New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to Lant

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LucyCat

LucyCat

Member Since 2013
My cat, Lucy, is 7 years old and was diagnosed with diabetes in March. My vet has monitored a twice daily dosage of ProZinc at 4 units each and it has not improved. Her glucose curve tests just yesterday were reading at around 400. He has concluded that ProZinc is not right for her and wants to switch her to Lantus. We will be starting Lantus as soon as we receive the vial on Tuesday. Until then I guess I will not be giving her anything because she is not supposed to have any ProZinc in her body when we start Lantus. He wants to start her at 2 units twice daily. She weighs 10 lbs.

Currently Lucy free-feeds on Iams Indoor Weight and Hairball Control dry food and gets a quarter of a can of Friskies Diabetic Pate 15 minutes before each of her insulin injections. People have suggested switching to scheduled feedings, which I need some advice about. Also, should I completely stop giving her dry food? I have another cat that tries to eat her wet food once she finishes her own. I'm concerned that scheduled feedings don't really work when you have 2 cats and one will always try to eat the other cat's food.

Thanks for your guidance.

Becky
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

Welcome Becky and her cat Lucy to FDMB, the best place you never expected to be!

Currently Lucy free-feeds on Iams Indoor Weight and Hairball Control dry food and gets a quarter of a can of Friskies Diabetic Pate 15 minutes before each of her insulin injections.
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The Iams Indoor Weight and Hairball Control dry food is one reason you have not been able to get her regulated. Carb % is somewhere between 34-37%. We recommend <10% carbs. Few dry foods meet this criteria.

I have never heard of Friskies Diabetic Pate. Are you sure that is what it says on the can? Where do you live? Maybe it's labeled differently.

People have suggested switching to scheduled feedings, which I need some advice about. I have another cat that tries to eat her wet food once she finishes her own. I'm concerned that scheduled feedings don't really work when you have 2 cats and one will always try to eat the other cat's food.
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You can still free feed, just make sure the diabetic cat and the non-diabetic cat are eating the same food.

Also, should I completely stop giving her dry food?
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Yes, you should stop feeding the dry food if you are home testing. The BG (blood glucose) numbers can drop 100 points or more and you do not want a hypo to occur. Making a food switch while giving insulin needs to be monitored. We can teach you to home test.

The insulin dose will need to be lowered as you are doing the switch.

How often was she being tested? At the vets? At home? Which methods?

Was the starting dose of Prozinc 4U or did it start lower and raise up incrementally each week?

Two units of Lantus is a very high starting dose. Even taking the prior insulin use into consideration.

You will need new syringes. 3/10cc 5/16" or 1/2" needle. 29-31 gauge. 1/2 unit markings are very important.
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

Prozinc does not have a long duration. There is no reason that I know of for you to stop the Prozinc before you start the Lantus. Maybe someone else knows differently.

If you did want to stop the Prozinc, before starting the Lantus, this would be a good opportunity to change her diet. Be sure to recheck the BG levels before starting the Lantus.

How did your vet determine the 2u starting dose for Lantus? The protocol we use would only give 0.5U - 1U starting dose for Lantus.
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

I'm using a veterinarian that came highly recommended by our local no-kill cat shelter, The Cat House. He decided that we should start her on 2 units of Lantus. He may have decided that because about 4 weeks ago, Lucy went into Diabetic Ketoacidosis. I'm not sure if that's why or if he had other reasons for determining that starting dose. So far, I have administered 2 injections of Lantus at the 2 unit dose and Lucy is doing great. No changes in behavior at all. I will be monitoring her very closely as I am at home for the next month since I am a teacher.

The Friskies wet food she eats is actually called "Special Diet Classic Pate." I compared it to a Fancy Feast Classic Pate that someone had suggested and it has the same percentages of protein etc. It's also cheaper and you get more of it per can so it's more economical. Before being diagnosed, we served her Friskies Shreds, which she loved.

