Susan G & Jimmy G
Member Since 2017
I've been looking around at other SS of all sorts and wondering - is the potential to dip under 50 always a risk with TR?
-
Help us improve the FDMB by sharing your feedback, ideas, or suggestions. Submit feedback here.
? Has anyone followed TR and not had their cat on the verge of hypo?
- Thread starter Susan G & Jimmy G
- Start date
- Status
Jimmy's SS is looking a lot better lately! 
By hypo do you mean showing hypo symptomes, or having low numbers? Using a human meter, down to 40 is still within the range of a normal cat. We just don't want them going that low on insulin, so have a buffer of 10 points and use 50 as the cutoff before giving high carb.
Yes there is a risk of going under 50 with TR (or with SLGS for that matter), because a cat's pancreas can heal - if that is what is causing the diabetes. Or in the case of a cat with a high condition, either the acro tumour can pulse down or the antibodies can release some insulin.
Having said all that, in 5 years, the only symptom of hypo that Neko ever showed was hunger. Including the one time I caught her in the 20's. That was really scary, but she came up quickly with syrup.
By hypo do you mean showing hypo symptomes, or having low numbers? Using a human meter, down to 40 is still within the range of a normal cat. We just don't want them going that low on insulin, so have a buffer of 10 points and use 50 as the cutoff before giving high carb.
Yes there is a risk of going under 50 with TR (or with SLGS for that matter), because a cat's pancreas can heal - if that is what is causing the diabetes. Or in the case of a cat with a high condition, either the acro tumour can pulse down or the antibodies can release some insulin.
Having said all that, in 5 years, the only symptom of hypo that Neko ever showed was hunger. Including the one time I caught her in the 20's. That was really scary, but she came up quickly with syrup.
Willow
Member Since 2016
This is a great question and I think Wendy answered it very well. Thank you Wendy!
Here is my input after dealing with our cat for over a year. The first thing you must learn to do is to not overreact to low numbers. I have been the king of this in the past for freaking out over lower numbers.
There is all kinds of miss information on the internet regarding cats and diabetes. Some sites say never shoot a cat 100 or below, while other sites say 300 range is acceptable.
I have found this site and these members to be the rockstars when dealing with feline diabetes. Thank you to the group!
Most, not all vets are completely clueless with regards to this disease. Most of the members on here are battle tested and here to help.
Food plays a huge part in their daily numbers. If your cat eats less their numbers can drop, if they eat more they end up with higher numbers. One of the problems we had to deal with was getting the exact amount of daily food intake under control. I also found that the different types of FF affected my cats numbers. Fish was lower, chicken next, while turkey and beef gave her higher numbers. We now only feed all of our cats the same FF chicken. Yes, some cats will protest because they like a variety of food. My opinion is tough! Deal with it! I was over the crazy swings in our cats numbers and over the low number freak out!
We have two other cats who were on dryfood and it took a long time to get them over to only wet. Lots of protesting!
As Wendy said if they are affected by their pancreas not working and the pancreas starts to work again this can wreak havoc on your kitties numbers. My kitty Willow seems to have this happen now and again. Just a little sputter and their numbers can plunge.
Just remember you are now apart of a crazy cat loving group who will be there for you at all times!
Here is my input after dealing with our cat for over a year. The first thing you must learn to do is to not overreact to low numbers. I have been the king of this in the past for freaking out over lower numbers.
There is all kinds of miss information on the internet regarding cats and diabetes. Some sites say never shoot a cat 100 or below, while other sites say 300 range is acceptable.
I have found this site and these members to be the rockstars when dealing with feline diabetes. Thank you to the group!
Most, not all vets are completely clueless with regards to this disease. Most of the members on here are battle tested and here to help.
Food plays a huge part in their daily numbers. If your cat eats less their numbers can drop, if they eat more they end up with higher numbers. One of the problems we had to deal with was getting the exact amount of daily food intake under control. I also found that the different types of FF affected my cats numbers. Fish was lower, chicken next, while turkey and beef gave her higher numbers. We now only feed all of our cats the same FF chicken. Yes, some cats will protest because they like a variety of food. My opinion is tough! Deal with it! I was over the crazy swings in our cats numbers and over the low number freak out!
We have two other cats who were on dryfood and it took a long time to get them over to only wet. Lots of protesting!
As Wendy said if they are affected by their pancreas not working and the pancreas starts to work again this can wreak havoc on your kitties numbers. My kitty Willow seems to have this happen now and again. Just a little sputter and their numbers can plunge.
Just remember you are now apart of a crazy cat loving group who will be there for you at all times!
My baby, Gracie
, loved to drop below 40 on the human meter in the blink of an eye. ECID but she never had any visible symptoms of hypoglycemia.
However, I did not like her to be below 50 and so I used the most important tools we have to be in control: testing and food. I've been on this board seven years and I can't recall a time, when a member was testing and feeding appropriately, that a cat had a symptomatic hypo.
Yes, we've had people catch the cat out of the blue at a very low number but these members were not usually regular posters who had data, knew their cat, understood the concepts of onset, nadir, and duration and applied it to testing and feeding.
