My cat became insulin resistant and we don't know why...

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Gaelle

Gaelle

Member Since 2016
Hi every one,
I need your help! l moved récent my and decided to pay à visit to our new vet. When he checked linux's glucose, it was at 27! this was à surprise as it had been very well regulated until then. he had 1.5 units of caninsulin morning and evening. The vet soon identified a teeth infection, and removed the teeth the next day. Since then Linux have been very poorly with diarrea and still very high glucose rates. We treated him for lots of things (potassium deficiency, diarrea) And we have done all the possible tests. all of them came clean. but the glucose is still very high. it was at 29 on tuesday night, when his caninsulin was due. also he has now the neuropathy in his back legs and front legs, which is painful to see. he then has b6 vitamin injection once a week. He has now been misérable for more than a month and the vet cannot find why he is insulin resistant. he is at 2.5 units a day now. So l have two questions for you lovely people: 1) have you encountered insulin résistance with your cat and how did you break it? 2) i am thinking about buying a glucose meter. we are in the uk. do you have some to recommend ? thank you so much for your help, it is difficult to see him like that x
 
The insulin needs can change over time. This doesn't mean he's resistant, just that the dose he needs changed. After you dose do you check what his levels are 4-5 hours later? If it's still high you may need to raise the dose. For the neuropathy, in addition to getting his bg regulated, please start giving vitamin b12
 
Hello Gaelle (I hope this is your name?)

I'm sorry to hear the problems you're having with Linux. Can you give us a little more info - how long has he had diabetes and when you say he has been well regulated, is this because of tests the vet has carried out (usually a fructosamine test or a curve)? How long was Linux on 1.5u and when did you last take him to a vet for checks before this episode at the new vet?

It is possible that the tooth infection caused the high BG you weren't expecting, but it should have settled since the cause was treated.

It would be very helpful to gather some more data - I mean BG numbers - over a course of time so we can see how the dose of insulin is working. It may be that Linux is not insulin resistant, but the dose may need adjusting. So yes, do please buy a meter. The One Touch Ultra is a good choice and the meter and strips are usually available on ebay. Other members may have other suggestions: @Alexi @Critter Mom ?

If you can get a meter and learn how to use it, that would be a good first step in seeing what's going on here and starting to sort it out. True insulin resistance is unusual but there are conditions that require high doses of insulin - that's something to be explored further down the line.

Best of luck and keep posting here with any questions.

Diana (also in the UK)
 
Hello there, piling on another welcome. My kitty has a number of conditions that cause insulin resistance. A couple of them are high dose conditions, but also a heart condition and kidney disease. We don't normally suggest that caregivers worry about high dose conditions until the dose is over 6 units, so I wouldn't consider that an issue yet. Sounds like your kitty is doing well healthwise from his blood work. So I would do what the others have suggested, get a meter and start seeing what his numbers look like at home. I have a non diabetic kitty that once tested over 11 at the vet, and 3 at home the next day. Stress of going to the vet can artificially inflate numbers and make it hard to get a true picture of how he's doing on a particular dose.
 
Hi, and welcome to FDMB!:)
I also have a cat who requires a larger insulin dose. At one point while he was on Vetsulin (Caninsulin) he was up to 7 units twice a day! Right now he is on Lantus and is up to 4.75 units twice daily. Try not to look at it so much as a high dose, but rather just the dose he needs to stay healthy!
 
My MurrFee had acromegaly and was on 50 units twice daily.
Without home testing it is really impossible to find out what is really happening to BG over a day. Vet stress can raise BG by 6points (100 USA) or more.
 
JanetNJ said:
The insulin needs can change over time. This doesn't mean he's resistant, just that the dose he needs changed. After you dose do you check what his levels are 4-5 hours later? If it's still high you may need to raise the dose. For the neuropathy, in addition to getting his bg regulated, please start giving vitamin b12
Click to expand...
The vet thinks that as the infection has been treated Linux should be back to his previous levels, that is why he put him back to 1.5 units twice a day. he has one injection of B6 per week to help wioth the neuropathy, and I need to buy a meter now.
 
Diana&Tom said:
Hello Gaelle (I hope this is your name?)

I'm sorry to hear the problems you're having with Linux. Can you give us a little more info - how long has he had diabetes and when you say he has been well regulated, is this because of tests the vet has carried out (usually a fructosamine test or a curve)? How long was Linux on 1.5u and when did you last take him to a vet for checks before this episode at the new vet?

It is possible that the tooth infection caused the high BG you weren't expecting, but it should have settled since the cause was treated.