I'm confused. You said I can continue to 'free feed' but then you said I should switch to only wet food if I'm home testing...can you please clarify that point for me? If I continue to 'free feed,' what would I leave out -a different kind of dry food? Can you recommend a low carb dry food to leave out? Is there one that is affordable!? I'm trying to avoid having to buy food from a veterinarian office if possible. Do people switch to the wet Pate foods only? If so, does a cat get a whole can each day? I have no idea how to figure out serving sizes etc. Plus, I would only be able to give the wet food in the morning and evening...I can't make it home for lunch once I'm back to work.

"The insulin dose will need to be lowered as you are doing the switch."

-The vet wanted her on 2 units. I am going to follow his directions. I will need help with how to home test.

"How often was she being tested? At the vets? At home? Which methods?"

-She has only ever been tested at home. For the first 2 months of her diagnoses, she was getting tested every 2 weeks. Then she went into Ketoacidosis and stayed at the vet for an entire week on an IV. Then after that, in the following month she was tested twice. Every time she has been tested, she has tested high so then continued to increase her dose.

"Was the starting dose of Prozinc 4U or did it start lower and raise up incrementely each week?"

-The vet started her at .5 units of Prozinc and over a span of 2 months, that increased to 4 units. We ended up switching vets after she went into Ketoacidosis because the previous clinic was frustrating to work with and didn't seem patient centered.

"Two units of Lantus is a very high starting dose. Even taking the prior insulin use into consideration."

-Again, I'm just trusting my vet with this one. He is going to do a follow up glucose curve check on Tuesday of next week to see what's going on with the 2 units of Lantus.

"You will need new syringes. 3/10cc 5/16" or 1/2" needle. 29-31 gauge. 1/2 unit markings are very important."

-Yes, my vet explained this to me as have a few other people that are familiar with Lantus use. Thanks.

I hope I answered all of your questions. Thanks so much Deb and Wink!!
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

I'm confused. You said I can continue to 'free feed' but then you said I should switch to only wet food if I'm home testing...can you please clarify that point for me?
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The Friskies Special Diet food you are feeding is much lower in carbs than the Iams dry you are feeding. If you take away all the dry food immediately, but leave the insulin dose at the same 2U, your cats BG may drop too low, resulting in a possible hypoglycemic episode.. Eliminating the higher carb food means you need to lower the insulin dose. Changing to any other dry lower carb food means lowering the insulin dose. If you do not, your cat can have a hypoglycemic episode with the food change. That is why I said to lower the dose if you were going to change the food from a mix of the low and high carb to just the low carb.

I strongly recommended home testing during the food changeover to make sure the BG (blood glucose) numbers were high enough to give the insulin. We test before each shot to make sure it is safe to shoot. The BG levels can drop 100 points or more with the food switch to lower carb food. When possible you should be testing at nadir, around +5 to +7 hours.

If I continue to 'free feed,' what would I leave out -a different kind of dry food? Can you recommend a low carb dry food to leave out? Is there one that is affordable!? Plus, I would only be able to give the wet food in the morning and evening...I can't make it home for lunch once I'm back to work.
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Wet foods can be free fed too. You can add a tablespoon of water into the canned food to keep it from drying out. Leave that out while you are away at work. You can also mix the food with water and freeze it into cat food 'cicles. Non-stick muffin pans work great for doing this. Pop out the frozen portions, store in a Ziploc for later use. Take one out before you leave for work and it will defrost slowly and your cat can nibble on it during the day. You can also use a timed feeder. I think a number of people here use the Petsafe 5.

Do people switch to the wet Pate foods only?
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Yes I did with my foster cat Wink. I was home testing daily and reducing the insulin dose while I was making the food changeover. So he did not go hypoglycemic and have seizures and fall into a coma.

If so, does a cat get a whole can each day? I have no idea how to figure out serving sizes etc.
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Cats should get 15 calories per pound plus 70. An unregulated diabetic cat would need more, up to 50%. The Friskies Special Diet 5.5 oz cans have 160-180 calories average each can. We should be able to figure out an amount based on your cats weight.
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

I will need help with how to home test.
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Where do you live? California or Nebraska? These are the two states that said they had a no kill shelter called The Cat House.

