Jack is dipping low even on reduced dose...?

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Jack and Jenell

Jack and Jenell

Member Since 2014
Posted in PZI forum as well, but just looking for feedback. Jack's recent numbers are in his SS, but they are kinda all over the place too.

Ok well, I know I'm a day late, but I shoot at noon and midnight because I work a swing shift job, so the last dose of insulin he got was a midnight, so I'm posting for the last cycle :)

PMPS 272 3.5 u
+ 3 148
+ 9 37

Wow! He's never gone this low. He's eating and appears ok but I will retest of course. I guess he's earned another dose reduction to 3 units right? He is sooo labile. I'll post in the general forum for feedback as well. If he comes up for his noon AMPS, should I shoot the 3 units?
 
Did you just get that 37? Please edit your post to add the 911 symbol.

If you have not already, do you have Karo, strips, high carb food? Feed approx. 1 tsp. high carb gravy (preferably the gravy), or give 1 drop Karo, and retest in 20 mins. Post on this topic.

I'm at work, so I'm going to try to grab someone else to help you.
 
Ditto on Jen's comment. If you just tested and got that 37, it's time for some high carb food. Please give Jack a teaspoon or so of HC food or a few drops of Karo and re-test in 20 - 30 min. Repeat the process until his numbers are clearly rising.

Here are the instructions on handling low numbers.
 
Ditto to the high carb,

But if it were my cat I'd not wait 20 - 30 mins to re-test.
When I'm trying to get my cat's numbers up (and really don't want him to drop any lower) I test every 10 - 12 mins.
Karo/glucose/syrup gets into the system quickly.
 
He ate wet food as well as high carb. After 45 min he is up to 85. Jack, I'm learning, is totally asymptomatic when he's hypoglycemic which is scary. Actually, what's even scarier is to think how low he may have been in the +6- +8 hour ranges. I just can't get control of his numbers and this is really frustrating.

I've been consistent with as much as I can too. He only eats FF classics or Friskies pates and freeze dried chicken as a treat. I have been shooting him in the shoulders the past few days because of his AM/PM pre shots appeared as if his insulin was wearing off too soon, but maybe he's just been bouncing from his lows. Should I start shooting in the hip area? Any suggestions about dosing for today and tonight? I'm sure he'll bounce after this cycle :(
 
I'd get a couple more tests in yet today. The HC can wear off quickly, so Jack may dip again. If he's shootable at your regular shot time, I'd definitely reduce the dose. It's likely that his high pre-shots is because he's bouncing off the lows. If you can get tests in 2-3 hours after your shot, that should help fill in some of the missing puzzle pieces. If there is a big drop by +2 or +3, that can signal that he's going to go low.
 
While this may be a debatable issue, many vets will tell you that insulin is absorbed more slowly in the scruff. So, it depends on what you're looking for with regard to shot location. I've been dealing with Gabby's FD for some time now and I've always shot in the scruff.

Over the years, I've run into only a small number of kitties that experience symptomatic hypoglycemia. The caveat is that I spend most of my time on the Lantus board and Lantus and Levemir are very different than ProZinc. I think if you are reasonably good about testing, it would be less likely for your cat's symptoms of low numbers to go unnoticed. FWIW, there's a difference between low numbers and symptomatic hypoglycemia. Many of our kitties will on occasion drop into the 30s for a brief period with no ill effects. Personally, what I think is important is that you don't panic and you know how to steer those numbers with high carb food like you did today.
 
Hi,

Regarding hypoglycemia do be aware too that 'absence of symptoms does not mean absence of hypo'.
A cat can look fine one minute and be seizuring the next. Really. So the BG numbers are an important guide irrespective of the absence of symptoms.
Some cats show symptoms of hypo when the hypo is just mild. Some show symptoms when the hypo is moderately advanced (as my own cat has done). But some cats do not show symptoms until the hypo is severe. (Someone who joined FDMB fairly recently reported that her cat was sitting on the living room rug looking absolutely normal, and then it suddenly keeled over and started seizuring.)

Here are some symptoms of hypo to look out for. (But the cat may show other symptoms in addition to those listed).

"SYMPTOMS
Some cats may have NO symptoms whatsoever, but here are the most common ones:

MILD HYPOGLYCEMIA
Sudden ravenous hunger
Shivering
Weak or lethargic

MODERATE HYPOGLYCEMIA
Disorientation
Trouble with vision... bumps into furniture
Poor coordination, such as staggering, walking in circles or acting drunk
Changes in head or neck movements
Restlessness
Urgent meowing
Behavioral changes, such as aggressiveness

SEVERE HYPOGLYCEMIA
Convulsions or seizures
Unconsciousness


TREATMENT

During treatment for hypoglycemia, try to test every 15 minutes until you see the bgs begin to rise. Then continue to test until you are satisfied that the cat is out of danger."

The info above is from the sticky here:
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=15887
The document also details action to take in the event of hypoglycemia (although it is my personal view that the document needs updating in some of it's details).

Eliz
 
Thank you everyone for the quick response. I had read the hypo links before, so I new what to do. Jack came up nicely, but now after a mere 3 hrs, he is 536. Grrr. I'm gonna say this is a bounce.
 
Certainly looks like Jack's body kicked in to keep him safe. Plus that high carb food is at least partially to blame for his higher numbers. Hope he settles down quickly from this bounce.
 
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