01/25 Walter AMPS 622 PMPS 440

[Zelda & Walter]

Yesterday http:/01-24-walter-amps-397-pmps-137
Argh— I was optimistic because of the blue at PMPS+6. Poor Walter.
On the positive side (but a bit frustrating), test results showed nothing unusual—still don’t know what caused last week’s incident.
Have a good day everyone!

 

[Sue and Luci]

I'm glad the tests were all good!

Walter is just a championship trampoline artist. Keep working with him...he'll level off eventually. His body just thinks he needs all that stored up glycogen dumped out to 'save' him from those lower numbers. He just not used to them at all...but he will get there...

Have a good day Zelda!

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Zelda, I know how frustrating is can be to have a bouncy cat. Sheba was a champion bouncer and diver.

It looks like Walter bounces for two or three cycles only then drops down again. Are you in a position to test more frequently when he is likely to be coming off the bounce.? If you could test more often during those ‘coming off the bounce’ cycles and feed the drop so that Walter doesn’t drop too fast or too low you may be able to slow down the number of bounces. It takes time but is worth it.

How often do you feed him during the cycles?
If you can get some more + 2 BGs we can see when the onset of insulin starts and monitor the drops that follow.

I see you are still testing for ketones. That is very wise given his history of DKA

Walter is gorgeous by the way. He looks a very sweet cat.

 

[Sherry and Blackie]

Glad nothing unusual with his test. Sending prayers that doesn't happen again. Have a great day!

 

[Zelda & Walter]

I'm glad the tests were all good!

Walter is just a championship trampoline artist. Keep working with him...he'll level off eventually. His body just thinks he needs all that stored up glycogen dumped out to 'save' him from those lower numbers. He just not used to them at all...but he will get there...

Have a good day Zelda!

Thanks Sue. I’m scheduled to board him in a week and am worried about him getting off schedule but am hoping that the vet can handle.

 

[Zelda & Walter]

Zelda, I know how frustrating is can be to have a bouncy cat. Sheba was a champion bouncer and diver.

It looks like Walter bounces for two or three cycles only then drops down again. Are you in a position to test more frequently when he is likely to be coming off the bounce.? If you could test more often during those ‘coming off the bounce’ cycles and feed the drop so that Walter doesn’t drop too fast or too low you may be able to slow down the number of bounces. It takes time but is worth it.

How often do you feed him during the cycles?
If you can get some more + 2 BGs we can see when the onset of insulin starts and monitor the drops that follow.

I see you are still testing for ketones. That is very wise given his history of DKA

Walter is gorgeous by the way. He looks a very sweet cat.

He is a very gentle kitty. When I’m working he gets two feedings during the day—one at 4hrs after he’s been fed and the other at 7 hrs. When I’m home, it can be more often. I was trying to figure out if there’s a pattern to him being fed and the numbers going up or down but I can’t see one. By coming off the bounce, do you mean as the numbers are decreasing or increasing?

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

He is a very gentle kitty. When I’m working he gets two feedings during the day—one at 4hrs after he’s been fed and the other at 7 hrs. When I’m home, it can be more often. I was trying to figure out if there’s a pattern to him being fed and the numbers going up or down but I can’t see one. By coming off the bounce, do you mean as the numbers are decreasing or increasing?

With the feeding during the cycle, I would give the feeds at +2 (this would help stop big drops early in the cycle that can trigger bounces) and around +5 when the insulin is the strongest. Or you could even give three small feeds at say +2 +4 and +6. If you leave the first feed til +4 the insulin is well and truly working and the BGs have probably dropped quite a bit. What you need to do is try and stop a fast or big drop that could trigger a bounce and feeding early in the cycle is one way of doing this. It can be trial and error to get the timing right but it does work.
Are you using a timed feeder?

When I say coming off the bounce (or breaking the bounce), that means that the stored glucose and regulatory hormones that Walter has dumped into his system when he thought he needed to save himself, are wearing off and he is coming back down into lower numbers. A lot of cats when they are coming off the bounce can have a big drop in numbers during that cycle. So just be aware that when he starts to drop, you may need to test more often to monitor the BGs.
If the numbers are dropping too fast you can always steer them with food.
Does that make sense?

 

[Zelda & Walter]

With the feeding during the cycle, I would give the feeds at +2 (this would help stop big drops early in the cycle that can trigger bounces) and around +5 when the insulin is the strongest. Or you could even give three small feeds at say +2 +4 and +6. If you leave the first feed til +4 the insulin is well and truly working and the BGs have probably dropped quite a bit. What you need to do is try and stop a fast or big drop that could trigger a bounce and feeding early in the cycle is one way of doing this. It can be trial and error to get the timing right but it does work.
Are you using a timed feeder?

When I say coming off the bounce (or breaking the bounce), that means that the stored glucose and regulatory hormones that Walter has dumped into his system when he thought he needed to save himself, are wearing off and he is coming back down into lower numbers. A lot of cats when they are coming off the bounce can have a big drop in numbers during that cycle. So just be aware that when he starts to drop, you may need to test more often to monitor the BGs.
If the numbers are dropping too fast you can always steer them with food.
Does that make sense?

Thanks Bron—yes, it does! Thank you. I’ve been using a two unit feeder but recently bought a five unit which I was going to program today. I’m going to do a curve today and most likely will increase his dose by .25. I was holding off increasing until I received his lab results.

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

If you are doing a curve today, I would get a +1 and +2 and +3 so you can see when the onset of insulin is. That is providing he isn’t still bouncing

 

[Zelda & Walter]

If you are doing a curve today, I would get a +1 and +2 and +3 so you can see when the onset of insulin is. That is providing he isn’t still bouncing

Oops—just read this. I missed +1 but have +2.