Oren, dx 1/17/2015; mom has to travel soon...

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Megan & Oren

Megan & Oren

Member Since 2015
Hi All;
Nervous mother here, as my Oren is newly started on Lantus 1U/2x day as of this past Mon. I have not yet begun home testing, just got materials today, and HOPE to try to start something tomorrow. He has been pretty stable I'd say, continuing to eat normally, and seeing a small decrease in PU/PD. Should note that his overall condition was not bad at diagnosis; decent weight, just the PU/PD but not filling up the box, coat good, a bit lethargic maybe...His initial BG test was 445 from the initial vet visit on 1/17. He definitely seems perkier and is purring and interacting a bit more these last few days.

Oren eats a.m and pm, no free feeding. I've kept to the 12 hr feed/shoot schedule pretty religiously for this first week. He is scheduled to go in Fri. 6th for his first follow up testing to see about dose adjustment. Reading here I see that so many doing home testing make their own adjustments of dosage based on the readings. I have an upcoming trip from Feb 12-17 and have arranged for a vet-tech pet sitter to come 2x a day to the house. My question is, is my best course of action to begin testing as much as possible before he goes in on the 6th? I understand that vet visits can spike the BG numbers a lot; on the day he began his insulin his curve was only 5 readings, 2 hrs. apart. (fed at home 7a.m) first shot at 8.30a.m, BG 511, 300something, nadir 247, then final two were 300something and 400something. Relying on memory as vet didn't provide me the numbers to take home... These numbers are why the vet started him at 1 unit/2x day.

If his home numbers are much lower, and then they are high again on the 6th due to vet stress, how will i know what a good dose adjustment might be? I only have a few days to monitor him myself before leaving, and I'm nervous that the tech coming only 2x a day might not be sufficient?

I have not yet created the spreadsheet, as I said, i haven't begun testing, but hope to tomorrow...
Any advice greatly appreciated!
Megan
 
I think I would start testing at home beforehand and you might have enough data by the Friday to either not have to take him to the vet or at least be able to compare how much he goes up when he is there and discuss this with the vet.

My main concern would be that vets do tend to increase the dose at greater units than we do on the forum. We usually recommend going up by 0.25 units at a time.

If you can start getting a preshot test before Oren eats and then at least one other during each 12 hour cycle. If you can get some more perhaps over this weekend.

With regards the food, splitting the food down into smaller meals might ease the load on the pancreas. I tend to feed at shot time and then give a couple of smaller meals up to +6. Many people use a timed feeder and this might be worthwhile considering when you go out of town.
 
Thanks. I have an autofeeder, but it only handles kibble. I'd have to find one that can do wet, or perhaps try to leave extra out w/ water mixed in etc? The vet also gave me Purina DM dry food, which I suppose I could leave out as an emergency measure, but I gather that's not really a popular idea...Complicating things is I have a 2nd cat, who would eat anything I leave out unless i segregate them. I can do that fairly easily though.

I work 4 10 hr. day schedule, with thankfully, 1 day from home. But for those 3 days I'm in the office it would be hard to feed the smaller meals throughout the day.

I will try to get some numbers b/n now and Fri. 6th. Being as I'm new to this though, I worry that i may not be successful at first, and not really be able to get enough data?

IF his dose is not adjusted until after I get home, is that perhaps safer all around? that would mean him being on the starting dose for 3 wks...

in fact, I do this 5 day travel thing every other month, so this will be an ongoing concern...
 
Yes I see your difficultly. Most people use a petsafe 5 feeder I think but if your other cat grabs it then that won't be so good!

Dont get stressed about the testing, let's just see how it goes and see what you can get. Over the weekend you might be able to get a few perhaps all being well. Then try to get one at shot time. People that work then maybe try to get a +1 if they can or even a +10 or +11. But we are getting ahead of ourselves:). First you have to get your first one.

Am sure you have seen it but here is a link to hometesting
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/
 
Can anyone speak to the best auto pet feeder, especially that can handle wet food? Phlika29 mentioned Petsafe 5, and it gets lots of good reviews, but some very troublesome ones as well. My Oren is fairly motivated and used to work hard at the older dry food auto feeder that I had, often getting into it. I would like to use it for smaller spaced out meals during the day instead of the 2x a day meals he's currently doing. He's been doing that for years, but if it's easier on his pancreas to spread it out, I want to try...
 
A few other tips that can help:
Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the food to provide volume without calories.
Spread food thinly across a large plate; it'll take longer to eat.
Freeze some food to be eaten as it thaws.
 
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