Question re: food/dose timing

[CarolandTigger]

Tigger was at 314 this morning,( actually +10 from last night). He was on an 8-8 schedule but because of his hypo yesterday morning, his shot was delayed until 9:30am, and then 9:30pm last night. This morning, should we wait until 9-9:30 for his dose, since he just tested at 314? He's certainly high enough to shoot. Advice?

Thanks!!

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

Sorry you didn't get an answer earlier Carol!!

What did you decide to do?

In answer to your question, as long as you were going to be home to test, I think you could have shot at +10 since he was so high, but the "textbook" answer is to work your way back to your chosen shot schedule 15 minutes per cycle or 30 minutes per day, so you could have shot at 9am this morning, 8:45 tonight, 8:30 tomorrow morning, 8:15 tomorrow night and then you'd be back at 8/8

 

[CarolandTigger]

Thanks Chris! It wasn't a problem, and I did what you suggested anyway. I gave him his shot at 9:15, tonight I'll do 9pm, and work it back from there. Do you keep your kitty on a strict food eating schedule? We give 1 1/2 cans in the a.m. and p.m. But I just gave him a 1/2 can (FF) at noon, since he was meowing so loudly (Yeah, I'm a pushover Vet really wanted us to hold off and restrict him to twice a day only. He's coming down from the 314 this morning...I just tested him in the 250's at noon. I'm sure what I just gave him at noon will now raise his BG a little, right?

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

No.....it's actually easier on the pancreas to deal with several small meals instead of the 2 big ones....with the big meals, the pancreas still tries to "work" to release insulin....with smaller meals, it doesn't work as hard and that's what we want!

The more the pancreas has a chance to heal, the better the chances it'll resume doing ALL the work!!

The idea of 2 big meals is pretty much a "leftover" from the days when they were using the harsher insulins, like Caninsulin/Vetsulin. With those insulins, it IS important that they get most of their meal in before they get their shot so when it "hits", there's something for it to do

With the newer, gentler insulins like lantus, it's not as important that they eat before the shots....just that they're willing to eat!

ECID, but some do better if they don't get any food after nadir, since the insulin is already starting to wear off, but some cats do fine eating right up to +10