New member and introduction

[Tobby]

Hello, glad to found this forum and needing help.
I am Heidi and my cat Tobby, 14 y/o who was diagnosed with IBD/pancreatitis/early ckd via ultrasound in May 2024 and later steroid induced diabetes. He was placed on prednisolone 2.5mg 2x/day and to taper. He was on it for a month till he was diagnosed in June of diabetes so prednisolone was tapered and it was stopped. Vet prescribed him prozinc 2units every 12 hours for his diabetes, using relion premier meter for BG testing. He was also started on budenoside 1mg/day but for a few months only because I didn't see any difference. He was still having loose stools, then peeing and drinking a lot. I was giving subq fluids once a week. Sometime in January 2025, he had a pancreatic flare and he was dehydrated, not eating much. Vet placed him on clavimox, prednisolone for 2 weeks, appetite stimulant cytoheptadine as needed. Subq fluids were given everyday until he got better. Then he developed scab on his ears, fur loss on his head and neck and now in parts of the body. Vet did not sure what it was, he prescribed antifungal/antimicrobial topical wipes 2x/day and baytril once a day and I bought clotrimazole cream 2x/day. So far, it is controlled and I think it is fungal infection. The fur on his head has started to come back.
Started him on lantus in January 25, 2025 per my request to vet since I read that it is a long acting and I work 12 hours and by the time I get home it will be 14 hrs before I give the pm shot but for 3 days per week only. As you can see in his spreadsheet that he is always in the HI side as dose went up and on nadir. I was on another diabetic group that uses sliding scale with prozinc. His sugar was up and down. But with lantus his sugar is always HI. He was restarted to lantus 1.5units for 6 doses and since his nadir is HI, went up to 2units. I am seeking your advise to see what would be best for his sugar to be regulated. I might have went up too fast for lantus to do the work but I was uncomfortable because of his high sugar and his peeing and drinking a lot. Not sure if prozinc will be better or it is still early to tell for lantus to work.

Thanks for all the help you do.

Heidi

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Welcome to FDMB!

Great job with getting your signature and spreadsheet set up. It really helps, so thank you!

If Tobby is still having symptoms of IBD, you may want to consider getting him on a low carbohydrate, novel protein diet. I have an IBD kitty that had been initially raised on a poultry diet. Switching him over to novel proteins (e.g., pork, venison, rabbit) has helped a great deal. You may want to take a look at this site, Raw Feeding for IBD Cats. There's great information on the site and they have a Facebook page were people provide great information.

While Lantus is a longer acting insulin, like most insulin, it needs to be dosed as close to 12 hours as possible. Unlike other insulin, Lantus forms a depot. The insulin you inject forms microcrystals that are deposited in the fat tissue. Most of the crystals dissolve over the course of the 12-hour cycle. A small amount still remains and there is overlap between the shots. This is what provides the duration. There's a catch, though. Any change in dose has an effect on the depot. In other words, it takes a few cycles for the depot to stabilize. A late shot acts like a dose reduction whereas an early shot acts like a dose increase (and one doesn't cancel the other out). I suspect that one of the issues with high numbers is that you are adjusting the time of your shots several days a week. Lantus is not the most forgiving of insulins when it comes to the timing of shots. Generally, you can be off by about 30 minutes without too much of a problem. A 2 hour deviation may be contributing to the high numbers you're seeing.

I'm not sure how you're interpreting the dosing for Tight Regulation. We typically adjust doses by 0.25u. There are times when you've adjusted the dose by increasing 0.5u (which may have been fine given the numbers you were seeing) and most recently reduced the dose by 4.0u. I'd encourage you to stick closely with TR and evaluate Tobby's dose every 3 days/6 cycles. I don't think you increased too quickly. If you've not already seen the information, the yellow sticky notes at the top of the Lantus board may be helpful.

Prozinc may actually be more forgiving when it come to your needing to adjust Tobby's shot time to be compatible with your work schedule. I'm asking @Suzanne & Darcy to stop by as she's very familiar with Prozinc and may have some thoughts about whether it would be a better option.

