Staci
Member Since 2020
Hello! I'm a brand new member and am grateful for this resource. My cat Kirby is 17 years old. He's a very special guy.
I am working very hard to try to regulate Kirby's glucose levels. He was initially diagnosed in Oct. 2019 and was regulated pretty well on just 1.5 units (twice a day) of Humulin-N, until a few months ago when things went downhill. At that time, the vet increased his dose to 2 units (twice a day), and within a few weeks I took him to the vet ER due to symptoms, dehydration, and significant weight loss. He was hospitalized for DKA and dehydration, and after about a day and a half, returned home for home management.
As part of my attempt to treat him, I have started home glucose measuring with Alpha Trak2. I am new to this and wasn't aware it was an option until now. As you can see in his spreadsheet (in my profile), his levels have been all over the map. After each time I test him, I text his bg level to our vet, who advises how much insulin to give him. Our vet also prescribed a vial of Humulin R so that he can have a dose (if needed) after the 6-hour test.
I am perplexed as to why his levels have been all over the map the past few weeks.
He is currently eating Instinct brand, lamb pate canned food (which I learned about on the food chart as being good for diabetic cats who need to gain weight). He loves the food but understandably is not as interested in it when his bg levels are high. I occasionally supplement with a little tuna or baby food. The vet also added a probiotic powder last week to help with the loose stools he's been having (likely because of the change in diet from this previous food - Royal Canin Urinary SO "rx" dry and canned foods, which I recently learned are high in carbs).
The vet tells me Kirby's blood work is pretty much normal and diabetes seems to be his main concern at this time.
Any advice or feedback on his #s would be much appreciated.
Staci
I am working very hard to try to regulate Kirby's glucose levels. He was initially diagnosed in Oct. 2019 and was regulated pretty well on just 1.5 units (twice a day) of Humulin-N, until a few months ago when things went downhill. At that time, the vet increased his dose to 2 units (twice a day), and within a few weeks I took him to the vet ER due to symptoms, dehydration, and significant weight loss. He was hospitalized for DKA and dehydration, and after about a day and a half, returned home for home management.
As part of my attempt to treat him, I have started home glucose measuring with Alpha Trak2. I am new to this and wasn't aware it was an option until now. As you can see in his spreadsheet (in my profile), his levels have been all over the map. After each time I test him, I text his bg level to our vet, who advises how much insulin to give him. Our vet also prescribed a vial of Humulin R so that he can have a dose (if needed) after the 6-hour test.
I am perplexed as to why his levels have been all over the map the past few weeks.
He is currently eating Instinct brand, lamb pate canned food (which I learned about on the food chart as being good for diabetic cats who need to gain weight). He loves the food but understandably is not as interested in it when his bg levels are high. I occasionally supplement with a little tuna or baby food. The vet also added a probiotic powder last week to help with the loose stools he's been having (likely because of the change in diet from this previous food - Royal Canin Urinary SO "rx" dry and canned foods, which I recently learned are high in carbs).
The vet tells me Kirby's blood work is pretty much normal and diabetes seems to be his main concern at this time.
Any advice or feedback on his #s would be much appreciated.
Staci

