Newly diagnosed
- Thread starter Maranda
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Bron and Sheba (GA)
Member Since 2015
Hi and welcome! So glad you found us.
I agree. 5 units starting dose is far too much. Reduce to 1 unit twice a day.
What type of insulin are you giving?
I would recommend you think about home testing. We can help you. All you need is a human glucose meter, strips to test with and lancets guage 26 or 28. And some cotton balls to hold behind the ear. You can buy a ReliOn meter from Walmart.
We will help you get started.
Hills prescription food is not necessary. Hills dry is high carb.
BUT DO NOT SWAP TO A LOW CARB DIET UNTIL YOU ARE TESTING THE BLOOD GLUCOSE. It will drop the blood glucose levels swapping to low carb food... which is good... but you need to be testing the blood glucose to keep you cat safe. Otherwise you are risking a hypo ( as you are with giving 5 units)
Here is a link to many useful links you will need.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/new-how-you-can-help-us-help-you.216696/
I agree. 5 units starting dose is far too much. Reduce to 1 unit twice a day.
What type of insulin are you giving?
I would recommend you think about home testing. We can help you. All you need is a human glucose meter, strips to test with and lancets guage 26 or 28. And some cotton balls to hold behind the ear. You can buy a ReliOn meter from Walmart.
We will help you get started.
Hills prescription food is not necessary. Hills dry is high carb.
BUT DO NOT SWAP TO A LOW CARB DIET UNTIL YOU ARE TESTING THE BLOOD GLUCOSE. It will drop the blood glucose levels swapping to low carb food... which is good... but you need to be testing the blood glucose to keep you cat safe. Otherwise you are risking a hypo ( as you are with giving 5 units)
Here is a link to many useful links you will need.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/new-how-you-can-help-us-help-you.216696/
Deb & Wink
Member Since 2013
And follow ups to Deb's question, is your cat eating kibble or Hill's canned food? There's a big difference in the carbs. And most importantly, what insulin are you using?
He stayed with vet for 5 days and that was the only dose that pulled it down out of the 500’s
Hi thanks for the info. He spent 5 days with the vet and that was the only dose that would pull it down. I am monitoring at home. His last reading was 437 so that makes me stress a little less.
Bron and Sheba (GA)
Member Since 2015
Would you be able to set up a spreadsheet? The instructions are in the link I sent you above. You can then put in all the BGs you have collected and we can help You with changing over to a low carb diet and help with dosing.
There is also a link within the link I sent you to set up your signature which will appear below all your posts with info about your kitty. It will stop us having to keep asking you for info. Thanks.
Is the Hills you are feeding canned or dry?
Also please tell us what type of insulin you are giving. Thanks.
There is also a link within the link I sent you to set up your signature which will appear below all your posts with info about your kitty. It will stop us having to keep asking you for info. Thanks.
Is the Hills you are feeding canned or dry?
Also please tell us what type of insulin you are giving. Thanks.
Sarah&Soph
Member Since 2019
Hi and welcome! Your situation sounds nearly identical to mine. I know it can be VERY overwhelming to come here and have people you don’t know on the internet tell you that what your vet has said is wrong. I felt the same way the first time I visited this forum, so I left and just listened to my vet’s advice and to this day, I still wish I hadn’t.
My cat was started on Hills w/d dry food, which is extremely high in carbs, and 6 units of insulin 2x a day, which was determined by curves done at the vet over the course of a week. Cats are very, very stressed at the vet, which causes them to have much higher blood sugar than they would at home. The high carb prescription food also keeps their blood sugar high as well. These two things usually result in vets starting cats on a dose that is WAY too high. My cat was fine for a few months, but then became severely hypoglycemic and had to be hospitalized. I spent the next 8 months trying to get her regulated following the advice of multiple vets, and nothing worked, until I joined this board again.
I know it is probably overwhelming for you, and ultimately the decision is yours, but the advice on this board is so much safer, and it wouldn’t have taken over a year to get my cat regulated (plus nearly losing her) if I would have stuck with this board from the beginning.
My cat was started on Hills w/d dry food, which is extremely high in carbs, and 6 units of insulin 2x a day, which was determined by curves done at the vet over the course of a week. Cats are very, very stressed at the vet, which causes them to have much higher blood sugar than they would at home. The high carb prescription food also keeps their blood sugar high as well. These two things usually result in vets starting cats on a dose that is WAY too high. My cat was fine for a few months, but then became severely hypoglycemic and had to be hospitalized. I spent the next 8 months trying to get her regulated following the advice of multiple vets, and nothing worked, until I joined this board again.
