BonnieB here again and in trouble

[BonnieB]

Hello, BonnieB was diagnosed last year and has done very well on one unit of insulin twice a day. Numbers have been good, in fact very consistently low for a year and no urine or bowel problems. Her weight has been stable. She's on a Friskies high protein wet food and eats well. Her vet seems to think as long as her numbers are low she's okay. She is, after all 19 years old. My concern is that since she has never had a high number this whole year would it be possible that she doesn't even need the insulin anymore? Could it even be harming her? Her last test was 98. She has developed terrible sounding asthma problems lately, has a lot of re-flux after eating. Her coat is not looking good and her hind quarters are all sunken in. I'd like to make sure we're doing everything we can correctly.
I need to change the pinned information about BonnieB and don't know how. She weighs the same. She is not on KD but on Friskies canned food. She is on one unit twice daily.
Jane

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

The protocol for ProZinc is in my signature in blue. We suggest lowering the pre shot number over time - when you can monitor'- but few ProZinc users shoot under 170 or so. When was the 98? If it was a preshot number, then I definitely would not give insulin.

We consider a cat in remission if they are between 40 -120 for 2 weeks, off insulin.

To update your signature, go to it, erase what is there, put in new info and choose Submit.

 

[BonnieB]

The protocol for ProZinc is in my signature in blue. We suggest lowering the pre shot number over time - when you can monitor'- but few ProZinc users shoot under 170 or so. When was the 98? If it was a preshot number, then I definitely would not give insulin.

We consider a cat in remission if they are between 40 -120 for 2 weeks, off insulin.

To update your signature, go to it, erase what is there, put in new info and choose Submit.

Thank you, I finally got it changed. The 98 was at 6 hours after her morning shot. We are not testing at home so we take her to the vet's office. Each time she's tested at the vet it's in that time frame. Her highest number in the past year was 165 and then went lower. At about 115 they changed her from 2 units to 1 unit. Last week and two weeks before it was below 100. I'm worried that we have not given her best treatment and don't know what to do next. How should she be weaned off the insulin? Not cold turkey I would guess.
Jane and BonnieB

 

[jayla-n-Drevon]

Thank you, I finally got it changed. The 98 was at 6 hours after her morning shot. We are not testing at home so we take her to the vet's office. Each time she's tested at the vet it's in that time frame. Her highest number in the past year was 165 and then went lower. At about 115 they changed her from 2 units to 1 unit. Last week and two weeks before it was below 100. I'm worried that we have not given her best treatment and don't know what to do next. How should she be weaned off the insulin? Not cold turkey I would guess.
Jane and BonnieB

The refluxing could be kidney related especially at 19--her kidney values are good??

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

She has been below what we consider shoot able numbers at the vet, where the levels are often higher because of stress. But without monitoring at home, it is hard to advise whether to stop or lower insulin

Could we help you learn how to test at home? It is much more accurate that vet testing and you can see exactly where she is before each shot, and how low the dose takes her

With ProZinc, I wouldn't advise shooting under 150-170 and even then, not without data to know what she might do and plans to monitor

 

[BonnieB]

The refluxing could be kidney related especially at 19--her kidney values are good??

Her kidney values

The refluxing could be kidney related especially at 19--her kidney values are good??

Kidney values have not been taken recently and this reminded me we must do so. Last test was just before I switched her food from KD to the Friskies wet and it was in the normal range. Three years before that she had tested close to borderline and they recommended KD as a precaution.

 

[BonnieB]

She has been below what we consider shoot able numbers at the vet, where the levels are often higher because of stress. But without monitoring at home, it is hard to advise whether to stop or lower insulin

Could we help you learn how to test at home? It is much more accurate that vet testing and you can see exactly where she is before each shot, and how low the dose takes her

With ProZinc, I wouldn't advise shooting under 150-170 and even then, not without data to know what she might do and plans to monitor

Hello again, BonnieB just came home from the Vet. Her number was 178, highest ever. However she was very stressed. They did x-rays and lungs, air passages look clear. Same for digestive track, clear but show some gas. He probed her stomach and felt for any signs of pain. It was a pretty good exam and he had a young vet with him so we had two working on her . He thinks the wheezing is asthma. Problem for a diabetic cat is that steroids used for asthma are wrong for diabetics. Since she's breathing through her nose he says we should watch her for signs of distress and use a vaporizer. I don't know what to do about the home testing. I would have to have someone help and my husband doesn't want to. We're up there in age and this is intimidating so we've been taking her to the Vet for frequent testing. Now, I want to get her tested before her morning shot to see what her highest numbers are after doing that a few times.
Thanks so much for you help and advice.
Jane and BonnieB



Jane and BonnieB
Jane and BonnieB

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

The steroids could have caused the diabetes. I am concerned that she is getting insulin (and not in tiny doses) on low, sometimes perhaps normal numbers. We suggest not shooting under 200 until you have enough data to predict how she might do with a particular dose.

