I'm so confused! Low numbers and don't know whether to shoot.

lunabeth

lunabeth

Member Since 2018
Hi all. My little buddy was diagnosed 3 weeks ago and he was prescribed Lantus 1 unit every 12 hours. My vet told me I wouldn't be able to test his glucose at home and didn't recommend it (she sucks), so I am waiting to see a new vet on Friday. In the meantime, I figured out how to test him at home and his numbers are below 100 before and after insulin, and before and after food. I didn't give his shot last night or this morning because I'm freaked out that his numbers will get dangerously low. I've been reading all about the glucose curves and different threads on this site but I am SO confused. I don't want to make him sicker but not sure what to do between now and Friday when he can see the other vet.

On a separate but related note, I'm not even sure he's truly diabetic. The reason we were at the vet to begin with was because he was sick and had some kind of infection. His white blood count was super high and he had a mild fever, so he got an antibiotic and was then fine by the following week. It was during this blood testing that they saw his BG was 312. Aside from being sick, he hates the car and the vet, so I wonder if that number was spiked because of those factors and not because of diabetes? He's been on a low carb, wet food diet for the past 3 weeks since his "diagnosis" and seems back to normal.

Regardless, I just don't know what to do for the next 4 days.
 
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Kudos for deciding to home test despite your vet's comments. If all of Luna's readings are below 100 both before and after insulin, then the dose of insulin may be too high or it's possible he has gone into remission because of the diet change if he was eating high carb food prior to diagnosis. There are cats that are totally diet controlled and making diet changes without home testing is dangerous. Your decision to home test may have saved Luna from a potentially dangerous or even fatal hypoglycemic event.

From what you've said, it sounds like the diagnosis was based on one BG reading at the vet's office in a very stressed and sick cat. Did the vet do a test called Fructosamine which provides an avg. of BG over the past 2-3 weeks? Your vet doesn't sound very well versed on feline diabetes and I am glad to hear you have decided to get a second opinion.

In the meantime, I would NOT give Luna anymore insulin and suggest you test Luna daily morning and night to see if his numbers stay below 100. Keep him on the low carb diet and if his BG stays within normal range for a period of 14 consecutive days, then you can consider him in remission .....if he did actually have diabetes. If Luna's BG should start rising, then please post for advice.

Normal BG range on a human meter is 50 - 120 (some cats not on insulin will occasionally test below 50). If using a pet meter, then the normal range would be 69 to 150.

Please let us know how it goes. Fingers crossed he is in remission or misdiagnosed. :)
 
Hello, you came to the right place. It does sound like your kitties glucose might have spiked because of the stress of the car ride & the vet. And also because he was sick.
You shouldn't give any insulin with those low readings.Has he had dry food to eat before he got sick? That also could have raised his glucose.It does seem that a lot of Vets do not advise home testing.
I haven't been here long enough to advise you but there are others who have.
You should put the date & a ? mark in the title it will attract someone who can help.

Best of Luck to you :)

Your Kitties are beautiful!!
 
If he's testing below 100 without any insulin, I would continue to monitor and with hold insulin until you see the new vet.
What was wrong with him at diagnosis? Was there any mention of DKA? If there was DKA then my advice would be different.

Basing an FD diagnosis on a single BG reading on a sick cat in a vets office is probably not very reliable. If he got an abnormal fructosamine on that day then that would be more telling.

I might be tempted to run a curve for the new vet, just in case he spikes at the vet visit. I would also test before you go to your appt and then again while you are at the office. When I've done that George has been in normal numbers and doubled at the vets, returning to his normal rangerin aafew hours.He hates travelling too.
I know one member whose non diabetic kitty tested over 200 at the vets, at home he was regularly in 40's
 
Thank you both so much! I'm so thankful I found this website because my vet has been horrible. I agree that she doesn't seem to know much about feline diabetes and she has been completely unwilling to discuss any other options besides insulin. I, too, had heard that some cats can manage their diabetes just with diet changes and she wouldn't have that conversation with me. I pre-screened my new vet before making the appointment and I'm hopeful that she'll be able to help us!
I feel very uncomfortable giving insulin with those numbers, so it's great to have some other people with experience agree with me!
 
Gill & George said:
If he's testing below 100 without any insulin, I would continue to monitor and with hold insulin until you see the new vet.
What was wrong with him at diagnosis? Was there any mention of DKA? If there was DKA then my advice would be different.

