? Help! Smokys BG over 600, not sure what dose of vetsulin to give

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I did notice that Teasel was a bit lacklustre (malaise) when he was on Clavamox (Clavaseptin) but had no major GI disruptions like vomiting or diarrhea. Every kitty is different though. :cat:
 
I took Smoky to a cats only clinic but the vet there was adamant about using a pet meter. She said the only accurate one is the Alpha Trak 2 and all human meters can't be used to test animal blood. She also insisted that an at home curve isn't accurate, it has to be done in a clinic setting. She also wanted to do a full blood workup including a test for pancreatitis. My question is does he need that again? He just had bloodwork done 2 months ago except they didn't run a fPLI test.
The only thing I agreed with was that Smoky should be on another insulin. She suggested Prozinc as it is more affordable than Lantus.
 
I took him there for an exam and hopefully to get some pain meds for him. However, this vet won't give out any meds or a different insulin without doing a full blood workup, followed by an in-house curve. Denamarin was a med she had put down to give him.
 
Lisa and Smoky said:
She suggested Prozinc as it is more affordable than Lantus.
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ProZinc really isn't cheaper than Lantus....even using US prices.....ProZinc is a U40 insulin so a 10ml vial only holds 400 units for about $100...Lantus is a U100 insulin so a 10ml vial holds 1000 units for about $285

If you multiply the cost of ProZinc by 2.5, you get $250 for the same number of units so it's about the same price

But, if you buy your Lantus from Canada like most of us are, it's a lot cheaper!! It's only $150 for a 5 pack of Lantus pens (plus $25 shipping)....that's 1500 units that will last most cats at least a year....sometimes 2 years
 
my vet said the curve would be more likely to be accurate if done at home as stress would be less of a factor. Angel did great on prozinc and hoping he does as well again. Good luck, you know what's best for Smoky, she may not be that familiar with the latest on treating diabetes. x
 
Chris & China said:
ProZinc really isn't cheaper than Lantus....even using US prices.....ProZinc is a U40 insulin so a 10ml vial only holds 400 units for about $100...Lantus is a U100 insulin so a 10ml vial holds 1000 units for about $285

If you multiply the cost of ProZinc by 2.5, you get $250 for the same number of units so it's about the same price

But, if you buy your Lantus from Canada like most of us are, it's a lot cheaper!! It's only $150 for a 5 pack of Lantus pens (plus $25 shipping)....that's 1500 units that will last most cats at least a year.... or 2 years
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How long is a vial of prozinc or Lantus good for? I prefer a vial to the pens. Don't they have expiration dates on them?
 
Lisa and Smoky said:
I think she is pretty experienced in treating diabetes but gets frustrated if you don't follow her suggestions.
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I hadn't read this before I commented on your other thread about needing a new insulin. I hope this new vet's personality isn't a stumbling block for you. I completely disagree about an in clinic curve being more accurate, unless the vet is referring to how BG is measured in clinic. Their instruments are the gold standard and the AlphaTrak comes close. That's why they recommend it. As far as BG numbers go, less stress at home = more reliable BGs for dose determination. My vet encouraged doing a curve at home.

Because Smoky would be a new patient the vet wants to exercise due diligence in getting a baseline profile before treating/prescribing. This is a professional standard of practice but also to avoid liability. If you can possibly find the funds and can tolerate the new vet's personality in order to tap into her expertise I'd encourage you to proceed so that you can get Smoky feeling better.
 
Lisa and Smoky said:
How long is a vial of prozinc or Lantus good for? I prefer a vial to the pens. Don't they have expiration dates on them?
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ProZinc only comes in a 10 mL vial and will be effective for 2+ months if refrigerated and handled properly. There's an expiry date on the vial but that refers to an unopened vial. Lantus lasts longer. ProZinc will be more familiar to you in it's action, etc. because you've been using Vetsulin. It generally has a slower onset and longer action though.
 
When I switched vets I had copies of all the blood and lab work that had been done as well as my own home-testing results. Since the BW and labs were only 1 1/2 months old, the new vet did not request new testing at that point. She did the basic examination and we discussed the treatment plan.
 
Smoky had bloodwork done on Sept 1 except they didn't run the test for pancreatitis. I'm not sure if he needs bloodwork done again. This vet also suggested switching to prozinc or Lantus but won't switch him w/o doing bloodwork first. I could take him to his regular vet and get a different insulin w/o having to do bloodwork all over again.
 
Lisa and Smoky said:
Smoky had bloodwork done on Sept 1 except they didn't run the test for pancreatitis. I'm not sure if he needs bloodwork done again. This vet also suggested switching to prozinc or Lantus but won't switch him w/o doing bloodwork first. I could take him to his regular vet and get a different insulin w/o having to do bloodwork all over again.
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Ultimately it's your choice. Are you still concerned about Smoky being in pain? Are you thinking of asking your regular vet for the pancreatitis test?
 
I will have to ask the vet at the cat clinic what she means by bloodwork, she just has down on the estimate complete diabetes profile
 
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