Dosing suggestion/decrease help | Feline Diabetes Message Board - FDMB

Dosing suggestion/decrease help

ChickenNugget

ChickenNugget

Member since 2025
Hi everyone,

My cat Artemis was recently diagnosed with diabetes on 9/17/25, with BG levels at 585 and NEG on Ketones in urine. His vet prescribed him the insulin ProZinc at max dose of 3 U with diet change of 1/3 cup serving of food every 12 hours and depending on his food intake, if he eats half of his serving, to give him half dose of 1.5 U. In addition, she prescribed the Free Style Libre 3 Plus sensor, which has been the bane of my existence both in numbers and technical issues; and a probiotic for 30 days called Proviable due to reported soft stools. Artemis was going to get prescription kibble but the vet clinic did not have any in stock so I googled/reddited and found out about switching to Fancy Feast Classic Pate - which I started soon enough even though Artemis was a Certified Hater of Pate for his entire life until now, lol. Picky eater. :arghh:

I started Artemis on 1.5 U, mind you this was before I knew more about the dosing information of ProZinc from this forum. There were slight changes to 0.5 U to 1 U and then back to 1.5 U until now he's been on 0.5 U on suggestion of the Facebook forum page due to Artemis having dipped into the low 40s when his dosage was 1.5 U. He's been on 0.5 U for the past 8 cycles (?) and his latest PMPS was in the blue and I gave him 0.5 U with the +3 PM now showing 78 with glucose meter test.

My question is, should I lower his dose to 0.25 U considering this trend? I've had to supplement during the +3 and +4 AM/PM slots with Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers - starting with 2 TSP on +3 and depending on the reading on +4, another 2 TSP.

Also on food, has anyone had any issues transitioning a senior cat from FF Classic Pate to the FF Senior Classic Pate? His vet recommended that after I informed the vet of the food change. With the insulin treatment, his constant hunger episodes and frequent-saturated urination have drastically decreased.

Artemis's spreadsheet is in my signature. Anything with * on it are glucose meter readings. As of 10/02/25, I'm not using the sensor due to technical issues that have driven me up the wall.

Thanks in advance,
-America
 
Hello and welcome to the ProZinc forum. I have been looking at your spreadsheet. You have done a great job learning to test and switching to a low carb wet food diet.

The main things I see on your spreadsheet is the overuse of the Gravy Lovers food. We do not recommend the use of high carb food or karo syrup or honey unless a cat actually drops below 50 on a human meter like your ReliOn. Remember that normal blood glucose numbers for a cat are about 50-120 (although non-diabetic cats will be in the 40s at times we don’t want a cat on insulin to go below 50 to provide a margin of safety.). Now, depending upon which dosing method you would like to follow and what your goals are for Artemis - either regulation or remission— we will want to keep the BG between different nadir ranges. It looks like you may have a good chance at remission for Artemis because since the switch to the low carb food and only a small amount of insulin support, she’s been getting some good nadirs. I would probably follow the Modified ProZinc Method if she were my cat. I do understand how it can be scary at first to see numbers in the green when you are very new to this whole process. You can read about the ProZinc dosing methods in the sticky notes at the top of this forum above the member’s threads. Have you seen this before?
 
Now, having said all that, I do recommend that, at least for the time being, you reduce the dose to .25 units and see if we can get her numbers stabilized a bit and you can consistently shoot the same dose of .25. Then we can see for a few days how it goes and we can talk more about the dosing protocols and how they work. Sound good?
 
Hello! Just did a recent test and he is at 70 right now (spreadsheet updated to reflect it). Per your first message, I won't give him any FF Gravy Lovers supplement as I've had before for those green numbers - which I believe now that I was intervening too soon when Artemis hits them. I'll admit I tend to panic when I see lower numbers 3+ post-shot and exacerbated when I was using the Libre sensor doom watching the fluctuations.

My goal for Artemis is regulation with the eventual remission since if all goes well in the future, he and I can relocate elsewhere after I graduate (projected 2027) from college and there is minimal issues on his BG levels.

I did check out the dosing post for ProZinc - though I think in my situation (still confused either way, sorry), I'm going in reverse due to the first directive of my cat's vet for a max dose of 3 U and then 1.5 U based on eating habits and then finding and joining this forum to find out that its better to start slow rather than a big dosage. I'll reread it again.

