New member, cannot get my cat regulated

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Susan Pomo

Susan Pomo

Member Since 2021
Hello all and thanks for any help
My cat Joe was diagnosed with diabetes when his third blood test in four months revealed an over 600 glucose. BY this time he was 9lbs and his usually weight is 14-15. He is a big guy. I was relieved to finally have a diagnosis. I was sent home with a prescription for insulin. Novolin NPH. I was told we would start low at 1unit twice a day. I did this for 7 days and saw no change. Heavy heavy uring output and always very very hungry. I called vet who increased to 2 units twice a day. Still no change. I asked for blood test and weight check before we went up to 3 units. Sugar levels were 276, yes down and almost in half but he had lost another 1/2 lb and was down to 8.5. We did go to 3 units. On our 7th day of it and no change. I took him in again, insisting on a blood and weight check and he has gained 1/2 pound but level is back up to mid 500's. I did start him on Purina DM today and she wants me to check his levels now at home for a couple more days before moving up to 4 units. Today, morning, before food and insulin, 511. Afternoon 403.
I feel like my head is swimming and I am not sure I am saving him.
Joe is 14.
Appreciate any input
 
Welcome. Sorry about the diagnosis but I am glad you found this site! We can help!

You will have a better chance of helping him with a different insulin. Novolin only lasts about 4-6 hours in a cat. Their metabolism is much faster than ours. The recommended insulins are lantus and ProZinc. Ask to switch asap. ProZinc and lantus typically last 10-14 hours by comparison. (Chewy.com has a good price on ProZinc. If you go with lantus, some hace success using a perscription discount card... Many order it from Marks Marine pharmacy in Canada who ship here for about 1/3 the price of the US)

I'm so glad you are going to start testing at home. It's really the best way to keep him safe and find the right dose. We can help you once you start testing. I have a video in my signature showing how I tested my cat CC at home.

The perscription food is not needed. Feed a low carb wet food, no dry. Many here feed fancy feast classic or Friskies pate foods. Other good choices are Tiki cat and weruva foods.
 
JanetNJ said:
Welcome. Sorry about the diagnosis but I am glad you found this site! We can help!

You will have a better chance of helping him with a different insulin. Novolin only lasts about 4-6 hours in a cat. Their metabolism is much faster than ours. The recommended insulins are lantus and ProZinc. Ask to switch asap. ProZinc and lantus typically last 10-14 hours by comparison. (Chewy.com has a good price on ProZinc. If you go with lantus, some hace success using a perscription discount card... Many order it from Marks Marine pharmacy in Canada who ship here for about 1/3 the price of the US)

I'm so glad you are going to start testing at home. It's really the best way to keep him safe and find the right dose. We can help you once you start testing. I have a video in my signature showing how I tested my cat CC at home.

The perscription food is not needed. Feed a low carb wet food, no dry. Many here feed fancy feast classic or Friskies pate foods. Other good choices are Tiki cat and weruva foods.
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Janet!! Thank you for responding. Just today I asked my vet about changing insulin. She wanted to wait until Saturday and do the home testing. I will insist now when I talk to her on Saturday.
I looked at ProZinc at Chewy and it is the same price at Walmart so maybe I can have him on that by Sunday because Walmart is close.
 
Also Joe loves Friskies Pate. YAY. He is not crazy about this DM food so I am glad it can go by the wayside.
Janet thank you so much for your help.
 
Good to hear he likes the friskies pates! :cat: I believe you can take the DM back for a refund if you tell them your cat does not like it (I know it’s not cheap!)

If you switch to Prozinc you will need to get new syringes, unless you want to use a conversion to use the syringes you have now. Prozinc uses u40 syringes while NPH uses u100
 
Susan Pomocnik said:
Janet!! Thank you for responding. Just today I asked my vet about changing insulin. She wanted to wait until Saturday and do the home testing. I will insist now when I talk to her on Saturday.
I looked at ProZinc at Chewy and it is the same price at Walmart so maybe I can have him on that by Sunday because Walmart is close.
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Oh that's great that they sell ProZinc at Walmart now!
 
