Does excitement over food make numbers go up?

[wplymale]

This may seem silly but I think that it may be true....what do you think? Scratch has been switched to a new food and he really really loves it. Obviously it tastes better to him. I did a curve over the weekend and it was pretty good. I changed his food this weekend as well. The new cans of Friskies seem to be packed looser so I have given him a little extra. The last few days he has had some high readings and I have noticed that they are after he has been extremely excited about eating. Last night I brought home chicken from the deli for dinner and he begged for an hour before I tested him and he was high. I tested him twice because he was over 400 and he dropped 15 points just after I dropped the food in his bowl. So...doesn't it stand to reason that if stress makes their numbers wacky this could do it too? Scratch can go from zero to mach 1 with his fur on fire when my alarm goes off at 6 to feed him. He also knows that when I come home from work it is a sign that food is in his near future. I don't think he needs a dosage change because he is also very prone to hypo. My spreadsheet is updated so you can see the latest numbers. Tell me what you think.

 

[Squeaky and KT (GA)]

The higher his numbers, the more hungry he will be - when his numbers are high, his body can't use all the food correctly. I have problems when KT runs in the low 100's, he just isn't interested in food. I don't know if that would affect his BG numbers tho'....

BIG HUGS!

 

[Carl & Polly & Bob (GA)]

Hi Wendy,

I tested him twice because he was over 400 and he dropped 15 points just after I dropped the food in his bowl

.
Not sure if excitement would raise or not. Stress usually raises the numbers, but exercise has been noted to lower them?

I would point out though that meters have a +/- accuracy range of up to 20% either way, so a 15 point variance at 400 is well within the margin of error.

Carl

 

[BJM]

Are you meal feeding him, or letting him graze?

For diabetics, it helps keep the glucose levels more level if the have mini-meals over the first 6 - 10 hours between shots.
For a scarfer, a timed feeder such as the PetMate 5 (see our shopping partner Amazon if interested) or freezing some of the food and leaving it out to thaw and be nibbled, may work well.

A slight uptick in the glucose at the end of the cycle may indicate duration info for the insulin you are using.

 

[wplymale]

Hmmm...I think a two week trial on new food and larger dose is appropriate before I do next curve. Scratch doesn't really exercise.....he mostly just runs back and forth for the food dish and "yells" for his food! Will you look at the updated spreadsheet and tell me what you think?

 

[wplymale]

Thanks BJM. He is meal fed and I am not able to do a mini meal without an auto feeder. I have not started that because when I do the glucose curves he is pretty darn normal. Don't want to add something in that he doesn't really need if his numbers during curves are showing that he is not spiking or dropping too much during the day while he is just lounging. The only time he really exerts himself is right before feeding. When we are home and during a curve he is extremely lazy. He is a very happy cat when everyone is home to just "be" with him. When I have to come home for something during the day I catch him laying on the bed snoring.....

 

[BJM]

Normal glucose levels, in a non-diabetic cat are roughly 40-120 on a human glucometer.

With a diabetic, you're looking for a safe dose of insulin that will take the cat no lower than 50 on a human glucometer. That allows for the 20% variance the FDA permits in approving these glucometers (ie 50 really means it is somewhere between 40 - 60).

You have enough data at this point that I think you may lower your 'no shot/reduce dose' number to 190, ie, if he is between 190 and 200, you can give the same 0.40 dose. When you cut back to 0.20, the next preshot has jumped up considerably. Are your syringes U-100 with half unit markings? Can you guestimate a 0.30 unit dose? That may work better than going to the 0.20 dose when you think you need to cut back.

He does seem to have a variable drop from the insulin ex:
12/22/2012 with 0.40, dropped from 470 to 177 in 4 hours; about 73 points per hour
12/31/2012 with 0.40, dropped from 287 to 147 in 6 hours; about 23 points per hour

 

[wplymale]

That .3 dose is a really good suggestion. I am using the u-100 syringes because I just figured out recently about the u-40 syringes so I wanted to stay with the u-100 syringes so I didn't overdose him on accident out of habit. My chart does reflect the conversion though. Are the u-40 syringes easier to do the smaller doses? Easier to read? I may have to make the switch. The other big problem with scratch is that he has had hypo symptoms at or a little above 100 gl so I do not want to go that far if I don't have to. I worry about not being home when it happens. I work a couple of jobs so it makes it a little tough to do the mid-day readings or the mini meals.

 

[BJM]

Stick with the U-100 syringes; they make small doses easier to measure. It may help to get a magnifier of some kind; I wear glasses, so the Carson Clip and Flip clip right on them. There are headband styles as well. Check our shopping partner Amazon and see what you find.