Question on if I should shoot with low numbers?

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animallvr64

animallvr64

Member Since 2014
Hello,

My name is Vickie and I have been a member for a while on here, I have a diabetic cat named China that many people have helped me with on here, who by the way is doing fine!!. I just recently took in another diabetic cat from someone who could no longer keep him, and was going to have to take him to the pound Well we all know what would have happened to a 14 year old diabetic cat at the pound, so I told her I would take him. His name is Howard and he is a sweeheart !! He has been on 4 units of Prozinc insulin once a day, and his previous owner never home tested him, she just gave him the 4 units everyday once a day. He dosen't eat moist food only dry food, he eats IAMS Lively Senior . Now everything I just mentioned is what not to do, however it seems to be ok for him. I started home testing him the day after I got him, because I just couldn't give him the insulin not knowing what his number was, just seemed to risky. His number has not gone above 101 since I have had him, which mind you has only been a week.
So to get to my question if his number is running in the 90's or low 100's should I still be giving him 4 units of insulin or better yet, should he be getting it at all? I work during the day so am not home if he should do a big drop that is what scares me. So any thoughts or suggestions on this would be appericated. I have attached his spreadsheet . At least I think its attached.

P.S. he is still getting use to the home testing so am not testing very often right now, mostly in the AM before his shot.

Thank you
Vickie & Howard&China
 
If he were my cat, I wouldn't give insulin at those numbers. I would keep testing and chart his numbers to see if he starts to go up without any insulin. If he does go up, reevaluate.
 
I don't shoot new cats at those numbers until I have tested them enough to know what is going on. I would start giving him insulin properly - twice a day - when I did give it.

Its possible the high carb food has been keeping him alive while getting 4u of insulin he doesn't need.
 
Welcome to FDMB.
When are you testing him?
If before a shot, that is too low to shoot with ProZinc; we suggest you not shoot below 200 mg/dL on a human glucometer when starting out until you know how low it takes him.
Testing around +5 to +7 hours post-shot, when given, will give you some idea of how low he is going. That number (nadir) should stay above 50 mg/dL on a human glucometer.
Testing around +2 hours after a meal may indicate how much food spikes his glucose. If you are feeding high carb dry, it may spike considerably - even several hundred mg/dL.
 
Melanie and Smokey said:
Its possible the high carb food has been keeping him alive while getting 4u of insulin he doesn't need
Click to expand...
That's a really good point . Is it possible you could do a curve on him this weekend to see how he runs. And if he were mine, I would not give 4U only once a day. After seeing how his numbers run, it will be easier to tell if he needs that high of a dose. Since you can't be home with him during the day, it might give you some comfort to split the dose into two shots for now until you've gathered more data. You are obviously a kind and loving person to take on another diabetic cat. :bighug::bighug:
 
BJM said:
Welcome to FDMB.
When are you testing him?
If before a shot, that is too low to shoot with ProZinc; we suggest you not shoot below 200 mg/dL on a human glucometer when starting out until you know how low it takes him.
Testing around +5 to +7 hours post-shot, when given, will give you some idea of how low he is going. That number (nadir) should stay above 50 mg/dL on a human glucometer.
Testing around +2 hours after a meal may indicate how much food spikes his glucose. If you are feeding high carb dry, it may spike considerably - even several hundred mg/dL.
Click to expand...

Hello, BJM
Thank you for the advice. I am testing him in the AM before shot around 6am before I go to work. Now keep in mind his previous owner, didn't home test him at all, she just gave him 4 units of insulin every day. However, I can't do that, so I started home testing him as soon as I got him, and his numbers have been running in the 90's low 100's always. There were times I did give him the half of the 4 units even in the low 100's. But the more I thought I about it, it made me very uneasy to shoot at those numbers. So I didn't given him any insulin for a whole day and his number didn't go up past 109 for the day, even after eating.
Well then today I had the scare that I have never experienced before. I tested him in the AM and his BS was 99 and I only gave him 2.5 units, then fed him, well a little while later I went to see where he was, and he was laying on the bed, twitching and his legs and body were very ridgid. checked his blood sugar right away and it was 54, he so I gave him some honey on his gums and sugar water. Waited about 5 minutes and checked BS again and it was down to 36. Gave him more honey and sugar water, and then he went into a full blown seizure!! It only lasted a few seconds, when it was done, I checked his BS again and it went up to 92. With all this said I don't think he needs that much insulin with the numbers I am getting for him, if he needs any at all. What are you thoughts on this please, and advice I can get would be much appericated.

Thank you
Worried and Concerned
Vickie & Howard
 
I would do a no insulin trial. Test am and pm before meals. If he needs insulin, his numbers should go up. If he hits 200, start the inulin again but start at the beginning and only give him .5 or 1 unit twice a day to start. I don't know your insulin, but that seems like a safe place to start. If someone with experience with your insulin disagrees, go with their advice.

BTW, don't be surprised if he is high this evening or even tomorrow because of the hypo and all sugar and honey. It's called bounce. And here are hypo treatment suggestions: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/jojo-and-bunnys-hypo-tool-box.2354/
 
What you saw was a symptomatic hypoglycemic attack, which could have killed him.
Cats which have experienced this may be much more sensitive to insulin.
I second the idea of seeing how he does without insulin for a good 24 hours to let his body recover.
Please always test before giving any insulin.
 
Debby,
Thanks for the advice and thats a good idea with the no trial insulin. That's exactly what I am going to do, am not going to give him any insulin tonight or tomorrow and see what his numbers do . He is on Prozinc insulin. I think I need to start over with his dosing, because I truly feel he has been getting too much especially without being home tested to see where he is at before getting the injection. Now he is not a big eater, he doesn't like moist food at all, so have been giving him cooked chicken, cause he dosen't seem to like the dry food either, but its the same food his previous owner was giving him. Any ideas on this ?

Thank you
Vickie&Howard
 
Check out the list at Cat Info.

There also is a recipe at Cat Info to make your own raw cat food, with essential nutrients such as taurine, included.
 
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If he likes the cooked chicken, you can make your own food for him, if you feel so inclined. Just make sure you follow a vet-approved recipe, because you will need to add some ingredients that are vital to a cat's diet and nutrition.
 
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