New diabetic kitty

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Jeffysmom

Jeffysmom

Member Since 2016
So my sweet boy was diagnosed October 3, 2016 after I noticed him drinking more water and the huge amount of urine in litter box. At the vet his sugar was 448. I'm not sure if they checked for ketones, because that was never mentioned and I didn't know to ask at the time. We were prescribed Vetsulin 2 units twice/day. It made me so nervous giving him insulin without knowing his sugars so I bought a Relion Confirm a couple days ago. I actually started doing a BG curve today. My vet pooed on the use of human meters, but that is all I have at this time. The first several days on the juice, Jef seemed down and almost lethargic, but still PD and PU. I am feeding Purina DM dry twice a day as recommended by vet. (I now know this may not be the best option). What are your thoughts on his curve? I am contemplating increasing his evening dose by 0.5 units. Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Those numbers on your SS are quite good for being so early in this game. The pink at +10 could be a sign that the Vetsulin isn't lasting a full 12 hours. However, I'm not a Vetsulin user so I'm certainly no expert and can't advise on whether a dose increase is in order. I see you didn't manage to get a +8 BG.

You're right about dry food, even DM, not being the best option. The DM wet food (pate version) is a better choice if you want to go the prescription diet route. Many on FDMB feed Friskies and Fancy Feast pates that are low enough in carbs to be a healthy choice - and easier on the wallet!

Stick with the human meter. That's the most popular type I'd say because the cost of test strips is so much less and they're readily available at any pharmacy.
 
Hello @Jeffysmom , I'm so sorry about your kitty's diagnosis. :( Mine just ended his 8 month remission a few days ago! :( It looks like you've got a lot of help starting. Don't let you vet poo on your human meters, they work just as well. They register a numbers a little bit lower than the expensive meters like Alphatrak 2 (whose strips cost about $1 each I believe) but it's what most people on here use! And mine recommended prescription food too. It's just expensive and not exactly that good; at least my cat, who loves to eat, had trouble eating it.

Vetsulin, NPH (Novolin N), and those short 6-8 hr ish insulins are usually very harsh and make it difficult to regulate a cat. I'm having a LOT of difficulty getting Fluffy's numbers consistent and low. As for increasing his dose, I do it too but I'm no pro at it :(

They peak at +4 and leave them unregulated for about 4 hours if you dose twice a day, 12 hours apart. I'm currently on Novolin because I am impatiently waiting for my Lantus to arrive from Canada (much cheaper, as the 5 pack of pens go for about a little over $160 as opposed to the ridiculous price of 400-500 in the states if you live here). Many cats go into remission with Lantus as you give it only twice a day.

My cat immediately went into remission once he switched from dry food to Fancy Feast Classics (the chicken, turkey, and beef one). However, I'm receiving new information that FFC has recently added some carbs into their food... darn sneaky companies :mad: I'm on the lookout for new foods too. I'm thinking about buying some Dave's 95% after reading some good reviews.

I hope you and your sugar kitty are doing okay! BG testing is a MUST!

And as your vet discussed with you about testing for ketones? I'm going to get my ketone strips tomorrow. They can be very dangerous if detected for sugar kitties.
 
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No all cats on Vetsulin have problems. There have been an increase in cats using it. Many cats, including my Callie, have 11-12 hours duration. Several have gone into remission recently.
Many people like using meters that match what their vets use. The strips for the AlphaTrack meter sell for between $50-70 per pack. The FreeStyle Light strips are identical to the AT and they sell for $35/pack. I have 4 packages on order. There is a new pet meter on the market called Advocate. It is quite inexpensive at Amazon. The strips cost $29/ pack. I ran side by side tests on the same drop of blood. I got numbers within just a few points. Its a good idea to do lots of reading and comparison shopping before making any decision.
 
I fell asleep through the +8 and totally meant to set an alarm. Lol. I did increase his dose to 2.5units for pm dose, and we'll see how that works. I just feel like this insulin isn't going to last long enough for him. I hate to throw out that EXPENSIVE bag of dry cat food. Any suggestions on finishing it off and incorporating wet food? It is frustrating about how these cat food companies are so nonchalant about changing ingredients. I'm really going to start researching foods. I just want the best for my boy without going broke. He's been a champ today, and has handled the BG checks pretty well. We have a follow up appointment this coming Wednesday so I'll definitely ask more about the ketones. I'll probably get some ketone strips before then and try to get a reading.
 
