How long to try diet before starting insulin

[Will&Laura]

Kenzo's sugar was 302 on the Relion Confirm this morning after starting the low carb wet food only diet this past Sunday 2/28/16. It has come down the 460's five days ago at his initial vet diagnosis last Saturday. We have a recheck this Saturday 3/5/15 at the vet and I know they are going to want to start insulin. My only concern is there is no one at home to monitor him if he goes hypo and from what I am reading on here it is very dangerous and scary. However, I don't want to not start the insulin and cause more harm than good. Any suggestions or advice on how long it is safe to try diet first? I want to be realistic because i know he is going to need insulin but I also don't want to worry all day about him going hypo while I'm at work.
Laura

 

[Larry and Kitties]

I would continue to try diet only for a few more days and see if BG decrease.
When starting insulin just start with a low dose and increase slowing if needed.
Many of use here have full time jobs and are not aront to monitor during the day.

 

[Tuxedo Mom]

Some kitties will have higher glucose levels at the vets due to stress. Also if your vet was using a pet meter or the blood analysis machine the readings on those tend to be higher than on a human meter. Glucose readings can also be effected by when they have eaten, so if either the vet or your reading was done shortly after eating the levels may be higher than if done without food on board. Regardless a level of 302 is still too high. When starting insulin you could start on a weekend or when you have days off and monitor the levels to see what sort of response you may get. Some insulins (levemir and lantus) can take a few days to "build up the depot" so results may take a few days to show.

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

I wouldn't wait more than a week to start insulin after changing the diet. (And kudos to you for home testing! Numbers obtained at the vet are very inaccurate and inflated).

If you're starting with Lantus or Levemir (the recommended insulins for cats), they both have very low incidences of hypoglycemia when dosed according to the recommended guidelines. As Mary Ann mentioned, it also takes a few days to build up in their system before it starts working to lower blood glucose levels. As long as you're starting with a low dose (.25u per kg of ideal weight), testing before each shot, and then getting some tests during his evening cycle, you should be good! Then you can get a curve done when you're off on the weekend, and some other additional tests when you can.

Managing his diabetes on insulin is not as hard as it seems, I promise! If you follow the recommended treatment (low carb wet food, lantus or levemir, gradual dose adjustments based on daily home testing), the majority of cats will go into remisson. Bandit has been diabetic for 7 years, and in that time he's been on insulin for maybe a year and a half at different times, total? It requires a bit of creative scheduling sometimes to work in the shots and tests, but it does pay off in the end.