Going on Vaca, need suggestion for tx diab.

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Ldefrank

Member Since 2013
Hi, I'm going on vacation from july 3 to the 10 and my boy Dante who was doing really well with his bg levels is now in need of more insulin again. He was in remission for about 6 months, then started to rise again. Had his teeth done, thyroid tested, and two lumps removed. After recovering from dental and surgery his levels were a little better, but now are going up again. He is not drinking or peeing more, and seems normal as far as appetite and personality. I have not changed anything in his diet, but as my luck would have it, he will need insulin while I am gone. I have a sitter who stays at our house but she does not feel comfortable giving him his insulin, not to mention he hates getting his injections, so it makes it a little harder to treat him. For sure she won't test him. I know he can't go a whole week without insulin, and I don't want to keep him at the vet for a week...he will only be worse cause he hates it there so much. I was wondering what everyone else does in this situation.
Thanks, Lisa & Dante
 
Sorry he has dropped out of remission, Lisa. Many people either use a pet service that specializes in "ill" pets or they ask the vet tech from their vet's office. Often they want to earn a little extra money and have experience in dosing and testing.
 
Thanks Sue. I got lucky and my neighbor is willing to do it for me. I was bummed that he came out of remission. The confusing part is that in the mornings he is in the low 200's, occasionally will get a low 300, but afternoon and evenings he is under 100. I have tried to figure out what is causing the highs in the morning, but I'm at a Loss.
 
Sometimes a higher am number can reflect more or less food at night, less activity at night. You might experiment with changing things at night to be closer to the way things are during the day?

With ProZinc, you can vary the shot time a little - maybe shooting at +11 in the morning and +13 at night if the numbers stay higher in the am, lower at night.
 
Hi Sue,
Thanks so much for your help. I just wanted to run his schedule by you to see what you think. Every time I think I have this whole diabetes thing down, then I get confused again. Dante gets fed at 7am, 12:30pm, 6pm, and then he gets a freeze dried treat at night. I never see him drinking water, and he used to always drink when I would put fresh down (before he started hanging out by the water dish which was last summer) then he was diag in October with the diabetes. As soon as I started with the insulin in November, and started on the ff he stopped drinking and peeing so much, (he now averages 4-5 pee balls a day) and his coat got much better, the dry skin cleared up.
He's a very active boy, about 12 lbs, 12 yrs old, very shiny coat, is very happy and loving. I have never had a cat who looked at me the way he does, he's just so special. Anyway, This morning his bg was 245 at 7am, I gave him 2.5 units, when I went home for lunch he was little mopey so I tested him and got a 54 at 12:30pm, so I fed him lunch. Yesterday he was 239 and I gave him 2.5 units 6:45am, tested last night at 9pm and got a 96. So my fear is that when I'm gone for a week I have a friend who can come and give him insulin once a day but she doesn't want to test him. I was just going to have her give him 1 unit each morning so he would have some insulin. I have another friend who is staying at the house and she can monitor him in case he would go low, and she knows what to do if that would happen. I was afraid if he doesn't get any insulin for a week that it would damage his pancreas to the point that it will be uncontrollable.
So I would love some guidance from someone who has more experience then me with this. Maybe I'm being over the top for no reason, but as I said, he's my baby and I want to keep him healthy and happy.

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.
Lisa
 
I think I'd drop the dose. His preshots are a little high, but they may be bounces from the lower numbers midcycle. Maybe try 1.5 units for a few cycles and see if the range is better. It might also tell you if one unit will keep him in decent numbers while you're gone.
 
Thanks Sue. I will try your suggestions. I definitely have to cut back on the insulin, I tested him again at 7:30 tonight and he dropped to 49. I also looked back at all his numbers since he was diag. And the highest he ever was is 356. He has only had a few bg in the low 300's. he always responds well to the insulin. So I will lower the dose if he needs it.
Thanks again for your help.
 
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