The take home is that regardless of which approach you choose, you collect enough data to learn your kitty's patterns (inc their onset, nadir, and duration), you learn how and what to feed when, and you know when to test and how to stay in control of numbers as well as what to do if they drop below 50.
However, I did not like her to be below 50 and so I used the most important tools we have to be in control: testing and food. I've been on this board seven years and I can't recall a time, when a member was testing and feeding appropriately, that a cat had a symptomatic hypo.
Yes, we've had people catch the cat out of the blue at a very low number but these members were not usually regular posters who had data, knew their cat, understood the concepts of onset, nadir, and duration and applied it to testing and feeding.
The take home is that regardless of which approach you choose, you collect enough data to learn your kitty's patterns (inc their onset, nadir, and duration), you learn how and what to feed when, and you know when to test and how to stay in control of numbers as well as what to do if they drop below 50.
Susan G & Jimmy G
Member Since 2017
Thanks - yes he's doing really well. I have not been able to test as much due to life - but the 6.5 seems to be doing the trick of keeping in the bluezz.Jimmy's SS is looking a lot better lately!
Jimmy has always been a quiet soul - he only meows when he's hungry. I find this incredibly useful. lol. I do however, feed him every few hours anyway. If I go too long - he lets me know. I need to get some more PM readings - I haven't been able to do this the past few days. He's been dipping in to the green - so I am a little hesitant about 1) upping to 7 BID and 2) upping it and having him dip lower than 50 and I won't be around to monitor.
Susan G & Jimmy G
Member Since 2017
Yup. I think this is me now lol - shooting under 100 at 6.5 kinda has me freaked out. But, seeing his progress today - in hindsight I should have kept to the 6.5. Esp since I was around to test him today.
Now that Jimmy's dose is north of 6.0 units, it's a good idea to get him tested for high dose conditions (acromegaly and IGF-1). Depending on the results of those tests, a good goal may be just to keep him at a dose which has him mostly under renal threshold, which 6.5 is mostly doing now.
Do you have an autofeeder for Jimmy? It really helped me to know I could leave higher carbs out for the points in the cycle where Neko might go low. She would immediately hoover anything I left out, so I needed the feeder to control when she got food - I couldn't free feed.
Do you have an autofeeder for Jimmy? It really helped me to know I could leave higher carbs out for the points in the cycle where Neko might go low. She would immediately hoover anything I left out, so I needed the feeder to control when she got food - I couldn't free feed.
Susan G & Jimmy G
Member Since 2017
I had to reschedule the vet appt (from last week) - to two weeks from now. I need to double check and make sure they can check for acro/IGH-1. This is the MSU only lab correct? What did you put in the feeder? MC food? If I'm away for more than a few hours I leave out frozen (wet) - I used to have do it overnight when his numbers were in the 300s. But his appetite is so much better now that his BG are better. p.s. I just yesterday called Jimmy a hoover - his sister eats so more daintily. Him on the other hand - not so delicate. PLUS - he has a smooth tongue so a lot gets pushed to the edges.
Last edited:
Cherish Gallagher
Member Since 2017
Omg 20's!?Jimmy's SS is looking a lot better lately!
By hypo do you mean showing hypo symptomes, or having low numbers? Using a human meter, down to 40 is still within the range of a normal cat. We just don't want them going that low on insulin, so have a buffer of 10 points and use 50 as the cutoff before giving high carb.
Yes there is a risk of going under 50 with TR (or with SLGS for that matter), because a cat's pancreas can heal - if that is what is causing the diabetes. Or in the case of a cat with a high condition, either the acro tumour can pulse down or the antibodies can release some insulin.
Having said all that, in 5 years, the only symptom of hypo that Neko ever showed was hunger. Including the one time I caught her in the 20's. That was really scary, but she came up quickly with syrup.
Yes, only Michigan State U does the tests, IGF-1 and IAA. All vet's should be able to send blood there.
For the feeder, it depended where in the cycle she was and whether I thought she would go low. I would usually leave just LC, but would add some HC if I needed to. I tried leaving frozen, but she chewed on it anyway.
Of course that was when her numbers were higher and her appetite was crazy.
@Cherish Gallagher Yes, high 20's, I checked twice. Couldn't have been for long cause the previous test hadn't been that long before hand. It was also after her sterostatic radiation therapy for her acromegaly tumour and she would occasionally suddenly need much less insulin. I got even more aggressive with the decreases after that. Once was enough.
For the feeder, it depended where in the cycle she was and whether I thought she would go low. I would usually leave just LC, but would add some HC if I needed to. I tried leaving frozen, but she chewed on it anyway.
Of course that was when her numbers were higher and her appetite was crazy.@Cherish Gallagher Yes, high 20's, I checked twice. Couldn't have been for long cause the previous test hadn't been that long before hand. It was also after her sterostatic radiation therapy for her acromegaly tumour and she would occasionally suddenly need much less insulin. I got even more aggressive with the decreases after that. Once was enough.
- Status