 

[CORKY]

Hello, glad to found this forum and needing help.
I am Heidi and my cat Tobby, 14 y/o who was diagnosed with IBD/pancreatitis/early ckd via ultrasound in May 2024 and later steroid induced diabetes. He was placed on prednisolone 2.5mg 2x/day and to taper. He was on it for a month till he was diagnosed in June of diabetes so prednisolone was tapered and it was stopped. Vet prescribed him prozinc 2units every 12 hours for his diabetes, using relion premier meter for BG testing. He was also started on budenoside 1mg/day but for a few months only because I didn't see any difference. He was still having loose stools, then peeing and drinking a lot. I was giving subq fluids once a week. Sometime in January 2025, he had a pancreatic flare and he was dehydrated, not eating much. Vet placed him on clavimox, prednisolone for 2 weeks, appetite stimulant cytoheptadine as needed. Subq fluids were given everyday until he got better. Then he developed scab on his ears, fur loss on his head and neck and now in parts of the body. Vet did not sure what it was, he prescribed antifungal/antimicrobial topical wipes 2x/day and baytril once a day and I bought clotrimazole cream 2x/day. So far, it is controlled and I think it is fungal infection. The fur on his head has started to come back.
Started him on lantus in January 25, 2025 per my request to vet since I read that it is a long acting and I work 12 hours and by the time I get home it will be 14 hrs before I give the pm shot but for 3 days per week only. As you can see in his spreadsheet that he is always in the HI side as dose went up and on nadir. I was on another diabetic group that uses sliding scale with prozinc. His sugar was up and down. But with lantus his sugar is always HI. He was restarted to lantus 1.5units for 6 doses and since his nadir is HI, went up to 2units. I am seeking your advise to see what would be best for his sugar to be regulated. I might have went up too fast for lantus to do the work but I was uncomfortable because of his high sugar and his peeing and drinking a lot. Not sure if prozinc will be better or it is still early to tell for lantus to work.

Thanks for all the help you do.

Heidi

@Bron and Sheba (GA)
@Sienne and Gabby (GA)

 

[Tobby]

Tobby is not having loose stools anymore but constipation. He is eating raw and cooked meat with ez complete. Yes, I am in raw feeding ibd group as well. What will be the best solution if there is an early shot or late shot? I can post the datas while he was on prozinc if need to. Right now, I am at 2 units. Do I still continue with the 2 units?

 

[CORKY]

Tobby is not having loose stools anymore but constipation. He is eating raw and cooked meat with ez complete. Yes, I am in raw feeding ibd group as well. What will be the best solution if there is an early shot or late shot? I can post the datas while he was on prozinc if need to. Right now, I am at 2 units. Do I still continue with the 2 units?

For constipation you can use over the counter MIRALAX. Put 1/4 tsp in the food twice a day for 4-5 days or you can ask the vet for LATULOSE, with a syringe is liquid also in the food 1.5 ml for the same amount of days,,both work really well, I use both for Corky and Coco, I will tag again for dosing with the members that can help you
@Bron and Sheba (GA)
@Sienne and Gabby (GA)

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Did you go back in dose to 1.5 units from 5.5 units when you changed to Lantus?
When swapping from one insulin to another, one usually stays with the same dose not drop back to the beginning again.
I think you need to be giving at least 5 units of Lantus twice a day.
Let me see what @Sienne and Gabby (GA) thoughts are on this

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

I think I'd go back to 5.0u. I'd also suggest getting more tests so you have a better idea of what's going on. Tobby is likely bouncing even from numbers that are in the 400s or lower and you need to have a better sense of how low the numbers are going so you can guide your dosing.

I also think Maria (Corky) was referring to Lactulose. I haven't a clue what "LATALOUS" is.

 

[CORKY]

I think I'd go back to 5.0u. I'd also suggest getting more tests so you have a better idea of what's going on. Tobby is likely bouncing even from numbers that are in the 400s or lower and you need to have a better sense of how low the numbers are going so you can guide your dosing.

I also think Maria (Corky) was referring to Lactulose. I haven't a clue what "LATALOUS" is.

