Ragnar's BG waaaay up - diet changes minor!

[Shirley and Ragnar]

Ragnar's BG has gone WAAY up. He recently took 48 hours twice in a row to reach 200, and for weeks before that he was taking 24 hours or more, so I was only checking every 24 hours (he almost always needed more time then). Last night I checked at +24 and he was over 400! I thought the shot must have gone in wrong - tonight I checked at +20 and he was 440! Now I am going to have to go back to checking and maybe shooting every 12 hours.

WHY?? I did two things: bragged about it here (more like saying how lucky we were), and changed his diet. Unless there are some bad witches here (I believe good ones also exist), I don't think I jinxed it by reporting his progress on the Message Board!! (EEEEEEEEEEK )

So it must be his change in Friskies flavors from Chicken/Liver, Miixed Grill, and Beef/Chicken Special Diet to Country Style, Salmon, and Turkey/Giblets. (I think I'll exchange the Salmon for more Country - it seems to keep much better after dishing out.) Just checked Janet and Binky's List, http://binkyspage.tripod.com/CanFoodNew.html, and found that 2 of the 3 new ones have 7% carb, when his usual previous varieties had 6% and the Special Diet had 4%. He usually had 6%. Is the change from 6% to 7% carb THAT huge???

The kinds he's eating now all have 187 calories. His previous varieties had 172 (and the Special Diet, less often, had 181). Could that have made the difference when most of the calories weren't from carbohydrates?

Or his his pancreas just tired from making all that insulin, the two times in a row he went for 48 hours?

Any ideas on how he's gone up so fast? I am going to call his doctor tomorrow too, but would like your take on it.

BTW, I changed his varieties (after consulting CRF for Phos. and Janet and Binky's List for carbs) to lower his Phos. and to give some something diferent because he was off his food - maybe becoming unwilling to eat the same old things. He IS eating well again, but he was eating well and getting low readings earlier.

Blessings!

Shirley and Mr. Wonderful

 

[Deb & Wink]

If you would please update your user control panel, Profile, edit signature and add the type of insulin you are using, it would be easier to advise you.

 

[BJM]

Keep in mind that food list values are a snapshot in time; they vary batch to batch.

A more recent food list is available at Cat Info

Also, infection can raise glucose levels. Look for signs of dental respiratory, and urinary tract infection, which are common in feline diabetes.

 

[Maggies Mom Debby]

1% shouldn't make that kind of difference, though we all know that manufacturers can change ingredients at any time.

I think I would check out other things. Could he be eating something he shouldn't? Any new treats? How are his teeth - could he need a dental? Is there any indication of an infection, like a UTI, or any other new health problems? Is there any new stresses in his life? Could your insulin have gone bad?

 

[Deb & Wink]

And if you are using Lantus like last time, the depot could be draining to make his BG's shoot up like that.

I looked at your spreadsheet link but did not see any data since 2011. do you have the correct link to his recent data? Is the spreadsheet being updated?

It's really hard to tell, without recent data to look at, what is going on.

 

[Melanie and Smokey]

If you just recently went to 24 hours between shots and you use Lantus or Lev, then I would say the depot is gone now and it is a 12 hour insulin, not a 24. Restart 12/12 like the insulin needs at a lower dose and then shoot to maintain under 120-140 (the top of normal) instead of letting him rise to 200 before shooting again. Lower the dose at each shot time is better than skipping a dose. Skipping messes with the depot and puts the kitty on the roller coaster you are seeing.

 

[Shirley and Ragnar]

Back to 24 hr this time

He was back to 24 hr this time, which has become normal for him. Lantus lasts longer in some cats than others - and Ragnar seems to be contributing some insulin of his own, so he surfs up and down in the low 100s for hours before going up.

My best guess is that the two 48-hr periods drained his depot, though it could possibly have been Somogi rebound - if he was making enough insulin to go 48 hours, maybe his usual dose was too much for him. He was a very nice 95 at +14 today, though, so he is leveling out.

I'll call his doctor on Monday - and see how he does in the meantime first. He seems to have become a 24-hour cat, and I'm glad to see it! :smile:

Thanks!

Shirley

 

[Shirley and Ragnar]

1% shouldn't make that kind of difference, though we all know that manufacturers can change ingredients at any time.

I think I would check out other things. Could he be eating something he shouldn't? Any new treats? How are his teeth - could he need a dental? Is there any indication of an infection, like a UTI, or any other new health problems? Is there any new stresses in his life? Could your insulin have gone bad?

