Relion Platinum - Low Numbers Tonight

Lyna for Jerrbear

Lyna for Jerrbear

Member Since 2025
Hello. I am very new too all this. My sweet boy Jerry was diagnosed 2 weeks ago. I got him started on insulin (Lantus 1unit twice a day) I recently just purchased the relion platinum meter to start reading his levels. Do I have to set my meter? Do I just leave it and get the blood sample? How do I know the number is accurate for a cat. I’m sorry I just need help understand all of this.
 
Hi Lyna! Welcome to the FDMB. You don't need to set your meter unless you want to adjust the time-zone to match yours. Otherwise, the meter is going to measure bg based on human numbers, which are what we use here in the forum. You're going to want to set up a spreadsheet so that you can keep up with Jerrbear's bg readings, etc. Here is the information for setting up the spreadsheet AND your signature. This information helps the helpers when they need to offer advice.

Can you tell us a little bit about how Jerrbear was diagnosed?
 
Thank you for your response! Unfortunately the link does not work. Do you have another?
Jerry was very constipated and was unable to use the bathroom. I took him to the vet and they did blood work, IV fluids, 2 enemas. When the blood work came back his glucose was 377. They then wanted to get a urine sample to confirm it was diabetes. Unfortunately there was sugar in his urine. I started him on 1 unit of Lantus twice a day. First dose on this past Monday the 17th. He does seem to be going back to his normal self.
I did receive a screensheet via Facebook group. Is it the same one?
 
Lyna for Jerrbear said:
Thank you everyone! I tried to make sure I did my spreadsheet correctly. Please let me know.
Click to expand...

It looks like Jerrbear is going rather low tonight. Do you have a hypo kit ready with high carb food? If so, you're going to want to give him a couple of teaspoons of that high carb food now.

Below is some information regarding the signature, but let's address the lower numbers first.

Nicely done! A+
As you move forward, you'll make a decision on your dosing method and fill that in.
Now, you'll want to update your signature. Here is the information to add:
"Make sure your signature is up-to-date.
  • In the top right, click on your username, and then Signature. This is where you will put information that helps us give you feedback. There is a limit of two lines which may include two links; you may separate pieces with commas, dashes, | etc. This is where you paste the link for your spreadsheet, once it is set up.
  • Add info we need to help you:
    • Caregiver & kitty's name
    • DX: Date
    • Name of Insulin (do not include dose or frequency)
    • Name of your meter
    • Diet: "LC wet" or "dry food" or "combo"
    • Dosing: TR or SLGS or Custom (if applicable)
    • DKA or other recent health issue (if applicable)
    • Bexacat or Senvelgo (if applicable) and dates
    • Acro, IAA, or Cushings (if applicable)
    • Spreadsheet link. Please put the signature link on the bottom line of your signature information, on its own, so it is easy to find.
    • Please do not put any information about your location in the signature for security reasons. If you wish to add your country location, please add it to your profile.
Be sure to click the 'Save Changes' button at the bottom. If you need help urgently it is important we know these things at a glance. We don’t want to waste valuable time finding out information."
 
Numbers dropped fast after insulin. I gave him some HC dry food mixed with delectables because that's the only way he would eat it. I also put some honey on his gums. I am very scared. I do not want anything to happen to him. What are good numbers?
 
Need him above 50 for safety. Sounds like he’s had a bit of high carb food and the honey. Maybe wait to give more and see where he’s at at the next test in 20-30 mins. You don’t want to over do the HC either…

Also, reduce to 0.75 units tomorrow morning (assuming he’s at a safe level to shoot).
 
THANK GOODNESS you did a +1/+2!!! Good job, Lyna!! Please report back here with his numbers. No need to panic: 50 is not TOO low, but, as Tim said, we need him above that number, and the HC food is the tool to do that. In terms of numbers, you're looking for the lowest numbers (these are called nadirs) in the 50 to 80 range, so he's okay, but you don't want him to drop much lower.
 
Lyna for Jerrbear said:
Jerry is up too 60! Should I continue to give him HC food or wait it out for a little?
Click to expand...
60 is okay, and I would wait it out. You can feed him LC food, if he will eat it. The HC food is going to stay in his system about 2 hours. You want to make sure to check him 2 hours after you fed him the HC to make sure that his bg doesn't drop at that point (since the HC food will be out of his system and not influencing his bg). He should start going up as he is moving through the cycle, but Jerry is new to insulin, so it's hard to know when his lowest point of the cycle is. I would continue testing him every 30 mins. or so until you see that he is continually going up without that HC food influence.
 
60 at +3.5? Great numbers. If it were me, I’d try a little LC and see if you can get him to surf. It’s getting late for you probably though, so I wouldn’t fault you for trying a little MC if you have it to get him a little higher overnight.
 
