? Sprocket. Eating like a bird...? 4days, 59/+5.9

[Darnell & Sprocket (GA)]

Almost regulated??
Yes I am asking that. Look at his spreadsheet please. 3 days ago he reduced his food intake after he dropped to 43 one night. I gave gravy lovers and he ate 1.4oz of it plus 1oz of 3 carb. He slowly went up to 110. He ate 1.3oz of 5 carb so i went to bed. Figured with 20 carb he would bounce high.
Amps/141. He still surfing.
This was sunday night.
I am shocked.
Tuesday he started eating alot less. 6-7 oz now but like a bird. I gave full dose of ondansetron & famotidine incase he was nauseous or had acid tummy.
Next day another full dose of each. Same birdlike eating.
Next day same.
??(1)
IS HE ACTUALLY REGULATED???
.
Do I do HAPPY DANCE???

If this is true...now i got more questions...
He already has had 2 reductions. I am using caliper now too because my syringes have had horrible ink lines on them for awhile.
??(2)How do I get him to eat more at mealtime instead if birdlike picking all day??
Plus he wont eat on his own of the food on the floor. He waits till he is low enough I have to open a new can to get some food in him.

??(3)How do I know he wont go low (under 60) while I sleep?

He is so....cant trust he will eat the food I left on floor. I was trying to get him to eat every 6 hours but he wont eat enough at the mealtime then inbetween he is dropping under 60 so I have to pull out a new can with more carb.
??(4)How do i get him to eat the meal every 6 hrs instead?

??(5)What if he is going under 70 shortly before amps/pmps? Mostly pmps. I dont think i can shoot under 70bg.
I have gone as low as 85 now.

??(6)Is it ok to give some food to get him up some to shoot insulin during those 2 hrs before amps/pmps?

??(7)Can I leave a small amount of food when I go to sleep even if he may eat it during those 2 hrs before amps?

Ok. Those are my questions so far. I know alot.
I am really shocked. I cant believe this at all. I am still worried something is wrong that I am missing. Idk.

So what do you all think?
Happy Thanksgiving too!!

 

[Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey]

He is still bouncing, so I don't know if you could say that he is regulated, but he is looking a lot better! Cats tend to eat less when they are consistently in lower numbers. Have you weighed him lately? Since he is eating less, I would try to weigh him at least once a week to be sure he isn't losing weight.

What if he is going under 70 shortly before amps/pmps? Mostly pmps. I dont think i can shoot under 70bg.
I have gone as low as 85 now.

Since you are following SLGS, you shouldn't shoot anything below a 90, so if you get a lower number at or near PMPS, don't feed and retest in 20-30 minutes. The insulin is wearing off and he should be coming up by then. If you still aren't sure if you should shoot, post and ask for help. Always err on the side of caution. If you aren't comfortable shooting, don't do it. Of course, with Sprocket's history of DKA, it's better to shoot than skip, so let's hope you don't get a situation where you can't shoot.

From the SLGS Sticky:

If the preshot number is far below usual preshot numbers:

• Do you need to stay on schedule? Then skip the shot.

• Do you have some flexibility with your schedule? Then stalling to wait for the number to rise might be a good option. Don't feed, retest after 30-60 minutes, and decide if the number is shootable.

• Repeat until the cat either reaches a number at which you are comfortable shooting, or enough time has passed that skipping the shot is necessary.

If the preshot number is near usual preshot numbers:

• Look at your data to see what numbers you have shot in the past and decide what would be a safe, shootable number for your cat. Don't feed. Stall until kitty reaches the preshot number you've decided on and then shoot.

We usually don't suggest or recommend shooting a preshot number less than 90 mg/dL when following the SLGS Method. Remember that with SLGS, your goal is to achieve flat numbers that are greater than 90, so there is no need to push a cat into numbers lower than that.

Can I leave a small amount of food when I go to sleep even if he may eat it during those 2 hrs before amps?

Yes, if you are concerned he may go low. Safety first.

 

[Darnell & Sprocket (GA)]

He is still bouncing, so I don't know if you could say that he is regulated, but he is looking a lot better! Cats tend to eat less when they are consistently in lower numbers. Have you weighed him lately? Since he is eating less, I would try to weigh him at least once a week to be sure he isn't losing weight.