How about getting you both acclimated to testing? Decide where you want to test. Some people like between their legs when seated on the floor; some like on the couch or the bed; some use the counter. Take her there, lots of pets and praise and then a treat she loves that is saved for testing. Let her go. The next time, pets, praise, fooling with her ears, treat and release. After a few times, add warming the ear. (Some people like a sock, knotted and filled with raw rice and heated till very warm in the microwav. Some use a prescription pill bottle filled with very warm water. Continue with this for awhile before adding the click of the lancet and finally the poke. Most cats come to associate this time with pleasure and a favorite treat, so when you add the poke, it isn't a big deal. Meanwhile buy a meter and lancer holder and lancets and try the meter out on yourself. Be sure you become confident with how it works, how to insert the strip, how long it gives you before beeping out etc.

 

[BonnieB]

The steroids could have caused the diabetes. I am concerned that she is getting insulin (and not in tiny doses) on low, sometimes perhaps normal numbers. We suggest not shooting under 200 until you have enough data to predict how she might do with a particular dose.

How about getting you both acclimated to testing? Decide where you want to test. Some people like between their legs when seated on the floor; some like on the couch or the bed; some use the counter. Take her there, lots of pets and praise and then a treat she loves that is saved for testing. Let her go. The next time, pets, praise, fooling with her ears, treat and release. After a few times, add warming the ear. (Some people like a sock, knotted and filled with raw rice and heated till very warm in the microwav. Some use a prescription pill bottle filled with very warm water. Continue with this for awhile before adding the click of the lancet and finally the poke. Most cats come to associate this time with pleasure and a favorite treat, so when you add the poke, it isn't a big deal. Meanwhile buy a meter and lancer holder and lancets and try the meter out on yourself. Be sure you become confident with how it works, how to insert the strip, how long it gives you before beeping out etc.

 

[BonnieB]

I didn't mean she was on steroids, never has been. He just mentioned that it was what was used for asthma but definitely not for a diabetic cat.
I'm feeling like we will buy the meter and strips and try it out on myself to get over the fear. BonnieB is not the easiest cat to handle. She is a lap cat but she does not tolerate being held and restrained. For her shots we put her on the counter, give the shot quickly and follow up with her chicken breast treat. She's been amazingly good about it so we can try the same technique and hope we don't spoil her good behavior for shots. My husband does give the shots usually but she will behave for me as well. Maybe if we are confident about the testing we can make it work.
Now a question. If we do test and she is not in the range to have a shot what do we do? Skip it completely. Test again in a few hours. How does this work? What if we're not home for a while? We have arranged our schedule to keep the feeding and the twice a day shots very consistent.
Thanks for all your replies and information.
Jane and BonnieB

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

Generally we suggest stalling if the pre shot number is too low to shoot. So you wait 20 minutes,without feeding (which raises levels) and retest. Not only do you want the number to be high enough to shoot, but you want her rising, not continuing to fall.

 

[Critter Mom]

Hi Jane,

Problem for a diabetic cat is that steroids used for asthma are wrong for diabetics. Since she's breathing through her nose he says we should watch her for signs of distress and use a vaporizer.

I suggest that you post a separate thread asking for advice re suitable asthma treatments for diabetic cats and put a question mark icon against the thread title to get more eyes on the thread. I know of at least one member whose cat has been treated for asthma and yet still achieved remission. (The member in question hasn't been on the board for a while but I'm going to tag her for you on the off-chance she may be able to help - @phlika29.)


Mogs
.

 

[BonnieB]

Hi Jane,


I suggest that you post a separate thread asking for advice re suitable asthma treatments for diabetic cats and put a question mark icon against the thread title to get more eyes on the thread. I know of at least one member whose cat has been treated for asthma and yet still achieved remission. (The member in question hasn't been on the board for a while but I'm going to tag her for you on the off-chance she may be able to help - @phlika29.)


Mogs
.

Hi Mogs, Thanks very much. I'll do that and see if anyone else has had some luck with treating asthma without steroids.
Appreciate your help.
Jane and BonnieB

 

[Critter Mom]

No probs, Jane.

I forgot to mention in my previous post that Sara (@phlika29) gave Remi some sort of inhaled steroid treatment (IIRC).


Mogs
.

 

[Sandi and Toby]

...some sort of inhaled steroid treatment...
.

That is probably the "Aerokat" inhaler. It does use a steroid, but I don't know how it affects BG. We looked into it for one of our civvies with asthma. But we instead just ended up using steroid pills since he was easy to pill, so I can't give any personal experience with it.

Good luck to you!
Sandi.