Glucose levels dropping a lot

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Kathleen Einwich

Kathleen Einwich

Member Since 2018
My cat Bet was diagnosed with diabetes at the beginning of this month, and I began the vet's suggestion of 1 unit of Lantus twice per day about that time, and started him on FF classic pates and the occasional Friskies can on the 11th of November.

I've been hesitant about glucose testing, as y'all can see by my spreadsheet. I was very worried about putting Bet under more stress. His levels at the vet's office were very high - I think partly caused by stress of being in that noisy place and dogs barking. We live in the country, and it is very quiet here. I decided today to start tests again: do a morning before food & shot glucose test, one about 6 hours after feeding, and then I'll do one sometime this evening, to see where he's at.

I was very surprised to see his levels have dropped significantly. It worries me a bit - it even dropped after he had his fill of food this morning, with some left over for grazing - on the 3pm test. Do you folks think I should just continue the tests and not worry, or reduce the dosage? I know it is perhaps a bit early to make a decision, but this latest test with its level dropping nearly 20 points in 6 hours scares me. Maybe I need to put food down more often? I usually feed during the day or night anytime when the cats ask. Bet is acting perfectly normal even with these levels, and sleeps a fair amount of the time, which is the way he's always been. Right now he wants food, so off I go!
TIA,
Kathy Einwich
 
Hi Kathy, welcome! Have you had a chance to look over our “stickies” on top of the Lantus forum? It provides two possible protocols you can follow that will help you know when it is best to reduce or increase the dose (Tight Regulation, and Start Low Go Slow.) Depending on which protocol will work best for you, the guidelines for a dose decrease are different.

Take a look and feel free to ask questions.
 
PLEASE retest Bet now, post that reading and feed Bet a couple of tsp. of LC food to get his BG up a bit.

A 20 point drop is often an insignificant drop and nothing to concern yourself with but in this case it looks like you gave insulin at a reading of 74 which is only 24 points above the take action reading of 50 if you are using a human meter. Normally we would recommend you not shoot at a reading of about 150 to 200 until you have more data to see how Bet is reacting to it.

It looks like you have been giving insulin only once a day? Lantus works best with consistent doses given twice daily and it's very important to make sure you get a BG reading before giving insulin to ensure it is safe to do so.

I can't stay with you right now but will tag some folks to keep an eye on you and provide further assistance if need be.

@Bobbie And Bubba
@Ana & Frosty (GA)

Can one of you keep an eye on this thread please? I can't stick around but kitty is in low numbers and Kathy may need a little support and assistance. Thanks.
 
If Bet continues to be in low numbers or has gone any lower, please give him a bit of honey or karo and post for assistance. If his BG is still low you can change the title of this thread to add a "911" prefix to get more eyes on it ASAP.
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
PLEASE retest Bet now, post that reading and feed Bet a couple of tsp. of LC food to get his BG up a bit.

A 20 point drop is often an insignificant drop and nothing to concern yourself with but in this case it looks like you gave insulin at a reading of 74 which is only 24 points above the take action reading of 50 if you are using a human meter. Normally we would recommend you not shoot at a reading of about 150 to 200 until you have more data to see how Bet is reacting to it.

It looks like you have been giving insulin only once a day? Lantus works best with consistent doses given twice daily and it's very important to make sure you get a BG reading before giving insulin to ensure it is safe to do so.

I can't stay with you right now but will tag some folks to keep an eye on you and provide further assistance if need be.

