? 8/10 | Darwin: AMPS=331, +4.5=276, +8.5=246 - question about petsitter.

[Tasha & Darwin]

Last post - 8/6

Sorry for being a bit absent - hope everyone is doing well!

Darwin feels well, but his numbers seem to be about the same following his dosecrease. Hoping he starts coming down a bit so we don't have to increase again.

Question: I am going away from August 20th-28th. My girlfriend will be home until the 26th, and can test and shoot Darwin while I am gone. BUT, she will be joining me from the 26th-28th.

My plan is this - going to set our bathroom up for Darwin to spend the weekend in so that he can have access to food whenever he wants - so I don't have to enlist someone to stand over him and make sure he is eating. And also I think it'll ensure he doesn't hide and become difficult to give insulin to. I have coworker who is comfortable giving insulin, but I am not sure that she will be able to test him. Would you skip insulin for those 3 days (5 shots missed), or would you just give a decreased dose and feel okay with not testing.

I don't want him to shoot up (especially since he is not at all regulated), but I don't want to risk a hypo, and not know it. It seems he is staying quite high at his current dose, so if anything, I figure he can get 0.25U safely without being tested. Any thoughts? What do you all do?

 

[MJW]

I am struggling with vacation strategies myself. I am going to discuss the issue with my vet next week. Is Darwin prone to ketones? Do you think he will eat locked in the bathroom? Will he be unhappy and stressed out?
If you stopped the insulin he wouldn't have to be locked in the bathroom. He wouldn't go hypo but he could get ketones.
Most people seem to give reduced doses.
I shouldn't give any advice.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Good plan on the bathroom staycation plan for Darwin. What we suggest is to post a couple days before you go, or the girlfriend goes, so we can suggest a vacation dose. A lot can change in a week. Typically it's a lower dose, the amount based on whether there will be testing and what the spreadsheet looks like at the time. You can leave a sample syringe, filled with coloured liquid so the petsitter has something to compare against. In the mean time, maybe the petsitter can visit and try testing. It's a good skill to have. But if not, it wouldn't be the first time kitties haven't cooperated with strangers testing.

Darwin, work the dose, or you'll be getting more juice!

 

[Tasha & Darwin]

I am struggling with vacation strategies myself. I am going to discuss the issue with my vet next week. Is Darwin prone to ketones? Do you think he will eat locked in the bathroom? Will he be unhappy and stressed out?
If you stopped the insulin he wouldn't have to be locked in the bathroom. He wouldn't go hypo but he could get ketones.
Most people seem to give reduced doses.
I shouldn't give any advice.

Yeah, it changes the game with FD, doesn't it? Darwin had trace ketones only when he was first diagnosed - he's been in the clear since.

He definitely wouldn't mind the bathroom, if necessary. Thank you!

 

[Tasha & Darwin]

Good plan on the bathroom staycation plan for Darwin. What we suggest is to post a couple days before you go, or the girlfriend goes, so we can suggest a vacation dose. A lot can change in a week. Typically it's a lower dose, the amount based on whether there will be testing and what the spreadsheet looks like at the time. You can leave a sample syringe, filled with coloured liquid so the petsitter has something to compare against. In the mean time, maybe the petsitter can visit and try testing. It's a good skill to have. But if not, it wouldn't be the first time kitties haven't cooperated with strangers testing.

Awesome, thanks for the advice! We actually ended having a coworker who offered to spend the night at our house for the weekend we are both gone - YAY! Other than Darwin, we have a civvie who is on several medications, and a senior dog who has health issues - this is a HUGE relief.

I'm going to SEE if she is comfortable testing Darwin, but I think we may just feel more comfortable having her give a reduced dose. We'll see where he is at in a couple of weeks.

Darwin, work the dose, or you'll be getting more juice!

Unfortunately, he isn't listening this time around. Silly little fella.