Cats BG higher two hours after insulin? (first day testing)

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Natasha2001

Member Since 2020
I fed my cat (perscription glucose diet) at 9am, gave in 2iu of caninsulin at 9.30 am. His BG at that time was 24.0 (432).

He ate a small amount an hour later.

11am, two hours after insulin, his BG tested at 25.2 (453).

Is this normal?

I am letting him graze on his prescription food because he is extremely underweight (dropped from 20lb to 12lb large framed cat)
 
It's not uncommon for the numbers to go up a bit due to the food bumping it before the insulin kicks in.

However a 432 and a 453 are essentially the same number. Meters are allowed an up to 20% meter variance, so a test of 400 and another test a minute later of 480 would be considered the same.
 
Hi Natasha,

Congrats on getting your first tests in. :)

It's not uncommon for cats to get a bump from their preshot feed, but it is a little unusual for Caninsulin since onset's usually somewhere between 1 and 1½ hours after administration and it tends to hit hard and fast, so a drop would be more expected at +2 (unless a kitty might be bouncing a bit). That said, there is a +/- 20% variance in meter readings (compared to 'actual' BG level). Given that variance the 24.0 and the 25.2 readings are pretty much in the same ball park. Also, it's early days and it takes a little while to get an idea of how Meowmeows is responding to his insulin treatment. As you gather more BG readings it will build up a clearer picture.

Your boy lost a fair bit of weight! (((Meowmeows))) It's good that you're giving him extra to eat, but be sure to lift food two hours before each preshot is due so that it won't be food-influenced.


Mogs
.
 
Critter Mom said:
Hi Natasha,

Congrats on getting your first tests in. :)

It's not uncommon for cats to get a bump from their preshot feed, but it is a little unusual for Caninsulin since onset's usually somewhere between 1 and 1½ hours after administration and it tends to hit hard and fast, so a drop would be more expected at +2 (unless a kitty might be bouncing a bit). That said, there is a +/- 20% variance in meter readings (compared to 'actual' BG level). Given that variance the 24.0 and the 25.2 readings are pretty much in the same ball park. Also, it's early days and it takes a little while to get an idea of how Meowmeows is responding to his insulin treatment. As you gather more BG readings it will build up a clearer picture.

Your boy lost a fair bit of weight! (((Meowmeows))) It's good that you're giving him extra to eat, but be sure to lift food two hours before each preshot is due so that it won't be food-influenced.


Mogs
.
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Thanks so much for this reply, covers every query I could possibly have! Interesting the 20% variation, I might note that on my sheet I'll keep going and see what happens! Thanks again
 
Panic said:
It's not uncommon for the numbers to go up a bit due to the food bumping it before the insulin kicks in.

However a 432 and a 453 are essentially the same number. Meters are allowed an up to 20% meter variance, so a test of 400 and another test a minute later of 480 would be considered the same.
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Thank you very much for this
 
Just in case no-one's got round to posting the info on how to set up a spreadsheet for Meowmeow's readings yet, here are the links:

How to Set Up an FDMB Spreadsheet

Understanding the Spreadsheet Grid

The spreadsheets are great because they allow anyone replying to your posts to see how Meowmeow is responding to his insulin, and experienced members will be able to help you interpret his BG readings and dose effectiveness as you go along.


Mogs
.
 
Critter Mom said:
Just in case no-one's got round to posting the info on how to set up a spreadsheet for Meowmeow's readings yet, here are the links:

How to Set Up an FDMB Spreadsheet

Understanding the Spreadsheet Grid

The spreadsheets are great because they allow anyone replying to your posts to see how Meowmeow is responding to his insulin, and experienced members will be able to help you interpret his BG readings and dose effectiveness as you go along.


Mogs
.
Click to expand...
I gave it a go, I think I have done it correctly. If you get a chance to check it let me know if I need to fix anything, I put it in my signature- Thank you again!
 
Natasha2001 said:
not sure if this was meant for me. He is eating Hills Glucose support
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I think that's 14% carbs if I remember right? It's recommended for diabetics to get less than 10% carbs and keep the higher carb stuff for emergencies when BG is low. Most of us use food in the 5% or lower area - easier to control BG and cheaper too. Fancy Feast Classics and Friskies Pate are the crowd favorites but anything under 10% on this chart is fair game.

Note that feeding lower carb food will lower the BG noticeably so you want to be monitoring closely during a switch.
 