@Bobbie And Bubba
@Ana & Frosty (GA)

Can one of you keep an eye on this thread please? I can't stick around but kitty is in low numbers and Kathy may need a little support and assistance. Thanks.
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Thanks. All I can say now is, wow. I was planning to test Bet again before his 9pm shot. The glucose test this morning was taken before he ate, and the 3pm one about 6 hours after he ate. Perhaps I'll test again at 6pm as well. He ate a little while ago and we'll see how he is. I thank you for the advice regarding no insulin shot if the reading is too low. I was wondering if I should do that. He's tolerating the glucose tests a little better but struggles pinned in the towel. His ears look like he was in a fight, but I hope I will get better with the lancet et al. I suspect I need to feed more often, too, I guess - maybe that will help bring his numbers up. Unless someone tells me otherwise or I read otherwise, if this low reading trend continues I think I should reduce Bet's shot dose to .5, in a day or so, and not give him a shot tonight at all. Please tell me what y'all think.

Should one test after or before feeding generally? Like the morning test and shot? I read something that said in the morning, test after he's had no food for 2 hours or so.

So below 150 or so, at the present I shouldn't give Bet his scheduled shot? I think how recently he ate has a significant effect on the reading. Last night they did not wake me up and ask to be fed at 330am, so they didn't get anything. I've been putting down larger amounts of the FF, entire cans. Neither of them finish all of it but at least his sister Abby doesn't push him off of his food bowl anymore. Bet seems to go back to his food later. It's pretty much impossible to feed them separately - they get spooked or Abby will go to where Bet is being fed and try to run him off. They're brother and sister but have never gotten along.

I was under the impression from what I've read linked from here and elsewhere that a reading in the range of 80-120 was very good - his previous ones were well over 200 and I was very surprised to see them so low today. Maybe the new food I have been feeding for the last few weeks is having an effect.

I am not fully versed on the use of the spreadsheet yet. I generally haven't understood spreadsheets, even in my working days.

I wasn't sure where to mark the 2nd dose on the sheet, so I just took a guess. Bet does get (2) 1 unit shots of Lantus every day. I use a human meter for Bet, a FreeStyle Lite. The strange thing about all of this is that Bet's readings were what I thought were fairly high, until today. I'm glad I checked.

I don't know how to tag others on this reply...sorry. Thanks for the link to the Lantus forum, I will see what they say. I think y'all can see that I am a bit confused about a lot of things that need to be done.
TIA,
Kathy Einwich

@Bobbie And Bubba
@Ana & Frosty (GA)
 
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Kathleen Einwich said:
Glucose reading just done, ~6pm CST, was 79.

@Bobbie And Bubba
@Ana & Frosty (GA)
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we usually decrease by 0.25 units rather than 0.5. Let me post you a link to the protocols, they will help you know when to skip a dose and when to decrease.

Start Low Go Slow method (aka SLGS) - http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/start-low-go-slow-method-slgs.129446/
Tight Regulation (aka TR)- http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/tight-regulation-protocol-tr.1581/

I recommend reading the other stickies on the lantus forum as well. I think that will help. If you still have questions about dosing after reading those, let us know :)
 
Looks like he’s coming up which is good. Let’s see what you get before your shot tonight and decide whether to skip or reduce the dose.

You will definitely get better at testing. Like anything else, it takes practice.

Also, a change in food can definitely affect his sugars. Some kitties can even go off insulin after switching the food.
 
Ana & Frosty (GA) said:
Looks like he’s coming up which is good. Let’s see what you get before your shot tonight and decide whether to skip or reduce the dose.

You will definitely get better at testing. Like anything else, it takes practice.

Also, a change in food can definitely affect his sugars. Some kitties can even go off insulin after switching the food.
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Bet's latest reading, just taken at 855pm, right before I am scheduled to give him his shot, was 102. I'm still not sure whether to give him his 9pm insulin shot. Thanks for the insight and for your time.
Kathy
 
Kathleen Einwich said:
Bet's latest reading, just taken at 855pm, right before I am scheduled to give him his shot, was 102. I'm still not sure whether to give him his 9pm insulin shot. Thanks for the insight and for your time.
Kathy
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I would skip tonight’s dose since you’re still gathering information about his glucose trends. Tomorrow morning, if his numbers are greater than 150, I would give 0.75 units instead of 1. Will you be able to test during the day tomorrow? Would be helpful to get some mid-day tests if possible.

