? What to do?

[Carole Dgan]

Hi,I have been giving Buddy 2 units of ProZinc for only 2 weeks now. Today I did a mini curve and I don't really see much of a drop. Please see his SS attached. I read in the ProZinc link this statement below:

If the cat is high and flat during the entire cycle, the dose could be raised .5 units, as long as monitoring is possible.

I am home to monitor. What does everybody think? Should I try 2.5 two time a day?

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

Did you start with 2 units? What kind of food are you feeding? Is there any kind of infection present or bad teeth?

 

[Carole Dgan]

Yes,started with 2 units. Giving Friskies Classic Pate and Fancy Feast from the <10% carb list. Some EVO dry every once in a while for a treat. No bad teeth, No infection. It just seems to not be lowering very much.

 

[BJM]

When diagnosed, what glucose readings did the vet get?

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

The problem is that you could have started with too much insulin. We suggest starting at one unit and increasing slowly. But restarting is problematic.


I guess try an increase and see if you get any movement. If not, you might consider a restart at one unit for a few cycles (checking for ketones) and see if the numbers are better at a lower dose.

 

[Carole Dgan]

599 tested in the lab was what the vet got when diagnosed. The vet said to start at 2 units.

 

[BJM]

And cats may go 100-180 mg/dL higher at the vet's office, so it might have been around 419-499 mg/dL at home. The 2 units may make some sense, then.
How much does he weigh?

 

[Carole Dgan]

What contitutes one cycle??

 

[Carole Dgan]

He's outside right now, so I can't weigh him. Maybe 10-11 pounds.

 

[BJM]

1 shot cycle = 12 hours

I'd increase by 0.5 units and check before bed to see how fast he's going down, if at all.

 

[Carole Dgan]

That's what I was thinking. I will start tomorrow morning. So check at +4 0r +6 ?? or what's best?

 

[BJM]

I found the nadir on ProZinc for my cats was around +5 to +6. The nadir can and does vary cycle to cycle.

 

[Pretty Foots]

He's outside right now, so I can't weigh him. Maybe 10-11 pounds.

Please don't let a diabetic cat go outside. They will die if they don't get their insulin on time.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

You have a choice. You can increase to 2 1/2 units and see what happens or reduce to i unit and see what happens.
ProZinc is a U40 insulin. Are you drawing up the 2 units by:
- Using a U4-0 syringe and drawing uot to the 2 unit mark> U40 syringes have an red needle cap
- Using a human U100 syringe (orange needle cap) and drawing up to the 5 unit mark

 

[Carole Dgan]

I have U40 syringes and drawing to 2.5 now. I let him go out after this 8:30PM shot, and he comes in before I go to bed. He doesn't go far anymore.

 

[Rachel]

He sure did surf along didn't he? Whenever you can get a nadir reading, it's super helpful to us. That way, we can all see how low the insulin really takes him...and it can help determine why preshot numbers are what they are (i.e. bounce, just surfed along like he did, etc.). I'm with Sue on this. If you don't see any movement in the next couple of cycles, I'd start over and see if that helps.

On a side note, do you test for ketones?

 

[Carole Dgan]

Nope, I tried today at Walmart to get Ketone strips, but they didn't have any. I'll go to CVS tomorrow and get some.

 

[Carole Dgan]

Increased dose to 2.5 units of ProZinc for 3 days and not much change. So I guess I will slowly go backwards with the dose now ?? Correct?

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

I think I would try it, Carole. Maybe try one unit for three cycles and see if you get better numbers. It would be best if you'd also test for ketones with the dose reduction.