Smiffy on Caninsulin - only dose if eaten and +15 shots?

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Looby & Smiffy

Looby & Smiffy

Member Since 2016
Smiffy has had some really good PMPS readings for example last night she was 142 and she didn't eat so I didn't give her a shot (I am using the Vetpen so have increments of 0.5 units to dose with).

At +3 she had 'bounced' up to 11.1 (200) so it has been suggested that I could give her (what would then be +15 from her AMPS shot) a shot to maintain the 'healing' process of keeping her numbers down and also reduce the bounce that I get for her at her next AMPS (which this morning was 13.7 (247) for which I gave her one unit which brought her down to her Nadir at +3 of 6.4 (115)).

I am reluctant to give a shot of 0.5 units at +15 especially when she has not eaten as I would imagine that this would bring her crashing down in the middle of the night when I would not be around to deal with a potential hypo.

However. it has also been suggested to me that it is a myth that Smiffy or any cat needs to eat before their shot as long as they are eating normally throughout the day but every other piece of advice tells me that this is not true. I was told that Vets like to say this as they also want us to shoot blind and to say that the cat has to eat first is a safety meaure on their part. I am disbeliveing of this information.

So what do you think of a +15 shot at night to curb Smiffy's bounce with or without eating supper?

And what do you thing about me giving her a shot at +15 on no food as long as she has eaten during the day?

Thanks in advance ......

Hope this might help other Caninsulin users too ....
 
Once I knew how my cat responds to insulin I didn't feed before shots but as a reward after she took her shot. Her food is low carb so it's impact on her numbers were never really a consideration. She never had an issue of not wanting to eat though.


Now shooting when you won't be able to test is a different issue. When I am not around to test I err on the side of caution and don't dose aggressively.

If your end goal is remission I highly recommend using a needle so you can tweak the doses more. Several times I have given.75 or.25u. If your goal is to keep her happy and feeling good but it's not necessarily to get her into remission then I would say just make your best educated guess based on the.5 u increments you do. Your cat is doing well and feeling good so whatever you are doing is working. Trust your instincts based on what you know.
 
If you are asking what I personally would do with a PMPS of 142, I probably would have given the.5 u. You've given it at slightly higher numbers and it hasn't brought her down too low... It might have been able to bring her to low blues or greens.
 
JanetNJ said:
If you are asking what I personally would do with a PMPS of 142, I probably would have given the.5 u. You've given it at slightly higher numbers and it hasn't brought her down too low... It might have been able to bring her to low blues or greens.
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Thanks for your comments and advice Janet - much appreciated.

I am like you and shoot on the err of caution ....

But would you shoot 0.5 on a 142 if Smiffy had not eaten as was the case last night? I personally think it would be dangerous ....

I am reluctant to shoot at +15 too unless she has had a good supper and her numbers rose from a no shot PMPS to at least 12 or more at +14 or at the latest +15.

So do you think you can shoot insulin on an empty stomach? Every other source has told me this is not the case!
 
Looby & Smiify said:
Thanks for your comments and advice Janet - much appreciated.

I am like you and shoot on the err of caution ....

But would you shoot 0.5 on a 142 if Smiffy had not eaten as was the case last night? I personally think it would be dangerous ....

I am reluctant to shoot at +15 too unless she has had a good supper and her numbers rose from a no shot PMPS to at least 12 or more at +14 or at the latest +15.

So do you think you can shoot insulin on an empty stomach? Every other source has told me this is not the case!
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Listen, the older I get the more I am inclined to go with my gut instinct. If your gut instinct is telling you to not do it, then don't.
 
If you are hesitate then don't do it. What's the worst if you don't? She might be higher then you like in the morning. So what. So maybe she'll need a little more tomorrow. No big deal. She's safe.
 
Looby & Smiify said:
Thanks for your comments and advice Janet - much appreciated.

I am like you and shoot on the err of caution ....

But would you shoot 0.5 on a 142 if Smiffy had not eaten as was the case last night? I personally think it would be dangerous ....

I am reluctant to shoot at +15 too unless she has had a good supper and her numbers rose from a no shot PMPS to at least 12 or more at +14 or at the latest +15.

So do you think you can shoot insulin on an empty stomach? Every other source has told me this is not the case!
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I personally would have shot provided I could test. If I wasn't going to test then I would have either shot.25 or not at all.
 
Looby & Smiify said:
So @JanetNJ tonight Smiffy is preshot 8 (144) and eating .... 0.5 units or now - tough decision!
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Your call. As I've said I would (and have) shot that number as long as I could test. As time went on and she was more sensative to insulin I would do.25 at that number. Your call.... Are you planning on testing? You might take the chance. Don't think you'll wake up to test? Skip it.
 
JanetNJ said:
Your call. As I've said I would (and have) shot that number as long as I could test. As time went on and she was more sensative to insulin I would do.25 at that number. Your call.... Are you planning on testing? You might take the chance. Don't think you'll wake up to test? Skip it.
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Yes ready to test later +3 and +4 ..... will give it a go .......
 
JanetNJ said:
Your call. As I've said I would (and have) shot that number as long as I could test. As time went on and she was more sensative to insulin I would do.25 at that number. Your call.... Are you planning on testing? You might take the chance. Don't think you'll wake up to test? Skip it.
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Oh I don't know - I am in two minds now ...... I will leave it one more night and see what happens later and tomorrow ..... maybe I am a coward but now I really wish I could give 0.25 as you suggest .... will let you know what I decide to do and what happens ..... her Nadir on 0.5 is bound to be at around +3 or +4 not later than that I wouldn't think ....
 
JanetNJ said:
Your call. As I've said I would (and have) shot that number as long as I could test. As time went on and she was more sensative to insulin I would do.25 at that number. Your call.... Are you planning on testing? You might take the chance. Don't think you'll wake up to test? Skip it.
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I got her to eat a bit more and tested her half an hour after her PMPS of 8 and she is now 8.8 after eating so gave her 0.5 units and will leave food out and test her again at +3 and +4!
 
I'd probably test at + 3 or 4 and see what she is and as long as it's a safe number not worry too much. You don't need to keep testing all night unless she's low.
 
JanetNJ said:
I'd probably test at + 3 or 4 and see what she is and as long as it's a safe number not worry too much. You don't need to keep testing all night unless she's low.
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I gave her the 0.5 shot and at +4 she is 10.2 (180) so unless I gave her a fur shot I can relax (:
 
JanetNJ said:
I'd probably test at + 3 or 4 and see what she is and as long as it's a safe number not worry too much. You don't need to keep testing all night unless she's low.
Click to expand...
I gave her the 0.5 shot and at +4 she is 10.2 (180) so unless I gave her a fur shot I can relax (:
 
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