Hope this helps!
 
@Ana & Frosty (GA)
Thanks for helping out here. :)

I agree that skipping tonight is the best option given the low reading mid cycle today and his pre-shot tonight is not that much higher than this morning. Tomorrow if you can monitor during the day and his pre-shot test is above 150, I agree a dose of 0.75u would be best. If you will not be able to monitor through the cycle, I would not give more than 0.5u unless his pre-shot is above 200. Getting random BG readings between +4 and +8 hours post shot will give you some good information to start understanding how Bet is responding to the insulin.
It may be that the food change has lowered Bet's need for insulin. He had a beautiful cycle today but without more data, it is advisable to reduce the dose slightly so you can gather some data and keep Bet safe.
 
Ana & Frosty (GA) said:
I would skip tonight’s dose since you’re still gathering information about his glucose trends. Tomorrow morning, if his numbers are greater than 150, I would give 0.75 units instead of 1. Will you be able to test during the day tomorrow? Would be helpful to get some mid-day tests if possible.

Hope this helps!
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Do you mean if his numbers are less than 150 rather than more, I should give him a .75 U shot? Now I'm a bit lost. I guess I still don't know what range is "normal" BG for a cat. I thought it was 80-120.

I will be able to check Bet's glucose numbers tomorrow as frequently as I did today. I did give him tonight's 9pm regular shot, being afraid but heartened by the much higher reading of 102 pre-shot. Depending on the morning test results, I'll decide what to do then shot-wise but I have to go out and buy U100 needles and such. I need other pharma supplies anyway, like the neosporin ointment you all recommend. Tonight's glucose test got as much of my blood spilled as Bet's (slippery lancets!). I've read they don't feel pain in their ears, but Bet sure seems to. In fact, he seems to be feeling more pain from and objecting more to the insulin shots. I guess I need to pet him a lot more to calm him down before the shot.

I'll make sure to feed during the night as the cats ask. Maybe that will help to bring Bet's numbers up. The stress of all of these tests might bring his numbers up too...he cries so when he's pinned.

Thanks so much to you for your help and advice. I need it!
Kathy Einwich
 
Kathleen Einwich said:
Do you mean if his numbers are less than 150 rather than more, I should give him a .75 U shot?
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No....when you're new to this, we recommend that if you get a Pre-shot over 150, to shoot the scheduled dose (which in this case, it has been recommended that you decrease to .75)….if he's under 150, you'd want to stall, don't feed and post for help. Test again in 20-30 minutes to see if his numbers go up without the influence of food. If it does go up without food then it's a pretty good chance that the last shot is wearing off and it's OK to go ahead and shoot the scheduled dose.

Kathleen Einwich said:
I guess I still don't know what range is "normal" BG for a cat. I thought it was 80-120.
Click to expand...

Normal BG for a cat is 50-120, but when you're new to this, you don't shoot those lower numbers. It's just not safe until you have more data and experience with how your cat responds to both insulin and food.

It IS important for you to decide which dosing method you want to use because our advice depends on it.

Tight Regulation gives the best chance at remission, but requires more testing. Always before every shot and at least 1 test mid-cycle on the AM cycle and at least a "before bed" test on the PM cycle. More testing is even better! Dose changes can be made as often as every 3 days if they aren't getting where we want them.

Start Low, Go Slow is better if you can't test as often. Dose changes are only made once a week and only after at least 1 curve is done (a curve is testing every 2 hours for 12 hours or every 3 hours for 18 hours)
 
Chris & China said:
No....when you're new to this, we recommend that if you get a Pre-shot over 150, to shoot the scheduled dose (which in this case, it has been recommended that you decrease to .75)….if he's under 150, you'd want to stall, don't feed and post for help. Test again in 20-30 minutes to see if his numbers go up without the influence of food. If it does go up without food then it's a pretty good chance that the last shot is wearing off and it's OK to go ahead and shoot the scheduled dose.



