Squeak changing to Lantus Friday

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CathyLonghurst

CathyLonghurst

Member Since 2014
I ask for guidance in starting Squeak on Lantus. I hope to do this on Friday, since I will be home all weekend and can monitor him closely.

Squeak is 6, a Maine Coon mix, and weighs 13-14 pounds. He was between 16-17 pounds, then lost 5 pounds when he first got sick.

He is doing very well on Vetsulin, but now that I have the opportunity, I am going to try Lantus. His vetsulin dose has been 4 units morning and 4 units night.


He currently eats 9Lives Super Supper, and has sliced ham for his test and shot reward. He eats some (maybe 1/2 a can) canned food in the morning before his shot, and quite a bit at night (1-2 cans) before and after his shot.
Whiskas Purrfectly Fish Tuna Entree is available all the time for all the cats, but Squeak is not interested.

I am gone for 10 hours 5 days a week and cannot space his food out better than that and he usually will not eat unless I am home. He seems to be back to his normal self. Talking all the time and having an appetite again.

I appreciate this board and everything the members here do for cats and their people.
 
The first place I would tell you to go, is over to one of our other forums here on the message board, the Insulin Support Group (ISG) for Lantus Glargine - Tight Regulationand read what we call the "Stickies" at the top of the forum there. You will find a lot of wonderful information about using Lantus there. You might even want to print copies for yourself to review. I certainly did because having that paper copy in front of me made it easier for me to read. Guess I just like paper that I can hold in my hands a bit better than computer screens. ohmygod_smile

Next, I would urge you to get that spreadsheet (SS) setup and linked into your signature. It's one of the best ways for us to see what has been going on with Squeaks BG levels and helps us to assist you so much better. Without it, there simply isn't much for us to refer to, to help in guiding you. Here are the directions from over in the Tech Support forum on how to set that spreadsheet up.

When a cat is switched to another insulin, the current dose of insulin is taken into consideration. Before trying to determine what that dose should be, having some BG readings on that SS to show how the Vetsulin has been affecting Squeak's BG levels is needed.
 
Good job! You've successfully set up our standard color coded spreadsheet (SS) and entered a number. Link to it in your signature is working perfectly!

What would be great, is if you could enter some of your data from before today into the SS. Here's an explanation of the SS and what goes in each column. I'd suggest starting with the most recent week of BG (blood glucose) testing and insulin shots and work backwards from there as time permits.

A note somewhere on the SS that you are using Vetsulin. Then, when you switch to Lantus, a line to indicate that insulin change would be good to note.

Understanding the spreadsheet/grid:

Each day is 1 row. Each column stores different data for the day.

From left to right, you enter
the Date in the first column
the AMPS (morning pre-shot test) in the 2nd column
the Units given (turquoise column)

Then, there are 11 columns labeled +1 through +11
If you test at +5 (5 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +5 column
If you test at +7 (7 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +5 column
and so on.

Halfway across the page is the column for PMPS (evening pre-shot)
To the right is another turquoise column for Units given at the evening shot.

There is second set of columns labeled +1 through +11
If you snag a before bed test at +3, you enter the test number in the +3 column.

We separate day and night numbers like that because many cats go lower at night.

It is merely a grid for storing the info; no math required.
Click to expand...

Squeak!!! Hey buddy, your mommabean Cathy indicated on your SS this morning that you're not eating well. What's up with that?

One more note. When you do make the switch from Vetsulin to Lantus, be sure to update your user control panel, profile tab, edit signature to show that change. You can use the strikeout edit command, up above the free form text box, to cross through the word vetsulin and add the word Lantus right after that.
 
I will try to input more readings tonight from March.

How much Lantus do I start with and what needles do I use?
 
You might go 1/2 to 3/4 between his current dose and the formula for a starting dose with Lantus.

Get his current weight.
Get his ideal weight.
Take the lower of these.
Covert to kilos (pounds/2.2)
Multiply by 0.25.
Round down to nearest quarter unit (we routinely eyeball quarter units).

Compare to current dose.
 
Looks like 4U of the Vetsulin is way too much insulin for Squeak. Looked at his SS and saw that he dropped down to 25 yesterday! :shock: :o :shock: That is way too low and in hypo territory. Good to see you were giving him food and syrup to raise those BG levels back up.

If I were you, I don't think I'd give Squeak more than 1U of any insulin. We want to keep him safe, and if he isn't eating, too much insulin can be very, very dangerous.
 
Deb & Wink said:
Looks like 4U of the Vetsulin is way too much insulin for Squeak. Looked at his SS and saw that he dropped down to 25 yesterday! :shock: :o :shock: That is way too low and in hypo territory. Good to see you were giving him food and syrup to raise those BG levels back up.

If I were you, I don't think I'd give Squeak more than 1U of any insulin. We want to keep him safe, and if he isn't eating, too much insulin can be very, very dangerous.
Click to expand...

Seconding everything Deb said!
 
I am going to check with the vet today when I pick up the u100 syringes. If he stays at 186 which he has been at since 3:30am, does he need insulin? I did not give any shot this am.
 
I'd wait until he was over 200 mg/d before considering a tiny shot - 0.5 units at most - and see how he does with that.
 
He has been a lot more willing to eat today. More active, clear eyed, and I think feeling better than with the insulin.
We will test in less than an hour and see where he is. Vet wasn't in, waiting for call.
 
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