Hello everyone, My name is Saba and my kitty is Lana (12). She was diagnosed with CKD last year and diabetes about 2 weeks ago. This most recent Sunday I started her on insulin(Lantus/ 2 units). Since then it does seem like her energy has been increasing slightly. Ive been giving her doses consistently at the same time, however, last night it seemed like i may have missed the "tent" and she didn't receive the dose. I gave her the normal dose in the morning 12 hours later. I was just telling my gf about how she seems to be doing better but peeing a lot less. As I say this I come lay down next to her on my bed and theres a big wet spot, she had some urinary incontinence. About 20 minutes later she walks to her litter box and pees some more. The pee on the bed seemed very diluted and didn't have the same smell it usually does. I fed her right before her insulin which was right after the peeing and she ate normally. Constipation has been an issue with her. The miralax worked for a bit and I was also giving lactulose but stopped with the lactulose after she was diagnosed with diabetes. She didn't poop from Saturday night to last night where the poop wasn't diarrhea but definitely not solid either. I just got Alphatrak3 in the mail today and plan on doing a full days analysis this weekend when Im home all day. I don't know if i'm posting properly here but Im having a panic episode and I don't know where else to turn so I apologize in advance. Thank you to anyone who reads this and for anyone with advice. Here are the labs I have for her: Here’s 2023: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vU1Lnph-kvi846eSDte2xwxxvGfS7ZYk/view?usp=drivesdk Here’s 2024: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s_8bEUWZONi-o8teh6lLN_bgYVlQ3tM4/view?usp=drivesdk
Hi Saba and Lana and welcome to the forum. Can you tell me if you are giving 2 units Lantus insulin twice a day (4 units total a day) OR 1 unit twice a day (making it 2 units a day in total)? It is great you are going to hometest the blood glucose. I would recommend you test before every dose of insulin to make sure it is safe to give the dose and then test about 1/2 way through the cycles to see how low the dose is taking Lana. Here is a link to HOMETESTING HINTS AND LINKS Here is a link to our spreadsheet where you can add your blood glucose data and the signature so you can tell us about Lana. It will also tell you have to set up a hypo kit in case of low numbers. HELP US HELP YOU It’s not unusual for diabetic cats to pee a lot. If she continues to pee in inappropriate places I would get her urine checked again in case she has a UTI. You don’t mention what you are feeding Lana but I can see in the lab results you are feeding RC urinary SO food. This food is high carb food and is not suitable for diabetic cats. You would be much better feeding a low carb wet diet. Here is a FOOD CHART for you to have a look at. Look for foods that are 10% carbs or less. Also look for phosphorus levels that are 200mg phosphorus/100 KCals or less. HOWEVER I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND CHANGING ANY OF THE FOOD UNTIL YOU ARE HOME TESTING THE BLOOD GLUCOSE AS CHANGING TO A LOW CARB DIET COULD DROP THE BLOOD GLUCOSE BY 100 POINTS. I’m going to ask @Suzanne & Darcy to have a look at the lab results.
Hi Bron and Sheba! Thank you for the welcome and the links! Combing through them as I type this. Im currently giving 2 units twice a day. Just following what my vet recommended as I am so new to all of this. (4 days in). I am currently giving Lana a Weruva pouch food that has 4% carbs. Phos level is 187 per/100. Its been a struggle finding something she would eat and since shes lost 3 pounds in the last few months before diagnosis its nice to see her eat.
2 units twice a day is a lot of insulin for a newly diagnosed kitty to start on. She is 9.5lb…correct? With Lantus the depot fills over the first 5 days and the full effect of the dose can then be felt. If you can get some tests in for us please, that would be helpful. I am concerned Lana is on too big a dose. Do you have honey or Karo at home in case of a hypo. ‘Help is help you’ link should have the symptoms of a hypo listed in it. Please print it off and put on the fridge. As there were no ketones in the urine at diagnosis, I would recommend you go back to 1 unit twice a day until we can get some BG data. Can you take a photo of the syringes you are using please so we can check they are the correct ones please. You can copy and paste them into this thread. Would love to see a photo of Lana…I also have an American Shorthair girl.
Ooof, I really hope shes okay. Yeah shes around 9.5. Just following the vet instructions so fingers crossed. Going to open up the Alphratrak right now and take a measurement. Added a photo into my profile!
There are much better syringes for you to get. While those are the correct ones as far as the U100 insulin goes… They are the 1ml ones which are too big for cats. These are the ones below you need to buy as you can measure much smaller amounts safely. U100, 3/10 ml, 30 or 31 gauge, 6 or 8 mm insulin syringes with 1/2 unit markings. I will post a photo below
Those are not really appropriate syringes. The capacity is 1 ml which makes it hard to measure the small increments cats usually require. Also, there may be marked in 2 unit increments. What you want is 3/10 ml syringes wihic are available maked in ½ unit increments like: https://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/6941/bd-ultra-fine-8mm-half-unit-syringes
Thank you to you both! Ill try to get those. Simply following my vets original directions, so Im learning! I just measured her and the reading was 234.0 mg/dl
So 4 hours after the insulin? Because we all live in different time zones we dont use times. We say AMPS (am Preshot) then +1 (1 hour after insulin), +4 (4 hours after insulin) etc. PMPS (pm Preshot)
You can even get these syringes from Amazon, you won't need a script from your vet https://www.amazon.com/UltiCare-31-Gauge-Veterinary-Insulin-Syringes/dp/B009LTE0DO
