I need my FDMB friends advice, yes again Baxter

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Jenn & Baxter

Jenn & Baxter

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I really hope I am not driving anybody crazy with all the advice I have needed lately. At times I think I am past FD crazy... :dizcat

This is what I need some advice on....
The last couple of days Baxter numbers have been coming down to "normal" #'s. With help from the board & testing I have learned not to give insulin if his BG is dropping & not rising. I have also, found the magic #of about 170 that I feel comfortable giving insulin, which has been Prozinc .25 (per vet). There have been a couple of nights I didn't admin insulin because he was dropping on his own & not rising.

Tonight Baxter's PMPS was 134. The vet called me right about that time & told me not to give .25 insulin. Which I completely understand.
Here is where I am lost a bit. The vet then told me to stop admin insulin to see how Baxter does on his own over the rest of the weekend. Even if he does go into the 200's to NOT give insulin. We are going speak again on Monday about Baxter's number from the rest of the weekend. I did ask the vet about micro dosing & he said that since Baxter was on such a low dose that it wasnt nessasary. I asked if it could put a strain on his pancreas? He said no. It would be alright. Baxter's pancreas is defintely doing something & I don't want to screw up 4 weeks (today) of my nervous wreck days & sleepless nights by just stopping to see if he really doesn't need insulin anymore. Is all of this right?
Is this the path to the falls? I'm I feeling the mist or over spray from the falls? Where am I?

Baxter SS is updated & ready for viewing.
 
mmmm, i don't want to leave you without an answer, but i really don't know prozinc enough to say. if you were using lantus, i would say continue at a tiny dose.

it's not that it would strain the pancreas, it's that it gives a little support to the pancreas that's healing. think of it as a sling.

i think i would see what the numbers are without shooting, but personally, i wouldn't hesitate to give a tiny insulin dose if the numbers rise to a number you would normally shoot. i don't know your vet or how much s/he knows about feline diabetes.

let's see what others with prozinc experience suggest.
 
Rock and hard place, Jenn.

Your vet could be right. Baxter might continue down on his own.

But, if you help him above 170 with a mini dose, it could be less stress on his pancreas and a faster, easier road to possible remission.

It probably won't hurt to try for a day if it means you will continue a relationship with a vet that you need.

If that relationship wasn't in the picture, we would most likely encourage you to mini dose.
 
And Jenn, never worry about asking for help. If people didn't post for help, this board wouldn't exist. Every question you ask has the potential to be read by and help dozens of other people who were wondering the same thing.
 
Jenn
It sounds as if your vet has a plan in mind, no matter what numbers Baxter gives you. The 134 would be the high range of "normal". Did he tell you to keep testing? We usually say 50-120, but I've seen "150" mentioned as well.

I'm thinking go ahead and try it. Test before feeding, and an hour or two after. I think I would try to test in the 4 hour window around feedings. See what his numbers do. If nothing else, it'll be useful information to have just in case he needs tiny doses after talking to the vet. Keep feeding good low carb food. Even try spacing his meals out evenly during the day and night so the carb boost is spread out and not hitting his system all at one time. Keep track of when you feed him and about how much he eats.

It's sort of what we do when we do an OTJ trial. The numbers we usually say are "two weeks in normal ranges, with most numbers in the double digits". The vet I guess needs a clear picture of what Baxter does with zero insulin. Any drops will be because he's doing it on his own.

If you see some sort of wacky number like 300, call the vet right then. If not, I don't think two days will mess you up too bad, do you?

Yeah, what Sue said....don't be afraid to ask and ask and ask.... It doesn't drive us crazy. It would be a lot worse if nobody ever asked questions....then what would we do? We'd go crazy!
Carl
 
The vet did tell me to keep testing. I plan on to keep testing for a long time even "if" (you know what I mean?) it happens. I don't know what the plan is. The vet tells me no banking on it just yet. I told him I will just wait for him to tell me "Merry Christmas". Well Christmas is right at 2 weeks away. I don't want to get excited or my hopes up. I am containing myself until I hear those magic words & see those magic #'s.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS low carb food!!
Thank you for letting me know to call at 300. I did not know that.
I hope 2 days won't mess up the last 4 long weeks I have put into this.

Thanks guys for everything you have helped me with.
 
Jenn
I justed picked 300 out of thin air. Draw your own line. Any number that concerns you. Might be 250. But if he goes uncomfortably high for you, call the vet and let him know what's going on. Ask him what he thinks, if maybe you should go ahead and give him a small dose.

Carl
 
@Carlinsc I thought you meant 300 was a dangerous number...lol ohmygod_smile Thank you for clearing that up for me.

This morning Baxter seems to be doing pretty well number wise.
8:00am- #175
He threw up 15 minutes later.
11:00- #130
He is in nap time right now.

I don't know how my relationship with the vet is going to be when he finds out I am not feeding Baxter the Science DIet M/D he gave me. :shock: I really need to take it back & get a credit on my account.
 
Jenn
Do what most of us did....."Hey, I need to return this food because Baxter absolutely refuses to eat it". Worked for me.

Carl
 
Well, in Bob's case, it was literally true. he ate if for a couple days, then wouldn't touch it. In the meantime, I found the food charts and switched to Friskees and FF and he loved all of them. People have also gotten money back on the m/d dry food, even though the bag had been opened. The vets probably just feed it to the clinic animals once it's opened. I fed mine to the outdoor raccoons that hang around my house.
 
Hello Jen & Baxter,
Reading your post and great to see Baxter doing his job, might be a bit high but still he seems as tho he is trying on his own :razz:

I do not feel bad about returning anything my girls decided not to eat....I figure, if the manufacture will take it back, the vet will get a credit. If they dont, the vet uses it in house.

The other foods that I have returned to w. mart, petco and petsmart - fancy feast, friskies, wellness, basically anything that I buy more of 2 ea and they decide first can is great, 2nd is eeekie....I usually do not waste my $$ and try that 3rd can. I bought about 10 cans of kitten wellness due to Ittle Sista only being 3 months old when I got her. She liked the first 2 and would not eat can #3 or 4. I loaded it up, and took it back to Petsmart for a credit...without a problem. I just think someone else will come in and buy it for their furry family and they will enjoy it.

As many times as I have been to the vet in the last 9 months, that $40 would help me out. My vet would not do refund but would do a credit. When you have 3, that comes in handy. Civvie Gumpy (GA) was switched 3 times on script food and he would always let me bring in the old and credit it to the new, or apply the $$ to the visit.

Keep us posted & good luck with those numbers....
 
I have taken cases of food back to Petsmart & Petco. Matter of fact I need to take some WIlderness Duck back. Thats about $30 right there. Then the case of M/D. Well hey thats about $70 total in cat food I have sitting in my pantry Baxter won't eat. Thats alot of $$$$. :RAHCAT I'm taking it all back getting my money/credit & going Christmas shopping....for myself (jk).

I will keep everyone updated on Baxter. Today is a vet call day. Will be going over #'s from the weekend with NO insulin.
I'm keeping positive thoughts in hopes for a positive out come.
 
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