So glad to find this board and community! Yankee is 12 and was just diagnosed Oct 15th. He is an important member of our family and we are determined but are still trying to sort everything out. There is a lot of info out there and much of it seems contradictory. It's all a little overwhelming.
The vet started him on 3 units twice a day of Humulin N. Then went to 5, then to 7, then to 9 last weekend when he tested 560 at the vet. This seemed like so much to us after reading a few Internet articles, and we ended up backing down to 8 and we started to home test today.
The vet said to continue giving the Humulin N a chance for another month but we really wonder if this is not the right insulin for him since the vet keeps saying we just aren't high enough, although he also says this is a really high dose for a cat.
For our first day of testing Yankee tested at 360 @ 6:10 this morning, then 73 two hours later then 102 three hours later. We are waiting to test again before his evening meal. He is not enjoying being forced to hold still while we fumble with the rice sock and lancet pen, but he hates to go to the vet or in the car at all really so hopefully as we improve our technique he will not mind the home testing so much.
When we first started w/ the three units in Oct he immediately began to behave more like himself, so we were quite hopeful, but the neuropathy in his back paws/legs which had just begun, seemed to worsen as each day went by and he was always at the water bowl and continued losing weight. Each time we returned to the vet, they advised us to increase the units (about every two weeks) Last week when we returned from the vet after a fasting testing of 560, his front paws/legs were affected as well and he was really struggling to get anywhere. We haven't seen the front be a problem for him since then but he continues to walk as if wearing clown shoes. He prefers to stay upstairs which is carpeted because getting around on hardwood is difficult. We were told that the neuropathy would get better when we were at the right dose.
He is drinking less water and urinating more normally and has gained a pound back of the 2 1/2 he lost so he's now 11 lbs. We feed him at 6:15 am and 6:15 pm and give him his shots 30 minutes after feeding begins. We used to feed him Purina indoor cat dry food, but since his diagnosis we give him fancy feast classic wet which we remove when he stops eating and leave about 1/8 cup hills science diet m/d dry out all day because he doesn't eat all of the wet and no one will be home for 11 hours. We worry that his sugar will drop too low and no one would be home to help him. He does always eat the dry by the time we return.
We appreciate any input or advice!
~L
The vet started him on 3 units twice a day of Humulin N. Then went to 5, then to 7, then to 9 last weekend when he tested 560 at the vet. This seemed like so much to us after reading a few Internet articles, and we ended up backing down to 8 and we started to home test today.
The vet said to continue giving the Humulin N a chance for another month but we really wonder if this is not the right insulin for him since the vet keeps saying we just aren't high enough, although he also says this is a really high dose for a cat.
For our first day of testing Yankee tested at 360 @ 6:10 this morning, then 73 two hours later then 102 three hours later. We are waiting to test again before his evening meal. He is not enjoying being forced to hold still while we fumble with the rice sock and lancet pen, but he hates to go to the vet or in the car at all really so hopefully as we improve our technique he will not mind the home testing so much.
When we first started w/ the three units in Oct he immediately began to behave more like himself, so we were quite hopeful, but the neuropathy in his back paws/legs which had just begun, seemed to worsen as each day went by and he was always at the water bowl and continued losing weight. Each time we returned to the vet, they advised us to increase the units (about every two weeks) Last week when we returned from the vet after a fasting testing of 560, his front paws/legs were affected as well and he was really struggling to get anywhere. We haven't seen the front be a problem for him since then but he continues to walk as if wearing clown shoes. He prefers to stay upstairs which is carpeted because getting around on hardwood is difficult. We were told that the neuropathy would get better when we were at the right dose.
He is drinking less water and urinating more normally and has gained a pound back of the 2 1/2 he lost so he's now 11 lbs. We feed him at 6:15 am and 6:15 pm and give him his shots 30 minutes after feeding begins. We used to feed him Purina indoor cat dry food, but since his diagnosis we give him fancy feast classic wet which we remove when he stops eating and leave about 1/8 cup hills science diet m/d dry out all day because he doesn't eat all of the wet and no one will be home for 11 hours. We worry that his sugar will drop too low and no one would be home to help him. He does always eat the dry by the time we return.
We appreciate any input or advice!
~L