Normal BG for a cat is 50-120, but when you're new to this, you don't shoot those lower numbers. It's just not safe until you have more data and experience with how your cat responds to both insulin and food.

It IS important for you to decide which dosing method you want to use because our advice depends on it.

Tight Regulation gives the best chance at remission, but requires more testing. Always before every shot and at least 1 test mid-cycle on the AM cycle and at least a "before bed" test on the PM cycle. More testing is even better! Dose changes can be made as often as every 3 days if they aren't getting where we want them.

Start Low, Go Slow is better if you can't test as often. Dose changes are only made once a week and only after at least 1 curve is done (a curve is testing every 2 hours for 12 hours or every 3 hours for 18 hours)
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Thank you for the information.

I'm not giving Bet his shot this morning. I pre-tested at 855am CST and the glucose result was 26! This was even after I got up at 6am and fed them a full can, which was gone when I woke up.

I've read the two protocols and will read them again. I wonder now what the heck is going on with Bet and if I will be using either of them or just stopping the insulin - or maybe taking it down to a much lower dose shot.

@Ana & Frosty (GA)
@Bobbie And Bubba

Bet is acting perfectly normal, a little active, actually. I fed them again about 20 minutes ago. No shot this morning, for sure! I can't say that I understand what's going on - as I said, I did give Bet the shot last night at 9pm and fed them afterwards. I guess I'll just keep testing - several times today, at least - and see how Bet's levels go.

If Bet's levels go up into the low-normal range and stay around that level, do you folks think I should give him his shot tonight? I know, dumb question, probably, but I have no experience in this at all. This is scary but Bet seems to have no effects from such low BG.
TIA,
Kathy Einwich
 
Please test Bet again now and let us know what his reading is. It looks like that 26 was half hour ago and I hope you gave him some food when you got that low reading. If not please put some honey or syrup (karo or maple) on his gums or mix a 1/2 tsp into some food. You need to get his BG up as quickly as possible.

Kathy, some cats do not show signs of hypoglycemia and suddenly crash so you need to keep an eye on Bet to make sure his BG is coming up and staying up. You made the right decision not giving insulin this morning and whether you should give it tonight will depend on what his pre-shot number is at that time making sure to withhold food for at least 2 hours prior to taking the pre-shot test.
 
Bobbie And Bubba said:
Hey Kathy, did you get another test in yet? Whenever you get a number that low, always test it again immediately to make sure it wasn't a bad test strip.

If you haven't all ready, please get another test in now and post. We need to get him up over 50
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Thanks. I'm going to wait a little while yet (maybe about 1030 CST) before I test Bet again, so he can digest in peace...he's been through so much. I had no idea there could be bad strips. I'll keep that in mind if this happens again, and re-test if the number looks out of whack. I'll test every 2-3 hours throughout the day.
 
Kathy, anytime you get a low number like 26, retesting immediately is a good idea however it may not have been a bad strip and if that is really what Bets's BG was, it's very important to test again sooner rather than later. A low of 26 can turn bad very quickly. PLEASE test again now rahter than waiting another half hour if Bet finished eating 15 minutes or more ago.
 
Thank you for letting us know. It seem very clear that the 1u dose is too high and needs to be reduced. I would strongly suggest you test prior to the shot time tonight and post for some advice as to whether to give insulin and if appropriate, what dose. A low BG such as that 26 this morning can make kitty a bit more sensitive to insulin. His BG could be a bit elevated later in the cycle which is a normal reaction to the low BG today but does not mean that he needs a full dose of insulin.
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
Thank you for letting us know. It seem very clear that the 1u dose is too high and needs to be reduced. I would strongly suggest you test prior to the shot time tonight and post for some advice as to whether to give insulin and if appropriate, what dose. A low BG such as that 26 this morning can make kitty a bit more sensitive to insulin. His BG could be a bit elevated later in the cycle which is a normal reaction to the low BG today but does not mean that he needs a full dose of insulin.
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Thanks so much. Bet's next shot is due at 9pm but I will be testing not only about 3pm today but also about an hour before the scheduled shot time so I can ask what to do if it's low again. Out today to get U100 needles etc in preparation.
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
Make sure the needles you get have half unit markings so you can make small 0.25u dose adjustments. :)
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@Ana & Frosty (GA)
@Bobbie And Bubba