His insulin looks nice and clear, and he had his 6-month checkup, including teeth (which were OK), last month. I'm going to ask Dr. Jen if he needs an antibiotic, though. (To get a good sample they have to give him the needle in the bladder, so she'd probably rather just give him the antibiotic shot. Free-caught urine samples always have some bacteria in them, and we've given up on finding out about infection that way.)

He's back to 24 hours now, though, which has been his normal for quite a while, so that's probably over. Whew. :smile:

Thanks and blessings!

Shirley

By the way, Bayer promised to send me a USB cable along with the battery for his meter - weeks ago, but they haven't arrived so I will give them a call. That should get his numbers into the computer at least. I haven't kept his sheet updated because we don't need advice very often - usually not for months - and honestly, I don't have time!!

 

[KPassa]

I'm going to ask Dr. Jen if he needs an antibiotic, though. (To get a good sample they have to give him the needle in the bladder, so she'd probably rather just give him the antibiotic shot.

What antibiotic is this a shot of? If it is Convenia, I would have a read-through of Dr. Lisa's pages on it as well as UTIs first before allowing the vet to give unnecessary and potentially harmful antibiotics.

There is a joke in veterinary medicine that states: "Sterile cystitis patients get better in 1 week with antibiotics and in 7 days without antibiotics."

 

[Shirley and Ragnar]

I'm going to ask Dr. Jen if he needs an antibiotic, though. (To get a good sample they have to give him the needle in the bladder, so she'd probably rather just give him the antibiotic shot.

What antibiotic is this a shot of? If it is Convenia, I would have a read-through of Dr. Lisa's pages on it as well as UTIs first before allowing the vet to give unnecessary and potentially harmful antibiotics.

There is a joke in veterinary medicine that states: "Sterile cystitis patients get better in 1 week with antibiotics and in 7 days without antibiotics."

Antibiotics won't help anything sterile - or anything viral either. However, we suspect infection - she gave a shot when he wasn't eating before (she'd felt lumps under his throat that indicated he was fighting infection), and he got better. Yes, it was Convenia. I've found it really effective; it's not just "convenient" for us, but cats don't have to take pills or drops, and part of Ragnar's eating problem may be sore throat from too many pills. However, I'll read what's on those links before he has another one.

By the way, he's not only eating well again, bu woke me up so many times last night for more food that I hardly got any sleep! (I can't give him a lot at once because he won't eat it unless it's "fresh.") Good to see it. Better go stick his ear, ho hummm...

Shirley

 

[KPassa]

Antibiotics won't help anything sterile - or anything viral either. However, we suspect infection - she gave a shot when he wasn't eating before (she'd felt lumps under his throat that indicated he was fighting infection), and he got better. Yes, it was Convenia. I've found it really effective; it's not just "convenient" for us, but cats don't have to take pills or drops, and part of Ragnar's eating problem may be sore throat from too many pills. However, I'll read what's on those links before he has another one.

By the way, he's not only eating well again, bu woke me up so many times last night for more food that I hardly got any sleep! (I can't give him a lot at once because he won't eat it unless it's "fresh.") Good to see it. Better go stick his ear, ho hummm...

Shirley

All right, good. :thumbup Just wanted to make sure you were as informed as possible.

And it's great to hear he's eating better again! My cats can sometimes be picky if it's not "fresh," either. I trick them by adding a little bit of warm water and/or crumbling some treats or parmesan on top. :lol:

 

[BJM]

Whenever giving pills, follow with a chaser of 1-2 mL of water, to make sure it doesn't stick in the esophagus and cause esophagitis/erosion of the mucosa.

 

[Shirley and Ragnar]

Whenever giving pills, follow with a chaser of 1-2 mL of water, to make sure it doesn't stick in the esophagus and cause esophagitis/erosion of the mucosa.

I read that in the Denamarin insert too - after it was too late and he was off his food! I am certainly going to do it now. Either a little water from a syringe or a big, sloppy gob of Probiocin before and after - he loves it, and the little Azodyls, especially, go down without his even noticing. :smile:

Wish I'd known sooner, not only about the water (or something sloppy) but about the little Azodyl caps! I bought a winter's supply of 60-ct. Azodyl in November, just before the small ones came out, and didn't find out about them until last week. If he'd had the little ones instead, I don't think the problem would have even developed.

I hope others who are giving pills dry will find this thread and give them with a chaser, too. It says right on the Denamarin insert not to give them as a "dry swallow"!

Blessings!

Shirley and Mr. Hungry-Again cat_pet_icon