ProZinc ONCE a day?!?

[Mandarin'sMom]

After Mandarin’s rather bizarre curve from last weekend, his vet recommended that we do 2 units of ProZinc ONCE a day (her reasoning was that he seems to reach the lowest number 10-12 hours after injection, so once a day should be enough). That idea seems to go against everything I have read on here, but I figured I would give it a try.

I am still having a very hard time testing my little semi-social boy. He’s better about coming to me for treats, but still panics as soon as I try to hold him (scratching, biting, peeing). I tested when I could (not often) and monitored his behavior. Everything seemed to be going well. All week, he was active, had a good appetite, still peeing more than normal, but not as bad as it’s been. However, around 3am this morning, he started vomiting and started acting “off”. I put him back in a crate to monitor and test and his pre-shot number was very high (428) – not what I expected.

Called the vet for advice and she recommended that I do the usual two units as long as he was eating (which he was) and monitor him throughout the day. I figured I would do another curve since he was already crated. His numbers are similar to last week (and he only vomited one more time, around 11am). He ate his dinner just fine, but still seems subdued and not like his usual self.

Can anyone make sense of this? Any dosing advise (continue with once a day? Change back to twice a day, maybe down to 1 unit)? Anything I should be concerned about for tonight? Could this be something more serious like pancreatitis (even though he is eating)?

Thanks for your help!

And here’s Mandarin’s spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... sp=sharing

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

It doesn't make sense to me. If his cycles are too long, then it means the dose is too high. If you dose once a day, then he is on a roller coaster, staying in decent numbers for 12 hours and staying higher the second twelve. You want him in good numbers 24 hours a day.

I would reduce the dose by half and see if you get a smile curve - am preshot, going down to a low point 5-7 hours or so afterwards, and then back up to a similar number at the pm preshot.

 

[Critter Mom]

How long after food was it when Mandarin vomited? Also, what was the vomitus like? Watery foam? Or did it have food in it?

 

[Mandarin'sMom]

I feed at 8am and 8pm and offer him a snack about 3 hours later. The first time he vomited was seven hours after he ate and it was brown, foul smelling and a pretty large amount. The second time was three hours after his breakfast and it was undigested food (not as much as the first time).

 

[BJM]

I feed at 8am and 8pm and offer him a snack about 3 hours later. The first time he vomited was seven hours after he ate and it was brown, foul smelling and a pretty large amount. The second time was three hours after his breakfast and it was undigested food (not as much as the first time).

This makes me think constipation, or obstruction. More odorous stuff has gotten further into the digestive track; undigested food hasn't gone very far down the GI tract. It comes back up because it can't progress. He may need an enema to help things start moving through. Changing the food to low carb canned may cause some constipation due the sudden reduction in grains and their fiber (fur from prey somewhat acts like fiber).

A vet visit is needed. Do not start giving a laxative unless and until you are sure food can move normally through the GI tract; it could result in GI tearing if a blockage attempts to move without being reduced in volume and softened. Note liquid stool may be passing around a partial obstruction.

 

[Mandarin'sMom]

Luckily, Mandarin has been pooping normally, so I don't think its an obstruction. He had a good night without any vomiting, but he was so leery of me this morning, that it took me almost 40 minutes to give him his Insulin (testing him was completely out of the question). I will try 1 Unit of ProZinc every 12 hours and see where that gets us (as long he continues to be stable and as long as he doesn't vomit again - otherwise, we're going to the vet tomorrow).

Hoping for an uneventful day and working on regaining some of his trust...

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

Hoping for an uneventful day and working on regaining some of his trust…

This sounds like a plan! You might just take him to the testing place, give him some treats, pet him and play with his ears, give him lots of praise and let him go - with no test. Once he sees that treats and tests are linked, he may be more cooperative.

Re the shot. Have you tried giving him the shot while his nose is deep into his breakfast (or if he is not eating so well, when he is busy with a snack) Sometimes that works.