Typo only a typo and you knew exactly what I was talking about, there’s really something wrong here! But keep trying

 

[squeem3]

For constipation you can use over the counter MIRALAX. Put 1/4 tsp in the food twice a day for 4-5 days or you can ask the vet for LATALOUS, with a syringe is liquid also in the food 1.5 ml for the same amount of days,,both work really well, I use both for Corky and Coco,

Dissolve a cat sized dose of Miralax (max dose is 1/4 teaspoon twice a day. Start with 1/8 teaspoon once a day and increase until you see effects) in some water first and then mix it into canned food or something similar like a bit of canned tuna. Miralax is like a sponge and sucks up water. By dissolving the powder in water first you prevent it from dehydrating the body out and causing other issues. That's why the instructions for people say to mix a dose in a full glass of water before ingesting.

 

[Marje and Gracie]

For constipation you can use over the counter MIRALAX. Put 1/4 tsp in the food twice a day for 4-5 days or you can ask the vet for LATULOSE, with a syringe is liquid also in the food 1.5 ml for the same amount of days,,both work really well, I use both for Corky and Coco, I will tag again for dosing with the members that can help you
@Bron and Sheba (GA)
@Sienne and Gabby (GA)

@Tobby

I do not allow my cats to have any of that. I prefer only holistic alternatives for something like constipation or diarrhea. For constipation, you can start with 1/8 tsp raw egg YOLK (not egg white) and increase if need be.

I purchase egg yolk powder from Nature’sFarmacy and give my cats a small amount twice a day. It keeps them from having hairballs or constipation. It’s great for motility, their coats, their brains, etc.

 

[Tobby]

Typo only a typo and you knew exactly what I was talking about, there’s really something wrong here! But keep trying

I know what you mean. Lactulose.

 

[Tobby]

@Tobby

I do not allow my cats to have any of that. I prefer only holistic alternatives for something like constipation or diarrhea. For constipation, you can start with 1/8 tsp raw egg YOLK (not egg white) and increase if need be.

I purchase egg yolk powder from Nature’sFarmacy and give my cats a small amount twice a day. It keeps them from having hairballs or constipation. It’s great for motility, their coats, their brains, etc.

I prefer to use holistic alternatives as well. Right now, with the bird flu, raw egg yolk is not advisable. So I will look onto egg yolk powder or make my own.

 

[Tobby]

Did you go back in dose to 1.5 units from 5.5 units when you changed to Lantus?
When swapping from one insulin to another, one usually stays with the same dose not drop back to the beginning again.
I think you need to be giving at least 5 units of Lantus twice a day.
Let me see what @Sienne and Gabby (GA) thoughts are on this

I started lantus on 1/25/25 at 2 units 2x/day going up to 5.5 units. I was told to restart to 1.5 units from another group forum due to high numbers and I might have missed the right dose from going up too fast. Currently on 2 units and today I did a midrun at +7 he was 559. So what should be done if I gave an early or late dose because of work?

 

[Tobby]

I think I'd go back to 5.0u. I'd also suggest getting more tests so you have a better idea of what's going on. Tobby is likely bouncing even from numbers that are in the 400s or lower and you need to have a better sense of how low the numbers are going so you can guide your dosing.

I also think Maria (Corky) was referring to Lactulose. I haven't a clue what "LATALOUS" is.

so is it okay to jump right up from 2 to 5 units? How long to hold the dose?

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

so is it okay to jump right up from 2 to 5 units? How long to hold the dose?

Yes go up to 5 units at the next dose and hold it for at least 3 days for the depot to fill. Normally you would not jump from 2 to 5 units but you are just going back to the dose you were giving before you swapped insulins.

was told to restart to 1.5 units from another group forum due to high numbers and I might have missed the right dose from going up too fast

This is incorrect information.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Bron is correct. There is another group that pushes people to drop doses back. All it does is cause you to take more time to get the dose back to where it was. You didn't increase too fast. If the people who were advising you actually read the Tight Regulation Protocol, they would realize that you were within dosing parameters both for the length of time you held the dose and for the size of the increase.

 

[CORKY]

Bron is correct. There is another group that pushes people to drop doses back. All it does is cause you to take more time to get the dose back to where it was. You didn't increase too fast. If the people who were advising you actually read the Tight Regulation Protocol, they would realize that you were within dosing parameters both for the length of time you held the dose and for the size of the increase
@Bron and Sheba (GA)
@Sienne and Gabby (GA)