Not sure to give insulin or not

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Sofia

Sofia

Member Since 2022
Hi, new here! Still trying to understand everything. Only diagnosed a few weeks ago, numbers usually quite high. Before the usual dinner + insulin in the evening we have a reading of between 400-500, usually closer to 500 and occasionally I’ve seen much more. Tonight however, pre-shot test was 208!!! I’ve stalled the insulin but I had to feed because the poor cat was crying for food. Do I just skip this shot and test again a few times through the night to see what happens? I’m scared to even give a reduced dose, I’d prefer to skip it.
 
Hi Sofia, welcome to the FDMB. I am a pretty new member myself and cannot really give you dosage advice. I will tag a few experienced members for you but I am sure everyone will ask if you can put a spreadsheet together because people here like to see numbers in order to provide advice.

Also, have you double checked the number with another ear poke test? Sometimes when I get a very low number it could be not enough blood on the strip or defective strip.

Please see this post to create spreadsheet and signature :

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/new-how-you-can-help-us-help-you.216696/

If you don't know how to set up a spreadsheet @Bandit's Mom can help you.

Also, what insulin are you giving and what food are you feeding?

Tagging experienced users so they can better assist you but pretty sure they will want to see numbers:

@Wendy&Neko
@Bron and Sheba (GA)
@tiffmaxee
@FrostD
 
Hi and welcome to the forum. Roxana has given you some good advice and asked you some pertinent questions. If you could answer them and set up your spreadsheet and signature, we will be able to help you a lot more.
Also can you tell us what glucose test meter you are using please? Is it a human meter or a pet meter.
It sounds as if you are hometesting the blood glucose which is excellent and will help keep your kitty safe.
When you set up the SS if you could add some Data to it, that will help us tremendously.
Don’t forget to ask for help with the setting up of the SS if you have trouble.
Are you testing for ketones in the urine? You can do this by buying a bottle of Ketostix or Keto diastix from a pharmacy and after collecting a urine sample from your kitty, follow the directions on the bottle. There should be no ketones in the urine.

Are you feeding during the cycles as well as the preshot meal?

What did you decide to do with the dose of insulin? Did you give it or skip.
 
Thanks everyone! I was sure there were things I had to include, but I was in a bit of a panic on what to do. In the end I skipped the shot altogether, and the different times I tested following feeding, the numbers were high yes, but not much higher than sometimes when he’s had his shot anyway.

Trying to create the spreadsheet, but the “file” option isn’t coming up at the top, I probably have to try on a computer and not my phone.

Yes we’re in Italy so things might be different.. using a Pic Gluco Test meter (human).

Insulin: Caninsulin

Feeding Purina Beyond, Grain free pâté, also use Lilly’s Kitchen Pâté which seemed ok for carbs but I get the impression he does better with the Purina so will stick to that. Aside from shot times, he eats various times throughout the day, 3 maybe 4 small meals. Really I’ll feed him whenever he wants. He’s never been a big cat, all his life a bit skinny, but when the diabetes hit it got him quick, barely 3kg when diagnosed.

Ketones: not testing, I didn’t honestly know I could! I will look into this.
Thank you all so much
 
Sofia said:
Thanks everyone! I was sure there were things I had to include, but I was in a bit of a panic on what to do. In the end I skipped the shot altogether, and the different times I tested following feeding, the numbers were high yes, but not much higher than sometimes when he’s had his shot anyway.

Trying to create the spreadsheet, but the “file” option isn’t coming up at the top, I probably have to try on a computer and not my phone.

Yes we’re in Italy so things might be different.. using a Pic Gluco Test meter (human).

Insulin: Caninsulin

Feeding Purina Beyond, Grain free pâté, also use Lilly’s Kitchen Pâté which seemed ok for carbs but I get the impression he does better with the Purina so will stick to that. Aside from shot times, he eats various times throughout the day, 3 maybe 4 small meals. Really I’ll feed him whenever he wants. He’s never been a big cat, all his life a bit skinny, but when the diabetes hit it got him quick, barely 3kg when diagnosed.

Ketones: not testing, I didn’t honestly know I could! I will look into this.
Thank you all so much
Click to expand...

To set up your signature which you will see is at the end of everyone's post in gray, click on your name up top and then tap on the word signature and add this information
  • Add info we need to help you:
    • Caregiver & kitty's name
    • DX: Date
    • Name of Insulin (do not include dose or frequency)
    • Name of your meter
    • Diet: "LC wet" or "dry food" or "combo"
    • Dosing: TR or SLGS or Custom (if applicable)
    • DKA or other recent health issue (if applicable)
    • Acro, IAA, or Cushings (if applicable)
    • Spreadsheet link. Please put the signature link on the bottom line of your signature information, on its own, so it is easy to find.
    • Please do not put any information about your location in the signature for security reasons. If you wish to add your country location, please add it to your profile.
Be sure to click the 'Save Changes' button at the bottom. If you need help urgently it is important we know these things at a glance. We don’t want to waste valuable time finding out information.

Take a look at mine

Here is also a list of low carb foods you might be able to find some more here , I see they do have Lily's Kitchen Pate
low carb foods available in the UK and most of EU:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1J5JpMe6TDXrHq_aTl9hUtHy6Gs9oRBqlz4nPGKxtySA/pubhtml


. MAKE A HYPO KIT. Hypo may never happen to your kitty, but it's wise to be prepared in case you need to raise blood glucose in a hurry. You'll need some liquid glucose, syrup, or honey. And it would be good to have some high carb food in gravy. Get a few little tins of Gourmet Gold 'in gravy' food. High carb palatable treats are good too, such as Webbox 'Lick-e-licious' salmon cat treats if you have these in Italy

Hypo kit honey or karo syrup and med and high carb foods , good idea to mark the cans with a marker

Low carb is generally considered under 10%.

Between 11% and 17% is medium carbs.

18% and over is high carb.
 
Last edited:
Sofia said:
Trying to create the spreadsheet, but the “file” option isn’t coming up at the top, I probably have to try on a computer and not my phone.
Click to expand...
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
I will tag @Bandit's Mom to help you with the SS.
Click to expand...
Yes, it is easier to set up the spreadsheet with a computer than a smartphone. I can set it one up for you very quickly - let me know if you's like me to do that. :-)
 
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