We have may articles and videos on home testing and many people have learned to home test from these.

There is also a possibility there is someone that lives close enough to you to teach you to hometest.

Do you already have a meter and home testing supplies?
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

I live in Nebraska. I are going to WalMart tomorrow to pick up the Glucometer, testing strips, and syringes. So, with those supplies in hand, I plan to start the home testing tomorrow. I have Lucy scheduled for another Glucose curve test at the vet for Tuesday. If I'm home testing, do I need to keep that scheduled or should I cancel it since I'll be doing it myself?

I will look for the videos on the home testing.

Also, I don't have a clue how to be responsive to glucose levels...meaning that I wouldn't know how to adjust the insulin shot based on the reading I get from the test. I assume there are probably resources for that too. Do people continuously adjust their insulin dosages to match the reading on the glucometer? My vet said to give her 2 units every dose. I guess with home testing you can be more responsive though. I assume that adjusting insulin like that would happen after a cat is regulated? Or is the adjusting in the regulating stage?

I am supposed to start posting her glucose levels per the request of DCIN. Do you know where I do that? I think it's on here.

If I take away the dry food, should I ask our vet what I should lower the insulin dose to? Or will I figure that out based on the home tests? I probably sound like I'm an idiot but I seriously have no clue about any of this! Thanks for your help!!
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

If this is a DCIN kitty, you will need to use our standard format spreadsheet. Once you link it to your signature, anyone with the link can view it only. That is probably why DCIN requested that you do this setup.

For those people home testing, we have a wonderful way to keep track of the test data and shots. There is a google spreadsheet template you can use so you don’t have to start from scratch and figure out what you want it to look like.
We have instructions on how to set one up. http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18207The color coding is helpful to see trends over time in how the insulin is working. We even help set them up for people that may be technology challenged. Please ask if you need help.
Having a SS set up and linked to your signature is a great way to get some suggestions from the experienced people on FDMB. You can even share the spreadsheet with your vet, by email. It's totally optional but it can get you some great advice on how to manage your cat with his BG numbers.
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Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

I have Lucy scheduled for another Glucose curve test at the vet for Tuesday. If I'm home testing, do I need to keep that scheduled or should I cancel it since I'll be doing it myself?
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If you are successful at home testing, the curve you do at home will be more accurate. Cats are less stressed in their home environment and the numbers reflect a truer state of where the glucose levels stand. Vet stress and the ride to get there, can elevate a cats BG numbers 100-180 points. It can take a while for some people to get the hang of home testing.

Here are some testing tips and videos, the how to's of home testing.https://docs.google.com/document/d/13c_CPZVKz27fD_6aVbsguadJKvjSrSAkD7flgPPhEag/pub

Here is the psychology of testing or how to make your cat more accepting of the process. https://sites.google.com/site/michelangeloprofilefdmb/feline-diabetes/ear-testing-psychology

If I'm home testing, do I need to keep that scheduled or should I cancel it since I'll be doing it myself?
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Doing it yourself will save you the cost of the vet visit, but I do not know what DCIN prefers to have you do. Since this is a DCIN kitty, they may want you to keep that appointment. I would contact DCIN.
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

If I take away the dry food, should I ask our vet what I should lower the insulin dose to? Or will I figure that out based on the home tests? I probably sound like I'm an idiot but I seriously have no clue about any of this! Thanks for your help!!
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If you take away the dry food all at once, you need to drop the insulin dose dramatically. Like in half or even less. Hypos are no fun to deal with and they endanger your cat.

See multiple comments above about home testing during the food changeover.

Do you have the hypo instructions http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=15887 and your hypo toolkit ready?


IN CASE OF EMERGENCY - YOUR HYPO KIT
Put together NOW the following items and put in an easily accessible place!

