Hello,
My cat Fluffy was just diagnosed this past Saturday, pending the results of the fructosamine test, which became available today and confirmed the diagnosis. The vet's BG test read 32.8mmol/L. Since Saturday, someone close to me suggested I read this forum and has provided lots of support and advice. So, with the help of that person and the resources on this board, my husband and I have cut out all of Fluffy's dry food and treats, switched his wet food to Wellness Chicken - he gets a 5.5oz can divided over 2 meals, spaced 12 hours apart, and I've been giving him the occasional freeze-dried chicken breast,shrimp or chicken liver treat. I've also been home testing him with a glucometer. His readings yesterday were 18.4mmol/L 3.5h after his last meal and 19.8mmol/L 12 hours after his last meal. Today his reading was 17.0 measured 8 hours after his last meal. I say after his last meal, but he's really a grazer, not a gobbler, so he'll eat about half the amount I put down and then come back to his bowl off and on until it's all gone. We also have 3 other cats fyi who are not diabetic but are following the same diet because everyone eats out of everyone else's bowls.
After reading lots of the excellent resources on this board, including the start low and go slow advice, the Roomp and Rand study and the AAHA Diabetes Management Guidelines for Dogs and CAts document, and based on our schedules (we work pretty long hours but will make every effort to do the q 12 hour dosing/feeding schedule), it seems like Lantus would be the way to go treatment-wise.
I've had 2 telephone conversations with the vet since Saturday. On Monday, when the vet suggested I bring Fluffy in on Wednesday (tomorrow) to be started on insulin, I asked which insulin he'd be starting him on and he said Canninsulin. I asked if Lantus was something he would consider and he said that Canninsulin is the product he uses. Today when I asked about Lantus again, he said I could bring it in if I could find it (we live in Toronto) and he would administer it but he's never used it before. Then he asked me if it was available here in Canada. So of course, I said yes, and that I would bring in the vial for him to administer during Fluffy's inpatient day. He also asked me to bring in some syringes to use along with the Lantus.
Since the vet has no prior experience with Lantus - and didn't even know it was available in Canada, I'm worried he won't know what the initial starting dose should be and won't know how to titrate the dose based on dosing guidelines and Fluffy's BG levels. I've already given the vet our home readings, so he knows that Fluffy's clinic BG level was much higher than his home readings have been, and I plan to stay home with Fluffy for his first at-home insulin day so that I can monitor his BG levels and behaviour for any signs of a hypo. I'll also always test BG levels pre-shot and try to do an additional third test during the day on the rest of the days that I have to work and can't be at home.
I'm wondering if I've made the right decision to let the vet administer the Lantus or if I should just let him use what he knows and administer the Canninsulin. If Fluffy does end up on Lantus, what sort of schedule should I be keeping shot vs food wise, if I usually feed at 7am and 7pm? On his first day home, how often should I test BG levels? I've seen some discrepant information about how often I should do this on the first day. Is there anything else I should be doing? I'm trying not to panic and this board has been a lifesaver!
Thanks so much for reading this and for any suggestions you might have!
Lynn
My cat Fluffy was just diagnosed this past Saturday, pending the results of the fructosamine test, which became available today and confirmed the diagnosis. The vet's BG test read 32.8mmol/L. Since Saturday, someone close to me suggested I read this forum and has provided lots of support and advice. So, with the help of that person and the resources on this board, my husband and I have cut out all of Fluffy's dry food and treats, switched his wet food to Wellness Chicken - he gets a 5.5oz can divided over 2 meals, spaced 12 hours apart, and I've been giving him the occasional freeze-dried chicken breast,shrimp or chicken liver treat. I've also been home testing him with a glucometer. His readings yesterday were 18.4mmol/L 3.5h after his last meal and 19.8mmol/L 12 hours after his last meal. Today his reading was 17.0 measured 8 hours after his last meal. I say after his last meal, but he's really a grazer, not a gobbler, so he'll eat about half the amount I put down and then come back to his bowl off and on until it's all gone. We also have 3 other cats fyi who are not diabetic but are following the same diet because everyone eats out of everyone else's bowls.
After reading lots of the excellent resources on this board, including the start low and go slow advice, the Roomp and Rand study and the AAHA Diabetes Management Guidelines for Dogs and CAts document, and based on our schedules (we work pretty long hours but will make every effort to do the q 12 hour dosing/feeding schedule), it seems like Lantus would be the way to go treatment-wise.
I've had 2 telephone conversations with the vet since Saturday. On Monday, when the vet suggested I bring Fluffy in on Wednesday (tomorrow) to be started on insulin, I asked which insulin he'd be starting him on and he said Canninsulin. I asked if Lantus was something he would consider and he said that Canninsulin is the product he uses. Today when I asked about Lantus again, he said I could bring it in if I could find it (we live in Toronto) and he would administer it but he's never used it before. Then he asked me if it was available here in Canada. So of course, I said yes, and that I would bring in the vial for him to administer during Fluffy's inpatient day. He also asked me to bring in some syringes to use along with the Lantus.
Since the vet has no prior experience with Lantus - and didn't even know it was available in Canada, I'm worried he won't know what the initial starting dose should be and won't know how to titrate the dose based on dosing guidelines and Fluffy's BG levels. I've already given the vet our home readings, so he knows that Fluffy's clinic BG level was much higher than his home readings have been, and I plan to stay home with Fluffy for his first at-home insulin day so that I can monitor his BG levels and behaviour for any signs of a hypo. I'll also always test BG levels pre-shot and try to do an additional third test during the day on the rest of the days that I have to work and can't be at home.
I'm wondering if I've made the right decision to let the vet administer the Lantus or if I should just let him use what he knows and administer the Canninsulin. If Fluffy does end up on Lantus, what sort of schedule should I be keeping shot vs food wise, if I usually feed at 7am and 7pm? On his first day home, how often should I test BG levels? I've seen some discrepant information about how often I should do this on the first day. Is there anything else I should be doing? I'm trying not to panic and this board has been a lifesaver!
Thanks so much for reading this and for any suggestions you might have!
Lynn