Well, I got back from Walgreen's with the syringes. They don't measure anything but units, but you can see where it would be half in unit level. The packaging said ".5" so I guess the clerk thought they would do .5 units. I wish I could have seen the syringes better when I bought them. They are 31 gauge. I will do my best the next time I have to shoot Bet. Oddly enough, his Lantus pen expires on November 30.

I did Bet's glucose at 440pm CST and it was 122. I fed them right afterwards. Again, Bet hasn't had a shot since last night at 9pm. I normally shoot at 9am & pm so I need suggestions as to whether to give Bet his shot tonight. I'll guess I'll need to do at least one more test - I guess before when his shot is due at 9pm?

Thanks to all for your help and guidance.
Kathy Einwich
 
Hey Kathy, yes, you'll need to get a test at what would be the scheduled shot time to see if he is up over 150. And remember, to reduce the dose to .75unit.

Without the 1/2 unit markings on the syringe you will need to eyeball the dose the best you can . Here is what .75 unit looks like. I will probably not be on line when you test at 9pm CST. If you need help put a ? mark in your title thread and say NEED DOSING ADVICE ASAP.

upload_2018-11-26_18-28-58.png
 
Bobbie And Bubba said:
Hey Kathy, yes, you'll need to get a test at what would be the scheduled shot time to see if he is up over 150. And remember, to reduce the dose to .75unit.

Without the 1/2 unit markings on the syringe you will need to eyeball the dose the best you can . Here is what .75 unit looks like. I will probably not be on line when you test at 9pm CST. If you need help put a ? mark in your title thread and say NEED DOSING ADVICE ASAP.

View attachment 40596
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So if Bet is still around 120 as he is now, should I shoot at all or just reduce the dose as you suggest?

Heh, I have to go out to vote tomorrow so it's off to town to Walmart to see if they have any syringes with those markings. One hopes they have a better selection than Walgreen's.
Thanks so much.
Kathy Einwich
 
It sounds like the syringes you have may be 1/2 ml(cc) and hold 50 units of insulin. The ones you want are 3/10ml (cc) with half unit markings. Can you take those syringes back and exchange them?

As for the Lantus expiring on November 30th, that is not necessarily the case. Have you been storing the pen in the refrigerator? If you have then the Lantus will still be fine. If it has been left at room temperature, then while it won't lose effectiveness right on the 30th, you will not be able to use the whole pen at such small doses but can probably get another few days out it. Am I correct to assume you have been using the pen to inject Bet?

A BG of 122 after 18+ hours is excellent and again suggests Bet's dose needs to be reduced possibly to 0.5u depending on his pre-shot BG tonight.
 
If Bet's BG is still around 120, then yes, you should skip the dose. If you are currently using the pen to inject, you cannot do partial units an din that case, I would suggest that unless he is over 200 tonight, it would not be safe to give insulin. Please confirm whether you are using the pen to inject and post his pre-shot BG. I will check back in just under 3 hours which I believe will be close to 9pm your time.
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
It sounds like the syringes you have may be 1/2 ml(cc) and hold 50 units of insulin. The ones you want are 3/10ml (cc) with half unit markings. Can you take those syringes back and exchange them?

As for the Lantus expiring on November 30th, that is not necessarily the case. Have you been storing the pen in the refrigerator? If you have then the Lantus will still be fine. If it has been left at room temperature, then while it won't lose effectiveness right on the 30th, you will not be able to use the whole pen at such small doses but can probably get another few days out it. Am I correct to assume you have been using the pen to inject Bet?