I'll make a note on the levels for BG - my vet told it was a safe number between 150-200 and I would see other numbers elsewhere which also caused me confusion.

For his PM shot, I'll go with 0.25 U as suggested, eyeballing it with the U-40 syringe.

Another question, using a human glucose meter is fine and all correct? I informed Artemis's vet that I have started using that instead of continuing with the Libre sensor and she suggested I use instead the AlphaTrak/pet glucose meter. I stressed to her that it would be nice and all if the test strips didn't cost 50 for $58 in Amazon and more so my wallet burning after spending over $150 on Libre sensors that died too soon - plus feeling Artemis's mood is way better without having to wear a onesie to protect the sensor.

As of right now, his next vet visit to check his numbers as well as my glucose meter is in two weeks with the goal for Artemis to visit every 3 months to see how he's doing.

Thank you so much for responding!
 
I’m off to take a different cat to urgent care but will respond back.

Do feed some food, just not High Carb food. And test again in 30 minutes to make sure her numbers are stable or rising.
 
ChickenNugget said:
question, using a human glucose meter is fine and all correct? I informed Artemis's vet that I have started using that instead of continuing with the Libre sensor and she suggested I use instead the AlphaTrak/pet glucose meter
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Using a human meter is fine. A Libre sensor is calibrated for humans since it’s a human glucose sensor. So how much sense does it make to them say either use a Libre human continuous glucose monitor (which gives alarmingly low numbers when under 80 or so - causing panic to the caregiver) or a pet meter? Libre human CGM is okay and a handheld human glucometer is not okay???
 
Will and done on the feeding on FF Classic Pate, he tested 96 on AM +9.20

My thoughts exactly on the sensor, pet GM, and human GM situation - even I was surprised when I found out the Libre 3 Plus is a human GM sensor thinking it was a neat pet-style sensor like a microchip with cool tech. I'm still sticking the ReliOn GM, even got the control solution.

Thanks for the response as always and no rush at all! Please take care of the kitty and I hope all goes well on your end!
 
Artemis is getting lower preshot numbers even on the .25 dose. Let’s keep a close eye on him 🙂 Artemis is doing great!
 
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Any time he is in the green up until about +6 please give a couple spoons of food to help support and steer the numbers. Also, it’s very important to start those snacks at +2 and not wait.
 
Hello again. Yes, he's been on the green up to AM/PM +8s. I sometimes give food (FF Classic Pate, not the Gravy Lovers) on the AM/PM +3 mark since that's when I do a glucose test. I'll keep that in mind for +2 and +4 for now on - only days I'll have issue are on Mondays and Tuesdays AM due to school. My mom would be able to give a small meal on the AM +2 for both days but AM +4 would be difficult since she'll be at work and I'll be in class. I do have some dry kibble of Dr. Elsey but I want to avoid giving him that since the FF Classic Pate is working with his BG levels.

I'll adjust the feeding habits for the AM shot of 10/05/25 - for this cycle, I'll do the usual PM 3+ food and give another portion at PM +5. Will that be okay?
 
ChickenNugget said:
Hello again. Yes, he's been on the green up to AM/PM +8s. I sometimes give food (FF Classic Pate, not the Gravy Lovers) on the AM/PM +3 mark since that's when I do a glucose test. I'll keep that in mind for +2 and +4 for now on - only days I'll have issue are on Mondays and Tuesdays AM due to school. My mom would be able to give a small meal on the AM +2 for both days but AM +4 would be difficult since she'll be at work and I'll be in class. I do have some dry kibble of Dr. Elsey but I want to avoid giving him that since the FF Classic Pate is working with his BG levels.

I'll adjust the feeding habits for the AM shot of 10/05/25 - for this cycle, I'll do the usual PM 3+ food and give another portion at PM +5. Will that be okay?
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So snacks at +2, +3 and +5? Sire that would be okay. It’s just that he’s dropping quite a bit early in the cycle and we need to slow that down just a bit.
 