•Phone number of your vet
•Phone number, address and map/directions to your nearest emergency vet (or phone number of the cab company and some cash/credit card)
•Karo syrup, honey or corn syrup
•High carb canned food with gravy – 2-3 cans
•Some favourite treats
•Spare pack of 25 blood glucose strips
•Coffee for you ;)



Also, I don't have a clue how to be responsive to glucose levels...meaning that I wouldn't know how to adjust the insulin shot based on the reading I get from the test. I assume there are probably resources for that too. Do people continuously adjust their insulin dosages to match the reading on the glucometer? My vet said to give her 2 units every dose. I guess with home testing you can be more responsive though. I assume that adjusting insulin like that would happen after a cat is regulated? Or is the adjusting in the regulating stage?
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We can help you with that here or you can work with your vet on the dosing.

Lantus dosing changes are based on the nadir or low point in the cycle. That is often around +5 -+7 but some cats are earlier and some are later. You need to test to find out when your cats nadir is. ECID. Every cat is different.

With Lantus, you hold the starting dose for 5-7 days, unless your cat tests under 50. Then, it's an immediate reduction.
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

Would you please add some information to your signature? I especially want to see the DKA listed in there. Here are the instructions.

Would you please provide us with some more information and put this in your user control panel? It helps us to help you better. This will take about 5 minutes of your time.
Think of this as having some very useful information at our finger tips for those that are replying to your posts. One reason we like to see this information in your signature is because if there is ever an emergency situation like a possible hypoglycemic episode, we don’t have to ask a lot of questions like what meter you are using to give you the best advice. Doing this signature update is totally optional, but it does help us to help you better.
If you are willing to do this, would you please do those updates when you get a chance? Thanks.
Go to the upper left corner of your screen and click on the words, User Control Panel
On the next screen, a row of tabs is presented. Select the Profile tab
On the next screen, there are a number of choices along the left hand side. Select Edit Profile.
Go down to the location field and enter your country, state/province, and city if you are willing to share that info.
Click on submit to save this change.

Still in the User Control Panel, Profile tab, this time select Edit Signature from the left hand list of options.
A free form text box appears.
We like to see information like your name, your cats name age and sex, the diagnosis date for the diabetes like this (DX 4/30/13), what meter you are using for testing, what insulin you are using , what you are feeding (wet or dry, what brands/style of food), any complicating health issues your cat may have, any additional medications your cat is receiving. If you are using a pet specific meter like an Alphatrak or Ipet, please change the font size on that text from Normal to Large (using the drop down arrow list in the middle of the editing commands)

Click on submit to save this information. Now, this will appear at the end of every post you make. You can update the info when you need to.

There is an additional document you can create to provide even more information about your cat. This is also optional to create this google document and link it into your signature. The profile is in addition to the synopsis info in your signature. See this link on the how to's of profile creation. http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=79123
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Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

LucyCat said:
I live in Nebraska. I are going to WalMart tomorrow to pick up the Glucometer, testing strips, and syringes. So, with those supplies in hand, I plan to start the home testing tomorrow. I have Lucy scheduled for another Glucose curve test at the vet for Tuesday. If I'm home testing, do I need to keep that scheduled or should I cancel it since I'll be doing it myself?

I will look for the videos on the home testing.

Also, I don't have a clue how to be responsive to glucose levels...meaning that I wouldn't know how to adjust the insulin shot based on the reading I get from the test. I assume there are probably resources for that too. Do people continuously adjust their insulin dosages to match the reading on the glucometer? My vet said to give her 2 units every dose. I guess with home testing you can be more responsive though. I assume that adjusting insulin like that would happen after a cat is regulated? Or is the adjusting in the regulating stage?

I am supposed to start posting her glucose levels per the request of DCIN. Do you know where I do that? I think it's on here.

If I take away the dry food, should I ask our vet what I should lower the insulin dose to? Or will I figure that out based on the home tests? I probably sound like I'm an idiot but I seriously have no clue about any of this! Thanks for your help!!
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Well, it looks like you have been bombarded with way too much info, so let's see if we can tell you what you need to know now, and the rest like your signature can wait!

