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ellymae

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My cat was just diag with feline diabetes. Not to sure yet how much she will be given. But will have that answer tomorrow. I just wanted to know will my cat live long and healthy life. Or is it better to put her down before having to go through of that?
Any help would be apprciated..
 
each cat is different but i can tell you my Mousie has had diabetes for nearly 4 years now and she doesn't know it. and neither would anyone that walked in my house and saw her. she is as healthy now as she was before she got diabetes if you ask me. probably healthier because i watch her diet and make sure she eats better now

with proper treatment, proper diet, and no other major complicating health problems, heck yeah she can live a long healthy life. and treating diabetes takes maybe 10 minutes out of your day. it is soooooo worth a shot. we don't consider putting our moms and dads down when they are diagnosed with diabetes. our kitties deserve a chance too.
 
Do not even think about putting your kitty to sleep. Humans live with diabetes for decades! It's no different with a cat. (Just to make a comparison... If this were your 2 year old child that was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, you would treat the condition and the child would live a long and happy life as long as the condition were properly managed.) You're not alone in dealing with this -- even though it may seem terrifying at the moment. Most of us would probably tell you that hearing this diagnosis for our cat is one of the worst days our our collective lives.

Just like with a child, the routine takes a bit of getting used to and there is what feels like an overwhelming amount to learn at the beginning. You need to learn how to home test and how to give a shot and how to adjust dosing, just to start out. We are here to help you. No one here would ever suggest to euthanize your kitty. We live with feline diabetes every day. This site has an admirable record of helping cats into remission. If you love your kitty as much as we love ours, this is a condition you can manage.
 
Please do not put your cat down because of this diagnosis!

There are many cats who can be controlled just by changing their diet!
Just switching a cat from dry food to a wet, canned type of food can make a HUGE difference for a cat.

I have two cats that are diabetic, and they are doing just fine! Actually they are doing better than fine - my Oliver is putting on maybe a bit too much weight, he sure loves his foods and purrs like a motorboat after some good meals.

Diabetes is a condition that humans and animals may have but they can live a fine life WITH diabetes.

Please tell us a bit more about your cat and we can help you understand and deal with it.
Feline diabetes is quite manageable.
 
Many cats live long happy lives with FD. You have come to a great place to learn about FD and get help taking care of your cat. do you know what insulin your vet is going to prescribe? Lantus an Levemir both work very well for cats and many here have gotten their cats into remission with them.

FD is definitely not a death sentence. My Tess is happier and more playful than she has been in years and we look forward to many more together.
Start reading the stickies at the top of the page and the general info on http://felinediabetes.com Be sure to check the links to Dr. Lisa Pierson's website http://catinfo.org/ As in humans diet is crucial in caring for a diabetic cat. If you are feeding dry food get your kitty switched to canned, low carb food. Here is a link for a list showing the carb % of many commercial cat foods http://binkyspage.tripod.com/canfood.html

WElcome to FDMB and Lantus Land.
 
ellymae said:
My cat was just diag with feline diabetes. Not to sure yet how much she will be given. But will have that answer tomorrow. I just wanted to know will my cat live long and healthy life. Or is it better to put her down before having to go through of that?
Any help would be apprciated..
Click to expand...
Elly Mae, your cat can live long, live healthy, and live happily. It's not even as hard as it seems at the moment.

When Esse was first diagnosed (September '09, in great trouble), I was frantic. I didn't have this forum, and relied on my nursing education to restructure Esse's feeding (and the other 8 cats), as well as find a proper dose of insulin. My vet was not knowledgable about feline diabetes, discouraged home testing, and had her on a pretty high dose of Humulin (a kind of insulin).

After I didn't get the results I'd expected, and after a long, difficult discussion with my vet, I figured out some things - like changing insulin to Lantus (the best, as far as I'm concerned), changing the food even more, and starting to track Esse's results on a spreadsheet.

Then I made the most amazing discovery - this place. Found a ton of support, more information than I could even begin to understand, and even better - people who understand what it's like to be in my shoes.

