Test/Feed/Shoot question

[Marylou and Malika]

I've recently changed from Vetsulin to Lantus. I know with the quick acting Vetsulin, shooting on food was important. Is it equally important with Lantus?
Her eating habits can sometimes interfere with the 12 hr interval. I don't free feed her per se, but I do put down her food and let her finish it off in her own time.
She is just not, and never has been, that interested in food! Unless of course it was her hi-carb Greenies which are now off the menu.
Long post - the question is: can I shoot her small dosage of insulin an hour after she eats? Even though she doesn't eat a lot?

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Welcome to the group!

Lantus does not have a quick onset the way Vetsulin does. Lantus, for most cats, begins to kick in at +2. Most of us test, feed, and shoot all within about 5 - 10 min of the pre-shot test. If you feed before you shoot, your pre-shot number is influenced by food which is not what you want with Lantus. With a short acting insulin like Vetsulin, you need to have food on board so the numbers don't crash.

There are other differences between the 2 types of insulin. You adjust the dose based on the nadir, not based on the pre-shot value. As a result, you don't slide the dose. The dose is the dose. You hold it for at least 3 days (this depends on whether you decide to follow the Tight Regulation Protocol or the Start Low Go Slow method for dosing) unless a dose reduction is indicated. Because Lantus is a depot type of insulin, the depot needs to stabilize in response to a dose change.

Also, are you using U100 syringes?

 

[Marylou and Malika]

Welcome to the group!

Lantus does not have a quick onset the way Vetsulin does. Lantus, for most cats, begins to kick in at +2. Most of us test, feed, and shoot all within about 5 - 10 min of the pre-shot test. If you feed before you shoot, your pre-shot number is influenced by food which is not what you want with Lantus. With a short acting insulin like Vetsulin, you need to have food on board so the numbers don't crash.

There are other differences between the 2 types of insulin. You adjust the dose based on the nadir, not based on the pre-shot value. As a result, you don't slide the dose. The dose is the dose. You hold it for at least 3 days (this depends on whether you decide to follow the Tight Regulation Protocol or the Start Low Go Slow method for dosing) unless a dose reduction is indicated. Because Lantus is a depot type of insulin, the depot needs to stabilize in response to a dose change.

Also, are you using U100 syringes?

So, if I test at my regular time and she refuses to eat right away, do I wait for her to eat and then shoot? Or shoot and let her eat when she's ready?
I'm using a 100U. Based on someone else's suggestion that I can actually implement, she's at .5U minus one drop. I'm doing that consistently now instead of .5U, the nothing because she's low.

 

[Marylou and Malika]

Welcome to the group!

Lantus does not have a quick onset the way Vetsulin does. Lantus, for most cats, begins to kick in at +2. Most of us test, feed, and shoot all within about 5 - 10 min of the pre-shot test. If you feed before you shoot, your pre-shot number is influenced by food which is not what you want with Lantus. With a short acting insulin like Vetsulin, you need to have food on board so the numbers don't crash.

There are other differences between the 2 types of insulin. You adjust the dose based on the nadir, not based on the pre-shot value. As a result, you don't slide the dose. The dose is the dose. You hold it for at least 3 days (this depends on whether you decide to follow the Tight Regulation Protocol or the Start Low Go Slow method for dosing) unless a dose reduction is indicated. Because Lantus is a depot type of insulin, the depot needs to stabilize in response to a dose change.

Also, are you using U100 syringes?

So, if I test at my regular time and she refuses to eat right away, do I wait for her to eat and then shoot? Or shoot and let her eat when she's ready?
I'm using a 100U. Based on someone else's suggestion that I can actually implement, she's at .5U minus one drop. I'm doing that consistently now instead of .5U, the nothing because she's low.

 

[Shawna & Davidson (GA)]

You test at regular time and then remember to remove the food 2 hrs before you shoot.....you don’t change your amps or pumps times, but alter the eating times. If they don’t want to eat, they’re not hungry and after shooting give them food.

So in short, test, wait 2 hrs, shoot and feed.....now, if you test 4hrs prior to shooting then leave the food and they can graze and remember to remove food 2hrs before shooting. This is a guideline.......