Here is your previous thread for continuity
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/newly-diagnosed-a-few-questions.239746/

Hi. Natasha, are you feeding the dry or the canned glucose support?
I think I remember saying to you not to swap over to anything else until you are testing the BGs, in case the BGs drop too much when you remove the higher carb food.
The dry glucose support is around 18% here in Australia and the canned glucose support is around 10 or 11% I think. So you are feeding higher than we recommend for diabetic cats BUT I would get a few days testing in first to see what the data is telling you/us and then you can start to change over slowly to a lower carb food.
I think you said you want to use some raw food. Once you are swapping over, it’s best to try and keep to the same number of carbs each day...for example I wouldn’t feed a high carb food one meal and then 4 hours later feed a low carb food. That could send the BGs up and down a bit. It is better to try and keep the same level of carbs in the meals as you gradually lower the carb content. Does that make sense?
 
Panic said:
I think that's 14% carbs if I remember right? It's recommended for diabetics to get less than 10% carbs and keep the higher carb stuff for emergencies when BG is low. Most of us use food in the 5% or lower area - easier to control BG and cheaper too. Fancy Feast Classics and Friskies Pate are the crowd favorites but anything under 10% on this chart is fair game.

Note that feeding lower carb food will lower the BG noticeably so you want to be monitoring closely during a switch.
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Oh I see, I understand now. I will keep him on the wet foods and reduce the dry. The vet had ordered it in specifically for me as he prefers dry food...which got him to this point :[. So far I had been giving him 50/50 wet dry, I feel more comfortable taking it away now that I have the glucometer. I got him a bunch of the hills glucose support wet food, and the fancy feast pate, so I'll start more aggressively making the switch now, thanks!
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
Here is your previous thread for continuity
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/newly-diagnosed-a-few-questions.239746/

Hi. Natasha, are you feeding the dry or the canned glucose support?
I think I remember saying to you not to swap over to anything else until you are testing the BGs, in case the BGs drop too much when you remove the higher carb food.
The dry glucose support is around 18% here in Australia and the canned glucose support is around 10 or 11% I think. So you are feeding higher than we recommend for diabetic cats BUT I would get a few days testing in first to see what the data is telling you/us and then you can start to change over slowly to a lower carb food.
I think you said you want to use some raw food. Once you are swapping over, it’s best to try and keep to the same number of carbs each day...for example I wouldn’t feed a high carb food one meal and then 4 hours later feed a low carb food. That could send the BGs up and down a bit. It is better to try and keep the same level of carbs in the meals as you gradually lower the carb content. Does that make sense?
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Yup, just got the meter today, and doing 2 hourly just to see our base line. I am doing 50% hills wet food, and 50% the dry. And exactly what you said was what I was thinking, I want to know what I am dealing with for a few days before making a drastic change. I am shocked that the vet guided me to hills with even the wet food being that high carb...I asked them if I could mix it with raw meat, and was told I am better to do 100% hills wet food. Glad I came here to see there are better/more effective options. I will measure out and feed him same ratios each meal, thank you for that input that is a big help! I have already mucked up today with feeding wet then dry later (his low weight is bothersome to see so I keep feeling compelled to feed) big learning curve for me too! thank you so much!
 
Chris & China (GA) said:
You could also return it for a refund. It's 100% guaranteed. Most of us just told our vet that our cat refused to eat it. Lots of other things to spend money on other than inferior cat food with a misleading name!
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Thanks for saying this, it was exactly what I was thinking of doing after reading the replies here. Ridiculous price for a sub par therapeutic diet. My cat loves raw kangaroo, do you think that would be ok to add in with the better low carb options? All of his vitamin and mineral levels were great and I had the lab send them to me so will be able to keep an eye on if he ends up not getting enough vitamins/minerals?
 
Raw kangaroo is a great meat and readily available here. It’s very low in fat though so you need to also make sure you are giving another meat that is higher in fat such as lamb. Are you going to do the frankenprey Diet in conjunction with the low carb canned?

One of my cats loves kangaroo and the other won’t eat it
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
Raw kangaroo is a great meat and readily available here. It’s very low in fat though so you need to also make sure you are giving another meat that is higher in fat such as lamb. Are you going to do the frankenprey Diet in conjunction with the low carb canned?