Susan Pomocnik said:
Also Joe loves Friskies Pate. YAY. He is not crazy about this DM food so I am glad it can go by the wayside.
Janet thank you so much for your help.
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Happy to help. And as overwhelming as it feels right now it will all soon feel routine. Diabetes is not a death sentence and they can live long healthy lives with it.
 
As far as the meter, I am using my own. Do you think the meter needs to be a specific one? My insurance pays for mine and my lancets.
 
I believe both red and blue Prime are the same! I personally have the red one. And yes, any u40 syringes are fine! We recommend that you make sure they have 1/2 unit markings on them. I can't tell from the picture on Chewy whether those do or not.

You can really use any meter you want, it doesn't need to be a specific one. We usually recommend the Relion Prime here because it is cheap and easy to get strips since they are at every Walmart, but if you want to use your own you certainly can, especially if it's paid for :cat:
 
Susan Pomocnik said:
so as long as they say U40? I have these in my cart at Chewy https://www.chewy.com/vetone-insulin-syringesneedles-u-40/dp/323148
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If you switch to ProZinc you want u-40, with 3/10 CC'S, with half unit markings. Don't get the ones you linked on chewy. They hold half a ml and don't have the half unit markings which would make fractional doses like 1.25, 1.5, ect more difficult to judge. Plus they are expensive! It would cost $27 for 100 of them.


Oh I just saw chewy is finally carrying the pet advocate ones! These are good because they are also really thin

Your pet will love this PetTest U-40 Syringes, 31 Gauge x 5/16-in, 0.3-cc, 100 syringes:
https://app.chewy.com/DFqjsxc1ahb

And these are just $19 for 100
 
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Susan Pomocnik said:
Also Joe loves Friskies Pate. YAY. He is not crazy about this DM food so I am glad it can go by the wayside.
Janet thank you so much for your help.
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You can also return the DM to the vet for a refund. If the food is DM dry it is returnable even if you have opened it. Fancy Feast or Friskies Pate flavors are fine for diabetic cats.
 
Susan Pomocnik said:
As far as the meter, I am using my own. Do you think the meter needs to be a specific one? My insurance pays for mine and my lancets.
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As long as you don't get your and Joe's readings you should be fine. We do have a spreadsheet for use to keep track of his readings.

I am adopting a sugar kitty in about a week and plan on sharing my meter with him since I get my strips for free. :D
 
Walmart, it turns out, does not have it. They have it listed on their site but when you call they say NO.
Costco does! The one in my town even (rural town in Georgia)
I have asked the vet on duty to call it in and am waiting to hear back. Worst case scenario is my vet will be in the office tomorrow and hopefully she will write it.
 
If you do want to get Joe his own meter
The Relion Prime is only 9 dollars
17.88 for 100 test strips
You can order them on line if your store doesn't gave them in stock
Usuall about 2-3 days to get them
 
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
If you do want to get Joe his own meter
The Relion Prime is only 9 dollars
17.88 for 100 test strips
You can order them on line if your store doesn't gave them in stock
Usuall about 2-3 days to get them
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I will just use mine for Joe since I really never do mine anyway. I have it because insurance paid for it and I usually just trust in my A-1-C.
Pre-diabetes here.
 
