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Sounds like a plan. :) And it should give you a chance to get a good night's sleep too! Depending on what time you're planning to shoot in the morning, I might not be online (I try and take advantage of the weekends a bit more since Rosa's been OTJ) but I'm sure there will be people here who will help you decide whether to reduce her dose and if so by how much if you post the number you get before you give her shot. :)
 
Signature looks fine. I'm so glad you tested him!!
Here's our guide on using Novalin/Humulin NPH or "N" insulin.

The water consumption may not be entirely due to diabetes. There are several other conditions which should have been ruled out:
- hyperthyroidism
- renal disease
- other, more rare conditions only after establishing good glucose control and ruling out common conditions
 
BJM said:
Signature looks fine. I'm so glad you tested him!!
Here's our guide on using Novalin/Humulin NPH or "N" insulin.

The water consumption may not be entirely due to diabetes. There are several other conditions which should have been ruled out:
- hyperthyroidism
- renal disease
- other, more rare conditions only after establishing good glucose control and ruling out common conditions
Click to expand...
Hey thanks!! I'll check it out...really hoping it's not renal failure...been there... :'( and not to be mean...but Kloever is a girl. :)
 
Hi Kate! It's likely that Kloever has been diving low and bouncing high when you didn't know...that will cause her to drink more too. Dakota drinks more when his numbers are higher than when they're normal. If he goes on a 'zoomie', he tends to sleep near the bowl....

HUGS!!!! Welcome to the Vampire club! :) Don't worry about her being pissed, she'll get over it.
 
manxcat419 said:
Sounds like a plan. :) And it should give you a chance to get a good night's sleep too! Depending on what time you're planning to shoot in the morning, I might not be online (I try and take advantage of the weekends a bit more since Rosa's been OTJ) but I'm sure there will be people here who will help you decide whether to reduce her dose and if so by how much if you post the number you get before you give her shot. :)
Click to expand...
OTJ??? :)
 
Wow...had a neighbour come by so, had to get offline but, so glad that the wonderful people I have been blessed to get to know have chimed in and, as BJM has said so wisely....THANK THE HEAVENS THAT YOU TESTED!!! Yahoo!!! :) Caught that one nicely. GREAT CALL @BJM ... yet again. :) Super HUGS!!! :)

@manxcat419 and @Shiloh & Rhonda and @Squeaky and KT just HUGS TO ALL of you! :)

Edited to add...I don't know nearly as much as you guys do so, I am ever so grateful to have you all around and you all proved it again tonight. :)
 
BJM said:
Signature looks fine. I'm so glad you tested him!!
Here's our guide on using Novalin/Humulin NPH or "N" insulin.

The water consumption may not be entirely due to diabetes. There are several other conditions which should have been ruled out:
- hyperthyroidism
- renal disease
- other, more rare conditions only after establishing good glucose control and ruling out common conditions
Click to expand...
That read was SUPER helpful!!!! Thanks so much!!! I think you just saved my Kloever!!! Hugs!!! :)
 
Ok. 208 this morning??? Almost 24 hours without insulin...how much should I give her? This is really confusing to me. Thought it would be way higher?? Her chin was wet from water too. Also....if this helps...because I have other cats..there's food out.
****stumped at what to do??
 
He's barely gone up. If you're up for it, I'd give 0.5 or 1.0 units, then curve him, that is, test him from pre-shot to pre-shot. And have Karo syrup on hand in case of low numbers.
 
Can we get you started using our grid to record your glucose tests? It will help us give you better feedback. Instructions are here.

Understanding the spreadsheet/grid:

The colored headings at the top are the ranges of glucose values. They are color-coded to clue you in as to meaning.

Each day is 1 row. Each column stores different data for the day.

From left to right, you enter
the Date in the first column
the AMPS (morning pre-shot test) in the 2nd column
the Units given (turquoise column)

Then, there are 11 columns labeled +1 through +11
If you test at +5 (5 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +5 column
If you test at +7 (7 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +7 column
and so on.

