Angel's spreadsheet, are these numbers ok?

[SweetAngel]

hi,

Angel is on caninsulin, vet just increased it to 3 units after his fructosamine test. He's being tested on a human glucometer which does give lower readings than the alphatrack. Well, today he's been on lower carb food and I meant to test him 5 hours after his shot but for various reasons it was 8 hours. I got a reading of UK 5.1/US92. I'm assuming this is positive news? All I can think is thank god I persevered with the home testing. Vet said with pre shot readings as long as it's above 4 on my meter I can give half a dose, luckily there's another few hours to go before then, but what would everyone here do assuming I still get a pretty low reading?
I think this low reading is partly due to reducing his carbs so I'm hopeful that in the future he will be cured.

Cassandra and Angel, proud new members of the vampire club xx

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

Hi Cassandra,

I replied on your other post about being unable to access your SS. (I think you need to 'share' it somehow..?)

He's being tested on a human glucometer which does give lower readings than the alphatrack. Well, today he's been on lower carb food and I meant to test him 5 hours after his shot but for various reasons it was 8 hours. I got a reading of UK 5.1/US92. I'm assuming this is positive news?

5.1 is a beautiful number. :smile:
But Angel may have dropped lower than this at the peak of the cycle (around +4.5 - +5 maybe...?)

...Vet said with pre shot readings as long as it's above 4 on my meter I can give half a dose, luckily there's another few hours to go before then, but what would everyone here do assuming I still get a pretty low reading?

For people new to feline diabetes we generally recommend that no shot is given if the blood glucose is below 11(200), until the care-giver has collected data to show how the insulin works in the cat's body.
(And did your vet say give the shot if above '4'? Was that a typo....? nailbite_smile )

Eliz

 

[SweetAngel]

hi Elizabeth, can you access it now?

My vet said just to give half a dose if it was above 4 on my meter (that gives low-ish readings) but I'm not happy about that, I think the lowest reading I would dose him is 8.3 on my meter which is just over 11 on an alpha track.
He's such a good boy, bless him, his ears look like a dart board!!! Cera my 17 year old had a clean bill of health today on her 6 month check up. They're both crashed out, Cera curled on the toy box and Angel on the floor even though they're allowed on furniture!! Diva cat Lianna is on my bed as usual where she more or less lives!

Angel's appt at the rvc is going ahead on 14th July, and I picked up the Purina wet food from my vets today. Did you see the article in the Sunday Times? I bought it then wished I'd accessed online as I think you have to pay to see the video of Jo's Bert.

xx

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

hi Elizabeth, can you access it now?

Yes! :smile: (Will have a good look after I've fed hungry husband and brother... :roll: )

My vet said just to give half a dose if it was above 4 on my meter (that gives low-ish readings) but I'm not happy about that, I think the lowest reading I would dose him is 8.3 on my meter which is just over 11 on an alpha track.

Crikey...
'4' is a normal blood glucose number for a cat (the range is approximately 2.7 to 7.2. (All my non-diabetics typically test at around 4.)) Very few people give insulin below 8.3, and only then when they're using a long-lasting (slow dropping) insulin, and when they're comfortable that they've clocked up enough data to suggest that it may be safe to do so...
It's early days for Angel, Cassandra. And Caninsulin can drop the blood glucose really fast.... At this stage of the game I'd strongly suggest that you don't give a shot below 11 (unless it was just below 11 and the shot was much reduced, and you'd be around to monitor......)

Angel's appt at the rvc is going ahead on 14th July, and I picked up the Purina wet food from my vets today. Did you see the article in the Sunday Times? I bought it then wished I'd accessed online as I think you have to pay to see the video of Jo's Bert.

Oh, how exciting! Do you know which insulin you'll be using?

