New Member w/PTSD

[user46101]

This forum might be too dense and technical for me but here goes. Male cat Loki became diabetic in June 19 of 2021. He was switched to ProZinc shortly after from Vetsulin. We’ve been vet dependent for testing and I just start using a Relion home test meter last week. The vet wants 1.5u BID (down from 2.5) but Loki was hypo yesterday morning at 34BG, so I did not inject insulin after that morning test and used Karo. He had an appetite and ate well then. Last Thursday we tested the Relion meter at vet’s and it was 7 points under theirs so 142/149 at 3PM for a fluctosamine test. But the other day I had three Er6 messages and don’t know if the meter was recalibrated or is accurate now. Today was 110BG AM; 129BG PM. Which the manual says range 80-140 is target. I see your spreadsheet is lower.

He was fed RC glyco kibble and Purina DM with gravy for years. He only licks wet food and doesn’t eat it. Prefers kibble. He doesn’t eat much in general which makes care more difficult. I am testing Dr Elsey and Wysong paté and dry kibble samples, which he is interested in and it seems to have impacted/lowered his BG.

Please no judgement. I’ve been caring for two elderly parents with dementia for 15-years by myself to the detriment of my own health, no siblings no children. Now my parents are deceased and I get to go through it with my husband so am behind on the care for Loki. He’s still alive and happy, so that is a good thing. Everything I apply that I’ve learned from these forums helps him, so I finally made it.
Thanks,
Cheers.

 

[Sara & Khloe]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Loki is a very handsome kitty! I also want to assure you that you won't find judgment here. Most of us (myself included) have made mistakes along the way, so we understand how overwhelming feline diabetes can feel.

I'm not experienced enough to comment on dosing, so I'll leave that to the more experienced members when they're online. But I may be able to answer a few of your questions while you wait.

But the other day I had three Er6 messages and don’t know if the meter was recalibrated or is accurate now

Great job getting started with home testing! I also use a ReliOn meter. An Er6 message usually means the blood was applied to the test strip too early. After inserting the strip, you'll first see a spinning hourglass. Wait until the flashing blood drop appears on the screen before touching the strip to the blood sample.

Last Thursday we tested the Relion meter at vet’s and it was 7 points under theirs so 142/149 at 3PM for a fluctosamine test.

That's actually very close! Blood glucose meters are allowed to have up to about a 20% variance, so it's completely normal for two different meters, even when testing the exact same drop of blood, to give slightly different readings. Human meters like the ReliOn and pet meters like the AlphaTrak are also calibrated differently, so they won't match exactly.

Which the manual says range 80-140 is target. I see your spreadsheet is lower.

The target range printed in the ReliOn manual is intended for humans. Here on the forum, the spreadsheets use ranges that are appropriate for cats.


When you have a chance, I'd also recommend taking a look at New? How You Can Help Us, Help You. It will walk you through setting up your signature and spreadsheet, which makes it much easier for the experienced members to give you the best advice.

Let me know if I didn't explain anything well enough or if you need me to clarify anything.
Good luck with Loki! I'm wishing the best for both of you!

 

[Wendy&Neko]

You are right that the change in diet to a lower carb kibble is probably changing his insulin needs. Your instincts are right that he needs less insulin, not more. Anything as below 90 means you need to reduce the dose, especially if feeding dry food.

 

[user46101]

Thank you. I am not able to add data or info to the spreadsheet. I use Apple platform and don't know if this is issue or if Chrome is the problem.
Today BG reading was missed in AM due to no lancets ordered from Amazon switching to 30G. Administered 1u at 7AM and was able to read for 7PM feeding. BG was 99. The manual I referred to was a veterinary manual stating BG for cats should be 80-140. What is the recommended reading range for this program using Prozinc? Thanks

 

[Wendy&Neko]

tagging @Suzanne & Darcy who is our Prozinc whizz.

It would be ideal if you could ger a few tests other than just before the next shot, which tends to be the highest numbers. If you can get a test 4-6 hours after the shot, that would be helpful in letting us know whether you need to reduce the dose some more.

 

[Connie & Parker & Moonie]

Thank you. I am not able to add data or info to the spreadsheet. I use Apple platform and don't know if this is issue or if Chrome is the problem.
Today BG reading was missed in AM due to no lancets ordered from Amazon switching to 30G. Administered 1u at 7AM and was able to read for 7PM feeding. BG was 99. The manual I referred to was a veterinary manual stating BG for cats should be 80-140. What is the recommended reading range for this program using Prozinc? Thanks

Do you have a Google / gmail account? I wonder if the reason why you can’t save and edit the Google sheet template is that you don’t have a Google account to do this with?

 

[user46101]

Thank you for your reply. Yes I do. I have two. I might have logged in with the other account. We will see.

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

Hello and welcome to the FDMB. I am glad you have found us. Loki is a cute cat. It’s great that you are home testing now with a ReliOn meter. The normal blood glucose range for a cat is about 50-120. Since Loki is eating dry food, we will want to keep him a little bit higher— between 90 and 150 for his nadirs (lowest point in the cycle).

Administered 1u at 7AM and was able to read for 7PM feeding. BG was 99.

If his BG was 99 at PMPS (evening preshot test) then it’s likely he was lower than during the middle of the cycle. If you are transitioning to low carb kibble his blood glucose will be lower. Keep a close eye on him and try to catch his nadir which probably be between +4 and +6. I would probably decrease the dose to .75 units at this time just based on what you have said so far. Then I would gather some tests to see if a further decrease in dose is warranted.