Halfway across the page is the column for PMPS (evening pre-shot)
To the right is another turquoise column for Units given at the evening shot.

There is second set of columns labeled +1 through +11
If you snag a before bed test at +3, you enter the test number in the +3 column.

We separate day and night numbers like that because many cats go lower at night.

It is merely a grid for storing the info; no math required.
 
Hold off on the spreadsheet until you've access to a proper computer and/or have downloaded and installed Google Drive for your phone.
Just note how we report our numbers
AMPS = morning pre-shot test
+2 would be a test 2 hours after the shot
+4 would be a test 4 hours after the shot
etc.
Have you got Karo syrup?
If yes, and you're up for it, give just 1 unit. This will be an experiment as we don't know whether it will be too much or not enough.
 
So I was looking at my insulin bottle. It says it contains 100 units. Clearly I'm not using "units"...Been using the bottle since April...??? It would've been long gone by now???
Yes to Karo syrup.
 
Let me check - it says U-100 on the bottle? That means 100 units per milliliter (mL). You should have a syringe which has an orange cap. That would be marked in increments of units or half units.
You'd draw up 1 unit on the syringe.
 
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Ok. Yes. You're right. 1 unit...going in. I'll check her in 2 or 3 hours??? What was I doing to her???? Why did they start me off at 5 and 5??? She's laying on the floor purring...haha
 
You were following the vet's instructions. It is impossible for vets to be up to date on everything and unless continuing education was taken on feline diabetes, the vet is working off what was learned in vet school.
Also, vets may not mention home testing because some owners will opt to euthanize the pet, rather than home test and give injections.
You were willing to learn more and have found more current information, plus tools for keeping your kitty safe.
 
That could be part of why the vet started at such a high dose. If she continues to need insulin, switching to Lantus, she would start at about 2.25 units (we eyeball quarter units)
 
BJM said:
That could be part of why the vet started at such a high dose. If she continues to need insulin, switching to Lantus, she would start at about 2.25 units (we eyeball quarter units)
Click to expand...
Perfect!! Thanks for the tip. So...how do I approach this tomorrow without offending them??? Want to keep a good relationship with them...they are truly great vets.
 
We've got a section called Convert A Vet You might peruse and possibly share with your vet and say something along the lines of knowing how busy they are, saving them some time by finding the articles.

You might say that you came across the idea of home testing the blood glucose and decided to see what home numbers you got ... then mention the low numbers and your concerns.
 
About every 2 hours.
From 208 to 138 in 2.5 hours is a drop of 70 mg/dL.
As long as she remains above 50 mg/dL, she is fine and there is no need to intervene.
NPH wears off around 8 hours or so, depending on the cat. The nadir, or peak action and lowest glucose are likely around +4 hours post shot.
Set an alarm to test again in 2 hours.
 
BJM said:
About every 2 hours.
From 208 to 138 in 2.5 hours is a drop of 70 mg/dL.
As long as she remains above 50 mg/dL, she is fine and there is no need to intervene.
NPH wears off around 8 hours or so, depending on the cat. The nadir, or peak action and lowest glucose are likely around +4 hours post shot.
Set an alarm to test again in 2 hours.
Click to expand...
Got it! Let me clarify. No more shots until her nighttime shot..correct?? I'm just testing again in 2 hours...correct?
 
BJM said:
About every 2 hours.
From 208 to 138 in 2.5 hours is a drop of 70 mg/dL.
As long as she remains above 50 mg/dL, she is fine and there is no need to intervene.
NPH wears off around 8 hours or so, depending on the cat. The nadir, or peak action and lowest glucose are likely around +4 hours post shot.
Set an alarm to test again in 2 hours.
Click to expand...
NPH?? Sorry...don't know all the acronyms yet...
 
You've got it. Just the tests every 2 hours but no extra shots - just her regular one tonight (if her numbers are high enough).

I'm happy to see her numbers stayed down nicely for you overnight - she's looking great. :)

NPH is the type of insulin that Novolin falls under. I don't remember exactly what it stands for, but I'm sure BJM will be able to tell you what the letters stand for.
 
manxcat419 said:
You've got it. Just the tests every 2 hours but no extra shots - just her regular one tonight (if her numbers are high enough).