So that is 4.5 hours after insulin? Please keep that spreadsheet up to date if you can. You can give him a tsp of low carb. Not too much, you want to make sure he has room for more if you need to give more later. Test again in 30 minutes. Paws crossed he keeps going up.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
So that is 4.5 hours after insulin? Please keep that spreadsheet up to date if you can. You can give him a tsp of low carb. Not too much, you want to make sure he has room for more if you need to give more later. Test again in 30 minutes. Paws crossed he keeps going up.
Click to expand...
I put it on the right side column.
But now added a new column. Let me know if this is allowed. I’m not should how I should do halves
 
Instead of another column (which over time make your SS very wide), you can write in the +4 column as 49;63@+4.25. You will have to manually colour the cell with the pain can icon.
 
Lyna for Jerrbear said:
Okay thank you! I will do that moving forward
Click to expand...
It will look like this
1763879045366.png
 
When I click on the spreadsheet, it says it is in the owner's trash. Did you accidentally delete it?

Do you have an update on Jerry's blood sugar?
 
It's great to see that 69. :)

Ideally you should stay up until two hours after you last give high carb food/syrup/honey. The high carb food and other sugars last about two hours in the system, then can wear off. It's possible that at that time his numbers would drop again. How long has it been since the honey/high carb combo?
 
Wendy&Neko said:
It's great to see that 69. :)

Ideally you should stay up until two hours after you last give high carb food/syrup/honey. The high carb food and other sugars last about two hours in the system, then can wear off. It's possible that at that time his numbers would drop again. How long has it been since the honey/high carb combo?
Click to expand...
Just went down a little. At 58 now. He hasn’t been eating anything now. It’s been about 2.5/3 hours with them going up and down. I’m trying to get honey rubbed on his gums when I see it going down. Should I be concerned? 😟
 
I would have gone with low carb food, a couple tsps. Now that he's had honey again, you'll have to wait longer to go to sleep. He should be nadiring soon. That's the point the insulin is strongest and it wears off after that.

I have to head to bed soon. This Sticky Note Don't Panic! or How to Handle Low Numbers from the Lantus forum, gives you some guidelines to follow.
 
58 is a safe number. Honey can wear off sooner than high carb food, so you could be seeing some of that from the first time you gave honey. A tip that will help you learn how Jerry reacts to the higher carbs - in the Remarks column, note when, what, and how much extra food or sugars you have given. This will help you learn how long you have to monitor and when you have to react with more food/sugars.

I just read back and saw that you gave high carb dry food, that can last longer in the system. Might want to see if there is a higher carb wet food he likes.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
58 is a safe number. Honey can wear off sooner than high carb food, so you could be seeing some of that from the first time you gave honey. A tip that will help you learn how Jerry reacts to the higher carbs - in the Remarks column, note when, what, and how much extra food or sugars you have given. This will help you learn how long you have to monitor and when you have to react with more food/sugars.

I just read back and saw that you gave high carb dry food, that can last longer in the system. Might want to see if there is a higher carb wet food he likes.
Click to expand...
I am looking into getting HC wet food tomorrow for cases like this. I will continue to monitor him tonight. I will test in another 10 minutes
 
Lyna for Jerrbear said:
81 at 4 🙏🏻
I am concerned about giving me his insulin dose around 7. Should I give him .75 as instructed in earlier post?
Click to expand...
I would see what his BG is at shot time and post here for advice. Typically with a newly diagnosed cat, you might not want to give a shot if he’s under 200. He definitely needs a reduction in any case.

Questions:
-was a fructosamine test run? Or was he diagnosed simply based on one BG test at the vet clinic? I ask because stress can cause elevated BG (as can constipation) and so a single BG test isn’t ideal to make a diagnosis. Two of my non-diabetic cats can throw numbers in the 300s at the clinic and be normal once back at home.

-what insulin syringes are you using? The info from the package/box would be helpful to confirm you’re using the correct syringes for your insulin. You might also want to post a photo showing where you’re drawing to on the syringe.
 
JL and Chip said:
I would see what his BG is at shot time and post here for advice. Typically with a newly diagnosed cat, you might not want to give a shot if he’s under 200. He definitely needs a reduction in any case.

Questions:
-was a fructosamine test run? Or was he diagnosed simply based on one BG test at the vet clinic? I ask because stress can cause elevated BG (as can constipation) and so a single BG test isn’t ideal to make a diagnosis. Two of my non-diabetic cats can throw numbers in the 300s at the clinic and be normal once back at home.

-what insulin syringes are you using? The info from the package/box would be helpful to confirm you’re using the correct syringes for your insulin. You might also want to post a photo showing where you’re drawing to on the syringe.
Click to expand...
Good Morning. His numbers are at 276.
He was diagnosed with bloodwork and as well as urine analysis because they told me the same thing. He also has high levels of sugar in his urine. I did a demo with the nurse at the vet when it came to dosing with the U100 syringes.
As the numbers are high this morning should I give 1u or lower?
 
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