Welcome to FDMB.
We tend to do things a bit differently than what it sounds like your vet is suggesting. The good news is your vet prescribed a very good insulin for cats. (You have no idea what a big plus this is!) Diane has provided information on ordering Lantus from Canada, which is much less expensive than purchasing in the US. Alternatively, there are now generic/biosimilar forms -- Basaglar and Semglee that are much less expensive than Lantus.
We are huge advocates of home testing. This is the best way for you to know how well insulin is working. It's also the only way you can keep your cat safe. I'd encourage you to make a shopping trip. You will want to buy a
glucometer (a meter to test blood for glucose levels),
lancets (to poke for blood -- preferably a 28 gauge or less -- lower numbers are a wider needle and in the beginning, wider is better. Ultimately you'll be able to use a 30 or 31 gauge),
test strips that are the same brand as your meter (buy several containers, you use them up relatively quickly -- they are available on line but you'll need some for the immediate future), and
Ketostix. The latter test for ketones that can be found in the urine. This is a preventative measure since ketones can be life threatening and if they are present, you may not be able to manage it at home. Many people here use the Walmart brand of meter and strips (i.e., Relion brand). The strips are among the least expensive available. Once you have a meter, we can help you get started with home testing. You'll enter the information on a spreadsheet that I'll direct you to.
You'll also want to add some information to your signature. That information is visible to everyone and helps us to not plague you with the same questions over and over and over again.
The information you'll need to get started is in this post on
helping us to help you.
While many people opt to feed their cat Fancy Feast, it is by no means the only choice available. This is a
chart that includes most of the canned foods available in the US along with their nutritional values, including carbohydrates. Low carb food is below 10% although most people feed their cats in the 5% range. You'll also want some higher carb food to have on hand - medium carb is 10 - 15% and high carb is over 15%. Having higher carb food allows you to bump up numbers if your cat's blood glucose drops too low. It is highly likely that the dry food you're supplementing MoeMoe with is high in carbs and it's contributing to his not having a great response to the insulin you're giving.
A word about Lantus... It is a depot type of insulin. It will take roughly a week for the depot to form and for Lantus to start working more effectively. Any time you change the dose, it takes several cycles (there are 2 cycles per day - one for each shot) for the depot to catch up with the change in dose.
