Hi Pattie,
I've thought a lot about your giving Harley the dried kibble to manage the cycle the other night. Although a few tsp of kibble will not harm Harley, I think that adapting that strategy will harm his chances for achieving remission or even regulation.
What if, without the kibble, Harley would have dropped to 40 or lower? You would have missed and important sign that he needs a decrease.
On the flip side, I suspect using slow clearing carbs may leave him sitting at higher numbers longer afterwards (like he is now for example). You don't want Harleys body to become accustomed to hanging around in the pinks. You want him to be able to clear a bounce
naturally (no R), as quickly as possible.
I need to ask you, what is your goal for Harley? Do you want to go for OTJ or are you just looking for regulation in a safe BG zone?
A couple things about IAA -
- High BGs do not create the antibodies -the antibodies are created by the immune system in reaction to insulin.
- Unlike other conditions that require High Doses of insulin (Acro, Cushings) IAA is self limiting It eventually comes to an end.
I'm no expert, just been there. However, by following the guidance of the folks here in LL, we did successfully battle a very tough case of it, and ended up OTJ.
I have not known you and Harley long but IMHO I have not seen any evidence of lingering IAA - Harleys dose has been decreasing and he certainly is capable of achieving low numbers, (a bit too low for my comfort) - I think Harley broke through it. He's down to a skinny 3.75 for cryin' out loud!
So now is the time to put the IAA thinking away and start to think like someone whose cat is a long term diabetic. and decide what is your goal.
Getting to and managing numbers at the lower end of the dosing scale can be very nuanced. If you are going for tight regulation or possible remission, I don't believe there is time or room in a cycle for slow acting carbs. They will just muddy the waters. In case of emergency, it's definitely a good to have in your bag of tricks - you know it works.
Time is valuable in the bigger picture as well. I believe its said that the longer a cat is diabetic the less the chance of remission. . .
I believe you can find a way to manage the swings with an all wet diet and that Harley can continue to make progress. It's gonna take work, some trial and error and - excellent record keeping that all can quickly see. if you are looking for support and help, this is the place to be. However, those you are seeking it from have to know exactly whats going on, and have confidence they know all the data - what all the variables are.
If you want help with a puzzle, you have to place all the pieces on the table, always. That's your best hope for a good outcome.
J.D. would say at getting rid of the freeze dried salmon. 