A BG of 122 after 18+ hours is excellent and again suggests Bet's dose needs to be reduced possibly to 0.5u depending on his pre-shot BG tonight.
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Unfortunately, when I got the Lantus pen on November 2, I was not told that it could be refrigerated and thus keep longer...oh well. The next one will go in the frig. And yes, I have been shooting right from the Lantus pen. I have seen the videos on how to draw Lantus from the pen into the syringe and will review those again.

Thanks so much for the info on the proper syringes and possible insulin shot levels. I will try to return/exchange the syringes tomorrow. That's such good news that Bet's levels are better! Thanks so much for your time and advice. It helps a lot to be able to talk to someone about this - neither vet I went to knew much. I have a new prescription in at Walmart for a Lantus pen, courtesy of the first vet I went to, in another state.
Kathy Einwich
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
If Bet's BG is still around 120, then yes, you should skip the dose. If you are currently using the pen to inject, you cannot do partial units an din that case, I would suggest that unless he is over 200 tonight, it would not be safe to give insulin. Please confirm whether you are using the pen to inject and post his pre-shot BG. I will check back in just under 3 hours which I believe will be close to 9pm your time.
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Thanks so much. Knowing what to do makes me feel a lot easier.

I am using a direct injection from the pen, but I saw the videos on transferring insulin from the pen to a syringe and will review them again to be sure. Tomorrow I'll go out in search of different syringes - I know what to ask for now. I'll guess it's better at this point if Bet's levels say he needs a shot, to give him at least my best guess on .5 units.

It's 6pm CST now, so I'll be testing in about 3 hours or less. I'll post what it says. No food until after then, either. They ate just over an hour or so ago. Thanks so much for keeping an eye on us.
Kathy Einwich
 
Chris & China said:
I would bet that they won't take them back....diabetic supplies usually aren't exchangeable or refundable because they're considered "blood products".....I'd call and make sure.

If you go to WalMart, these are the syringes you want to get
View attachment 40598
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Cool! Thanks for the pic and data! Since I have to pick up the new Lantus pen Rx, vote, and get the syringes, I'll do it all in one fell swoop tomorrow morning. Thanks for letting me know that they probably won't take back the syringes. I only bought 20.
 
Kathy,

It’s not too late, I would stick the pen in the fridge now and keep it there until it runs out. :)

Here is the syringes I used for Frosty that I bought online - they have 1/2 inch markings and hold 30 units. In case you cannot find the ReliOn ones that @Chris & China suggested. https://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/5739/ulticare-u100-vet-rx-half-unit-syringes-31g-3-10cc-60ct

To summarise, we still do recommend skipping the dose if his sugaris <150. If the sugars are >150, give 0.75 units.

I was also wondering, what is your feeding schedule for Bet? Do you feed him at the time you give him insulin, or no? Usually we recommend feeding right after checking the blood sugar, and giving a shot right after the feeding. You can feed him more meals throughout the day if you want, but no food 2 hours prior to the shot, so you can get a number that’s not affected by food.
 
Kathleen Einwich said:
Thanks so much. Knowing what to do makes me feel a lot easier.

I am using a direct injection from the pen, but I saw the videos on transferring insulin from the pen to a syringe and will review them again to be sure. Tomorrow I'll go out in search of different syringes - I know what to ask for now. I'll guess it's better at this point if Bet's levels say he needs a shot, to give him at least my best guess on .5 units.

It's 6pm CST now, so I'll be testing in about 3 hours or less. I'll post what it says. No food until after then, either. They ate just over an hour or so ago. Thanks so much for keeping an eye on us.
Kathy Einwich
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Transferring from the pen into a syringe is the best way to go as the pen injection is cumbersome and with drawing into a syringe you can get those inbetween doses not on a unit line especially when you get the 1/2 unit markings on a u 100 syringe. I get mine from Walmart.
 