I know it is probably overwhelming for you, and ultimately the decision is yours, but the advice on this board is so much safer, and it wouldn’t have taken over a year to get my cat regulated (plus nearly losing her) if I would have stuck with this board from the beginning.
Yes, I will look into that tomorrow. We are feeding him canned food. He had to have some teeth pulled and can’t chew dry food well. He is on Novalin
Bron and Sheba (GA)
Member Since 2015
Thanks for information.
Canned food. Low carb is best for diabetics.
Novolin is a fast acting insulin. Please make sure your kitty eats very well BEFORE you give the insulin and you wait 1 hour after the food before giving the Novolin.
Are you offering food during the cycle as well?
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Deb & Wink
Member Since 2013
60 minutes after the food when using the NPH insulins like Novolin N.
Some info from the Beginner's Guide To Novolin/Humulin/NPH
STARTING DOSE - N/NPH
Usually it’s best to start with no more than 1 unit of insulin, twice a day. Post on the forum for advice specific to your own situation.
Some info from the Beginner's Guide To Novolin/Humulin/NPH
STARTING DOSE - N/NPH
Usually it’s best to start with no more than 1 unit of insulin, twice a day. Post on the forum for advice specific to your own situation.
- It's a good idea to feed your cat an hour before giving insulin. This is to ensure there is food in the cat’s system for when the insulin starts to work, and to help ensure that the BG doesn’t drop too fast or too low. Not all cats will experience a fast BG drop with N/NPH, but until your testing data shows otherwise, it is wise to assume that this may be the case with your cat.
- The sequence should be: 1. Test BG. 2. Feed. 3. Wait for an hour. 4. Give the shot.
- If your cat is known to sometimes regurgitate her food, waiting that hour will also give some assurance that she is likely to keep her food down.
Bron and Sheba (GA)
Member Since 2015
Thanks Deb. I’ll change it so no confusion.
Yes I feed him 30 minutes before but have only been feeding him 2 times a day. Should I be feeding him more often?
Bron and Sheba (GA)
Member Since 2015
Here is the link to Novolin insulin and how to use it. Please read carefully. They recommend you feed 1 hour before the insulin is due because it hits fast.
I would also give food during the first half of the cycle at say +2 ( that is 2 hours after the insulin is given) and +4 ( 4 hours after the insulin is given). This helps him from dropping too low.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/beginners-guide-to-novolin-humulin-nph.186097/
Thank you so much. This is worrisome trying to figure things out. I just want me baby well
Bron and Sheba (GA)
Member Since 2015
Of course you want him well.
When you go back to the vet you might ask him about swapping to Lantus or levemir insulin. They are both longer acting, more gentle insulin that are far more suitable for cats than Novolin.
We can help you get your kitty into better numbers. Getting the SS and signature is the first step. It us great you are monitoring at home. Can you tell us what type of meter you are using.
Are you testing during the cycles as well as before giving the insulin?
Keep asking questions
I will work on that tomorrow. I am using the alpha track 2. Thank you for all of the help
Deb & Wink
Member Since 2013
Did you test your cat's blood glucose level this morning?
If so, please tell us the blood glucose reading you got this morning.
You told us you have the Alphatrak 2.
Yes, I think you need a second opinion.
With a vet that has more experience with feline diabetes.
These 2 articles are guidelines for veterinarians to use when treating diabetes in pets.
(2018) AAHA Diabetes Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats
(2015) ISFM Consensus Guidelines on the Practical Management of Diabetes Mellitus in Cats
You may want to share them with your vet.
If so, please tell us the blood glucose reading you got this morning.
You told us you have the Alphatrak 2.
Yes, I think you need a second opinion.
With a vet that has more experience with feline diabetes.
These 2 articles are guidelines for veterinarians to use when treating diabetes in pets.
(2018) AAHA Diabetes Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats
(2015) ISFM Consensus Guidelines on the Practical Management of Diabetes Mellitus in Cats
You may want to share them with your vet.
His reading was 457 this am. I am going to make an appointment with another vet and get a second opinion.
Deb & Wink
Member Since 2013
Was that 457 blood glucose reading this morning 2/13/20 before you gave him the insulin?
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