Curious…. About micro dosing insulin ???

[Cutie Patootie's Mom]

Hello all -
I am new to the group and I am Cutie Patootie’ Mom.

My Cutie Patootie has been diabetic for almost one year now and is on Vetsulin. I have her on a strict wet low carb diet. Vetsulin is a moderate acting insulin only staying in the body for 6 - 8 hours.
Additionally, I monitor her BS with a Freestyle Libre 2, so I see the dramatic highs and lows her lil body goes through. With diet, monitoring, the tight regulation protocol, and several sleepless nights I have managed to narrow the curves from highs in the 400-500 mg/dL to 250-300 mg/dL.

Every day I learn something new and I am curious to know there are any know issues with micro dosing ( ~0.5 units ) vestulin every 3-4 hours to maintain overlap ( if it is indicated ) so to ovoid the rapid increase and rapid decrease in BS levels.

any guidance is greatly appreciated.
thanks

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

@FrostD
Hi Melissa , I would give her the basic info but my eyes are just killing me from being in the tablet
If not I'll try and get back in later tonight
Thanks Melissa

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Hi and welcome to the forum.
Vetsulin is not a good insulin for cats. It is an insulin which is meant for dogs.
It is certainly not recommended to give vetsulin every 3 or 4 hours. You would run into all sorts of trouble with nadirs, when to feed, and potential hypos, as well as having to monitor closely for the 24 hours every day.
What I would recommend you do it to look at swapping to an insulin such as Lantus or one of the biosimilar insulins such as Semglee which is cheaper. Lantus is an excellent insulin for cats. It is a gentle long lasting insulin which will give you what you are looking for in an insulin.

 

[Cutie Patootie's Mom]

Thanks! I am definitely monitoring her 24h a day as it is. And I want to change insulin, I am just waiting for my vet to get back to me.

Also, one more quick question. Why aren’t vets prescribing Lantus or a biosimilar for cats from day one?

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Why aren’t vets prescribing Lantus or a biosimilar for cats from day one?

A lot of vets do prescribe Lantus first up. I think it depends where you live and how much the vet knows about feline diabetes.
Most of the people who arrive here using vetsulin do so because I think in the UK, vets had to try that insulin first before moving to another insulin (although I think they called it Caninsulin over there) but now they are allowed to start with a more suitable insulin for cats. In other parts of the world Lantus is available but a lot of vets are not really up to date with the later treatments because they don’t see a lot of diabetic cats. The longer acting insulins are far and away much better for cats and you will see much better duration.

You might like to look at this link which has the spreadsheet and signature and hypo kit instructions as well as other useful information for new members
HELP US HELP YOU

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

If you can get your vet to switch insulin to
lantus you can get Semglee
Here is a coupon below
Just call any pharmacy to see if they have the 5 pens, they will last you a year or more
Type in where you live and you will see where you can buy it
Lantus is expensive if you live in the US
https://www.goodrx.com/semglee?dosa...rride=Semglee&quantity=1&sort_type=popularity
Semglee, it is a generic Lantus, and was approved by the FDA last June.
Some have their vet write the prescription as insulin glargine

You can also order from Canada ,many members do
https://canshipmeds.com/medication/lantus/

You can get Basaglar for 140.00 for 5 pens from Canada, they are very helpful and nice
Let us know your vet says, you would need different syringes with half unit markings we can tell you where you can buy them. Most vets don't carry them

This is how you would use a pen to draw the insulin out, we use syringes because with the pens you can only adjust the pen by whole units, we adjust the dose by 0.25 units that's why we buy syringes with half unit markings

Here is how you can use the pen you have to get the insulin out with the use of the insulin syringe I mentioned above.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Many vets continue to prescribe Vetsulin because it's what they're used to prescribing. It's been around for a long time and they know how it works. Lantus (and the biosimilars) and Levemir work very differently since they are long-acting insulins. It would require that (1) the vet goes to continuing education and learns how to use the long acting insulins properly and/or (2) actually read guidelines like those published by the American Animal Hospital Assn wherein they recommend either Lantus or Prozinc and no longer recommend Vetsulin and (3) see point #1.

I'm being somewhat caustic in my comments. Vets have an impossible job when it comes to staying current. They have to know everything about every species of animal that they treat. Many vets opt to stick with what they know and Vetsulin is a pet-specific insulin. Many vets would use PZI, which went off the market and was later replaced by Prozinc.