Ana & Frosty (GA) said:
Kathy,

It’s not too late, I would stick the pen in the fridge now and keep it there until it runs out. :)

Here is the syringes I used for Frosty that I bought online - they have 1/2 inch markings and hold 30 units. In case you cannot find the ReliOn ones that @Chris & China suggested. https://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/5739/ulticare-u100-vet-rx-half-unit-syringes-31g-3-10cc-60ct

To summarize, we still do recommend skipping the dose if his sugar is <150. If the sugars are >150, give 0.75 units.

I was also wondering, what is your feeding schedule for Bet? Do you feed him at the time you give him insulin, or no? Usually we recommend feeding right after checking the blood sugar, and giving a shot right after the feeding. You can feed him more meals throughout the day if you want, but no food 2 hours prior to the shot, so you can get a number that’s not affected by food.
Click to expand...

I read somewhere on this site that one should not feed for two hours before the test, so I do that, at least before the morning shot and also the evening. I'm glad to have that confirmed. I usually feed them right after a test, then shoot when Bet comes back to sit in my lap. Otherwise I feed them pretty much anytime they ask, be it in the middle of the night or whatever. Bet was at most 10-11 pounds before this mess began and he lost 3 lbs. His sister is very skinny too, so I'm feeding as much as they want to try to get their weight up. They both look like that overhead silhouette of the underweight cat. I'm trying to add water to Bet's FF food so he gets more fluids. He always used to drink out of a water cup beside my bed but he won't do that anymore. It's often hard to get any kind of roll in his skin for the shot so I think he's still somewhat dehydrated.

Good idea about the Lantus pen. I'll do that.

Because of the debacle with the syringes, I'm not giving Bet a shot tonight unless his number is over 150, as you suggest...doing the best I can. I'm learning so much from you folks, every day. Thanks.
Kathy Einwich
 
Kathy, I don't want to confuse you but unless Bet is over 200 tonight, do not give insulin. He definitely needs a dose reduction if you shoot at 150 and you can't do that with the pen. It's better to let him be a little high until you get the right syringes than to risk him going too low overnight.

Feeding your kitties extra food right now is fine. Sounds like both need to gain a little weight. As long as you withhold food for at least 2 hours before pre-shot tests, feeding as needed is OK. :)
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
Kathy, I don't want to confuse you but unless Bet is over 200 tonight, do not give insulin. He definitely needs a dose reduction if you shoot at 150 and you can't do that with the pen. It's better to let him be a little high until you get the right syringes than to risk him going too low overnight.

Feeding your kitties extra food right now is fine. Sounds like both need to gain a little weight. As long as you withhold food for at least 2 hours before pre-shot tests, feeding as needed is OK. :)
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Thanks for the advice, I will most likely hold off on giving his shot until tomorrow.
Kathy
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
Did you do a pre-shot test yet? Just curious as to what that might be given the low BGs Bet has had going without insulin for 24 hours. It is still useful information even if you plan to skip the shot tonight. :)
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Glucose test at 9pm CST indicated 146. No shot tonight and they are eating! Thanks to everyone for their help. It took 3 tries...1 strip no reaction, 1 error 3 (whatever that means) and finally a good result. Bet's ears still look like he's been in a fight, but I got the neosporin with pain relief today.
Kathy
 
Chris & China said:
If you can, get a +3 tonight....it'll be interesting to see if his numbers come down which would indicate his pancreas is doing something!!
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OK, I'll torment him again. That's a really good idea and something to tell the vet about if his numbers drop. I think he will be interested - all part of our mutual learning curve. Thanks so much!
Kathy
 
Chris & China said:
OK...looks like he's not done with insulin just yet

Tomorrow morning, if he's over 150, go with the .75 dose as long as you can test (and have the syringes that allow it)
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Bet's level this morning at 9am was 185, before feeding. I'll be giving his shot tonight. I haven't been out to get the syringes yet but will this afternoon. I think he will be OK until tonight.
 
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