It would be very helpful to gather some more data - I mean BG numbers - over a course of time so we can see how the dose of insulin is working. It may be that Linux is not insulin resistant, but the dose may need adjusting. So yes, do please buy a meter. The One Touch Ultra is a good choice and the meter and strips are usually available on ebay. Other members may have other suggestions: @Alexi @Critter Mom ?

If you can get a meter and learn how to use it, that would be a good first step in seeing what's going on here and starting to sort it out. True insulin resistance is unusual but there are conditions that require high doses of insulin - that's something to be explored further down the line.

Best of luck and keep posting here with any questions.

Diana (also in the UK)
Click to expand...
Thank you for your answer! :) I never tested Linux before, only the vet did.When Linux was checked end of July we had to put up the units to 2 twice a day (so my actual vet think that the teeth infection may have had already started then!). And then I went to see my actual vet on the 19th October. But before that he had been at 1.5 units for more than a year and was very well controlled. I am going to the vet at 11am tomorrow and we will do the check 3.5 hours after the insulin injection, so we will have an accurate number.
I will definitely buy a meter!
For now the vet thinks that as he will very well controlled on Caninsulin before the teeth infection, we should determine why it is not the case anymore. We are ruling potential causes one by one, but for now we have ruled out lots of things and it is still high.
 
SweetAngel said:
Hi Gaelle,

I'm in Uk too
See if your vet will put Linux on Prozinc. Before I was given an alphatrak I used this meter https://www.amazon.co.uk/Codefree-Glucose-Monitor-Monitoring-Testing/dp/B0068JAJFS/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=drugstore&ie=UTF8&qid=1479603785&sr=1-1&keywords=codefree glucose you would need to get extra strips at the same time. What food is Linux on?
Click to expand...
Hi,

Thank you for your answer!
I think that before putting Linux on Prozinc he wants to make sure there is nothing else that could prevent the caninsulin to work.

Linux has been on Purina Diabetes Management wet food and dry food since we found out he had diabetes. it used to work well.

Question regarding the alphatrak, would you recommend a second hand alphatrak or a brand new cheaper reader with strips? Is there no risk when buying a second hand one?
 
Gaelle said:
Hi,

Thank you for your answer!
I think that before putting Linux on Prozinc he wants to make sure there is nothing else that could prevent the caninsulin to work.

Linux has been on Purina Diabetes Management wet food and dry food since we found out he had diabetes. it used to work well.

Question regarding the alphatrak, would you recommend a second hand alphatrak or a brand new cheaper reader with strips? Is there no risk when buying a second hand one?
Click to expand...
The cost in BG testing is in the strips, not the meter. AT strips are very expensive. A second hand meter might be fine. Just make sure you have spare batteries for it.
 
Thank you so much all for your answers, it is great to have so much help! We are going to the vet tomorrow and will have the numbers taken 3.5 hours after the injection. I find him brighter and he even walks (a bit), but l can tell the rates are still high. He still drinks a lot and is not himself. I have not noticed any difference re his neuropathy with the vitamin B6 injections, but he only had two until now so l may need to be patient. Next step is buying a meter! Many thanks everyone
 
Woodsywife said:
Gaelle, where xrays done after the dental? It could be something was missed or another bad tooth started. Methylacobalamin is needed for neuropathy. I attached the link so you can see it. I don't know what source you have where you are.

http://www.ilifelink.com/zobaline-for_diabetic_cats-3_mg_x_60_tablets.html
Click to expand...
Hello, There was no x ray done post surgery but the vet checked again yesterday and the teeth are fine. Is the methylacobalamin the same thing than vitamin B6?(I will check that!) He had three injections and yesterday he managed to jump on the bed :)
 
So we went to the vet yesterday, and 3 hours after his injection he was at 21. It is slightly better than before, and he is re gaining weight (hoorray!). We increased the dose to 3 units and we will go back in two weeks. He seems a lot happier than before! now the next step is to buy a meter and check him every day. Thank you for your support!
 
Gaelle said:
Hello, There was no x ray done post surgery but the vet checked again yesterday and the teeth are fine. Is the methylacobalamin the same thing than vitamin B6?(I will check that!) He had three injections and yesterday he managed to jump on the bed :)
Click to expand...

No it's different. I believe it's b12. It works a little different than the b12 injections. It does take time to see results. It crushes easily so you can mix in food. My Smokey who I inherited and hadn't had his insulin for months had weak back legs. I started zobaline twice a day. I saw results in 3 weeks and cut it back to one a day. Also once the blood sugar improves the neuropathy will improve.
 
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