? Tracking data and everything is everywhere. I’d love some advice

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Rupert

Rupert

Member Since 2024
Hi everyone! I’m new. My name is Trish and my cat is Rupert. He’s 11 years old and diagnosed in October. His original numbers were over 500. He was eating kibble only. The vet put him on 4 units once a day. I immediately changed his food to low carb wet food and slowly tapered his dose down to 0.5u (sometimes 1u

I’ve had a few hypo scares but have been able to recover him quickly with Karo and/or his old kibble. I feel confident in managing things but I’m super confused about his numbers. Today was scary and I probably shouldn’t have shot.

I was wondering if you could make heads or tails from the data on my sheet. I feel like he could be headed towards remission but I think I’m still dosing him incorrectly based on his AMPS. Sometimes 0.5u sends him too low and other times 1.00 doesn’t look like enough. I feel so close but then so far from stabilizing him. The numbers today are a perfect example. He popped up dramatically tonight after low lows and high carb recovery snacks.

I’m thinking I should have shot today w 0.25 (is this impossible with a 40u syringe?

Note on my spreadsheet that I just changed to a human meter today. Before I was using AT3.

I’d appreciate advice you have. Also I know Vetsulin isn’t ideal but it’s all I can afford right now. I can barely muster the funds for new syringes.
Thank you in advance
 
@Rupert
Hi Trish
while waiting for Suzanne to see the tag on your Signature can you put after AT meter /Relion and the date and do the same thing on your SS up top :cat: By the way What a cutie Rupert is
 
It is my understanding that the dosing is based on the lowest number of the cycle.
During the previous 0.5 cycle, Rupert quickly hit numbers below 90.
If you are following SLGS, that calls for a reduction to 0.25.
Let's see what Suzanne has to say.
 
Red & Rover (GA) said:
It is my understanding that the dosing is based on the lowest number of the cycle.
During the previous 0.5 cycle, Rupert quickly hit numbers below 90.
If you are following SLGS, that calls for a reduction to 0.25.
Let's see what Suzanne has to say.
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Thank you. The thing is he pops up high. Todays AMPS was high. Not sure if that’s a reaction to the high carb snack I gave yesterday. He is low now probably his nadir tho. I’m not worried because he jumps back up but I’m also worried maybe I should be more worried. I’ve been studying other Vetsulin spreadsheets
 
Red & Rover (GA) said:
The generic gargline is fairly inexpensive and since it is a depot insulin rather than an in-and-out insulin like Vetsulin, you might see better numbers at AMPS.
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Thank you. I’m in the US. Need to do more research because the pricing seems to vary wildly.
 
What I think you’re seeing is the problem with Vetsulin in cats — it hits hard and fast, then wears off quickly. Then the cat goes most of the cycle with no coverage. Giving it once a day rather than twice just exaggerates the problem because the cat has NO coverage in the second cycle. Add high carb food to blunt the initial rapid BG drop and/or some bouncing from low numbers or fast drop in BG and it’s starts to feel more complicated than it needs to.

At minimum if you’re going to stay with Vetsulin, I’d consider a small dose twice a day, with low-carb food to try to steer the numbers from dropping too fast or too low. The believe the stickies in the Vetsulin board talk about some of the this. Ideally you consider perhaps going to a longer-acting insulin such as Lantus (or the cheaper biosimilars that are now available).
 
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Rupert said:
I’m thinking I should have shot today w 0.25 (is this impossible with a 40u syringe?
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Not if you get the U40 syringes with ½ unit markings. Also at low does make sure you know what the marking shows when the plunger is furly depressed. I have seen/used U100 syringes from the same bax that had the zero mark off by ½ unit. That is if I drew up insulin to the ½ unit marking the real dose would be 1 unit.
 
Larry and Kitties said:
Not if you get the U40 syringes with ½ unit markings. Also at low does make sure you know what the marking shows when the plunger is furly depressed. I have seen/used U100 syringes from the same bax that had the zero mark off by ½ unit. That is if I drew up insulin to the ½ unit marking the real dose would be 1 unit.
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My u40 don’t have 1/2 markings. I tried to give a 0.25 last night and put <0.5 on the SS because it wasn’t obvious. It seemed to work. His numbers look better today except I slept through my alarm to get his nadir
 
Rupert said:
My u40 don’t have 1/2 markings. I tried to give a 0.25 last night and put <0.5 on the SS because it wasn’t obvious. It seemed to work. His numbers look better today except I slept through my alarm to get his nadir
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You can order them here
https://www.amazon.com/UltiCare-Insulin-Syringes-12-7mm-Markings/dp/B08HX9BPH7/ref=sr_1_3?hvadid=616863134874&hvdev=t&hvlocphy=9003521&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=b&hvrand=642756217725338996&hvtargid=kwd-335992713089&hydadcr=24629_13611841&keywords=u 40 pet insulin syringes&qid=1706888678&sr=8-3

Did you give any insulin on 2-1-2024? If you did can you put how many units you gave ,I'd you didn't can you put NS
 
Rupert said:
Hey! Thank you!
I’m not really feeding him kibble except a little when his BGL gets too low.
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Your better off feeding med or high carb wet food if he's dropping too low
Such as
Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Beef Feast in Gravy 20% High Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Chicken Feast in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Turkey Feast in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Chicken and Beef in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Good idea to mark the cans with magic marker how many carbs

Or any on the food chart. Doesn't have to be Fancy Feast just an example about the med and high carb foods


https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/dr-pierson-new-food-

10% and under is low carb
11% -15 is medium carbs.


Dry food will work fine to bring a cat's blood sugar numbers up. The down side is that they will stay up longer than with med or high carb wet food or karo/syrup/honey.
 
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
Your better off feeding med or high carb wet food if he's dropping too low
Such as
Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Beef Feast in Gravy 20% High Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Chicken Feast in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Turkey Feast in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Chicken and Beef in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Good idea to mark the cans with magic marker how many carbs

Or any on the food chart. Doesn't have to be Fancy Feast just an example about the med and high carb foods


https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/dr-pierson-new-food-

10% and under is low carb
11% -15 is medium carbs.


Dry food will work fine to bring a cat's blood sugar numbers up. The down side is that they will stay up longer than with med or high carb wet food or karo/syrup/honey.
Click to expand...

thank you for all of that. I didn’t know that there was difference in high carb food. No shot 2/1 s and fixed the spreadsheet.
 
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