Insulin Day 1 issues

[Momuv3princesses]

Today we started Massey on glargine. She got 1 unit. I fed her rehydrated freeze dried, a little tube of chicken (her first time eating any kind of wet food) and a small amount of ham lunch meat. Then took her blood sugar which was 235. This is lower than what we were previously experiencing for a first blood sugar of the day. It was usually 300s-360s but I have not been taking it as much in the past week since I found out we were starting insulin. She has had a diet change in the last few weeks (and unfortunately constipation). We took her blood sugar after an hour and it was down to 153. We took it again at 2 hrs and it was 90. This freaked us out a bit that it was dropping too much too fast so we called the vet. They said to feed her and take it again in an hour. So we fed her some of her old dry kibble and in 30 min it was 86. I wasn’t happy with that still so we gave her like 15 temptations treats and a small amount of dry food and took it again in 30 min. It was 102.

I am hating this already. The vet wants her back on her old dry food or hills w/d and she wants dry out all the time. I would be ok if that was freeze dry but not regular dry. I cannot see using insulin to lower her BS and using food to increase it. Seems so counterproductive and that it will only keep her in the diabetic cycle. I am working to get her to wet and have been happy she will eat the rehydrated raw freeze dry (just as of yesterday but still).

I am awaiting a call back from the vet office. Of course I am concerned about giving her insulin over night and we chose late times to do her insulin because of our schedule.

Any advice on how to proceed? I hate to go against the vet but I feel like she is not one for healing through diet.

 

[SpotsMom]

Are you using syringes with half unit markings? 1 unit seems like it’s too much for her. Wet food is the way. I agree with your thoughts on using dry food to prop up her numbers… it is counterproductive.

 

[squeem3]

Normal healthy blood glucose levels are roughly 60 to 150 mg/dl. There's no need to panic with a number just under 100 if the cat is acting just fine. Just monitor and feed something with 15% or so carbs.

Do you have a hypo toolkit? If not, you should put one together and know what the symptoms are and if you can treat at home or need an immediate trip to the vet.

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-treat-hypos-they-can-kill-print-this-out.15887/
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/jojo-and-bunnys-hypo-tool-box.2354/

And to be sure, you do know how to measure 1 (one) unit? The line marked 10 is exactly that, 10 (ten) units. There have been newbies in the past who mistakenly read the line marked as 10 as 1.0 units.

You and your vet can just agree to disagree about food. You don't need the vet's approval or permission to feed what you feel is best for your cat. Remember, it's YOUR cat and YOU make the decisions. Just be polite but firm about your choice of what to feed. You don't necessarily need a new vet unless you don't feel the current vet isn't really listening to your questions and concerns and doesn't like anything you're doing for the cat at home.

 

[Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA)]

I second that. Vets know close to nothing about feline nutrition especially when it comes to diabetes. That’s why there are specialty pet nutritionists. I wouldn’t listen to your vet when it comes to food.