Re: Cat is using 30 units a day and still really high BG - H
Please do have your cat tested for both IGF-1 and IAA - I have two cats with acromegaly, and one also has tested positive for IAA as well. I, and others on this site, can help you with all the info you need to get your cat tested.
I had alot of trouble and issues that delayed my vet having my Shadoe tested. She said I don't know ... Shadoe does not 'look acro'. I had to provide all the info about where the blood draw needed to be sent and how to send it and when to send it. The vet dragged her feet and I had to keep after her. I pushed and the results came back positive. The vet was shocked. When I told her to have Oliver tested, she did not say anything except OK bring him in for the blood draw.
The tests are not expensive, something like $12 and $18 or something, but the additional costs will occur with your vet charges for the draw and the cost of the FEDEX shipping to the lab to do the testing.
I started Shadoe on Caninsulin, but it was not good at all, so we switched to Lantus, which gave a bit better results. Once she tested positive for acromegaly, I switched to Levemir, and she is doing extremely well now on this insulin. Her highest dose was 14u BID and she is down to 5.5u as of this morning.
I adopted Oliver and he was being given Lantus at the time. When his dose kept rising and his numbers stayed high, I had him tested and his results were positive for acromegaly and IAA, a double whammy. I switched him to Levemir, and he is also doing quite well with high dose but much lower numbers. His highest was 26u BID, but he has gone lower and is now at 16.5u BID.
It is important to have these tests done because a positive result will tell you that your cat has a functional pancreas, unlike other cats with diabetes who have poorly functioning pancreas.
That insulin you get at the vet's is not a long enough lasting insulin - saying some kitties are like that is true, but only when there is some insulin resistance in the picture. It's one thing to have a high dose, but it's another thing to have high BG numbers that won't come down.
Please kindly advise your location; I am in Canada, but many others have high dose cats and are in other locations. There will be someone who is close to you who can help with info.
I am assuming you are outside of the US, as you mentioned BG of 8, and the curve values in the teens, and the insulin Caninsulin.
If you click on the spreadsheet links in my signature, you will see the BG numbers that I have recorded for my two cats.
You are now in the very best place to get help and info that will get your cat feeling so much better.