Over time, I got Esse semi-regulated. She's happier, healthier, and more "together" than she's ever been, and I can't be more thrilled.

Then...just to show you it's not only doable, but easily so - I adopted a cat from Diabetic Cats in Need. He was in sorry, sorry shape; about 1/2 of what he should've weighed, sugars in the high 500s, not willing to be tested let alone treated. Peeing all over, lethargic, and bad bad fur...bald spots, sparse hair...just not in good shape.

Well, Eeyore, now about 10 weeks later, is not only jumping to his testing spot and no longer protesting it, has gained the weight he needed; has abundant energy; pees in the box only; has the most luxuriant coat I've ever felt; and is a very happy cat. We are still searching for his correct dose, but even without that, he's getting ever so much better. And he has a new best friend, Malachi, as well as thinks snuggling is about the best thing ever...a very, very different (read: healthy) cat he is, in such a short time.

All of this is to say, Ellymae, that even with a nursing school student's schedule, and with all the other things that life throws at a person...it's completely doable, the cats can get healthy and live long, happy lives, and the most amazing thing - they don't even get bothered by testing and shooting insulin. If it weren't doable, I certainly wouldn't be doing it with my first sugarbaby, let alone take another, far more sick, cat into my home.

So take heart, have faith, and realize that you and your baby are in for a learning curve. But once the initial craziness is over and a routine is established, all will be well...it really will. And since you're starting off with this place, you're already leaps and bounds ahead of the curve.

Hang in there...take a breath. Take another breath. And know that if I can do it, anyone can.

Best-
Michele
 
Please NO don't put your baby down!!!!

Doodles was just diagnosed on April 19th and we have made great progress!!!!

This is what will happen...you are a NEWBIE in the diabetic world...and for sure you are in a GREAT PLACE WITH GREAT HELP AND GREAT PEOPLE AND KITTIES TOO!!!!
I cannot say enough of the help that doodles and I have recieved.

My sugguestion to you...start on Lantus don't mess with the N which is what my vet started on...after researching I found this is where she should be...again each cat is different (ECID)...
YOU will be overwhelmed with ALL OF THE NEW LINGO, MEASURING, NEW FOOD ETC...but be patient you can do it. Keep a journal of what you feed your baby...NO DRY KIBBLES PERIOD!!!!!!!!
The vet gave me a lower carb diet wet and dry!! I changed as the wet and the dry were TOO HIGH in carbs! NO more carbs for your baby...go to janet and binkey's food chart take that with you when you
shop for your baby...I keep doodles under 10 carbs and her brother is a victim of circumstances and now eats healthy :-D the change can be stressful with the healthy kitties but hang in there.

Quick list:
Test at home a must ~ that's the easy part (Doodles hates the vets and after a terrible day with testing for her there, her numbers were not good, I swore I would never take her again, was not good and set her back a few days)
Change the diet!!! ~ that's a must
Start your SS Sheet ~ that will help everyone with your questions that you will have :-D
And everyone told me READ THE STICKIES AGAIN AND AGAIN...it will start to make sense. Don't be afraid to ask anything you will get an honest answer!

Please feel free to send me a message I can't help with dosing but can add moral support since I'm not that far ahead of you...and yes I have had many freak out moments!!!
Where do you live? If someone is close to you they could come help you get started. Lori and Tom helped save doodles!!! She came over and got me going and gave me words and hugs of encouragement!!!
 
ellemae, a great many of us felt that way at first. ALL OF US now are happy with HEALTHY kitties and new friends. Tom was in terrible shape when he started, now he's never been better. Go on over to the health room and see if you can get set up with a newbie kit. introduce yourself in that room as well as here. And tell us more about yourself and kitty, like what your feeding, what his diagnosis #'s were and if you want where you live.
Breathe, You can get thru this....we all did.
Welcome to Feline Diabetes.
 