So, you have not been home testing, but curves have been done at the vet office and the vet has told you what dose to give.... that's OK, lots of people start out like that. The thing with the curves at the vet is that cats often get stressed at being there and the result is numbers that are higher than at home. The vet says give more insulin, but when you go home, it may turn out to be too much insulin, so testing at home, before each shot is much safer.
I would pick up a Relion meter at Walmart with the strips and lancets, and also a pack of KETOSTIX so that you can test the urine for ketones. Some cats are prone to them and it is not just at high numbers; they can occur at lower numbers as well.
Over the weekend, you can start on testing, and there are plenty of people here who can help you. I don't think there is a single problem you could have that someone else has not already had, so be sure to post with any questions you have, OK? And I'd cancel the curve at the vet.... just say that you are home testing and don't take anything from the vet saying your testing is no good.

Now to the food... the dry food has to go; it may be the reason why your cat's numbers stay high. Some cats are very carb sensitive and one of mine would end up with numbers in the 400s just by stealing a small mouthful of dry food pieces. Before you make any changes though, get a bunch of testing done over the weekend to see what kind of numbers exist on the current diet, then people can help you decide how to drop the dose and change the food over to all low carb wet food. If your cat is already eating some wet food, you could likely drop the Lantus dose to 1u and feed just wet food, but get some tests first.

For info on food and cats' health, please go to catinfo.org
You do not need any of the vet's expensive rx food either; most people feed fancy feast or friskies pate varieties.

So those are your first priorities...start home testing, and then adjust the dose as you change the diet.
People here can help you get a google spreadsheet set up so that you can record the home testing numbers.

There are no stupid questions; ask whatever you like.
Remember: everyone arrived here just like you, knowing little or nothing, so you are not an idiot because you don't know anything about feline diabetes and what to do.

You will be fine and so will your cat. In no time, you will be helping the new guys who arrive here.

Gayle
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

Blue wrote:
Now to the food... the dry food has to go; it may be the reason why your cat's numbers stay high. Some cats are very carb sensitive and one of mine would end up with numbers in the 400s just by stealing a small mouthful of dry food pieces. Before you make any changes though, get a bunch of testing done over the weekend to see what kind of numbers exist on the current diet, then people can help you decide how to drop the dose and change the food over to all low carb wet food. If your cat is already eating some wet food, you could likely drop the Lantus dose to 1u and feed just wet food, but get some tests first.

Gayle
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It is dangerous to get rid of a high carb food and switch to a low carb food if you are currently giving insulin and not home testing. You need to switch the high carb food to a low carb food in a safe manner and reduce the insulin dose at the same time. ECID. One cat may require a reduction in insulin to 1U. A different cat may need to dose reduced to 0.5U or even 0.25U. Every Cat is Different and what may work for one cat may not work for your cat.

There are some low carb dry foods. Yes we strongly recommend wet foods for additional benefits. There are alternatives.

Lucy is a DCIN kitty. Please tell us what DCIN has asked you to focus on first and we will concentrate on that.
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

Hello and welcome to the board, Becky and Lucy! I'm sorry you've been inundated with information. I agree with Gayle. Picking up a meter and supplies, including ketostix to check for ketones in kitty's urine, is what you want to do first. The rest can wait. :-D

After reading through this thread I have a few concerns I'd like to share with you...

LucyCat said:
He has concluded that ProZinc is not right for her and wants to switch her to Lantus. We will be starting Lantus as soon as we receive the vial on Tuesday. Until then I guess I will not be giving her anything because she is not supposed to have any ProZinc in her body when we start Lantus.
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The recipe for DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) = low levels of insulin + infection or other systemic stresses. Lack of appetite can also play into the picture. Even though you intend to switch to Lantus on Tuesday, giving her Prozinc until then is better than her not receiving any insulin at all. I have a cat who has been through DKA and occasionally throws ketones. Not giving any exogenous insulin for even a few days can set the stage for another DKA episode. Prozinc is not a "depot" insulin. You can start Lantus 12 hours after the last injection of Prozinc. Please revisit this subject with your vet since Lucy was in DKA recently.

Deb & Wink said:
Two units of Lantus is a very high starting dose. Even taking the prior insulin use into consideration.
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Not necessarily when you consider Lucy was on 4u of Prozinc BID and dry food is in the picture. Your best bet is to learn to test Lucy's blood sugar at home as soon as possible.

