Need help, should I dose?

[Jessica L.]

Purrscilla was hiding at breakfast time (6:00 AM PT) and wouldn't come out for food. Not like her at all.

She hasn't eaten anything since last night. BG just tested 149 on our human meter. That number is the highest I've seen for her in the 13 days we've been home-testing.

Should I give her any insulin? Or do anything?

Spreadsheet is updated.

 

[FrostD]

Can you stay around to test? Plenty of strips? Hypo kit?

If so, I'd like to try her on a drop dose. It's where you push the plunger down as far as you can, insert into vial, then release. The result is a single drop of insulin in the vial, not even visible. Then when you give the shot, you push as far as it can go again and hold for 10 seconds so it has time to absorb.

Her numbers are really good even with the skips, I'm just wondering if the drop will give her a little nudge into the healing greens

 

[Jessica L.]

Thanks for the reply, FrostD. We've decided to bring her to our vet. We're so unsure of ourselves and need to talk to the vet about her IBD anyway.

I appreciate the info on drop dosing. I didn't know about it before.

 

[FrostD]

Thanks for the reply, FrostD. We've decided to bring her to our vet. We're so unsure of ourselves and need to talk to the vet about her IBD anyway.

I appreciate the info on drop dosing. I didn't know about it before.

No worries, trust your gut! Most vets will be totally happy with BG in that range, but we've found that the best chance for a strong remission is green numbers for as long as possible.

It might be worth asking the vet to check for pancreatitis, if you can afford the tests, since you're there anyway.

 

[FrostD]

Some additional info since I just saw the pancreatitis noted -
I'd ask your vet for meds to manage at home, saves everyone a lot of headache. This includes:

• SubQ fluids and supplies
• Anti nausea meds - Cerenia is good if actually vomiting, ondansetron seems to be better for just nausea. Both can be given at same time if needed
• Appetite stimulant like Mirataz (most of us only use half the recommended dose). Must give after nausea meds have kicked in, hungry and nauseous is a bad combination.
• Pain meds like gabapentin or buprenorphine...I can't remember the exact reason but most people here prefer bupe

I also keep a stock of the Gerber meat baby food as well as syringes for feeding. With all this, I can usually manage everything at home.

Quick note about the drop dose, should you decide to try it - only do it when you can be around to test and have hypo kit. I'd suggest 120 as the cutoff, meaning only try the drop if she's above 120 at preshot. Vetsulin usually isn't the best trying to get cats into remission, can cause too big of swings. It does happen on ProZinc, but a lot more on Lantus and Levemir.

 

[Jessica L.]

Thank you!

We have Cerenia and Gabapentin. And she's on Budesonide. I'll ask about keeping an appetite stimulant on-hand. He's offered it before, but I didn't find it necessary because she's always eaten, even when she was in the throes of Pancreatitis. And I'll ask about subQ fluids.

He determined today that she likely has a bacterial infection, so we're treating her for that. I shared all my BG numbers with him and the "good range" FDMB has taught me about (green numbers) on human meters. He didn't seem all that sold on this info. Sigh.

I'm open to going down the Lantus route, but I've been unsure of whether she really needs it since her numbers have been pretty good.

 

[FrostD]

Honestly if she were my cat, I'd try the drop dose just to see. If she goes too low on Vetsulin drop dose and you have the time and money, I'd grab a single pen of Lantus and U100 syringes. Based on signature I'm not sure she's"truly" diabetic, I think the steroids are probably raising her BG...in which case Lantus is also probably a better fit to help keep things flat and protect her kidneys a bit.

If you don't want to go through all that - as long as she hangs out about 120 or below and is ok clinically I think she'll be ok...but if she starts to creep up again that's when I'd consider a switch to Lantus. My guess is she will start to slowly creep up given the steroids and IBD.