Basing an FD diagnosis on a single BG reading on a sick cat in a vets office is probably not very reliable. If he got an abnormal fructosamine on that day then that would be more telling.

I might be tempted to run a curve for the new vet, just in case he spikes at the vet visit. I would also test before you go to your appt and then again while you are at the office. When I've done that George has been in normal numbers and doubled at the vets, returning to his normal rangerin aafew hours.He hates travelling too.
I know one member whose non diabetic kitty tested over 200 at the vets, at home he was regularly in 40's
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Thanks! That's a great idea about testing before he goes in the car to see the vet. There were no ketones present at the initial diagnosis. And they didn't do Fructosamine - they gave him the diagnosis based on one BG reading when he was sick and stressed out. I believed her because I didn't know any better and I trusted her. :( Unfortunately we don't know what the infection was, just that the fever and symptoms went away after one week on the antibiotic.
 
Hey there! I am so glad you posted. And so glad you are here and got some good advice from MrWorfmen's Mom and Gill and George. Fingers and Paws that your baby can be diet controlled .

Question: I am assuming you using a human meter?
 
Bobbie And Bubba said:
Hey there! I am so glad you posted. And so glad you are here and got some good advice from MrWorfmen's Mom and Gill and George. Fingers and Paws that your baby can be diet controlled .

Question: I am assuming you using a human meter?
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Yes, the CareTouch Monitor.
 
Welcome! Have you seen Dr. Lisa's food chart at the top of the main forum? It will let you pick wet food under the recommended 10%. Good luck! I'll be interested to see if maybe he isn't diabetic after all. Fingers crossed.
 
Welcome - hopefully your kitty does NOT have diabetes - just a stressed out cat with a normal reaction to that stress. Yep, just going to the vet can send their BG soaring - but that does not mean they're truly diabetic. Have you noticed that your cat is starving? Very hungry all the time - no matter how much you feed him? Also, is he drinking a lot more water than he used to? Is he peeing a lot? Huge balls clumped up in the litter box? All of the above are symptoms that there might be a sugar problem heading your way - you didn't mention if your kitty had displayed any of these telltale signs.

I agree with all the posters above - I wouldn't give another drop of insulin as long as you're getting readings under 100. And as Beck and Grandpa said above - check out Dr. Pierson's cat food chart - find a brand of wet cat food that has low carbs - and feed that - avoid dry kibble - it's mostly junk (no matter how much it costs, it's made with rice and vegetables if it's the 'good stuff' and it's made with corn/wheat if it's the cheaper stuff) - which is likely to have contributed to so many diabetic cats in our environment these days. It's not a natural diet for cats to eat that stuff (mice are not made of rice, vegetables or grains of any kind)...and back in the day that's what cats ate - mice and possibly a few table scraps - but not kibble made by an industry that's interested in making $$$ and not in the health/well being of your cat - regardless of their marketing reps who say how great it is for your pet - it isn't...

Let's all hope it's not truly diabetes, just a reaction to high stress and was a temporary event. Best to you on your next vet visit. And congrats on getting your testing kit and taking care of your kitty at home! Much better than listening to your vet who may possibly have caused you an expensive ER visit for hypoglycemia...and we won't even go there about how bad that could have turned out. :bighug:
 
JoyBee&Ravan said:
Your Kitties are beautiful!!
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I was going to say the same, so cute!!

Good luck to you :bighug: GREAT job getting the meter and testing. We all understand what a whirlwind that can be. One of the best pieces of advice a few people told me from here is remember to get a treat for yourself for your stress, and take time for yourself. I hope his numbers continue to stay low. If not, you are in the right place and it will be ok.
 
Welcome! You have found the right people to guide you on this maze.
Everything they are saying makes absolute sense.
Good luck with the new Vet and let us know how it goes!
 
Sue and Luci said:
- avoid dry kibble - it's mostly junk (no matter how much it costs, it's made with rice and vegetables if it's the 'good stuff' and it's made with corn/wheat if it's the cheaper stuff) - which is likely to have contributed to so many diabetic cats in our environment these days. It's not a natural diet for cats to eat that stuff (mice are not made of rice, vegetables or grains of any kind)...and back in the day that's what cats ate - mice and possibly a few table scraps - but not kibble made by an industry that's interested in making $$$ and not in the health/well being of your cat - regardless of their marketing reps who say how great it is for your pet - it isn't...
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I'm so Happy to see you say that!:joyful: I believe every word & am so glad someone else does also! :joyful::joyful::joyful:
 
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