Blackie's Dose & Food

[Angela & Blackie & 3 Others]

I'm pretty sure the TR group and I are going to disagree on this one....but, as well as you know Blackie by now and the fact that you aren't really looking to see if her dose needs changed at the moment...I wouldn't think you need a mid-cycle test everyday, unless something with her seems off. I know with Musette on the days I know she is just going to be high because she is bouncing like a rubber ball I tend not to test her as often, I just don't see the point, she is going to be high, I know she is going to be high so why put her through a bunch of test? It seems to me that you have the same thing going on with Blackie but in reverse, you know how she is going to do on this dose according to the readings you have gotten on your preshot tests, you have tested her before the shot to make sure she isn't giving you a surprise with a lower than normal number and is high enough to safely give insulin to, so why make her bleed more than necessary.

Just my opinion of course but I can't see a reason why when she has such a well established pattern that you need to get midcycle tests everyday. Especially if you are going to be with her to watch her for signs of hypo setting in.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang.

Precisely my point, Mel, and Eva. She's on the same dose, and the same amount of food day in and day out. Her activity level doesn't change at all. She doesn't play, and if I try and instigate the play, it'll be for only a few seconds at best. Her only activity is that she'll tear a strip into someone, turn around, lay down and preen. That's it. To increase the calories would only make her fat. I've decreased her snack yesterday down to 0.10 oz. 2x/day, and her Evo was reduced to 0.70 oz. 6x/day. I hadn't done an Evo reduction since January 1st, and her food was recently decreased on January 21. I can't afford to reduce her Evo anymore, and I always suspected that the snack was what is making her PS go up there. To increase the food would increase the #s, hence the need for more insulin.

My goal: diet control (hopefully)

I feel like I'm at a stalemate.

 

[Eva & Butters]

Hi, Angela ~

Gathering bg test data that you're not going to use for making dosing changes, seeing the effect of food changes, or monitoring Blackie's numbers for safety just seems excessive to me, Angela. And I do think a lot of us do more testing than we really need to do. I know I do. My husband and I have been discussing that lately. And, Angela, you're one of the forum members who knows your cat, your Blackie, so incredibly well that it seems reasonable for you to do less testing. If you see something unusual with Blackie, then you'll know to do more testing.

I know you've helped me with calories for Butters in the past and recommended EVO which he loves, by the way. Thanks! Butters seems too skinny to me now, Angela, but our vet says he's at his ideal weight. And looking at the photo of a healthy weight cat on Dr. Lisa's site, I think Butters looks pretty good at his current weight. Guess I'm just not used to seeing a waist on a cat.

I was just looking at Blackie's spreadsheet for late 2011 before you started adding more food to her diet, Angela. Was she very underweight then or losing weight? You had her preshot numbers so well under control then before you started increasing her food, but, of course, you've got to feed your furgirl whatever she needs to maintain a healthy weight. There's probably no way you could go back to her diet back then to see if her preshot numbers start coming down? Certainly not if Blackie needs the extra food. You don't want to starve your sweet Blackie for the sake of getting her numbers down...I know that, Angela.

Angela, I think your care and treatment of Blackie is exceptional!

Enjoy the day,
Eva