Just got home at 5pm. Grueling day. When I was not getting a phone call from the vet that I turned to (my dogs vet but same office as Joes vet) in lieu of my vet being there, AND after I found it at Costco, I just jumped in the car and went to pester the vet's office in person. Kind of like " you think my phone calls have been annoying, you have not seen anything yet and I will just sit over here and wait to talk to the vet"
He did come talk to me. Says most Internists prefer ProZinc. He said they do not really prescribe it there first because most cannot afford it (remember very rural Georgia here)
He agreed it would not hurt to change. He wrote the script. I sped over to Costco and got the ProZinc and the special needles. They do not have the 1/2 way mark but they did not have any U-40's that did. Since I have some from Chewy on the way I am not worried.
He says in a perfect world one would take the cat's sugar levels every two hours throughout one day. Anyone else heard of that?
Joe will be starting his new meds at 7 pm tonight and I am hopeful. Back to square one with 1unit.
 
Sounds like you did an excellent job standing up for your kitty! Congrats on the new insulin :cat:

It sounds to me like he was describing doing a glucose curve which is where you test the BG every 2 hours for 12 hours. It’s usually recommended to do that once ~every 7 days to see how low the dose is taking your kitty before changing the dose, it’s not something you have to do every day.
 
Sarah&Soph said:
Sounds like you did an excellent job standing up for your kitty! Congrats on the new insulin :cat:

It sounds to me like he was describing doing a glucose curve which is where you test the BG every 2 hours for 12 hours. It’s usually recommended to do that once ~every 7 days to see how low the dose is taking your kitty before changing the dose, it’s not something you have to do every day.
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Yes, now that you mention it he did call it a glucose curve. I have to get better with sticking Joe to do this kind of intense thing. Right now I am going to check it in 3 days mid-way between injections and then take him in for a weight glucose check at the vet after he has been on the new one for 7 days. They only charge me $20 to bring him in for this and it feels worth it to me. I am trying to save his life!
 
If you can test his blood sugar at home, it will be much more beneficial. Stress at the vet will almost certainly raise his BG so whatever readings they get will not be accurate. When she was in remission, Sophie would test in the 80s at home and over 200 at the vet.

We really recommend testing before every single shot and then at least one other time during the day if you can. A full glucose curve may be something you have to work up to doing, but the more tests you can do in the meantime, the better and more safe it will be for your kitty
 
Sarah&Soph said:
If you can test his blood sugar at home, it will be much more beneficial. Stress at the vet will almost certainly raise his BG so whatever readings they get will not be accurate. When she was in remission, Sophie would test in the 80s at home and over 200 at the vet.

We really recommend testing before every single shot and then at least one other time during the day if you can. A full glucose curve may be something you have to work up to doing, but the more tests you can do in the meantime, the better and more safe it will be for your kitty
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So far it seems like my cat hardly has any blood in his ear. I only was able to get some blood by pricking his paw.
It does sound like something I need to get better at. thanks
 
JanetNJ said:
What size lancet are you using?
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Hi Janet, The first day I was using whatever came in my kit. Size unknown and they are all gone and used up with trial and error on my Joe. I called my DR and got him to prescribe more on the day I was going crazy trying to get it from the ear and I picked up those yesterday and they are 33 gauge extra fine and I have not tried these yet.
I also ordered (from the link you or someone above sent) for the TRue Lancets, 300 of them and I just looked them up and they are 28 gauge.
I will not try it again until I have some advice for doing it. :nailbiting: as it was grueling
 
Hey all, Joe is def seems like he is feeling better today. I am not saying it is the new insulin, started last night, too soon to say. It might just be because I am not cornering him and sticking needles in his ear and paw. He is walking with his tail up and he actually trotted to breakfast today! Two things I have not seen in the last week. :bighug:
 
Today Joe is very hungry again. Always follows me in the kitchen looking for food.
Long ago when Joe was young, I taught him to stand on his haunches and wave bye-bye for treats. It is a trick he carried through his life and always got him some temptations and attention. A couple of weeks ago he was in the kitchen doing it begging for food and then in this last week I did not see it all. Today he did it again. Of course, I gave him a big plate of food.
So my vet said "feed him as much as he wants since he lost so much weight"
Wondering if you ladies agree with this.
Should Joe be allowed to eat every time he wants. He was a 9lbs last weigh-in, last week, and his regular weight is 13-14 lbs (when not sick)
 