Deb & Wink said:
The protocol we use would only give 0.5U - 1U starting dose for Lantus.
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Not necessarily when a kitty is switching from another insulin. Prior dose as well as medical history should be taken into consideration when switching from another insulin.

Deb & Wink said:
If you take away the dry food all at once, you need to drop the insulin dose dramatically. Like in half or even less. Hypos are no fun to deal with and they endanger your cat.
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I don't want to minimize how taking away a high carb dry food all at once *can* result in a reduction of exogenous insulin, but I find this advice to be particularly disturbing when kitty has a recent history of diabetic ketoacidosis. Let your meter/blood glucose numbers be your guide.

Deb & Wink said:
With Lantus, you hold the starting dose for 5-7 days, unless your cat tests under 50. Then, it's an immediate reduction.
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The above is a generalized statement which mostly applies to newly diagnosed kitties starting out with Lantus... without a history of complications. Your vet is already suggesting a dose reduction from 4u of Prozinc to starting Lantus at 2u twice a day. Depending on meter readings, the dose *may* have to be increased sooner than in 5 - 7 days. This is especially important with a kitty who has a history of DKA.

"The cat should be monitored closely on the first 3 days on Lantus/Levemir: do curves between the AM and PM-doses, e.g. AM pre-shot, +3 hours, +6 hours, +9 hours, PM pre-shot. Generally the starting dose is kept for 3 days. Test for ketones daily. Cats that have a tendency to get ketones and/or who are getting relatively high flat curves after the switch should have their dose raised earlier (after 24-48 hours). It is extremely rare that a cat will need to have its dose reduced in the first 3 days, but if the cat falls below 50 mg/dl, reduce the dose."
http://www.tillydiabetes.net/en_6_protocol2.htm

LucyCat said:
Also, I don't have a clue how to be responsive to glucose levels...meaning that I wouldn't know how to adjust the insulin shot based on the reading I get from the test. I assume there are probably resources for that too. Do people continuously adjust their insulin dosages to match the reading on the glucometer? My vet said to give her 2 units every dose. I guess with home testing you can be more responsive though. I assume that adjusting insulin like that would happen after a cat is regulated? Or is the adjusting in the regulating stage?
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Yes, many members will adjust insulin doses based on their meter readings. Adjusting doses with respect to meter readings is a tool to achieving regulation.

There's a ton of information relating to the use of Lantus, as well as feline diabetes in general, in the Lantus Tight Regulation Insulin Support Group. When you get a chance you might want to wander over to read the "Sticky" notes at the top of the "Topics" section. They're all marked with yellow stars: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewforum.php?f=9. Don't let yourself become overwhelmed with all the information. It's much too much to absorb in one sitting. Some of it may not even make sense until you're further on in this sugar dance.

Hope some of this info helps. Ask any questions you may have.
Have a good day! :mrgreen:
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

Good job on getting the spreadsheet setup! :RAHCAT I can click on your signature link and look at it, for read only access, just fine.

Is your vet going to teach you how to home test? Or would you like us to see if there is a FDMB member close enough to help you learn to home test? Or is DCIN going to find someone to help you to home test?
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

Wow, thanks everyone :-)

I will start by saying that DCIN has told me to first buy the supplies. I am doing that this afternoon...that is why there is no data posted yet in my spreadsheet, which I set up last night. Thanks for the step by step details!

Lucy started 2 units of Lantus on Thursday night thanks to a donation of Lantus from our local no-kill cat shelter, The Cat House. They are allowing me to use that until the DCIN donation arrives on Tuesday. So, she was only without insulin Wednesday night and Thursday morning. And the reason for that was because that's what our vet directed us to do. Anyway, I've been home and have had the opportunity to observe Lucy all day since then and she has been behaving like normal. So, although I don't have the home testing supplies yet, I am using observation to make sure she is okay with the recent switch to 2 units of Lantus twice daily. I still have the Iams Indoor Weight/Hairball Control dry food out for free-feeding and I continue to serve her 1/4 of a can of Friskies Special Diet Classic Pate 15 minutes before her shot of insulin. That's where we are at with insulin shots and food.