And no, didn't see the article in the ST, and couldn't find an online link.... Ho hum.... :-|

Eliz

 

[SweetAngel]

thanks, 8.3 on my meter is the same as 11 on alpha trak apparently.
He's due for his shot at 10 pm but if he's around 8.3 I won't give it, and if he's not much higher maybe I should halve it. However since he's on caninsulin he'll probably be up in the 20's again...
Not sure which insulin he'll get if he's accepted on the trial, hoping it's the pzi, but both are supposed to be better than caninsulin.
I'll save the article for you and bring it with me in July, it's just a small article and says it's more common in obese cats. Angel was never overfed and goes outdoors and plays, but he has the 'fat gene' and at one point was 8.4 kilos!! He's big boned anyway. Strange thing is that he did not become diabetic until after he'd reached a reasonably normal weight. He was down to 5.8, went on a maintenance diet and then started losing again and drinking more, that's when I realised something wasn't right. Vet says he could still do with losing a bit, he still doesn't have much of a waistline!! The other strange thing about Angel is that ever since he was a kitten he has over groomed his belly and had a sphinx patch on his stomach!! He did that way before he piled on the pounds. Since he's had diabetes he's stopped over grooming his belly and is now more like Tom Jones!!
x

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

Hi Cassandra,

thanks, 8.3 on my meter is the same as 11 on alpha trak apparently.
He's due for his shot at 10 pm but if he's around 8.3 I won't give it, and if he's not much higher maybe I should halve it. However since he's on caninsulin he'll probably be up in the 20's again...

We 'think' in ordinary 'human meter' numbers here, so the '11' threshold we refer to is an '11' on a human meter....if you see what I mean....
Just had a look at Angel's spreadsheet and see that he dropped from around 21 to 5.1 (or possibly less at the peak of the cycle). So, he dropped nearly 16mmols on 3 units of insulin (at a preshot of around 21).
We don't have any data yet to suggest how Angel would respond to insulin at lower preshot numbers, so I would strongly counsel against giving a shot below a preshot of 11, and, to be honest, even then (if the preshot was lower that is usual) I would consider reducing the dose. Will you be able to monitor his blood glucose this evening/night at all...?
Do you have any info on how to deal with low numbers or hypo numbers? (Do you have glucose syrup available? Or higher carb food?)

Not sure which insulin he'll get if he's accepted on the trial, hoping it's the pzi, but both are supposed to be better than caninsulin.

Yes, both are super duper insulins!

I'll save the article for you and bring it with me in July

Yes, please do! :smile:

Cassandra, if you are at all uncertain about whether to give the shot or not this evening please do feel free to post here for advice.

Eliz

 

[SweetAngel]

hi Elizabeth, hugs for your advice and support.

Well as I thought, Angel's levels were way up, 19.7. I've given him his shot, have let him out to take the air then I'm shutting the 'out' bit of the cat flap and keeping him in overnight (I have done ever since he was diagnosed). I'll probably be up past midnight (he had his shot about 10 mins ago) and will set an alarm for 2.30am just to check he's ok. I have the hypo instructions printed out and attached to the fridge, and a bottle of honey on standby!!!

Bless him his poor ears are like a dartboard, it doesn't seem to bother him but sometimes it takes me a couple of goes to get a big enough blood drop.

xx

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

Well done, Cassandra.

I really do think you are going to do very well with this feline diabetes malarky, and I think Angel is blessed in having you as a caregiver.
(I see that you are also, very kindly, offering support and encouragement to others on the board. You've really entered into the 'spirit of things' here... :smile: )

Eliz

 

[SweetAngel]

(((Elizabeth))) what a lovely post.

I tested Angel at 2.5 hours and it wasn't low at all so I felt safe to go to sleep. Am wondering if the 5.1 could have been a fluke, hope not though. I'd not got enough blood on but for some reason it did a reading of 2.something rather than an error, so I managed to get a full drop of blood and that's when it said 5.1. I'm going to test him between 4-4.5 today. Any ideas how I can deal with his poor scabby ears? I'll be running out of room on them soon?

Today I'm starting him on the purina d/m. He didn't like his first Smila hoping the others like it at least as I bought 3 trays!!!

update, tested him at 4.5 hours and he was 9.4 so think yesterday's was an error. Took 4 goes to get a decent drop of blood, he put up with it but I feel sooo guilty!