Susan Pomocnik said:
Hi Janet, The first day I was using whatever came in my kit. Size unknown and they are all gone and used up with trial and error on my Joe. I called my DR and got him to prescribe more on the day I was going crazy trying to get it from the ear and I picked up those yesterday and they are 33 gauge extra fine and I have not tried these yet.
I also ordered (from the link you or someone above sent) for the TRue Lancets, 300 of them and I just looked them up and they are 28 gauge.
I will not try it again until I have some advice for doing it. :nailbiting: as it was grueling
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I think you will have a much easier time once you get the new lancets. The other option is to poke a few times in the same spot with the thin ones. It is difficult in the beginning. Did you have a chance to look at the video in my signature?
 
Ladies, I am worried about something. One unit in the new syringes seems like so much more than one unit in the other syringes. Is this just me and my imagination?
 
JanetNJ said:
I think you will have a much easier time once you get the new lancets. The other option is to poke a few times in the same spot with the thin ones. It is difficult in the beginning. Did you have a chance to look at the video in my signature?
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I just watched it and like you, I am in it a while and just started to check. I pierced my Joe's ear many times though and never got any blood.
 
Susan Pomocnik said:
Ladies, I am worried about something. One unit in the new syringes seems like so much more than one unit in the other syringes. Is this just me and my imagination?
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Don't use the u 40 syringes with Novolin.... They are for ProZinc only. Did you get the ProZinc yet? It may look like a lot more because of your other syringes held 0.5 ml the barrel was thicker
 
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Syringes do come in different sizes and widths, so that might be it if you’re sure you’re using the u40 syringes. You can post a picture of 1u drawn up if you’d like us to confirm :cat:
 
JanetNJ said:
Don't use the u 40 syringes with Novolin.... They are for ProZinc only. Did you get the ProZinc yet? It may look like a lot more because of your other syringes held 0.5 ml the barrel was thicker
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I have put the Novolin in the cheese drawer way in the back of the fridge so I do not get them mixed up. I am using on ProZinc and the U40's since Friday night
 
Sarah&Soph said:
Syringes do come in different sizes and widths, so that might be it if you’re sure you’re using the u40 syringes. You can post a picture of 1u drawn up if you’d like us to confirm :cat:
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Hi Sarah, it drove me crazy enough that I got two old syringes out of the milk jug I toss them in. One of the U40 and one of the older ones. I drew up 1ml of water in one and then pulled out the plunger on the other and put the same water in through the backside. Put plunger back in and saw that both were 1ml. This is just such a thing where you are on your own and have to be so UBER careful at what you are doing. One wrong move made without thinking and I guess I could kill my cat. Scary.:arghh:
 
I have my daughter and her dad coming over for Fathers day dinner so they will help me check Joes number today. Cannot believe I am cooking for my ex from a hundred years ago but my daughter asked me, so I am.
 
Susan Pomocnik said:
Ladies, I am worried about something. One unit in the new syringes seems like so much more than one unit in the other syringes. Is this just me and my imagination?
Click to expand...
U40 and U100 refer to how many units = 1 ml of insulin. So yes, the amount of insulin is going to be different when you switch syringes. That’s why it’s important to make sure you’re using the appropriate kind.
 
Librarianista said:
U40 and U100 refer to how many units = 1 ml of insulin. So yes, the amount of insulin is going to be different when you switch syringes. That’s why it’s important to make sure you’re using the appropriate kind.
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So using a u40 syringe and pulling out 1unit IS different than the amount of insulin in 1unit in the u100 syringe?
 
So I am technically giving him almost the same amount of insulin then. He was on 3units of Novilin and now he is on 1 unit of Prozinc. One unit is a lot more with the U40 syringes. I tested him this afternoon, 6 hours after morning insulin and it was the lowest it has been in a week at 372.
 
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