Old cat, new issues

[Oreo's human]

We were diagnosed in March with diabetes. Oreo, my sweet old man was 13 on January 26th. He is also FIV positive which we have known for about 6 years. I have looked over your forum since march and lived on Cat info's website but just joined today. Oreo had a bad day and I my proactive nature is in full force. I simply have not been doing enough to help him. Today is a new day! We had been on vacation and boarded him with our vet-he was on Royal Canin dry food while we were gone because I didn't order enough. I do not like for him to be on dry at all but our vet insists it's ok. I just ignore him but then we go on vacation and that is hard to do. He comes home and I just take him back to his old diet. He has been acting more himself each day. Today is his 4th day home and I found him listless in a puddle of urine in the garage- THANK GOD! I have not been terribly successful at testing his sugar at home. He has opinions about these things and I have not pushed it. After today, we will monitor regularly! His BG was 40 and after 1 hour and 1 tsp of kayro it was up to 103. He was almost immediately back to his old feisty self. I tested him again a bit ago and his BG was 163 and he was demanding food-typical behavior for him. Our vet said if he was acting normal and BG was ok, he didn't need to see him. I am not going to give him his insulin (prozinc) tonight because I want to monitor him. Opinions?

 

[BJM]

That earns a 0.25 unit reduction in dose. Did he bounce sky high from going low? You may want a token dose just to keep the glucose in check a bit.

Can we get you started using our grid to record your glucose tests? It will help us give you better feedback. Instructions are here.

Understanding the spreadsheet/grid:

The colored headings at the top are the ranges of glucose values. They are color-coded to clue you in as to meaning.

Each day is 1 row. Each column stores different data for the day.

From left to right, you enter
the Date in the first column
the AMPS (morning pre-shot test) in the 2nd column
the Units given (turquoise column)

Then, there are 11 columns labeled +1 through +11
If you test at +5 (5 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +5 column
If you test at +7 (7 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +7 column
and so on.

Halfway across the page is the column for PMPS (evening pre-shot)
To the right is another turquoise column for Units given at the evening shot.

There is second set of columns labeled +1 through +11
If you snag a before bed test at +3, you enter the test number in the +3 column.

We separate day and night numbers like that because many cats go lower at night.

It is merely a grid for storing the info; no math required.

 

[Oreo's human]

I tested him at 8 right around when his next dose would be. His sugar is climbing it was up to 176. I have not given him his shot yet. And no he never bounced sky high. The 176 is as high as it has gotten since the "fall". Hubs gave him .6U...I am a chicken so he took your .25 reduction and my 1/2 does and fell in the middle. As a nerd, I love the spread sheet. I had already started making one for myself today. Thank you @BJM !!!

 

[BJM]

Go ahead and take the reduction tonight, then.
Good job managing him.

 

[Oreo's human]

Funny I always think Oreo "manages" everyone around here. Every critter in this house except the new puppy steps aside for him.

 

[Oreo's human]

@BJM Repeat of yesterday. Gave him is shot this morning at 8. He was a little high. Tested him after an hour then he disappeared until about 10 minutes ago. BG is now 35. Giving Karo. suggestions? Calling Vet now too.

 

[BJM]

Dose is still too high.
Maybe try no insulin overnight, and see how he's doing in the morning.

 

[Oreo's human]

I started a thread in the main section entitled 911. I was a little freaked out 2 days in a row!! I gave him about 3/4 tsp of karo before he started licking off the gravy of a can of food. I just tested him at 2:07 (about 30 min after he ate) and he is 119. Our vet said that he would drop the insulin down to .5 units for at least the next two doses and keep testing before we make any long term adjustments. This morning preshot he was at 189 and we gave him 1U. I wish I had kept it at the .6 to see what happened.