My vet suggests the Alphatrack meter, and does support home testing. I went ahead and bought a human meter (Relion) so I could test at home until I decided whether I wanted to purchase the more expensive meter/strips. I understand that his body is probably still adjusting to the insulin as well. We are still so new into this...less than a week...and needless to say it has been an emotional week for Jeffy and I (probably more so me). Today has been a good day for all of us. I just hope we can get him regulated. We are going to Disney World in 3 weeks, and I'm already nervous about leaving him.
donnalea said:
No all cats on Vetsulin have problems. There have been an increase in cats using it. Many cats, including my Callie, have 11-12 hours duration. Several have gone into remission recently.
Many people like using meters that match what their vets use. The strips for the AlphaTrack meter sell for between $50-70 per pack. The FreeStyle Light strips are identical to the AT and they sell for $35/pack. I have 4 packages on order. There is a new pet meter on the market called Advocate. It is quite inexpensive at Amazon. The strips cost $29/ pack. I ran side by side tests on the same drop of blood. I got numbers within just a few points. Its a good idea to do lots of reading and comparison shopping before making any decision.
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Jeffysmom said:
I fell asleep through the +8 and totally meant to set an alarm. Lol. I did increase his dose to 2.5units for pm dose, and we'll see how that works. I just feel like this insulin isn't going to last long enough for him. I hate to throw out that EXPENSIVE bag of dry cat food. Any suggestions on finishing it off and incorporating wet food? It is frustrating about how these cat food companies are so nonchalant about changing ingredients. I'm really going to start researching foods. I just want the best for my boy without going broke. He's been a champ today, and has handled the BG checks pretty well. We have a follow up appointment this coming Wednesday so I'll definitely ask more about the ketones. I'll probably get some ketone strips before then and try to get a reading.
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You need to give him some time. When Callie was first DX, her numbers were up in the 500's. It has just been in the last month or so that her numbers have come down to the point that they are still low at + and +12. Sometimes her numbers are too low to give her any insulin. Do watch for any sign of infection. Callie got a UTI and we had to increase her insulin from 2 to 5. That is really scary. Another thing to watch for is most cats have lower numbers at night then in the day. I have to give Callie .5 units less for he PM dose and I have to feed her more to keep her from getting numbers in the hypo range. I will tell you, it's really scary to wake up in the early morning to find your kitty has a BG in the 60's or less. That's why it is so important to test. Tests keep them safe.

I understand how you feel about that bag of DM dry. My vet said to give Callie 2 tab dry with her wet food. I stopped when I found out from Dr. Lisa's list that it is 13% carbs. I am thinking of returning it to the vet to give to someone who can't afford cat food. I have been feeding Callie 9 lives. She loves it. I do keep a few cans of FF gravy lovers food for when she has really low numbers. I have even mixed honey in with it when she had a 41. It brought her numbers right up.

Jeff sure is a handsome cat. I have always wanted a marmalade cat. I have had almost every other color cat.
 
Thanks for putting things into perspective. In my mind I just want his numbers controlled as fast as possible to prevent damage to his body. I feel guilty for testing so much! He is still getting used to it, but I feel like I'm hurting him. Also, he has really been gobbling down his food right after I put it out. Normally he eats a little and snacks throughout the day. I'm a little worried that my other kitty girl may not be getting her fair share. Thoughts?
donnalea said:
You need to give him some time. When Callie was first DX, her numbers were up in the 500's. It has just been in the last month or so that her numbers have come down to the point that they are still low at + and +12. Sometimes her numbers are too low to give her any insulin. Do watch for any sign of infection. Callie got a UTI and we had to increase her insulin from 2 to 5. That is really scary. Another thing to watch for is most cats have lower numbers at night then in the day. I have to give Callie .5 units less for he PM dose and I have to feed her more to keep her from getting numbers in the hypo range. I will tell you, it's really scary to wake up in the early morning to find your kitty has a BG in the 60's or less. That's why it is so important to test. Tests keep them safe.

I understand how you feel about that bag of DM dry. My vet said to give Callie 2 tab dry with her wet food. I stopped when I found out from Dr. Lisa's list that it is 13% carbs. I am thinking of returning it to the vet to give to someone who can't afford cat food. I have been feeding Callie 9 lives. She loves it. I do keep a few cans of FF gravy lovers food for when she has really low numbers. I have even mixed honey in with it when she had a 41. It brought her numbers right up.

Jeff sure is a handsome cat. I have always wanted a marmalade cat. I have had almost every other color cat.
Click to expand...
 
That's a good idea too. Do you like the Alphatrack? I'm trying to decide if I should buy a pet meter.
 
I like the AT. But then , that's what my vet had set up for me. Even if it is more expense, I don't want to change systems. I use the Freestyle Light strips to keep the cost down. I have small hands and the AT fits them comfortably.

Amazon has another pet meter that is very inexpensive called Advocate. It gives the same numbers as the AT. I would have bought it first if I had known about it. I did buy one to keep as a spare.
 
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