Am I doing something wrong or right????

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dirtybirdsoaps

dirtybirdsoaps

Member Since 2014
Hidey's numbers have been looking good.....I think. For the past 2 days he didn't need an AM shot. Last night when I usually check him and feed him his bg was 199 so I figured I'd wait and see and recheck him before bed. When I checked him a little over 4 hrs later he was 319 so I gave him .5 units. Should I be balancing him out better or is it ok for him to have random shots with random amounts?


Also I have him off the dry and onto the Young Again zero carb (100%) :-D
 
Sounds like you're chasing the glucose in order to shoot. If you can measure a quarter unit, you might try that.

If you haven't tried them, using U-100 syringes with U-40 ProZinc may be done with a conversion chart. With a U-100 syringe, each half unit mark = 0.2 units of ProZinc. This makes micro-dosing very easy to do.

p.s. Young Again 0 Carb is 5% calories from carbohydrates the way we calculate it.
 
It looks like your kitty is pretty sensitive to the prozinc too, Frog has been lately too, the tiniest drop I can give him with any accuracy drops him like 100+ points some days. I would suggest you try learning to do the drop method, and yea, if you're not already using U100 syringes, I strongly recommend it, so much easier to measure teeny amounts. I have the conversion chart saved and can re-post it if you need it.
I have posted it here before, so you might just be able to search for it (dose_conversion_chart.pdf was the filename)

I've been winging Frog's insulin in a very similar way as you, I just am using much smaller doses, and lower thresholds, but I do try to stick to the 12 hour schedule still.

With my crew its really impossible for me to figure out exactly what and how much of which type of food frog eats, I wish I could afford to switch back to the yazc, they all liked it so much more when they had control over when and how much they ate, a lot less contention in the house then too, plus I always knew exactly what, if not necessarily how much, food Frog ate. I realize most people here are adamantly against dry food, but I felt like my cats drank plenty of water and were better hydrated with the yazc than they are right now with only fancy feast. All that said tho, wet or dry, if you do have to skip a dose, be aware of what food you feed, lower carbs are better at that point just to kind of coast back to a safe shooting range. (a good time for fish imo)
 
dirtybirdsoaps said:
...Should I be balancing him out better or is it ok for him to have random shots with random amounts?
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You do whatever works for the cat.
And I've just had a look at Hidey's SS and you seem to be doing that very well indeed!

And I would not say that you are giving "random amounts" of insulin. I'd say that you're working out a 'sliding scale' of dosages according to your preshot numbers...

Not all cats fit neatly into a 12 hourly shooting schedule. Mine certainly doesn't. Sometimes my cat needs a shot after 10 or 12 hours. But quite often he'll go 18 - 24 hours (or longer) on a shot. I give shots when my cat needs them, and vary the amount of insulin according to the preshot number (also taking into account the rate at which the BG is rising).

The fact that we are using PZI insulins means that we can be flexible in this way and respond quickly to changing situations. :smile:

Eliz
 
Thank you everyone for the advice. I will look into the u100's. It's been 24 hrs since his last shot I have not had a chance to update his sheet but I tested him before bed last night and I want to say he was around 130? I can't be certain though lol so many testing times and I get the numbers all mixed but I checked him this morning and he was in the low 100's I want to say his bg was 118. When I get home I will update his ss and check his bg again. As to the food I've been cautious what canned food I'm giving trying to stay low on the carbs. I give a variety of tiki, weruva, and avoderm although we've stopped most avo since it seems higher in carbs. He definitely has not had ANY past the 10% carb mark on dr Lisa's food chart, usually we're at 0%-3%??


Speaking of......has any one compared that charts numbers and their own??? I know that chart hasn't been updated in a while but it seems almost every one of my canned foods that I have checked comes up different then that chart. So I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong, although I think the carb calc is pretty self explanatory. I only ask because I'm trying to be as accurate as possible but I'm also making a chart for my fridge for a quick guide on the carb level and calories of each variety.
 
We don't calculate carbs by what is written on the can. Pet food companies are only required to put maximum and minimums on their labels. Dr Pierson, when she updates the list, contacts each food company to get the "as fed" values which are much more accurate than what is shown on the label.
 