Hi! You have gotten some great advice here but just wanted to throw my 2 cents in. FD is very manageable!!! Scrabble is 13 and a half and was diagnosed in February. He went off of insulin almost a month ago. It is possible! Cats and humans can live long healthy lives with diabetes. Please give your kitty a chance, there are so many wonderful people here that can help you through the process!
I felt so devastated when I found out too but don't give up hope!!!!
 
Ellymae,

Belle has had so many problems I was actually happy and relieved when she was diagnosed with diabtetes. I was fearing something much worse. 2 months later and with the care and advice of this board, the diabetes has been a non issue. One thing you need to realize is all the horrible things you hear can happen to people with diabetes happens over a lifetime, which in people is tens of years. Since cats live a fraction of that time, you won't see most if any of the same issues.

Read the board and you'll see that it can be very manageable. Not all cats will react the same, but with a little experience and the help of this board, you will understand your responsibilities in no time.

Please do not even consider putting your cat to sleep. Diabetes is not a death sentence unless you make it one.

Jason
 
Hi Ellymae and welcome to Feline Diabetes Message Board! I just want to add my 2 cents to what everyone else has written. Diabetes is a condition, not a "disease", and our kitties here are living good lives with their condition. Stu was diagnosed more than 4 years ago. He did not get proper treatment until this year, when I found this message board. Even so, he muddled along and now, with testing his blood sugar and adjusting his dose accordingly (following the protocol we use), he is a "new man". He plays and moves like a lithe kitten again (he's 12 years old). You will get all the help you need here from some very knowledgeable people. Never be afraid to ask questions. Read all the information "stickies" at the top of the forum. It will all seem overwhelming at first, but all will get easier as you go on. Please give your kitty a chance! Feline diabetes is manageable. It is not a death sentence.
Welcome to you and your kitty. We are waiting to hear all about her.

Ella & Stu
 
Well I have started Ellie on Lantus.. My Vet said it was the best stuff out there right now. She gets 2.5 twice a day to start.
I was feeding most of my cats Wellness Core but they told me to put her on Perscription Md Cat dry and wet food. Now I have to figure out a way to feed all my cats. I have 5 cats .. Ellie is the diabetic and then there is Jim Jim who is on Perscription CD for his Crystals, the other 3 have no problems. My vet has said that Jim Jim Can not eat the MD but the others can. Does anyone know how many times a day I should feed her now, my vet was kinda vague? My vet has showed me how to test Ellie Blood sugar levels. He said I can test it once a week. I am wondering if I should test it once a day? I have her sugar this morning before giving her a shot and it was 419 and this evening it was 428. Does anyone know around how long she would show signs of improvement?

One more thing!! I want to thank everyone for all you support. I never even expected a response, but I am sure glad that I did.....

Elli and I send a Million Thanks
 
Hi, Sweetheart.

O.k., your vet sounds like my first one. Don't home test, shoot high dose, and use prescription. I followed that advice, and got nowhere.

Here's how to do it.

1. No more dry food ever. (I know, that's hard. But it's the way it needs to be).

2. Find a food that everyone will/can eat. I find that Wellness WET has some great, low carb stuff that all 10 (yes, 10!!) will eat. Also, Evo. And there are some pages here that will give you the carb breakdown of all canned food...look at them, and go from there. I keep everyone at or below 5% carbs, because that's the way their bodies work best.

3. Test before the meal. Period. If you can't get blood, don't shoot insulin. Insulin can kill humans and cats very quickly, and if you overdose them by not knowing their numbers to start with, it's very hard to get them back from that. So test at least before every shot time, and feed right after you test; then shoot.

4. Do NOT start at 2.5 twice a day. I know that's what the vet says, and from what they learned, they're right. However, they don't know the latest, and often will give Lantus doses from the same perspective of different insulins. I have two diabetics; one is at 3 units twice a day, the other one is at 1.25 units twice a day (and changing).

