Headed for insulin again?

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RuthV

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To give a quick recap:
Joey, now age 14, neutered male, went off insulin with the vet's OK last October, after 3 months on Lantus and some nice low numbers, in the two digit range. (He had been getting one unit twice a day). He also went totally off dry food.
I tested his bg once a week, usually about an hour and a half after his 8 am b'fast. Numbers were good but creeping up gradually, the high being 140.

The other morning, I decided to test just BEFORE b'fast. He hadn't eaten for 12 hours. Reading was 204. Shouldn't he have had a very low number then?

I DID change his diet slightly about a month ago - I gave him a 1/2 can of F. F. Elegant Medleys , ( I checked the list for lo carb ones ) in place of his Friskies regular low carb fare ( did this cuz he was getting finicky). Caloriewise, he was getting a reduction. Do you thing this has driven his bg up? I plan to keep the Medley out of his diet for a while. Anything else I should do?

His mood tho is good and activity level seems normal.
 
RuthV said:
To give a quick recap:
Joey, now age 14, neutered male, went off insulin with the vet's OK last October, after 3 months on Lantus and some nice low numbers, in the two digit range. (He had been getting one unit twice a day). He also went totally off dry food.
I tested his bg once a week, usually about an hour and a half after his 8 am b'fast. Numbers were good but creeping up gradually, the high being 140.

The other morning, I decided to test just BEFORE b'fast. He hadn't eaten for 12 hours. Reading was 204. Shouldn't he have had a very low number then?

I DID change his diet slightly about a month ago - I gave him a 1/2 can of Friskies Elegant Medleys , ( I checked the list for lo carb ones ) in place of his Friskies regular low carb fare ( did this cuz he was getting finicky). Caloriewise, he was getting a reduction. Do you thing this has driven his bg up? I plan to keep the Medley out of his diet for a while. Anything else I should do?

His mood tho is good and activity level seems normal.
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The 204 is kind of high for a non-diabetic. But since he is 14 years old, could he need a check up for his teeth? It could just be an infection brewing somewhere, teeth that need cleaning, possible HyperT? Maybe get him in for some blood-work and possibly a fructosamine test to see how his blood sugar levels have been averaging in the last couple of weeks or so. What do you think?
 
RuthV said:
I DID change his diet slightly about a month ago - I gave him a 1/2 can of Friskies Elegant Medleys , ( I checked the list for lo carb ones ) in place of his Friskies regular low carb fare ( did this cuz he was getting finicky). Caloriewise, he was getting a reduction. Do you thing this has driven his bg up? I plan to keep the Medley out of his diet for a while. Anything else I should do?
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The Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys are a little high in carbs (ranging from 9-15). That could very well be your problem. Are your treats low carb as well?
 
Julia & Bandit said:
RuthV said:
I DID change his diet slightly about a month ago - I gave him a 1/2 can of Friskies Elegant Medleys , ( I checked the list for lo carb ones ) in place of his Friskies regular low carb fare ( did this cuz he was getting finicky). Caloriewise, he was getting a reduction. Do you thing this has driven his bg up? I plan to keep the Medley out of his diet for a while. Anything else I should do?
Click to expand...

The Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys are a little high in carbs (ranging from 9-15). That could very well be your problem. Are your treats low carb as well?
Click to expand...

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I just don't get the high reading after a night without eating. Would or could the Elegant Medleys, if they are having this effect, show up THAT much later?
 
A test you can do, Ruth, is to test before feeding, feed and then test 30 minutes or so after the meal. That will tell you if he is going up after eating or going down. If the pancreas is working, usually they will go down.

I am leaning more toward a dental issue or an infection at this point. If I were you, I would get things checked out.
 
Sue and Oliver said:
A test you can do, Ruth, is to test before feeding, feed and then test 30 minutes or so after the meal. That will tell you if he is going up after eating or going down. If the pancreas is working, usually they will go down.

I am leaning more toward a dental issue or an infection at this point. If I were you, I would get things checked out.
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I'll test him tom'w am just before food and an hour later. He hates that poke, but hates trips to the vet even more.
 
Hi, Ruth.. I hope Joey can remain in remission/diet controlled. I agree the Fancy Feast you are feeding is higher in carb content.
Baby was on Insulin for 3 months & in remission 8 months, I put her back on the juice med/late December 2010 after getting two #s in the 100s range.
I agree with what has been said, I would rule out any health issues/infections via a Vet. I would get a test before eating tonight or tomorrow & then test about 3 hours later (it can take a pancreas that long to bring the #s down)
Good Luck & let us know..
 
Nicole & Baby said:
Thinking of you.. wondering how testing went?
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I'll try to do it tomorrow. It was enough to give him a kind of bath today - they the yardman came with his kids to cut the grass and Joey hid under the bed. Thanks for asking.
 
Nicole & Baby said:
Thinking of you.. wondering how testing went?
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Just tested him - 82 - that's eighty- two - ELATED to report this. It's 4 hours after his b'fast. So, I am going to knock off the Medley. I may give him a half a can once a week as a treat, or do you all think that might still be troublesome? If so, I'll donate it to a pet food group here which supplies food to struggling ppl. Unemployment rate is about 17% in this county and very high percentage of elderly too who are probably not well heeled, but they adore their pets.

He was real good too - didn't wince or even move - dh did mother cat on his neck and I got a nice crouch over him.
 
Every cat is different and our highs when going OTJ were much lower than your highs, but the turkey florentine medley is a regular in our rotation without a problem. We do feed a wide variety so that probably means only 2 times a week, but I never worry as long as I see she always comes back to where she needs to be and there isn't a trend of staying at higher numbers.
 
I think this is great! Congratulations.. to me the medleys are med/high carb content & I don't chance feeding them to Baby, but ECID & if it works for you, then by all means.. proceed! So happy for you!
 
Nicole & Baby said:
I think this is great! Congratulations.. to me the medleys are med/high carb content & I don't chance feeding them to Baby, but ECID & if it works for you, then by all means.. proceed! So happy for you!
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witho


I just hope he can maintain the good bg and go without insulin til after the summer. I plan to go away for a while and hate like heck to have to board him. The last time, he didn't eat, they had to induce appetite, and they even suspended the insulin for a while, plus and he was scared to death. Sometimes I think he wud've done better at home alone with his sitter coming in and NO insulin. Cost me a fortune to boot. I'll face this in July and meanwhile, talk to St. Francis regularly. : )) Thanks for your concern and interest.
 
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