Hidey is looking really good. First, I would try lowering the dose and getting two small dose shots in daily, 12 hours apart. Maybe the .25 that Bj suggested or if you are finding that is too much, then using the U100 needles and the conversion chart to give smaller amounts - like .2 or even .1

Then you may need to start shooting longer than 12 hours apart and "chasing" the numbers. Here's how that works:

When your cat is consistently in numbers too low to shoot at shot time and in numbers in the 100 range and below during the cycle, you can consider micro dosing. This process should be guided on the forum by experienced members and will require more frequent testing.

You may be shooting at times other than the 12/12 schedule, when the blood glucose levels rise enough to require a small dose of insulin. You will need to pick a number somewhere near the 150 range at which you will plan to shoot, being sure that the number is indeed rising. The dose at these low numbers will vary with each cat and its patterns, so advice should be solicited. But you may be considering doses below .25 and even considering a “drop” of insulin. At this point, U100 needles and the conversion chart will be necessary.

It is important during this period to offer small frequent meals. You may want to experiment with the lowest carb foods to help bring down the numbers, staying away from seafood more than once or twice a week.
 
Awwwww no seafood lol but that's his favorite :o I really don't mind its just finding something chicken or beef with the texture he'll eat.

Advice on food please. He is a picky eater and does favor seafood. Granted he does like chicken and beef but the main issue with that is he wont eat pate style it has to be in an almost shredded form which I have a hard time finding (although he wont eat the labeled shredded form like 9 lives and fancy feast offer lol) Are there any that you can think of that he may like that I have not mentioned in his SS that is low carb?


I have updated his SS. I just tested him again and he was 69 with no shot since 11 PM on 3/17 and that was .5 units. With no shot given what is the general rule of monitoring for hypo? or is that not an issue since he hasn't had insulin in 24 hrs. I know when theres no insulin its ok for the lower numbers, but since hes not in remission id assume id still treat if he gets that low? We all know what assume means though lol

Also, what steady numbers am I looking for to tell if remission MIGHT be approaching. I know its premature, just curious.
 
If he has been 24 hours without insulin, he can't hypo. For general reference, we consider a cat in remission if they have been ranging from 40-120 for 14 days, without insulin, with most of the time in double digits.

Have you tried adding warm water to the pates and making a gravy? Sometimes that makes the pates tolerable. The issue with seafood is the same as with humans - a diet of all seafood can mean too much mercury.
 
He's really the only one that has problems with pates, heck my other two cats will and have eaten dirt lol. I don't know why but he's ALWAYS had a hard time eating it, not per say not liking the flavor. It gets packed down so he cant lap it up. My other two cats will dig their face in the bowl to make sure to get every bit but he's to lazy I guess to work for it lol. Ive never thought to add water to the food, Ill give that a try because I know he loves food with gravy and I think its because he can lap it up so easily. I feel bad because all these years he'd only eat some of his wet food until I realized its just because he won't/cant get the food out of the bowl so I sit and wait while he eats and when I see its getting to that point ill get the spoon out and scrape it all in the middle again and once it gets to that point again I'll either spoon feed him or scrape whats left out and put it on the floor. LOL ohhhhhhh how our fur babies are spoiled lol.
 
I don't think I'd call it spoiled... 3 of mine will not put their face "in"to a bowl, and they also will not chase the food across a flat plate. I found some dishes that have a very shallow 'bowl' area which helps some, but yea, I still do have to re-stack the food if its a thicker type, so they can take bites off of the top of the stack. Those three are my slower eaters as well, probably related to their reticence to 'dig in' as you said :)

I used to add water to their food, but lately, if I add water, anything that is eaten in the first 5 minutes is fine, after that, they will not touch it. (even if I put nothing else out, and leave that food til /past the next feeding time) they'd rather starve than eat the soggy food I guess. Maybe your kitty wont be such a picky jerk on that subject tho :)
 
Barb & Mr. Frog said:
I don't think I'd call it spoiled... 3 of mine will not put their face "in"to a bowl, and they also will not chase the food across a flat plate. I found some dishes that have a very shallow 'bowl' area which helps some, but yea, I still do have to re-stack the food if its a thicker type, so they can take bites off of the top of the stack. Those three are my slower eaters as well, probably related to their reticence to 'dig in' as you said :)
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May I ask what kind of bowls you use and where to get them? I am in the process of replacing their water bowl and food bowls.

I just bought them the drinkwell stainless steel 360 water fountain, should be here tomorrow :-D and now im looking for new food bowls. Currently I am using cheap plastic ones that Ive had for a few years. Just the old standard type that has two sides. I know they say plastic is a big no-no so ive been searching, but most bowls seem to deep.
 