Here's why you don't want to do 2.5 units Bid (twice a day). If you change their food (and you will be changing their food), their blood sugars (bg, bs) will also change. If the bs drops, and you're still giving 2.5u bid, then you run the risk of ODing the kitty.

The Tilly protocol, which we follow here (mostly; I am one who doesn't follow it all the time...but that's for Eeyore, who's a pretty different cat) says to start with 1 unit twice a day. And as the food changes and blood tests show, the bg's may fall low enough. And if they don't, then we increase the dose by 0.25 units. That way, we don't miss the correct dose for the cat, as all cats are different (ECID - each cat is different).

If this were me, and I were you, and she was one of my kitties, here's what I'd do:
1. Do not give insulin just yet. (see #5)
2. Start a spreadsheet (someone will link one over to you, if they haven't already).
3. Change their food to something ultra low carb, like the Wellness or Evo, or other under 5% that can be found on Janet and Binky's list.
4. Test sugars at least before every meal.
5. Only start with 1 unit bid of insulin, and watch the sugars carefully. Do this after you've had her on the right food for two whole days - 48 hours. That will give you a better idea of where your starting point is.
6. Post here daily with a new thread, and post up her sugar numbers. That way, everyone here can help guide you with this thing called the "Sugar Dance".

If I had done this with Eeyore to begin with, I'd've probably not seen the craziness that we're now experiencing. I didn't - I let his numbers scare me, threw him right off into insulin, and now am backing down the scale to find his correct dose.

And let me add this: If I can do this with (at the time) 9 cats, all of whom thought dry food was the only thing to eat, then you can do this with 5. As for crystals, a lot of that comes from the dry food...so see what happens for your crystal kitty on a good, quality, wet food before worrying about how to feed dry to him alone.

And welcome. We are all here to help; we have all been exactly where you are. And we know how to get from point A to point B with as little difficulty as possible. I only wish I'd known about this place when Esse was dx'd...so you're already one (or many) steps ahead of me.

Best to you!
Michele, Esse, Eeyore, and the other 8...
 
Dito Michele! If I found this site when Jake was DX, it would be different.
2.5u for the start is waaay to much!
Just hope that Ellimae listen and follow protocol!
 
OK first thing you need to know is that you do NOT have to feed that expensive foods CD or MD that your vet is pushing on you. There are not good ingredients, and you can find plenty of better foods on this list. Do not feed dry food to Elli; dry food is likely contributing to Elli's high numbers. Look for foods that have low carb numbers. I feed mine friskies and fancy feasts; they are low carb, and much much cheaper!
Binky’s Food Lists

You should be testing Elli before every shot, not just once a week. You need to know what Elli's number is before you give a shot because Elli could be low already and you could cause serious hypo situation. You need to watch for some signs, and if you are not sure, test Elli and see what her BG number is.
Please see this link:
List of Hypo symptoms

I mention the hypo symptoms as your starting dose of 2.5 may be too high and could cause Elli to be getting too much insulin and drop too low.
Most people will start at a dose like 1unit twice a day.

If you look at my signature and others, you will see links to the spreadsheets we use to keep track of our cats' test results. You will be able to track Elli's numbers and her dose changes and you will be able to see how she is improving..
Here is the link for you to set up your own spreadsheet for Elli:
Spreadsheet Template and Instructions

People will be asking you the same questions over and over, so you can set up a profile for Elli that contains info about Elli, and whatever you want to put. You can click on the links in my signature for my 2 cats to see some of the things I put.
Here is the link for creating your own profile:
Profile Creation

Finally, here's a link that contains much of the above links and alot more info all rolled into one place. It's handy so you can bookmark it and keep referring to it when you need.
New to the Group

So, I know it's lots to take in but don't worry about it. There are so very many people here who can answer any of the questions you may have and who can help you get all set up.

I wish I could comment on the crystals that Jim Jim has, but I have no experience or knowledge. You could post in the health group to ask about diet and what's good and bad for cat with crystals.

Others will be along to give you more info and help.
 
