Help!
- Thread starter FurMomma3
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squeem3
Member Since 2009
FurMomma3 said:
DO NOT give insulin!
101 is a normal blood glucose level. As newbie, you should never give any insulin if the bg is under 200 because you do not want to risk a serious hypo later.
What you can do now is feed your cat normally. Maybe an hour later, retest the bg. If it's still under 200, just skip the insulin shot. Your cat will be ok today :smile: At PMPS time, test bg as usual. Most likely it will be over 200 if you skipped the morning insulin shot. See if you can post back here once you get a PMPS number to get dosing advice.
It looks like you started at 2 units BID? 2 unit is a bit of a high starting dose for a diabetic cat. We recommend no more than 1 unit BID to start with.
Do you have the regular whole unit marked 3/10cc insulin syringes? You can eyeball half units on those. It won't be too accurate but it can be done. You can use these pictures as a guide: http://steverapaport.com/jock/SyringeFineGradations/
Most pharmacies can special order half unit marked insulin syringes. Ask at your pharmacy. Be sure that the pharmacist understands that you want 3/10 cc with half unit markings, not 1/2 cc capacity or 1/2 inch long needles. Can you buy half unit marked insulin syringes at another pharmacy or buy online? AmericanDiabetesWholeSale.com is one popular place to buy insulin syringes from.
Elizabeth and Bertie
Member Since 2010
Hiya,
You may also like to have a read of this info from the FDMB FAQ's to give you some context:
"Q4.4. My cat's pre-shot level was way below the usual value. Should I give the injection?
A4.4. There's no hard and fast rule, but if you don't have data on how your cat responds to insulin, here are some general guidelines. Below 150 mg/dl (8.3 mmol/L), don't give insulin. Between 150 and 200 (8.3-11.1 mmol/L), you have three options: a.) give nothing; b.) give a token dose (10-25% of the usual dose); c.) feed as usual, test in a couple of hours, and make a decision based on that value. Above 200 (11.1 mmol/L) but below the cat's normal pre-shot value, a reduced dose might be wise. In all cases, if you are reducing or eliminating insulin, it's wise to check for ketones in the urine. Above the normal pre-shot value, give the usual dose, but if the pre-shot value is consistently elevated, it's a good idea to schedule a full glucose curve to see whether a change in dose or insulin is appropriate. In most cases, the target "peak" value should not be below 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/L), and for some cats it might be higher.
Keep in mind that these are general guidelines, and they should be personalized to your own cat's reactions to insulin. If your experience is that your cat does not became hypoglycemic with a dose which is close to her usual, then your experience should be your guide.
Lantus and Levemir users: Because Lantus and Levemir are gentler insulins, you may find that these guidelines are stricter than you need. If you have some data on how your cat responds to insulin, please read Jojo and Jill (Team J)'s guidelines at FDMB (http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/r ... 22,1017956)."
You may also like to have a read of this info from the FDMB FAQ's to give you some context:
"Q4.4. My cat's pre-shot level was way below the usual value. Should I give the injection?
A4.4. There's no hard and fast rule, but if you don't have data on how your cat responds to insulin, here are some general guidelines. Below 150 mg/dl (8.3 mmol/L), don't give insulin. Between 150 and 200 (8.3-11.1 mmol/L), you have three options: a.) give nothing; b.) give a token dose (10-25% of the usual dose); c.) feed as usual, test in a couple of hours, and make a decision based on that value. Above 200 (11.1 mmol/L) but below the cat's normal pre-shot value, a reduced dose might be wise. In all cases, if you are reducing or eliminating insulin, it's wise to check for ketones in the urine. Above the normal pre-shot value, give the usual dose, but if the pre-shot value is consistently elevated, it's a good idea to schedule a full glucose curve to see whether a change in dose or insulin is appropriate. In most cases, the target "peak" value should not be below 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/L), and for some cats it might be higher.
Keep in mind that these are general guidelines, and they should be personalized to your own cat's reactions to insulin. If your experience is that your cat does not became hypoglycemic with a dose which is close to her usual, then your experience should be your guide.
Lantus and Levemir users: Because Lantus and Levemir are gentler insulins, you may find that these guidelines are stricter than you need. If you have some data on how your cat responds to insulin, please read Jojo and Jill (Team J)'s guidelines at FDMB (http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/r ... 22,1017956)."
FurMomma3
Member Since 2012
Due to the time I skipped. I am out of the house until 5 tonight. I was told by the vet to start with 2 units because at diagnosis he was super sweet. Now that he is on purely wet food I am wondering if it is okay to take him down to 1 unit? I will be testing regularly now that I see his numbers are lower. I try not to shoot under 150 like most all of the guides say. I want to reduce his dose but don't know how much or if it's okay. My husband will not test during the day for me. He will only plop out a can and call it good.
Any advise is appreciated. I am still new to this and am trying to adjust my world around my baby.
Any advise is appreciated. I am still new to this and am trying to adjust my world around my baby.
BJM
Member Since 2010
The dose of Lantus is primarily adjusted based on the nadir - the lowest point after injection, usually about 6 hours later.
It is also adjusted if you consistently have to skip a shot because he tests too low; the objective is to have a safe dose that can be given every 12 hours without sending him into a hypoglycemic attack (too low of a blood sugar).
Please get some tests around the nadir to see how low he is going.
If he is going below 50, he has earned a dose reduction!
And pop on over to one of the Lantus forums to read more about storing, handling, and using Lanuts. Plus, you can read some other folks posts about how Lantus is working for their cats.
It is also adjusted if you consistently have to skip a shot because he tests too low; the objective is to have a safe dose that can be given every 12 hours without sending him into a hypoglycemic attack (too low of a blood sugar).
Please get some tests around the nadir to see how low he is going.
If he is going below 50, he has earned a dose reduction!
And pop on over to one of the Lantus forums to read more about storing, handling, and using Lanuts. Plus, you can read some other folks posts about how Lantus is working for their cats.
hmjohnston
Member Since 2011
And there are two nadirs just like there are two cycles 
so if you work, it might help to set an alarm in the middle of the night :lol:
so if you work, it might help to set an alarm in the middle of the night :lol:- Status