Senior Cat's blood sugar out of control

[Debra Keller]

My rescue cat is 15 years old (got her at approx age 10 in 2013 from local humane society). She was diagnosed with FIV and a heart murmur in 2016. In 2017 I figured she had diabetes but took a while to get her diagnosed. Her coat was shaggy and unkempt, she drank so much water and urinated a ton. So, it's been about 18 months. I cannot get her blood sugar under control. It'll be 350 to 450 in the morning. I feed her between 6 and 8. I give her 5 units of Vetsulin. She's starving (and has lost weight) so I feed her and give her another 2 units at lunchtime (she'll be at least 200), feed and another 5 units at 5 to 6 p.m. (she'll be 300 or more again). I've changed foods three times -- now on almost zero carbs at $1 a can for each mealtime. No snacks unless protein only. I have gotten a new meter just in case (one that's easier to use too). I have charted and tested and made myself crazy. She's starving constantly. You can't sleep in at all. I have her trained to wait until light in the morning but barely. She's sitting her looking at me right now for food and she just ate less than 90 minutes ago. I am afraid to give her low carb dry food even which might help her hunger. I've paid $200 recently to have her tested all day at vet's, she ran low that day. I wonder if vetsulin is the wrong insulin. I am so miserable, it's a constant cycle of her crying, buying 2 jugs of 20 lb litter a week. I don't even care about the money for insulin, testing strips, syringes, etc. But I feel so done. I kept thinking if I charted constantly I could figure out a ratio of food/insulin, etc. and just keep it up. I'm already giving her more insulin that vet recommended. I just feel so lost. Some days I am so tired of charting and testing that I just follow the norms (5-2-5). Any suggestions? Are some cats insulin resistant? Why can't we get a schedule going that doesn't let her get so high or so low? I'd be happy if she could stay in the 200s all the time.

 

[Sharon14]

Hi Debra, sorry you’re have so much trouble getting your cat regulated. It’s great that you are home testing! That will help us see what’s going on so we’ll know if she needs more or less insulin, or even a different type. To best see this we’ll need you to set up our spreadsheet and fill in what numbers you have so far. If you need help setting it up, let us know and we’ll do it for you. Here are the instructions,
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/

 

[Carol & Murphy (GA)]

Hi Debra - sounds like you two have been through a lot - it's good that you reached out here
You are doing the right thing by testing and feeding low carb
I agree with Sharon- filling out a spreadsheet would be very helpful -

 

[MrWorfMen's Mom]

I feed her between 6 and 8. I give her 5 units of Vetsulin. She's starving (and has lost weight) so I feed her and give her another 2 units at lunchtime (she'll be at least 200), feed and another 5 units at 5 to 6 p.m. (she'll be 300 or more again).

While there have been cats that needed dosing with insulin 3 times daily, the schedule you have indicated suggests your cat may be overdosed on insulin. Vetsulin usually lasts around 8 to 10 hours in cats and dosing for most is done once every 12 hours. In the odd case, it has helped to give insulin 3 times a day spread out over three 8 hours cycles. Too much insulin can look like too little and that appears to be what might be happening in your case. 5 units every 12 hours is a hefty dose of insulin for most cats.

Yes there are cats that have insulin resistance but I would suggest the first course of action would be to look at the current dose and dosing frequency to see if changes there might help smooth things out and being the BG levels down. It may be that a change of insulin would be helpful too.

It would be helpful if, as Sharon14 and Carol suggested, you could set up a spreadsheet and fill in data for the last couple of weeks showing when you gave insulin and how much as well as the BG readings taken before and between shots and we can help you figure out how to get things sorted for your kitty.

One other thing....unregulated kitties cannot properly metabolize the food they eat and therefore are always hungry. You do not need to withhold food between shots. Feeding the cat several meals throughout the cycle will help. There are plenty of low carb wet foods that are less expensive than a $1 a can that would keep your costs down.