Cassie 8/25-26

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bookw0rm

bookw0rm

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Cass cat's numbers are starting to run high again. I'm thinking of going with a slightly higher dose this weekend when I'm home to keep on eye on him. He appears to be getting a good drop on the .5 (about 250 points, or 50%), but I don't like how high his preshots are running. I'm a little concerned because I haven't been able to get a ketone test in a few days and his numbers are staying higher.

On another note, I've got a small sample (1/2 cup) of Evo dry that I added to his dry feeder last night. He seemed interested and ate a good bit of it, although it's still mixed with his regular high-carb. We'll see if he keeps eating it. If so, I'll go on an excursion to see if I can find a small bag somewhere. The closest place I've found it is about 1 1/2 hour away (actually, where the vet hospital is that he ended up at with the DKA). If I can successfully switch him, I'm sure I can order it somewhere for regular use.

Wed. AMPS 404 (+9), .5 u
PMPS 396, .5 u
+3 186
+6 183 (I like these numbers)
Thurs. AMPS 477, .5 u
PMPS 501 (+13.5--night class), .5 u
+6 252
Fri. AMPS 497 (+10.5), .5 u
 
I can't remember if you said before but have you thought about trying wet food? My cats had always eaten dry, Thumper was 14 when she was diagnosed, but they all love the wet food. That will make a difference in his blood sugar.
 
Yes, I've considered it. Unfortunately, I can't get him to eat it. He essentially went on a hunger strike when he had DKA and didn't eat again until he had the option of dry.
 
Have you seen Dr Lisa's site about Feline nutrition? There's some suggestions there on how to switch to wet food when you have a dry food addict. You don't want him on a hunger strike for sure! Here's the link just in case you haven't seen it.

http://www.catinfo.org/
 
Wedneday wasnt a bad day, I agree with Barbara,
I know my cats still miss the dry and it has been 10 months now and they still cry for it,
but I had to just do it
What helped was mixing the dry with the wet..just a thought, dont know if you tried that yet.
Also so many people talk about the raw food diet
dont know if you would want to try that
 
You are seeing some progress, I think if you could slowely switch over to the canned food his bg #'s would come down even more.

Hang in there.
 
I would go ahead and raise a little bit if that's your gut feeling. You want something like a 60 - 70% drop ideally. Often on a 50% drop they will get some good cycles, but their numbers will drift higher. If their pancreas is pitching in (which I am sure hers is given her low dose), if their numbers are high their pancreas will shut down more and then numbers will keep creeping higher. If you can get them in really good numbers, it seems to help their pancreas and they will often extend the good numbers themselves, or be ready pretty fast for a dose reduction. So there is definite merit in aiming for the good numbers sooner rather than later, and not waiting to see if a 50% drop will get better, since often it will tend to go the other way.
 
PMPS 532, .75 u
+4 283

I'm gonna check at +6 & +8.

Went to Walmart & got a meter w/ cheap strips ($30/100 versus $120/100). I.ve been usng a one touch I got free since I had strips. I stopped using it myself because the insurance wouldn't pay for test strips. I also got u-100 syringes with 1/2 u markings so I can adjust Cass's micro doses. Does it make sense to give a slightly larger/smaller (.1) dose on days when I have to give the next shot late/early? I teach a night class that messes things up once a week.

So far both boys are eating the evo dry sample mixed with the usual. I'm going to try to find a smsll bag this weekend. I hope this works!
 
Good for you for getting the U100 syringes with the half unit markings, it will be much easier measuring the lower doses. Do you have the conversion chart printed out yet? If not I can link it for you.

I use the Walmart Relion Micro and love it.

I used to have one late shot night every week. An early shot = a dose increase, a late shot = a dose decrease so you can adjust accordingly by .1 or .2 units. Prozinc is very flexible that way.

You are doing so great.
 
I've likely got the same meter and syringes you have. Like Rob, I use the Relion Micro. Can't beat the price of the meter or the strips. I also use the Relion syringes with the half unit markings, which work terrific for small dose changes. Daylight above a marking means you have a 0.1 dose (approximately). For example, if you wish to give 1U then the 2.5 mark exactly is what you want. If you wish to give 1.1U, then just seeing some daylight over the 2.5 mark (about halfway between 2.5 and 3.0 marks) is what you want. Much easier than those U40s!

I've got the same issue with a night class I teach, so I feel your pain. Shaikha had been on TID dosing (3x per day) but my schedule this fall is so crazy there is no way I can manage it so she's back on BID. So far, so good, but I know I'd get better numbers if I could give her insulin more frequently. She's got some health issues that make her go through insulin faster than most cats but BID is what I can manage for now.

Looks like you are doing well with Cassie. I know it is scary at first, especially when you've got a serious issue like a DKA to start off with on top of a diabetes diagnosis. Hang in there!
 
+6 304
+8 433
Amps 445, .6u

Weird. Looks like he dropped fast & early. At least the ps is below 500.
 
One caution is that in the AM dose you shot at +10.5. If you have to make timing changes, ideally a half hour at most on either side is best. Early shots are dose increases, late shots act as dose decreases. Shooting early like that acted like an increase in dose even if you don't change the amount. You then shot 0.75U at what I guess was the normal +12 but with a big increase in dose from 0.5 to 0.75U -- in percent terms, that's huge as you know. Try to stick with the 0.1U increments now you have those syringes. I see you shot 0.6U this time so it will be interesting to see how she does. The fast and early drop you saw can be from too much insulin, either because of an increased dose or a shot that was early that acted like one. I know she still isn't going as low as you'd like, but you'll get there. Let her settle into the higher dose and see how it goes. My own cat tends to go through insulin like jet fuel, as Nancy aptly put it. Hopefully you'll start to get longer duration and better numbers soon.
 
Unfortunately I teacha night class on Thurs. that will make that pm shot late and the Fri. am shot early. All I can do is learn how to adjust the dose, since it's unavoidable.

Really,it's only been a week since he came home-it just feels longer. I'm trying to avoid ketone problems again. Too bad he doesn't cooperate with urine tests like he does blood tests!
 
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