My next step is to switch from free-feeding dry food to serving it out in small bowls morning and night. Lucy is a "grazer" so I'm really hoping that this doesn't cause her anxiety. (She is a very anxious cat!...which makes sense that her vet BG readings are so high because she is definitely stressed out there!) Then, after that, I will wean off the dry food completely. I can't free fed wet food because I have 2 cats and the other, non-diabetic cat, will eat it all! She already tries to eat Lucy's wet food once she finishers her own. My other cat, Conway, has Pemphigus, a rare auto-immune disease. So now I have TWO special needs kitties! It will be interesting figuring out the food situation and I'm sure I will be posting about advice on that a lot!

I plan on using the video tutorials to teach myself how to home test. Someone said there are some of those on here and I am comfortable with that.

I don't know how to read a glucometer or what the numbers will mean so I will try to search out some resources on that. Any help with that would be appreciated. I will be buying the one that DCIN supports.

A few of you have mentioned Ketones test strips. How do people collect urine samples with 2 cats?? The Cat House gave me some sand that makes urine sit on top which then allows you to collect urine with a syringe. I'm hoping to find some more of that somewhere because I seriously doubt that Lucy will let me sneak a laddle underneath her while she urinates! She has been urinating a lot and her feces are huge. The vet said that's all related to her Diabetes. The unfortunate thing is she doesn't cover any of it up anymore so when she goes number 2...oh boy does it stink! She comes outside of the box to "cover" her business...which is funny but also completely not functional. I think my other can does the covering for her...otherwise we are scooping after she goes because we can't stand the smell.

For now, I think that's about it. I will watch the tutorials on home testing...try that out today and get some numbers posted onto my spreadsheet. I have attached a link to that in my signature. I tried like a million times last night to shrink a picture of Lucy down for the avatar but it never worked. Even when I changed the picture to the specified pixel dimensions, it wouldn't fit. I'll keep working on that one...too bad you can't just submit a picture and it automatically formats it for you!

Thanks everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Becky and Lucy
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

Nevermind about the urine collection...I am going to use ketone strips for blood instead.
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

too bad you can't just submit a picture and it automatically formats it for you!
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There is a post over on the Tech forum about one way to shrink a picture to avatar size. http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=92549 Step by step in the 3rd post down if you need it. If the quality of the picture is too high, you could still have a problem with it posting in your user control panel

Let us know if you do ever need urine testing tips. We have them.

So you said these were your priorities.
1. Supplies first
2. Already on Lantus.
3. Food change later
4. Home testing - you'll look at the links to teach yourself

Sounds good. Let us know what your next questions are.

ETA: Yuck on the pemphigus. Looks nasty. Good luck with both your special kitties.
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

The only way to test ketones with blood would be an expensive meter that DCIN does not support. The urine testing isn't that hard and there are many here who can give you great tips on how to collect urine. If I need to test my kitty I put saran wrap over the litter. Kiki will move the wrap around and try to pee on the litter but I get a small puddle on the wrap so I can test that.

You can find the ketone test sticks at the pharmacy where you'll find the meter and test strips.
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

Ok then, Jennifer from DCIN says you do not have a meter that tests for both ketones and glucose. That means you will need to buy some urine testing strips that check for ketones. Brand name is Ketostix but you can ask at the pharmacy counter or drugstore for ketone test strips.

Here is the link to the document with the urine catching tips : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1quta5WLEjdO0Y_t2dAYSwN84h-LNZWxOdtVsJDKZ16A/pub
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

I bought the supplies and just did Lucy's first home glucose check. It took me a few tries...had to switch ears. The success was on the left ear and her level was 368. I have added that information to my spreadsheet. I think I did it correctly. Her 2 unit shot of Lantus was at 7am so this was +9 correct?

...not too bad...

She has been on 2 units of Lantus since Thursday evening so tonight will make that 2 days. Should I keep the units at 2? How do I respond to a glucose level of 368?