Sadly these were some bowls I found at Big Lots, (plastic, tho, melamine) and they didn't have more when I went back. But every time I shop anywhere, I'm checking out what they have available that might fit the bill. I'm seriously considering seeing if I can find a local ceramic shop and making my own bowls the way I want them.

I had the drinkwell 360, my two biggest males decided it was a great place to do their business, so it didn't last long :( I have the drinkwell Zen fountain now, so far it hasn't been claimed as a urinal, bleh. I also keep two non fountain bowls available, well, not bowls actually, they're ceramic large-ish coffee/soup style cups.
 
LOL WOW! I couldn't imagine my cats doing that. We used to have the platinum fountain but the pump died and it was plastic. I didn't worry about replacing it much at the time since that's when Hidey was diagnosed as diabetic and I was constantly refilling the water bowl so I used a basic cheap one, but he loves the water flow. I catch him moving the water bowl with his paw before he takes a drink lol. I thought it was bad that though that one of mine (Yuri) refuses to squat in the litter box and will urinate on the wall or right outside the litter box. He also reminds me of a little boy trying to write his name in the snow :lol:

Its funny because it seems Hidey is the most normal in the house, including me and my husband lol. Heck even Hot Rod has issues, he refuses to clean his bottom, not that I really lame him lol and he digs a hole in the litter but stands IN the hole and goes to the bathroom on the top of the pile with causes him to get urine and poop on his fur EWWWWWW! I actually have talked with the vet about this making sure its not an health issue. He is a big cat, but its not because of weight. Its just laziness and also we're pretty sure he was away from his mother too early. When we found him he was running across my husbands work parking lot with a huge head, short front legs, long back legs with a short but thick tail. Come to find out he was probably only 4 weeks old with a huge infection on his head which we think was caused by a dog bite. SOOOOOO we attribute his infection to his "special" personality ;-) lol
 
You could try making a separate box with the litter more shallow, so that the hole he stands in doesn't leave his tush so close to the top of the litter, and petsmart sells litter boxes with higher sides so the ones that do prefer to stand up to pee can.
 
Tried two different boxes and I couldn't win. They all wanted to use the same box lol. Ive been using a deep storage tote and cut out an opening with a saw then sanded the opening to make it smooth. Although sometimes Yuri STILL will hit the wall, and sometimes only steps half way into the litter box and will urinate and get half in and half out of the litter box opening l.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-105 ... ethod=p13n

Its a cheap good option, now if I could figure something out for Hot Rod lol. For now I've resorted to trimming his fur on his behind lol and also using bath wipes
 
I tried doing that too, but I was unhappy with the corners, and I didn't like how floppy the sides were. I finally gave up and invested in good boxes, I figured I'll be using them for years and years so ultimately it's worth it to me. The boxes I'm currently using are These and These Although for my personal convenience I have now removed the lids, it's too annoying to have to deal with the lids on top of having to clean 10 litter boxes per day.
 
Never thought about the cement mixing trays, its always interesting to see the ideas everyone has. Has anyone found a miracle on how to stop them from tracking the litter lol. It doesn't matter what litter I use they still track it, I even bought a huge litter catching mat in front of it but no luck.


Still haven't given Hidey any insulin. Im trying to break up his meals today to see if I can KEEP him steady. Any other tips for this besides the smaller meals?

I truly appreciate every ones help and this site. His numbers were an absolute mess when he was first diagnosed but thanks to everyone here I think we're getting his numbers on track.

Also anyone have an opinion on ziwipeak? I know its expensive but I was curious on the texture of it, I was thinking about trying it but no where local sells it so Id have to buy a case online to try.
 
We've definitely have been playing. I love it!!!!!!!!!! Hidey's been so blah the past few years, and I always assumed that it was because of his age, then last year I found out he had a few bad teeth and after those were removed he became a little more active but now.....now, I catch myself getting onto him for attacking my phone cord, game controllers etc. Heck the other day he jumped on top of the refrigerator, then on top of the cabinets, then after strolling around up there for a bit slid his way down the cabinets. Even out of no where he'll just start chasing the other two around the house. It's almost like his a kitten again :RAHCAT
 
lol it was like that with Frog in the early days too, it wasn't just him either, it was like they ALL got a dose of life. Had a herd of kittens galloping thru the house for awhile.
 
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