Hi there -

Ditto what everyone else said and a couple things that I didn't know when Kasha was dx'd in March. First, this forum is the best. People will help and guide you no matter how frustrated or angry or confused or sad you may feel. And they will celebrate your victories with you as well. It rocks.

When you say your vet showed you how to test sugar at home - did he/she show you how to test blood sugar with a meter (where you get a prick of blood, usually from the ear and then use a test strip with the meter to find out the BG - Blood Glucose)? Or was your vet talking about urine test strips? Just checking. I'm assuming the blood/meter test? Cuz that's what you want.

Also - if you've read the stickies, you should have seen that with Lantus, you will get your lowest blood glucose numbers somewhere mid-cycle (around halfway between shots). When I started giving insulin this past March, I didn't really understand that, so I was adjusting the dose based on the preshot readings. But it's important to know how low they are going later in the cycle as well. So, you should most likely test at shot time (just before shooting) and mid-way between shots to get more of an idea what's going on. The more often you test (especially when first starting), the more of a complete picture you'll have of how the insulin is really acting on your cat. If you look at Kasha's spreadsheet (link is in my signature), you will see that often lately, her numbers are high at the preshot times, but they can drop low, low, low (sometimes really low) 4 to 6 hours after the shot. If I weren't testing mid-cyle (when I can), I wouldn't really know how she was doing...

I know it's overwhelming at first, but it's really not that bad and the more you learn, the easier it will be...
 
This all is a lot to swallow, but please know you can do this, we all love our cats, and do the best for them.
Your vet studied about feline diabetes for like a half hour in vet school..Most of them are not experienced with feline diabetes.
We here are more knowledgeable than most vets around, we have the latest studies, the protocol which has helped so so many cats here, and you have a 24/7 forum to help you with your cat every hour of the day or nite--We have a vet on the board here & many vet techs..
Take one hour at a time right now.
We all know the impact of this illness in the beginning stages--We are here to Help you--
Welcome to lantus land!
 
As many have said here before, getting your cats off the dry food is the first and major step to take. Mot just for your FD kitty but for JimJim's cystitis too. This is from Dr. Lisa Pierson's site on feline nutrition http://catinfo.org/#Common_Feline_Health_Problems_and_Their_Ties_to_Diet_

If I could have the reader take away just one word from this discussion, it would be "water". If your cat is on a properly hydrated diet of 100% canned food - and no dry food - you stand a very good chance of never needing to read this webpage.

Cystitis is an extremely common and very painful problem in the cat. Stones are also somewhat common and can lead to a life-threatening urinary tract blockage...............

............It is important to note, however, that "crystals" are not the same thing as stones. Crystals are often a normal finding in a cat's urine and it is not necessarily appropriate to put the cat on a "special urinary tract" formula when these are found in the urine.

Important: I often see too much clinical significance placed on the identification of crystals in the urine without regard to how the urine sample was handled. It is very important to understand that crystals will often form once outside of the body within a very short (30-60 minutes) period of time. If the veterinarian does not examine the urine right away and either sends it to an outside laboratory or uses a free-catch sample that the owner brought from home, an erroneous diagnosis of crystals may be made. This is called a "false positive" report and results in unnecessary worry on the part of the owner and often leads to the cat being placed on an inappropriate, low quality diet.

With regard to overall kidney and bladder health, I cannot stress strongly enough how important water is in both the prevention and treatment of diseases involving this organ system.

When a cat is on a diet of water-depleted dry food, they produce a more highly concentrated urine (higher urine specific gravity - USG) and they produce a lower volume of urine (often half of what a cat on canned food produces) which means that a higher concentration of crystals will be present in the urine. This increases the chance of these crystals forming life-threatening stones. It is also thought that the highly concentrated urine may be very irritating to the bladder wall in some cats, predisposing them to painful cystitis.
Click to expand...

I encourage you to go read the entire article. It opened my eyes. I know it one more thing that you are being asked to read and absorb. It is all overwhelming.

