Advice on insulin and dosage

[Babygirlsmom]

Hello:

My cat baby was diagnosed with diabetes earlier this year. She was started on Lantus 2 units. We are now up to 10 units but still with sustained bg levels of 300-400. I take her bg on an alpha track 2. She still has incredible water intake and output. She eats twice a day friskies patte half to 3/4 of a can a day, no dry.

The dose of the Lantus seems very high compared to what I have read that most cats require. What is the maximum dose that a cat can safely be given? We are also wondering if she should be changed to PZI insulin?

The vet is stating that she is almost at the end of her comfort professional zone and wants to refer to a specialist. I have checked with the specialist and lets just say we are looking at alot of $$$$$$....

We want to exhaust every avenue that we can before the lat resort of the specialist is sought. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Babygirlsmom

 

[Larry and Kitties]

Can you post a curve, that the BGs taken before the shot and then every two hours?
Yes ten units twice a day is abnormally high for a cat. What is the cat's name?
Your cat by have a condition that causes the high dose. See the following:
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=375
Acromegaly and Other High Dose Conditions: What We Know

My Murphy is presently om 17 units of Levemir (similar to Lantus) twice daily.

 

[BJM]

What are you feeding him?

Any over the counter low carb food < 10 % calories from carbohydrate (not % weight) will help lower his glucose. See Cat Infofor more nutrition information.

 

[Babygirlsmom]

Hi Larry and Kitties:

My Cats name is Baby. She is 13 years old and weighs 13 lbs. She is a Maine coon cat. She had a curve recently at the vet that showed that her average was 238 at 6 units. I can perform a curve also and post the numbers either Saturday or Sunday. We have already eliminated the common reason for BG levels not leveling on insulin. We have changed her diet to only wet food under 10 % of carbs from calorie diet. We have also had her checked for infection or other common issues. We have also raised her insulin very slowly like 1-2 units every 2-3 weeks under the vets supervision. She has gained her weight back that she had lost and also her coat looks better. We still though have the high water intake and then also urine output that is causing her to not use the litter box. I took her number this evening and it was 517.

I am guessing from your response that my hopes of changing the insulin to PZI might not help.

I will check the posts that are on the other page closer, but I am guess that the specialist or more testing is what we are in for......

Thanks for taking the time to answer will post the curve when I have it.

Babygirlsmom

 

[BJM]

Increasing by full unit amounts might have missed the optimal dose, unless you have a high dose cat. You have made the food change to canned; are they also low carb? There is a pdf here[/url at Cat Info which lists % calories from carbohydrate (not % weight) and you want foods with under 10%, such as Fancy Feast Classic pates or most Friskies pates.

There have been high dose cats with around 20-30 units twice a day, plus use of supplemental insulin. These were typically acromegaly cats.

If you are currently using Lantus, you find that Levemir will be better at these high doses. Lantus has an acidic pH and may sting.

Have you checked out getting insulin from Canada if you are in the US? There are a number of pharmacies there which will ship refrigerated and at a much lower cost.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

You said " She had a curve recently at the vet that showed that her average was 238 at 6 units. " Without knowing BG at various times after the shot I cant really suggest anything. Yes. it would be good if you obtained BG measurements before a shot and then every two hours or so after the shot and

 

[Babygirlsmom]

Hello Everyone:

I did baby glucose more today and here are the numbers.

7 am 404
12pm 296
7pm 556

I plan to do them tomorrow every two hours but did not know if these numbers would tell anything.

We feed baby Friskees patte and only one that is under the 10% of the carb calories. We feed according to the list that was posted already. She has no dry food at all.

I will check into having the insulin come from Canada never even thought of that.

I will see if my vet would be pulling her blood and shipping for the acromegaly test thanks for the link.

Babygirlsmom

 

[BJM]

Check this thread on insulin from Canada.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

he mini curve show s some response to the insulin which tends to indicate you are not overdosing.
Yes, the special tests would be a good idea.
Another question, how much is Baby eating daily? My MurrFee eats about 2 1/2 5.5 oz cans a day

 

[Babygirlsmom]

Hello:

According to what we we're reading she was only supposed to have one to one and a half of the cans that we have a day. Recently I went to one can morning and evening and she does not seem as starved. I am going to work with the vet on the testing and getting the insulin from Canada. Once we have those results may better be able to treat her I hope. Thanks for all the advice.

Baby girls mom