Snacks as freeze-dried chicken/beef/salmon of sorts? Artemis was a hater of pate but he's still picky with treats :( What I have been giving him for the +3 and +5 is his regular food but in TBSP serving (1 or 2 TBSP). I had been thinking of getting an automatic feeder for the Dr. Elsey kibble I got though I don't know how its gonna impact his BG levels while I'm out and unable to test him till 5/8 hours later depending on class day.

Back in the day, I would buy him variety of snack type foods, he would sniff, and walk away from it - thankfully I have outdoor cats I take care of so it never went to waste when buying those items. The only snack/treat he's ever liked and goes crazy for are the Blue Buffalo Bursts that I only use when I have to test him as a reward (2 max).

I have googled/reddited on acceptable snacks for diabetic cats but what I found are items I know Artemis won't like - heck, he doesn't even like the Churu treats which are considered the holy grail for cats.
 
ChickenNugget said:
had been thinking of getting an automatic feeder for the Dr. Elsey kibble I got though I don't know how its gonna impact his BG levels while I'm out and unable to test him till 5/8 hours later depending on class day.
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They do have feeders that have little ice pack and will dispense wet food PetLibro is one of them but there are others. Most of the food is gonna be okay for a few hours anyway.
What are you giving him as a treat when you get a BG test? That’s a good time for the freeze dried treats (if he likes them.) Oh wait you said you are using Blue Buffalo Bursts. Are those low carb? Or are they like temptations treats?
 
They look like Temptation Treats but unfortunately are high-carb; I only give max 2 per BG test which I know adds up eventually for the day. I can attempt again to feed freeze-dried items to substitute for BB Bursts this time around to see if he has changed his mind on them.

He will eat chicken, boiled or roast. As for the automatic feeder, I've been looking into that a while ago when I saw your comment. Aiming to order one hopefully today so I can set it up for this week to teach Artemis to use it while me and my mom are out of the house Mondays and Tuesdays.

Tested him at AM +5.50 and get got a green number 76, did feed him afterwards with FF Classic Pate, spreadsheet updated.

Thanks once again for checking in and on the food info, its helping a lot with adjusting feeding/what to watch out for!
 
Okay. He had another green today and that’s very good. The thing is that, I didn’t realize until you mentioned it today that there was going to be dry food (Dr. Elsey’s) in the picture.

There are two dosing methods that you may have read about: Start Low Go Slow and Modified ProZinc Method. I would recommend the MPM method, but if dry food is being given then you can’t really follow it because of safety — dry food can be somewhat unpredictable in the way it affects BG and how it wears off — so if dry food is being given, SLGS should be followed. Under SLGS, he would have earned a reduction by dropping under 90. The next dose that is lower than a .25 is a .10 units. I’m going to attach a photo of how to draw a .10 dose. He is making great progress, but his spreadsheet shows that he still needs some insulin support. Other options are to set a custom reduction point of perhaps 70, but he’s already gone under this — although that was before his first small meal was coming at +2 which really seems to have helped him today. Or you can try to not feed the dry food and just leave him with wet food when you (and mom) are away.
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Hello again. I bought the Dr. Elsey kibble during my extreme panic phase of week 1 of my cat's diagnosis but I have not fed him any of it after reading about BG levels stabilizing on a Fancy Feast Classic Pate diet. Reason I brought it up was to see if it was an acceptable source for food while my mom and I are out. The idea of it destabilizing his progress right now is a big no-no from me. I want to keep him on the same diet. Found a wet food feeder and ordered, so we'll see how it goes and Artemis's attitude towards it when my mom and I aren't around.

I did ask my mom to give him portioned food for the +2 slot, give him a bit to eat (30 minutes or so) and then pick up the leftovers, then before she leaves for work on the +3, to leave him new portioned food (all that I have prepped and ready in the fridge).

Yes, the lowest he had was 60 from last cycle, spreadsheet has been updated. I have to gently coax him to eat the small meals - he's been cranky lately due to having the cone. As for the treats, I got the PureBites Chicken Freeze-Dried and he seems to be okay with them which is a good sign for me (and my wallet again lol).
 
This is GREAT. We can follow the Modified ProZinc Method then and he can continue to progress! I am excited about how well he’s doing. You deserve so much credit for doing all this to help Artemis! Keep the .25 unit dose for now then 🙂
 
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