Most vets have little experience dealing with FD. The peeps here are living with it.

Got to go, time to test Tess and give her her shot. It does become routine.
 
Ellie Mae

Wow all the info ! I would have never known there was this much info!! Thanks...

Well Ellie is doing the 2.5 a day... I will change her to the 1 unit a day like someone has suggested and try that first. Yesterday her level in the morning way 419 and Last night it was 444.. This morning it was 250.. I have changed to just wet food, she seems to like Wellness Turkey. My sister who had a cat on insulin years ago said I should not give her regular tap water. Her Tigger had gotten a parasite from the water and it really messed with his sugar levels. So her vet at the time told her to use bottle water.
I have the weekend off so I am going to spend my days reading and printing all the info that all of you have provided....
Thanks Again Danielle and Ellie
 
Hi and welcome to the group. I'm chiming in late, but wanted to ask where are you located? There may be members close by who can help you.

Also, you've gotten tons of great advice and the thing is, there is a lot of information here. Bookmark this page, so you have it readily available and all in one thread.

Additionally, you are not expected to learn everything at once. IT takes time, but eventually you will get the hang of it. Just remember the basics - insulin, food and home testing.

Those are the three key factors in helping your cat.

Insulin - giving the correct amount of insulin each time - how do you know what the correct amount is - by home testing the BG's of course. It is the only way you will know how the insulin is working. Removing all dry food and feeding only low carb (under 10%) wet (canned or raw) food is what your cat needs. And honestly what all your cats will do best on. So, if you have more than one cat, feed everyone the same foods.

Since you have the prescription food - you can return it to the vet for a refund - all you have to tell the vet is your stopped eating it and doesn't like it. They have to take it back and return your money. Now you can use that money and go to the local pet store and stock up on the better quality, low carb foods.

Finally, remember to stay calm and breathe. You can do this and we will help you!

So, happy reading and please ask any and all questions, no matter how silly or dumb it seems. We've heard it all and have answers, tips, tricks for everything!
 
Please get a spreadsheet started. That will allow us to help you with dosing and other questions related to your cat's progress.

Please, please, please start getting tests during the middle of the cycle. Numbers can, quite literally, plummet once you switch to a low carb, ca nned diet. There are several cats here now who, once food was switched, dropped from high numbers to numbers in the almost normal range. This may mean you will need to make dose adjustments and you won't necessarily know that you're getting low numbers if you don't get tests throughout the cycle. You've already seen a big drop in pre-shot numbers and those are typically the highest of the day.

I would also encourage you to read the link on crystals/cystitis that Ann provided. There may be trace elements (e.g., magnesium, phosphorus) that you need to be aware of for a cat with this problem. Feeding poultry and fish, no matter how low carb, are high in phosphorus and may not be right for all of your cats. I do agree that if you can find brands/flavors of foods canned foods that are appropriate for all of your cats and they all like what you're feeding, your life will be less complicated.

Also, we start one thread (we call them condos), per cat, per day. If you look at the subject lines in the other condos, you will see that we note the date, cat's name, and the test data. The latter let's us quickly scan to see if someone needs a hand.
 
Great news that you have started at a much safer starting dose of 1u Lantus. Once you make any changes to her foods to more low carb, you may not need as much insulin at all

if you can get your spreadsheet set up, and put your test results onto the sheet, others here can help you even more by seeing how she is reacting to the insulin and to help you see the patterns in the numbers. It will be alot easier to see her nadir if you have the numbers all on the sheet.

Good luck on getting all set up over the weekend.
Make a list of all your questions, ask them here anytime.
 
Quick question, you said:
Well Ellie is doing the 2.5 a day... I will change her to the 1 unit a day......
Click to expand...

Are you giving insulin once a day or twice a day? Lantus is a twice a day insulin in cats although it is only once a day for humans. Cats have a faster metabolism. We give 2 shots per day, 12 hours apart. lantus needs to have a very regular schedule and doses held for several days as there is a build up in the system (the shed or depot) before we see the full effect of the dose. Just checking to see if you are shooting once or twice a day.
 
