Newly diagnosed

[crazy_moo]

Hi to all.....

My boy Jack was diagnosed almost 3 weeks ago now.

We are based in the UK.

I was giving him caninsulin shots using the vet pen of 1 unit twice a day to start but he seemed to start fitting when going to sleep so my vet advised to lower dose to 0.5 units twice a day which he seemed to take to.

His food has not needed to be switched as he was already eating low carb wet food (whiskers 7+ pouches meat/fish in jelly) but I have eliminated the dry food I used to leave out for him to graze on throughout the day while I was out at work.
Main issue Ive been facing with feeding is my vet says only to feed when Im giving insulin shots....Jack is used to having 2 pouches per day split between 4 feeds & dry food to graze on.....since starting his insulin Ive switched to giving the 2 pouches in 2 feeds & no dry food at all.....
....He has lost a fair bit of weight & Im worried with reducing his food by eliminating the dry he will not start to gain any weight back also as he is use to the 4 mini feeds he is begging for food all the time throughout the day & I feel awfull not giving him it.

He recently had his 1st glucose curve carried out by a mobile vet at home & since this my vet has advised to up his caninsulin dose to 1 unit twice a day which Ive been doing since Monday.

Here is his curve results:

I do home test his glucose levels myself using my partner's meter (he is type 1 diabetic himself)

What is the normal mmol range on a human meter for a cat & should I not be giving the insulin shot if his reading before food & shot is lower than 11mmol on a human meter?

I am looking to purchase an alpha track 2 but money is limited right now after initial vet bills due to Jack not being insured.

He is suffering with neuropathy too.....Since starting the insulin I have noticed a slight improvement with this, he is walking with his hind legs raised more each day now which is promising.

Another issue we are having is he refuses to use the litter tray....Im assuming this may be down to his neuropathy fifing it hard to get into the try itself....he goes right next to it. I have noticed him eating the crystal base litter we have started using too which he never used to do with the wood pellets....Thinking I might switch litter back to what he was used to.

Im desperate to get my boy feeling better & understand its a marathon, not a race so currently taking it 1 day at a time.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Love from Shell & Jack
Xx

 

[Veronica & Babu-chiri]

First of all welcome!!

Jack is a very handsome guy.

You are off to a very good start, really congratulations !! specially on testing him.

I am looking to purchase an alpha track 2 but money is limited right now after initial vet bills due to Jack not being insured.

Most of us use a human meter it's perfectly ok,

What is the normal mmol range on a human meter for a cat & should I not be giving the insulin shot if his reading before food & shot is lower than 11mmol on a human meter?

On FDMB the normal Blood Glucose (BG) range for a non-diabetic cat is generally deemed to be 50 – 120 mg/dL [2.7 to 6.6 mmol/L] on a human glucose meter.

should I not be giving the insulin shot if his reading before food & shot is lower than 11mmol on a human meter?

If your cat’s Blood Glucose is a bit below 200 mg/dL [11 mmol/L] on a human meter, consider ‘stalling’ (wait for a few mintues to see if his BG raises ) and/or ask for help here

He is suffering with neuropathy too.....Since starting the insulin I have noticed a slight improvement with this, he is walking with his hind legs raised more each day now which is promising.

His neurophaty will probably improve as his BG levels get down but it may take a while, many here give zovaline to help with it

Ask all you need or want , I suggest you do it in the main health forum or the caninsulin forum where a lot more eyes will look

Also here’s the link to some information about caninsulin that may help you

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/beginners-guide-to-caninsulin-vetsulin.186099/

 

[crazy_moo]

First of all welcome!!

Jack is a very handsome guy.

You are off to a very good start, really congratulations !! specially on testing him.



Most of us use a human meter it's perfectly ok,



On FDMB the normal Blood Glucose (BG) range for a non-diabetic cat is generally deemed to be 50 – 120 mg/dL [2.7 to 6.6 mmol/L] on a human glucose meter.



If your cat’s Blood Glucose is a bit below 200 mg/dL [11 mmol/L] on a human meter, consider ‘stalling’ (wait for a few mintues to see if his BG raises ) and/or ask for help here



His neurophaty will probably improve as his BG levels get down but it may take a while, many here give zovaline to help with it

Ask all you need or want , I suggest you do it in the main health forum or the caninsulin forum where a lot more eyes will look

Also here’s the link to some information about caninsulin that may help you

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/beginners-guide-to-caninsulin-vetsulin.186099/

Thanks so much for taking the time to read & for all of your info....

.....Ill be sure to have a good look through the Caninsulin section.

Purrs!!

 

[Kris & Teasel]

Welcome! Isn't Jack handsome!

Re feeding: most of us feed several small meals a day even though our vet might have said twice a day only.

Re glucose meter: many of us use a human meter because of the very high cost of test strips for the AlphaTrak 2.

Re neuropathy: good control of BG helps a lot and many people have had success adding a vitamin B12 supplement. It should be the methylcobalamin version of B12 and it can be found in a human pharmacy up to a dose of 1000 mg. Look for one with no sugar in the tablets. They'll break up easily in water and are tasteless so you can mix with his food. You can give 1000 mg once a day. It can take many weeks or months for the benefits to show.

Please post any other questions you have on the main health forum. We're here to help.

 

[crazy_moo]

Thanks so much for your advice....
....Im definitely going to start giving him a midday feed again & carry on home testing to make sure his levels are OK.

Ive read up on the use of B12 suppliments & on pay day at the end of the month its top of my list to go purchase.

Luckily with my partner being Type 1 diabetic & us being in the UK he has a repeat perscription for free glucose meter strips so I might just stick with using his meter to save an extra expense of v
Buying an Alpha Track 2.

I have another cat, Jill who is over-weight....Im worried she may develop diabeties too so she has been put on a diet to try & prevent this from happening.

Will be looking in the other sections on here tomorrow....Its late now in the UK & I have an early start....Gonna go check Jack's levels then take myself to bed.

Hope to speak to you again.

Shell x

 

[JanetNJ]

Welcome

 

[Sean & Rufus]

Welcome!

 

[JeffJ]

Welcome to the group. Jack looks like a sweetie.

Neuropathy is a common side effect. It is a common topic, so you can search for it on the forum. Leo had it real bad. But once I got him regulated, and provided B12, his nerves eventually healed. So keep up the spirits. It is treatable.

 

[Veronica & Babu-chiri]

I have another cat, Jill who is over-weight....Im worried she may develop diabeties too so she has been put on a diet to try & prevent thid crom happening.

You could give them both the same low carb food, and that would certanly help him, and it will be easier for you, that's what I did with my civies ( cat with normal glucose levels who lives with a diabetic one ) and it worked very well for them they lost some weight and became more active

 

[FurBabiesMama]

Just jumping in to say welcome!