Since you are following SLGS, you shouldn't shoot anything below a 90, so if you get a lower number at or near PMPS, don't feed and retest in 20-30 minutes. The insulin is wearing off and he should be coming up by then. If you still aren't sure if you should shoot, post and ask for help. Always err on the side of caution. If you aren't comfortable shooting, don't do it. Of course, with Sprocket's history of DKA, it's better to shoot than skip, so let's hope you don't get a situation where you can't shoot.

From the SLGS Sticky:


Yes, if you are concerned he may go low. Safety first.

Hi. Thanks.
Weigh him to make sure he isnt losing weight?? If he is eating alot less wont he lose some weight??

He just earned his 3rd reduction since Sunday. Long week. Hope he balances on a dose soon. We are tired yet he is sleeping more than me.

 

[Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey]

Weigh him to make sure he isnt losing weight?? If he is eating alot less wont he lose some weight??

Not necessarily. Uncontrolled diabetics eat more because their body isn't processing the calories properly. Once controlled, they need less food to maintain their body weight.

 

[Darnell & Sprocket (GA)]

Not necessarily. Uncontrolled diabetics eat more because their body isn't processing the calories properly. Once controlled, they need less food to maintain their body weight.

So if he is almost controlled and he continues at 6-7 oz of food & that includes water weight so food is less wont he naturally lose some weight since he is eating less??
He is overweight somw still.

 

[Dyana]

When they don't have enough insulin to process their food, the food goes right through them and out the other end without it being used correctly, so they feel or know they need to eat more and do. When they have enough insulin to process their food the right way, they naturally eat less.

 

[Darnell & Sprocket (GA)]

When they don't have enough insulin to process their food, the food goes right through them and out the other end without it being used correctly, so they feel or know they need to eat more and do. When they have enough insulin to process their food the right way, they naturally eat less.

He is on 3rd reduction & giving regular carbs today n already 97 at +3.6. Begging him to eat some cause i need some sleep.
This is getting exhausting.

 

[Darnell & Sprocket (GA)]

Day 4 now. 3 reductions.
Eating like a bird. Acting like no desire for food.
59+/5.9
But will onlu eat 0.4oz
Is this normal?
What do I do?

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Do you know how many total ounces he is eating a day now? I seem to remember he used to eat a huge amount. From I see on the spreadsheet now, it looks like his total input is more normal. My Neko, at 14 lbs, used to eat 5.5 oz canned or 4 oz of raw, per day.

 

[Dyana]

Do you have a ketone test?

 

[Darnell & Sprocket (GA)]

Do you know how many total ounces he is eating a day now? I seem to remember he used to eat a huge amount. From I see on the spreadsheet now, it looks like his total input is more normal. My Neko, at 14 lbs, used to eat 5.5 oz canned or 4 oz of raw, per day.

Last 4 days he has been eating @6-7oz a day but it was little nibbles. He wasnt eating enough to stay up enough. He keeps going under 60. Today was worse. He has no desire to eat. If i didnt put dry sprinkle or fortiflora on it repeatedly then he wouldnt the food. I was forcing him to eat to try to get him not to drop too much but it didnt work. 3 reductions in 5 days.
Today was worse. He wouldnt eat dry food at first. He walked away from it. Thats not normal.
Vet said no insulin tonight to try to get his appetite to kick back in. And then start again at 2u at amps n call her with bgs after +4.
Tonight he ate 3 bites. No insulin then he slowly started to eat. It took him over an hour to eat 1.4oz. Back to sleeping.
Maybe because its been so fast.
I am worried.
Any suggestions?

 

[Dyana]

Have you tested him for ketones? Don't forget not enough food + plus not enough insulin + an infection or other stress is the recipe for ketones.

 

[Gill & George]

I agree with Dyana, it would be wise to do a Ketone test.

Vet said no insulin tonight to try to get his appetite to kick back in.

I don't understand the thinking behind this.

I know his appetite is off, but with a rising pmps and a kitty that has a history of DKA.... I'm not sure of the sense in skipping altogether.

I'm not criticizing just thinking out loud.

And then start again at 2u at amps n call her with bgs after +4.

