First glucose testing

[Shantismom]

I was finally able to get out and get the testing meter and supplies. First test 5 hours after insulin shot, about 2 hours after he last ate was 100. He started 3 units twice a day on Wednesday after a 415 reading at the vet so I am thinking this sounds pretty good.

 

[Squeaky and KT (GA)]

Hi Marlene and extra sweet Shanti!

WHOA! SO GLAD you got that test in - GOOD JOB! That is an EXTREMELY high dose for a new diabetic kitty. A drop to 100 is wonderful when you have data on how your kitty reacts to insulin but without it, I'm concerned Shanti will go too low. We normally suggest a starting dose of 1 unit twice a day and work upwards at .25unit doses. Starting out with that high of a dose probably caused you to completely bypass the 'right' dose. I see that Shanti has IBD and asthma issues which will affect numbers but diabetes control is a marathon, not a sprint.

Please be sure to continue to test thru this cycle every hour at least to be sure he's rising again.

BIG HUGS!

 

[Larry and Kitties]

That is good, 100 after 5 hut. However, it may be too good. The BG may drop more and I would test and 6 to 7 hours after shot.
Are you feeding more than twice a day? I ask because you aid the 100 was 2 a hours after eating.
What are you feeding?
Typically BG taken at a vet are elevated because of vet stress, thus the 415 is likely higher than at home.
Almost all of ues test before each shot because y do not want to shoot if too low. What is too low depends upon experience, and we generally say for new people do not shoot if BG is below 200.
I think three units is likely to high of a dose.

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

Hi Marlene and sugardude Shanti!

First, congratulations on becoming a member of the vampire club!!!

I totally agree with the others that starting at 3 units is a very high dose. I understand Shanti has other conditions that may make his diabetes regulation more of a challenge, but we sure don't want to make things worse! I know I gave you the link to the food chart but the IBD might make finding a food he can eat harder...Did you find anything that he seems to be able to eat that's also low carb?

We recommend starting at no more than 1 unit every 12 hours and holding that dose for at least 6 cycles. Increases are done in .25 unit increments. We do this for safety as well as to try to find the best possible dose that keeps Shanti in good, pancreas healing numbers, without going too low(under 50).

Cats are stressed when at the vets, so their numbers can be up to 200 points higher at the vet...then you get them back home, they relax and the dose the vet thought was appropriate for the numbers he saw is way too much. We sure don't want you to have to deal with a hypoglycemic crisis too!

I'd suggest that you drop back to the 1 unit, hold it for at least 6 cycles and get as many tests as you can in so we can see how Shanti is doing. You should always test before shooting, and if you get a number under 200, Stall, don't feed, and post and ask for help. Putting something like "Stalling, help needed" in your subject line makes it easier for people scanning the boards to see that you need help.
During the AM cycle, it's important to get at least one test mid-cycle, somewhere between +5 and +7 is good, but if you can get others too, that's even better! There's no such thing as too much data!
On the PM cycle, if you can get a +5 to +7 that's great too (many cats go lower at night), but if you can just get a "before bed" test, it can help fill in the blanks for where he might be going, as well as give you a hint on whether you might want to set an alarm to get up and test again later.

We have a great spreadsheet that will help keep track of Shanti's numbers too! Here's instructions on How to set up a spreadsheet. All you have to do is enter the numbers as you get them. The spreadsheet does the rest! If your vet is interested in following along, you can send the link too!

If you have any more questions, please ask! We're all here to help you and your extra sweet Shanti!

 

[Shantismom]

Shanti was on 2 units twice daily but after seeing the vet she wanted me to give him three units and start testing and let her know. Shanti eats throughout the day, he has been doing this for a while due to weight loss from his IBD. I hold off a little then about a half hour before his shot I will give him his food and watch to see that he eats a fair amount. But mostly whenever his dish is empty he gets some fresh food.
I will test him again this evening before he gets his next shot and will see what I have to do.

 

[Wendy&Tiggy(GA)]

Good job on the testing - time to get a spreadsheet set up so you can track results and trends and even share it with us if you want advice http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18207. Let us know if you need help with it!

Also I usually recommend 3-4 tests a day

- always before the shot - this is mandatory as you don't want to shoot when too low. As a newbie this too low number is 200 but is reduced over time once you have the data to know if its safe.
- mid cycle - 5-7 hours after morning shot depending on your schedule. This is to see how low the cat’s blood sugar is going. The low point "nadir" is what you base dose changes on since you don't want the cat dropping too low (under 50).
- before bed (2-3hours after Pm shot) to get an idea of what the cat's overnight plans are. If this number is less than the pre shot test number you may want to set the alarm for a test a few hours later as this implies an active cycle.

Wendy

 

[Shantismom]

Shanti is on Natural Balance Venison, it is not low carb but it is what has stabilized his IBD for a while. Any changes can cause a crisis and he takes quite a while to recover. We are trying to keep his weight from dropping off, he is a medium size cat, once weighed close to 14 pounds but as I said he has had a struggle with weight loss for some time now. He weighs about 11.5 right now, with a slight gain from a two weeks ago when his diabetes was diagnosed. 11 may sound pretty good but he is thin, not as bad as in the past but not alot of room to lose before he gets too thin.
On the food chart Natural Balance wasn't too bad but even so I think for now it is in his best interest to keep him stable.

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

Absolutely right to feed him what he can eat without making the IBD worse. If Venison seems to be a protein he can handle, it might be worth trying something like Nature's Variety...it's guaranteed so if Shanti can't eat it, you can try another flavor or get your money back. They also have a canned Venison diet. Both are lower carb....Just an idea

We always do whatever we have to do for the more serious disease first, and adjust the insulin after. It's like the steroid...in a perfect world, we'd rather he not be on it, but it's probably the only thing that works!

As for the dosage, we just always suggest going slowly, especially on increases. We never go up in whole unit amounts unless the cat is a diagnosed "high dose" kitty that requires doses over 10 units or so.

Too much insulin can make numbers higher as can too little, as well as causing them to go too low. Many times the first time we hear from someone is when their kitty is in a hypoglycemic crisis because their vet went too high, too fast. We value safety above all else. Many cats can have a big swing in numbers from just a .25 unit increase. It's a matter of finding the "Best dose" for each cat, and if you go too fast, you can skip right over it and besides being at risk for hypo's, it can set the cat up for insulin resistance too.

We all only want the best for your sweet Shanti, and hope he does well with whatever you decide to do.