Should I increase?

[Peggy & Clawdius]

I finally got a glucose curve and the numbers are high I think. They are all in the purple and quite close to red. I think I should be increasing his dose but want to check and make sure. I am using the pen so would have to increase a whole unit to 2 units at a time. Could someone tell me if this is the right thing to do? I have an email in to the vet but to be honest I trust the experienced people on here more. I was not expecting his numbers to be so high because he is acting so normal (beyond leaping on my lap and demanding needles when he hears the container opening because he knows he's getting kitty crack after). I feel bad that it took so long to get this first curve. The vet said nothing about ketones. Should I be testing for them when his numbers are this high?

 

[Katherine&Ruby]

Hi Peggy,

Here is your last post for continuity (please add the url to each new post you create each day so we can review your kitty's history before addressing the new day's concerns): https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...duling-different-insulin.248901/#post-2807906

I can't give dosing advice to you because I don't have the experience but I don't think we have enough data anyway to advise you on an increase. We need to see how low the kitty goes on a particular dose, and right now we don't have much data to go on since you just started testing (congrats on that, by the way!).

In the meantime:

• is it possible for you to get syringes with half-unit markings? BD Ultra are the brand available in Canada.
• It's a good practice to test for ketones when your kitties numbers are running high. Ketodiastix are the brand of testing strips to get and will show you if there is glucose and ketones in the urine and how much.
• Please decide on which Dosing Method you wish to follow. I know you may switch to Prozinc at some point so this will change but it's hard to give you dosing advice for Lantus until you tell us which method you are following. Most people starting out choose SLGS (Start Low, Go Slow), which means holding doses for 7 days and doing a curve to review how a dose is doing before increasing. The reduction point and no shoot number on a human meter for SLGS is 90, which means that the kitty won't go too low before you take action.

Let me know if you have any questions!

 

[Peggy & Clawdius]

Please decide on which Dosing Method you wish to follow. I know you may switch to Prozinc at some point so this will change but it's hard to give you dosing advice for Lantus until you tell us which method you are following. Most people starting out choose SLGS (Start Low, Go Slow), which means holding doses for 7 days and doing a curve to review how a dose is doing before increasing.

Sorry, I thought I put that on my ss but I will add it to my signature too. I am using the SLGS and Clawdie has been on this dose since May 3 when he was diagnosed. He has been really touchy about his ears so I am really pleased that after much handling, cuddles and treats he allows me to test him now. Thanks for the congrats, I am pretty proud of myself! lol

It's a good practice to test for ketones when your kitties numbers are running high. Ketodiastix are the brand of testing strips to get and will show you if there is glucose and ketones in the urine and how much.

I will get these today if I can. I think the hardest part will be catching him peeing. Is there a stickie somewhere on what I should be looking for in regards to ketone numbers? The vet never mentioned ketones at all.

The reduction point and no shoot number on a human meter for SLGS is 90, which means that the kitty won't go too low before you take action.

I'm sorry, I don't understand this. If he gets to 90 or below I don't give him the shot? And if he gets to 90 or below I also reduce his dosage for his next shot? Or does he have to be at that level more than once?

is it possible for you to get syringes with half-unit markings? BD Ultra are the brand available in Canada.

I think I read that Lantus and Prozinc have different concentrations and would use different kinds of syringes, is that correct?

Here is your last post for continuity (please add the url to each new post you create each day so we can review your kitty's history before addressing the new day's concerns): https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...duling-different-insulin.248901/#post-2807906

Do I just paste this at the beginning of a new thread? This is all new to me.

Thank you for your patience, I'm sure you've heard these questions a thousand times.

 

[Katherine&Ruby]

I will get these today if I can. I think the hardest part will be catching him peeing. Is there a stickie somewhere on what I should be looking for in regards to ketone numbers? The vet never mentioned ketones at all.

The Ketodiastix have color coding. Just follow the color scale on the bottle to see what level they are at. There are also blood ketone meters you can get, I believe NovaMax makes one, and they are more accurate, but I would use the urine dipsticks.

Here is a whole condo on ketones and within it, a link on catching urine.

If he gets to 90 or below I don't give him the shot? And if he gets to 90 or below I also reduce his dosage for his next shot? Or does he have to be at that level more than once?

Since you are new to testing, we tell members not to give a shot if the cat is below 150 until you gather more data and know how your cat reacts to food. Right now, if you see a number below 90, definitely skip the shot. Once you have more data and see a number below 90, you reduce the dose IMMEDIATELY by .25 units. This is why I have suggested that you get syringes with ½ unit markings so that you can eyeball a .25 unit reduction.

I think I read that Lantus and Prozinc have different concentrations and would use different kinds of syringes, is that correct?

If you switch to Prozinc, the syringes are U-40 syringes whereas the ones for Lantus are U-100.

Don't worry about asking questions, that's what we're here for!