I'm happy to see her numbers stayed down nicely for you overnight - she's looking great. :)

NPH is the type of insulin that Novolin falls under. I don't remember exactly what it stands for, but I'm sure BJM will be able to tell you what the letters stand for.
Click to expand...
I feel horrible giving her so much insulin and she didn't need it!!! :(
 
BJM said:
About every 2 hours.
From 208 to 138 in 2.5 hours is a drop of 70 mg/dL.
As long as she remains above 50 mg/dL, she is fine and there is no need to intervene.
NPH wears off around 8 hours or so, depending on the cat. The nadir, or peak action and lowest glucose are likely around +4 hours post shot.
Set an alarm to test again in 2 hours.
Click to expand...
Should I test 2 hours from last test...or +4?
 
Take it 2 hours from when you tested. The general idea is to see when she hits her lowest level and when she starts going up.

And NPH stands for neutral protein Hagedorn, a type of insulin. Both Humulin and Novalin make an NPH insulin. We often just call it N.
 
It's not your fault at all Kate. Please don't blame yourself. :bighug: We all put our trust in our vets to know what to do for our cats and, unfortunately, it seems that with Feline Diabetes they don't always have the specialist knowledge that is needed for controlling this condition. So many of us have had this sort of problem - I was told by my vet to start Rosa on double the amount of Lantus that's recommended as a starting dose based on her weight at the time so you're certainly not alone in this. The important thing is that you've found out and you've got everyone here to help you figure this out and get Kloever feeling better. :)

Kate and Kloever said:
Should I test 2 hours from last test...or +4?
Click to expand...
That's exactly right. Your next test will be +4, then +6 and so on until her next shot time. :)

ETA - oops, missed that the first test was +2.5. So the next one is +4.5 etc.
 
Also know that things change; giving insulin can rest the pancreas and allow it to recover some function.
And tests at the vet can be 100-180 mg/dL higher than at home.
And changing to low carb food may reduce glucose levels 100-300 mg/dL.

Summary:
AMPS - 208, 1 unit of NPH
+2.5 - 138

 
Thanks so much!!! :) ok...next test +4.5. I have adjusted her diet...and the other two I guess. Plus the testing at home!! :) I have a few scratches...haha...but the ear has worked both times today! MUCH EASIER!!!!! :)
 
You're doing really well getting everything together and getting started on home testing. :) Kloever will get used to being tested - Rosa can be a nightmare for having anything even remotely medical done and she got into the routine for me without too much bother. If you can offer Kloever a low carb treat after every test (I use Pure Bites at the moment but there are others available too that are just freeze dried meat) then she'll soon come to realize that test time means treats and then she'll stop scratching.
 
I'm bouncing around today but, checked in to see how things are going with Kloever and sounds like things are going well! You're testing well (in spite of scratches...where I thought I would need stitches some days...today was one of them...yes...still ;) ) And, you're getting a really good idea of where Kloever is in terms of her BG and how the insulin works (as we ALL have to do). Way to go, Kate!!! Crash course, huh?

Of course, you're in excellent hands here. I only wish that I had the knowledge that they have but, I don't. I'm still learning too so, we're all on this path of learning with special guidance from those who have so much knowledge and can help us better than our vets can in this arena.

HUGS to EVERYONE! :)

Edit to add: @BJM You've once again, likely saved Kloever! (why isn't there a heart icon?) HUGS!!!
 
Kate and Kloever said:
I think she's happier too!!! :) <3
Click to expand...
And that counts for a lot! :) We do talk about numbers a lot here, but how our cats are feeling and acting is also very, very important - they're so much more than just the number on the meter. Quality of life is extremely important too (in fact really when we talk numbers, we're talking a combination of safety plus getting to a range that's going to leave our cats feeling normal and happy). It's great that she's feeling happier - it's always lovely to see when they start feeling good again. :)
 
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