Thanks,
Becky
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

I love the idea of using the Petsafe 5 but how do you do that with 2 cats? Do you buy two and must let them figure it out? If you're not home to monitor that is it safe?

Thanks
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

Congratulations on your first successful test. dancing_cat Welcome to the Vampire club!

SS looks good. You put this test in the correct column.

You should add the 2U you gave this AM in the U column. Any food you are feeding can go in the Remarks column. Sometimes it is helpful to know how much your cat is eating. It may not be enough. You may need to change when you give the food. That is why I like to track it.

Adding the prior days units of insulin would be good too along with a note that you switched insulins from Prozinc to Lantus.

Some people find that one ear bleeds better than the other. Some people switch back and forth between the ears. It's all up to you as to how you would like to do the testing.

The sun rises in the east, that is my right side so Wink got a poke in the right ear in the AM
The sun sets in the west, that is my left side so Wink got a poke in the left ear in the PM.

I love the idea of using the Petsafe 5 but how do you do that with 2 cats?
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Sorry, no advice here on the Petsafe. Never used one. I restricted he one slow eater to his own room for the 30 minutes it takes him to eat. Now I monitor him in the evenings, and make sure to move his dish close to where I am so the other 'hoovers' don't eat all his food.
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

So you do two meals? One before you leave for work and one at night? From your earlier info, it appears as though, at least for now while Lucy is not regulated, I should pretty much be giving her a whole can of Friskies in the AM and and whole can at night...does that sound right for a 10 pound cat? I'm thinking since her BG levels are SO high that it wouldn't hurt to remove the dry food while I'm home testing and monitoring so closely.

Also, do I do the preshot before I feed her too? Tonight I took the preshot after she had her wet food and right before I administered the shot.

Thanks,
Becky
 
Re: New user, kitty did not respond to Prozinc switching to

So you do two meals? One before you leave for work and one at night?
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I actually feed my 3 cats 4 meals a day. Two of them are hoovers and inhale every scrap of food in under 2 minutes flat and go looking for more. They don't need it ,they just want it. Vet says they are at their ideal weight.

I feed 2 meals in the morning, roughly 1-2 hours apart. Depends on my work schedule. These two morning feedings are roughly half their daily food intake. I feed 2 more meals in the evening, roughly when I have dinner and before I go to bed. These two evening feedings are roughly half of their daily food intake.

This is what worked for me. I use to free feed but could not do that anymore when one of my cats needed to lose significant weight. The 4 separate meals feeding developed after I started fostering Wink. It was too difficult to feed the 3 cats on different schedules. It all needed to be the same time to preserve my sanity.

Spreading out the meals for diabetic cats can help to even out the BG levels over the day. That is why I did 4 meals a day instead of 2.

Think about multiple meals a day for your cats and how that would work with your life.

Also, do I do the preshot before I feed her too? Tonight I took the preshot after she had her wet food and right before I administered the shot.
Click to expand...
The pre-shot test should be done before you feed. Ideally, we like to have a non-food influenced number for those pre-shot tests. All other tests, it doesn't matter if food is onboard.

From your earlier info, it appears as though, at least for now while Lucy is not regulated, I should pretty much be giving her a whole can of Friskies in the AM and and whole can at night...does that sound right for a 10 pound cat?
Click to expand...
Diabetic cats can't process the food they are eating properly. That is why they need up to 50% extra. Yes, I think a 5.5 oz of Friskies in the AM and 5.5 oz of Friskies in the PM is a good starting point. We can adjust the food intake as we go along.

I'm thinking since her BG levels are SO high that it wouldn't hurt to remove the dry food while I'm home testing and monitoring so closely.
Click to expand...
Yes, now that you are home testing, you could change the food and remove the dry.

If you do that, please post on here often, so we can see the change in BG numbers. And keep the SS up to date please. If google is acting up and won't let you access the ss, put the BG numbers with the + hours directly in your posts.

Do you have your hypo toolkit made up and the instructions printed out? :?:
Just in case. Be prepared like the Boy Scouts.
What tests were you going to do to closely monitor Lucy? :?:
 
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