With some of the back to back reductions, it wouldn't surprise me if the 2u proves not to be enough, you test plenty so it should soon become apparent.

Sending piles of appy vines for Sprocket.

 

[Darnell & Sprocket (GA)]

@Dyana
@Gill & George @Wendy&Neko

Update. Been trying to get ketone test but have not caught him peeing yet.

He came down to 200s today so far.
287/+4.5, 274/+7.8

He is eating like bird still. But better as I gave fresh can (or from fridge) at noontime and left the food down & they both nibbled after that.

He is at 4.8oz with water weight so far before his pmps meal.
So if I can balance the insulin with his less food amount then we will do well.

Overnight he did vomit a few times. I had given 0carb tikicat at 11pm before I went to bed after seeing the high bg of 473.
He was 446 at amps.
So i gave 0.5ml(full dose) of ondansetron at 4am after he vomited then again at 4pm. Gave full dose of famotidine too at 645am.

So if he is @250 or so by pmps he should go down some tonight with his 2u dose. And tomorrow should tell if this dose is good or not with this food i take.

Gonna try to give fresh can or fresh from opened fridge can every 6 hrs n let them nibble after that unless he starts eating more at the meal times.

I will go up some in dose of he needs it after a few days. It was scary how much he was going down. Maybe it upset his body with the sudden reduction of food after his night at 43. Too much on his body in a short time.
What do you all think??

 

[Gill & George]

Are both your cats a little off their food?

My two kittens had a some sort of tummy bug, went of their food for a number of days, one of them plain refused to eat , I had to assist feed her to get her going again. Just wondering if there might be another cause for the inappetencte.

So if he is @250 or so by pmps he should go down some tonight with his 2u dose. And tomorrow should tell if this dose is good or not with this food i take.

Not necessarily, the depot will have been drained somewhat by the skip, it may take a few cycles for the depot to settle and for you to see the true effect of the dose. You may find he hangs in yellow for a bit before sliding down, that wouldn't be unexpected.
It's good that he has come out of the reds.

 

[Darnell & Sprocket (GA)]

Are both your cats a little off their food?

My two kittens had a some sort of tummy bug, went of their food for a number of days, one of them plain refused to eat , I had to assist feed her to get her going again. Just wondering if there might be another cause for the inappetencte.


Not necessarily, the depot will have been drained somewhat by the skip, it may take a few cycles for the depot to settle and for you to see the true effect of the dose. You may find he hangs in yellow for a bit before sliding down, that wouldn't be unexpected.
It's good that he has come out of the reds.

No. My other kitty was fine with eating. Now he is eating like her. She has always been a picker like a bird all day. She has about 5-6oz a day for awhile now.

Ok. I will wait a few days n see what happens on this dose. Maybe that will help his body get used to the change too.
Yes. I was very happy to see him back in yellow so fast. The red scared me. Glad he ate the tikicat. I think the red might have come from the 1.5tblsp of dry zero/evo mix i gave him yesterday afternoon with desperation.

How many days until a depot is full with same dose? Is it 3 or 5? Thats what I remember.

 

[Gill & George]

I think you should have a good idea after 3 days.
Let the numbers guide you Darnell, you test enough to know that you are not missing any lows.

How is Sprockets weight? Is she holding steady now?

 

[Darnell & Sprocket (GA)]

I think you should have a good idea after 3 days.
Let the numbers guide you Darnell, you test enough to know that you are not missing any lows.

How is Sprockets weight? Is she holding steady now?

Ok. Ya he has been getting alot of tests this week. Did u see his spreadsheet? I tested alot more cause he kept dropping.

I have not weighed him yet. My bf found his old baby scale but its really old with the surface to weigh being higher...lol. looks like a large old time food scale.
Not sure if he will balance well enough on it. My little 7.5lb cat freaked when we put her on it so all I can do is weigh with me then pick him up.

 

[Gill & George]

Ok. Ya he has been getting alot of tests this week. Did u see his spreadsheet? I tested alot more cause he kept dropping.

Yes I did, I could see that you were keeping a very close eye on him, and rightly so given some of the low numbers he gave you. But even on normal days you get a good spread of tests.

I'm heading to bed Darnell, it's nearly midnight for me. Hope you continue to see better numbers, and sending appy vines.