 (126 mg) ??? This vet has NOT been impressing me with information or support, so I am asking here. Please be assured I will call the vet, but I am asking here in the meantime for opinions. Thanks for reading this!
I'm Laura and my cat Toeby was recently DX'd. The vet started him on a half unit of Lantus twice a day. We stopped feeding any dry food, even the dry Purina DM sent home by the vets. He's been eating canned pate and freeze dried Stella and Chewy's chicken. After 2 weeks without home testing, he had a glucose curve done at the vets. I didn't get to see the curve (long story involving Covid-19 restrictions at the vet) but I was told he started out at 7 mmol/L (126 mg/dL) after his insulin, went UP to 14 or so (250 mg/dL) and fell back to 7. The vet said she thought we might have to move to 1 unit once a day, but to take him home, carry on at 0.5 units b.i.d., and come back in 3 or 4 weeks for another curve. I was assured he wouldn't go hypoglycemic on a half unit. We went and bought a Freestyle Libre monitor and reader with the thought that we'd get the vet to apply it, perhaps next week if we could get in. He is a former feral, and has not like being manhandled.
Wednesday morning of this week something was obviously wrong with him - I found a battery for an old glucometer, and the out-of-date strips and took a reading - 1.9 mmol/L (just over 30 mg/dL). Yikes! I gave him higher carb food and he felt better. I'll never know if those old strips were accurate, but he was telling me he felt awful, so I believe the reading.
I immediately went out Wednesday and bought new strips with the new glucometer - One Touch Ultra 2 and have been doing preshots and spot checks. He's surprised us, and takes the ear sticks like a champ.
This morning his BG was only 7 (126 mg/dL)- I decided not to give him insulin because he wasn't eating much and I felt that was a recipe for disaster. He did eat some wet food over the day today.
Tonight, his preshot BG was 11 (198 mg/dL) - I gave his half unit. 4 hours later he was at 2.1 (37.8 mg/dL) and from what I have read here, that was hypoglycemic.... although he exhibited no symptoms.
I gave him corn syrup and food and after a couple hours he was back up to 7.1 (128 mg/dL).
It seems to me that despite the curve at the vet's, he is responding to the Lantus, and I am at a loss if I should try to give LESS than 0.5 unit twice a day, or switch to once a day, or just see if food alone will keep him low enough? Was I wrong not to give him insulin when he was at 7 (126 mg) ??? This vet has NOT been impressing me with information or support, so I am asking here. Please be assured I will call the vet, but I am asking here in the meantime for opinions. Thanks for reading this!