One of my cats loves kangaroo and the other won’t eat it
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Ah that is interesting, one of my cats won't eat it either, but loves lamb and veal. Yup exactly, I was thinking I would do frankenprey, with some of the plain kangaroo he likes+ the low carb canned I picked up a bunch of the fancy feast classic pate that he likes. The vet wants him gaining 2.5-3kg so I think at least while I am over feeding him he shouldn't have too much need for extra supplements? Then I am hoping some day he will have minimal need for the insulin and I can keep him on a pretty much complete frankenprey diet
 
Natasha2001 said:
Ah that is interesting, one of my cats won't eat it either, but loves lamb and veal. Yup exactly, I was thinking I would do frankenprey, with some of the plain kangaroo he likes+ the low carb canned I picked up a bunch of the fancy feast classic pate that he likes. The vet wants him gaining 2.5-3kg so I think at least while I am over feeding him he shouldn't have too much need for extra supplements? Then I am hoping some day he will have minimal need for the insulin and I can keep him on a pretty much complete frankenprey diet
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I would make sure he is getting 5%liver on what you are feeding raw. Same with the kidney. I cut the liver and kidney up into 6 gram portions as that is what is 5 % of the raw diet I give and I freeze it in plastic bags and get out each day. You could easily cut yours up smaller portions or feed every second day...as long as he is getting the 5%. Doesn’t have to be daily, it can be weekly as long as it works out as 5% overall. It’s a bit rich to give all at once, that is why I feed it daily.
Also 10%bone of the portion you feed raw. Again portion out the pieces and freeze.
As you transition over more to a raw diet you will need to add the egg yoke and the sardines in.
I also add a sprinkling of taurine each day just to be sure.

You don’t have to wait until he’s off insulin to give a full raw diet. Plenty of us feed a raw diet to diabetic cats.
Just make sure you have some high carb canned and honey in case of low numbers.
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
I would make sure he is getting 5%liver on what you are feeding raw. Same with the kidney. I cut the liver and kidney up into 6 gram portions as that is what is 5 % of the raw diet I give and I freeze it in plastic bags and get out each day. You could easily cut yours up smaller portions or feed every second day...as long as he is getting the 5%. Doesn’t have to be daily, it can be weekly as long as it works out as 5% overall. It’s a bit rich to give all at once, that is why I feed it daily.
Also 10%bone of the portion you feed raw. Again portion out the pieces and freeze.
As you transition over more to a raw diet you will need to add the egg yoke and the sardines in.
I also add a sprinkling of taurine each day just to be sure.

You don’t have to wait until he’s off insulin to give a full raw diet. Plenty of us feed a raw diet to diabetic cats.
Just make sure you have some high carb canned and honey in case of low numbers.
Click to expand...
this is great thank you. I just went and got him the raw kangaroo and veal he likes, and got some kidney (both my cats love it and have it regularly anyway. I'll grab some liver. And ty for the advice, I will portion it up and freflow freeze it so they have it daily fresh from frozen. I also got some chicken necks, I'm not sure how I should prepare I was thinking of perhaps grinding them up at first? My cats will eat an entire large rat all but the tail and intestines with no hesitation (even my diabetic cat who doesn't have many teeth left), but I feel a bit nervous with the bone part?

So glad you informed me of this diet option, my cats love it, and it's only a fraction of the cost of the food I had been buying them!
 
Yes I find the raw food much cheaper than canned food and I buy cuts of meat that we would eat.

With the bone, is MeowMeow going to be able to eat the bone section? If not you can substitute the bone with egg shell powder. That’s what I have to do with Clover who does not have many teeth and can’t manage bones.

For your other cat he/she should be able to manage the chicken necks. Or you could bang them hard with the back of a meat cleaver at first to break them up a bit. Always supervise them when eating bones..

I use lamb liver most of the time, although there is nothing wrong with chicken livers...they are just messier. It is always good to rotate and use both sorts as they have different nutrients
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
Yes I find the raw food much cheaper than canned food and I buy cuts of meat that we would eat.

With the bone, is MeowMeow going to be able to eat the bone section? If not you can substitute the bone with egg shell powder. That’s what I have to do with Clover who does not have many teeth and can’t manage bones.

For your other cat he/she should be able to manage the chicken necks. Or you could bang them hard with the back of a meat cleaver at first to break them up a bit. Always supervise them when eating bones..

I use lamb liver most of the time, although there is nothing wrong with chicken livers...they are just messier. It is always good to rotate and use both sorts as they have different nutrients
Click to expand...
He can have the bone, but is much slower to get through it compared to my other cat, I ordered in some egg shell powder, thanks! I did a quick blitz with the bones in the blender so they are all a good size for swallowing. I assume it is actually good for their teeth to be chomping through them themselves (my healthy cat)?
 
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