I don't think we have gotten your name yet ellemae's mama?
I only wanted to add one thing
a very simple thing
here goes:
The Learning Curve is HUGE...but only at first...you'll find in no time it will all become 2nd nature to you. Before long you'll be informing other newbie's of this or that. Don't let memorizing everything overwhelm you. We are here basically 24/7, well, someone is here, so you don't have to become an expert. Before long you will have that sad yet happy feeling that you know more about feline diabetes than your vet. Unfortunately most of us do.
but that is good for those of us with sugar kitties that made it here.

welcome to the VAMPIRE CLUB, your testing your cat!!! :mrgreen:
and now your ready to jump into the 'sugar dance'....it becomes (believe it or not) almost fun.
Lori
and tomtom too!
 
Well I started to take a look at the spreedsheet. Stupid Question here???? The first column where it says amps ! What is amps? Also what is a normal BG level ? Not too sure if I am understanding the chart just yet! What are all the
(+1) (+2) (+3) (+4) (+5) (+6) (+7) (+8) (+9) (+10) (+11) pmps

Oh my name is Danielle and I live in Spring Hill FL
thanks
 
AMPS/PMPS are the am or pm preshot numbers. You always want to make sure you get a test right before you shoot which is called your amps and pmps. You always want to make sure you don't feed before these test so your numbers are accurate. The +1, +2 etc are the hours after the test. Lantus is shot in 12 hour increments so that is where the numbers come from. Make sense? Did you read all of the stickies above? I know it is a lot to take in but you are doing great!!!! You can open a new condo every day with your kitties amps #. Every cat gets one condo per day. You always want to post the am and pm preshot numbers.
 
Danielle,
I am hoping that you are giving TWO shots a day - one in the morn and one in the eve. Shots are to be given every 12 hours.

So, amps means simple AM and pre shot. You must NEVER give your cat insulin without testing first. Let's say you give ellymae shots at 6am and 6pm.
You test her BG at 6am and then give her the shot. That BG number you got is your amps.
The same goes for the evening shot. You test at 6pm and give the shot.

The other columns are how many hours after the shot.

Let's say you test at 6am, get BG 250, then give a shot 1unit Lantus.
You record that 250 in the amps column.
Later on, you test again at 9am, and get 195. You put that 195 in the column heading +3 which represents the BG 3hours after the shot was given.

Please attach the spreadsheet to your signature.
Help with signatures/links/images/avatars
Creating spreadsheets & attaching them to your signature
 
danielle a normal bg # for a non-diabetic cat would be between 65-90 bg's.
you may not see those #'s for awhile. and you will likely not see them at amps or pmps, howeve a goal would be to see them at +6 let's say. you'll notice all the number's below 100 are in green and that's a nice place to be mid shots (in the greens)
lantus takes awhile to get results...a week or so, so be patient.
make sure you do not test amps or pmps after food. at least 2 hours. the mid day tests best with at least 1 hour after food. in the beginning you will be testing more often.

a number that is too low is under 50. depending on when you see it, it can be dangerous.
for example if you see it at +2 or +3 you want to feed your cat some high carb food (HC) to try to raise the bg's becuase your insulin will be working on your cat for a few more hours and you don't want to get 40 or 30 bg's---that's NOT GOOD.

test every 2 hours to get us a curve and see how elle is doing mid cycle.
 
ellymae said:
Oh yes I do give her two shots a day ... The first @ 630 am and the 2nd @ 630 pm
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Hey - that's about the same time I give Kasha her shots... We might be on the same schedule - if Spring Hill FL is in the Eastern time zone...
 
Elly looks alot better.. She isnt sleeping as much. Her level was 349 this norning and around 12 this afternoon she was @191
 
nice. :smile:

Can you start a new thread for today, with today's numbers? This thread is getting pretty long, and we usually start a new one for each cat each day. Thanks!
 
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