Darkest Color on Diastix--How Serious is It?

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gorillahowl

Member Since 2013
I've been giving Wendell (and me) a break from blood glucose testing.
Today I let him have his high-carb normal food, with none of the new stuff.
Also today, for the first time, I was able to get a good urine sample on a urine glucose strip.
No need to wait 30 seconds--it was the darkest color possible within 10.
What, exactly, does this mean? I know there's sugar in his urine, but what do I do with this high number?
Also, will I potentially go down a little as soon as tomorrow if I force him to eat more of the low-carb stuff?
FYI, I've tested him for ketones a few times (negative) and his bloodwork 2 months ago showed no kidney damage.
Thanks.

Edited to add: And he had THREE units of Lantus this morning.
 
I've never used the diastix myself to check the glucose level.

What it means, is that the BG went over renal threshold since the last time Wendell urinated. Think of the urine glucose testing as a delayed reaction to what was going on several hours ago.

Also today, for the first time, I was able to get a good urine sample on a urine glucose strip.
No need to wait 30 seconds--it was the darkest color possible within 10.
What, exactly, does this mean? I know there's sugar in his urine, but what do I do with this high number?
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I can't tell you if this is serious or not. I just don't know.

Also, will I potentially go down a little as soon as tomorrow if I force him to eat more of the low-carb stuff?
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The BG numbers will go down at least some with the lower carb (LC) food but it takes longer with the dry to get it moved through their digestive system.
 
The longer the cat is over the renal threshold, the more damage it will do to the cats body. You want to try and keep them under that.. Low carb food will help.
 
The color on the stick tells you have much, if any glucose has spilled over into the kidneys. One goal of treatment is to keep the kitty under the renal threshold. That threshold varies from cat to cat. *Usually* it is in the 200-250 BG range. Unlike the BG reading, the urine test, shows what levels were earlier in the day, and not what is going on at the time of the test.
I would not worry at all that his stick is showing that right now. It takes a long time at those values to see kidney damage. The ketones are negative and that's good. That is what would be the biggest problem short term.
So to sum: Breathe, don't worry about it right now. It's ok.

You did a great job of starting your ss, can you update it ?

I want to comment on something very important regarding lantus, It takes anywhere from 3-4 days to see the results of any set dose. It is a cumulative effect, as it stores up in the system --the insulin does not go directly into the blood stream, it first goes into a storage depot, sometimes referred to as *the shed* once the depot is full at the level of one particular dose -- then the dose you are shooting is actually the dose that is effecting the numbers. That is why it is very important, in using lantus, to pick a dose and stay with it. It is not something to change based on numbers on any given day. The numbers you have on your ss, b/c of your switching insulin doses the numbers do not really show how the insulin is working on Wendall.
For that reason It would be best if you could stay with a dose and do some "data gathering"
Obviously, if you get numbers that are too low, then dose must be changed immediately.

Pick the dose and stick with it. If It were my cat I would go back to the 2u and stay with it, giving it time to settle. If you start too high of dose, you can miss the optimal dose. Do some data gathering, get that all important +6-+8 number(s) when you can to see what is happening. When you got that number before, that was great that you tested, but in and of itself, it really doesn't show the overall picture, b/c of the dose jumping. Stay at that dose for a minimum of 6 shot cycles ( 3 days). When you have the data, then you can adjust insulin as needed. Usually increases/decreases are made at .25u amounts. A good magnifying glass to use helps a great deal !
You can read about how lantus depot works HERE
Please ask as many questions as you need to ! That's what we are here for.

There is a saying used on the board
Treating FD is a marathon not a sprint
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Pick the dose and stick with it. If It were my cat I would go back to the 2u and stay with it, giving it time to settle. If you start too high of dose, you can miss the optimal dose. Do some data gathering, get that all important +6-+8 number(s) when you can to see what is happening. When you got that number before, that was great that you tested, but in and of itself, it really doesn't show the overall picture, b/c of the dose jumping. Stay at that dose for a minimum of 6 shot cycles ( 3 days). When you have the data, then you can adjust insulin as needed.
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Thanks.
For now we are going back to what the vet told us: 3 units, 2x a day, with him eating only his old, high-ish carb food.
And no more testing every day.
I know that's controversial, but I'd rather he have a hypo episode and die than put him (and me) through the trauma of constant bg testing.
I will test weekly. Maybe more. I don't know.

To be honest, I had an appointment to put him down this morning.
But he wouldn't go in his carrier, and he hid in the closet, and that sent a message to me that he's not ready to go just yet. Also, I was crying hysterically and just wasn't ready to let him go.

I'm not sure how much longer I can do this, though. He's still yowling. I haven't slept in months. And yesterday he pooped on the floor twice--something he never did in the past. I know it's awful to say that I'm thinking of putting my cat to sleep partially so that I can GET some sleep, but that's the reality.
 
To be honest, I had an appointment to put him down this morning.
But he wouldn't go in his carrier, and he hid in the closet, and that sent a message to me that he's not ready to go just yet. Also, I was crying hysterically and just wasn't ready to let him go.
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Carli, we are not in your shoes. We do not know of everything that is going on in your life. As Wendell's caregiver, you know best what the decisions need to be.

We will be sad if Wendell needs to be put to sleep, but if that is the reality, then so be it.

I know the thought of rehoming Wendell may be difficult, but there are sometimes people that will take in a diabetic cat. Getting a diabetic cat into foster care can be difficult. Venita & Ennis are members here and the founders of DCIN, Diabetic Cats in Need. You may want to contact her and ask if there is anyway that DCIN could help out. She is a member here and you can PM her on the FDMB.

The two people authorized to offer assistance for DCIN are Venita and Jennifer. Please email Jennifer@dcin.info or Venita@dcin.info. to ask about rehoming Wendell.

You can also post on the Diabetic Cats in Need Facebook page yourself I believe.

Sending you many {{{{{{hugs}}}}}} for whatever decision is made.
 
He will not be re-homed.
I am committed to staying with him until HE tells me it's time (but with no extraordinary measures taken).
I'm going to try to do a curve on Saturday.
We're going to the vet regardless on Monday to see about other conditions that may be making him yowl, such as arthritis (which there was evidence of on his last X-Ray).
 
He will not be re-homed. I am committed to staying with him until HE tells me it's time (but with no extraordinary measures taken).
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Ok. Just wanted to put that out there as another option.

Keep us posted on how Wendell is doing, please.
 
At the end of the day you need to do what's best for you and Wendell. Let's hope three units works better.

Now though instead of a curve, you might want to do spot checks instead so that he isn't stressed being tested every few hours.

So say instead of testing him 7 times on Saturday (every two hours ie amps , +2, +4,+6,+8, +10 and PMPS ), can I propose you do this

Saturday AMPS, +5, PMPS, + 3
Sunday AMPS, + 7, PMPS

That's the same amount of tests but spread over two days will give you a better idea if he is bouncing and his general trend. and maybe give us enough info to see how the dose is working..

What do you think?

Wendy
 
Now though instead of a curve, you might want to do spot checks instead so that he isn't stressed being tested every few hours.
So say instead of testing him 7 times on Saturday (every two hours ie amps , +2, +4,+6,+8, +10 and PMPS ), can I propose you do this
Saturday AMPS, +5, PMPS, + 3
Sunday AMPS, + 7, PMPS
Click to expand...

That could potentially work. But if he happens to be calm/asleep at +7 on Saturday, I'll just take it then.
 
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