New Member- Vacation Advise

Hello All,

My cat Binx was diagnosed on 02/19/2021. We are currently taking Prozinc insulin, and are making the switch to Fancy Feast Pate Naturals. It has been a journey with the vet. They sent us home on 1 unit twice a day. On 02/26/2021, we went back for our 2 week check, it was still high, 2 units am, 1 unit pm. On 03/26/2021 we went for a check and it was still high, but they told us to keep doing the same. Things weren't sitting with me right, so we went for a check on 04/08/2021, it was higher then when he was diagnosed, they started us on 3 units in the morning, and 2 units at night. Another check on 05/07/2021, he was at 87, told us to stay the same and come back in 2-3 months, unless any problems. 07/09/2021, check yesterday was at 47 and told us to stay the same, as he is not experiencing any lethargy, and check in one month. I work from home thankfully, so I am able to keep a close eye on him. In the past week we have started home testing and his numbers thankfully have not been below 50, they have been in the 50-99 range. I've reduced his insulin from the 3 units in the morning to 2 units, and his evening insulin from the 2 units to 1 unit. Binx has always been more active at night than during the day, so its hard to tell if he is sleeping just to sleep or if his numbers are low, glad I have the meter (Relion Prime) now to let me know the difference. I have a vacation planned with my mother and sister in September, my dad will be staying home, but he works from like 6am- 6pm, so I'm concerned on what to do with Binx, any advise would be appreciated.

 

Sorry nobody has gotten back to you before now! In the future, if you post and don't get any replies in a reasonable amount of time, comment on your post. That brings it back up to the top of the forum.

It will help if you could put your testing results into our spreadsheet (if you can do 2 weeks worth it would be the most helpful). Here are Instructions on setting up the FDMB spreadsheet (if tech stuff makes your head spin, feel free to send me a message by clicking on my name and choosing "start a conversation" and I'll be happy to set it up for you.

Here's an informational thread on "How you can help us help you" that's important to read too.

As for vacation advice, we usually suggest that you reduce the dose just a little while you're gone because anytime a cats routine is changed, it can effect how much they eat. Is your dad going to be testing? ProZinc has a little more "wiggle room" on when it can be given (versus some insulins that need to be on a strict 12 hour schedule) but it would be important that if he's going to be off the 12 hour schedule, that he test before shooting to make sure he's high enough for insulin at all.

Hopefully bumping your post up will get you some others to offer some advice too!

 

I am currently working on the spreadsheet, I only have about 4 days so far, as I had to wait for our meter to ship. I'm sure my dad will be willing to test him once I teach him how to do it! He does pretty well with the insulin injections for Binx. When do you decide not to try not giving insulin? For the four days I have been testing, Binx has mostly been in the 50-99 range, we've had one in the 100-199 range. I have already reduced his dose from the vet recommended (3 units am, 2 units pm), and he is still in the 50-99 range. I've been giving him 2 units am, and 1 unit pm.

 

Going to tag @JanetNJ who has more experience with ProZinc than I do. Have you read the "Sticky's" in the ProZinc forum?

We usually recommend giving the same dose both AM and PM as it seems to work better that way but occasionally a sliding scale dosing method can work.

We have lots of time before September when you're leaving...hopefully by then Binx will be OTJ and you won't have to worry about it!

 

Okay, great thank you for the help! And I will check that out!