Wondering if I should give reduced .25 or none at all?

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Oldcatlady

Member Since 2014
Day 2 home from boarding at vet. Continuing the .5 she has been getting in the morning for about a week now. Because yesterday she was at 44 at noontime, I was going to only give .25 this morning. Just checked her before feeding and she was 126. Checked again, 118. I'm thinking of holding off on any shot. I am in a similar situation as Cheryl, I'm going to be gone most of the day, no guarantee I can run home at lunch today, so won't be back until after 5 pm. Here's my spreadsheet. Pay attention from 7/28 on as that is when she started being more stable....thanks. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... _web#gid=0
 
I have no experience with Lantus, but that is a normal number. If your not going to be home to monitor, Id stay on the safe side and not give a shot.
 
Update. Thought about it some more, reviewed the Lantus page. Decided to try a very low amount. Put the plunger on a half unit syringe at the very top of syringe line, it could be a little less than .25 measure. Then realized it was about 7:20 am after she ate so hurried and took her BG right away, it was 139, so was beginning to rise after eating at about 6:40 am. I'll check again about 8:15 before I leave. I'll make a point of making it home mid day check.
 
I'd have suggested no shot because those are normal numbers.

But you have given a reduced shot now.
If it were my cat I would certainly want to get a test in at around 2 hours after the shot. That can often give an indication of how 'active' a cycle is likely to be (ie, how much of a drop you might expect).

(Just going to have a look at your kitty's SS)

Eliz
 
Okey dokey,

It looks like the .5 of a unit that you've given previously has dropped the BG by up to 227 points.
We don't know how much the .2/.25 you've given today will drop her, but she doesn't have very much of a buffer there. And this is new territory. Is there any way that you can stay home to monitor her through at least the first part of the cycle?

Eliz
 
Hi Susan!

Just a quick observation first...you have the exact same thing in the "remarks" part of your spreadsheet for yesterday and today. Also, on the days Squirt was at the vet, did they not test at all? I understand the "kennel workers" couldn't test, but wasn't there a vet or vet tech there at least once a day that could test?
Instead of skipping those days on your spreadsheet, it'd be clearer if you went ahead and put those dates in, and just put "No tests due to boarding" in the Remarks

I think the .25 was probably a good idea. Squirt's numbers are still running a little too high to go without, so we just need to find a dose that you can safely give every 12 hours. I know those doses "between the lines" are tough to measure, but just do your best to be consistent. It's not so important that it's exactly .25 (or .2 or .3)...it's that whatever you decide is .25 is as close to the same dose each time as possible. A lot of us will fill a used syringe with colored water to what we want our dose to be, and then compare it to the new syringe with the insulin in it.

When you do shoot lower numbers, usually it produces a nice flat curve. "Shoot Low to Stay Low" is one of our favorite sayings around here!

When you do shoot lower numbers, if you can't be around to test, leave some food down. Most cats get hungry when their BG goes low, so leaving food down that she can eat later is always a good idea. If you add a little water, it'll help keep it from drying out too.

If you're at work, do you have anyone who can check in on Squirt on days like this? A neighbor or good friend?
 
Update: Regarding 8/5, I did check again before work, then came home late lunch time and she was doing fine, lower but fine number still. Checked again about an hour earlier than normal dinner time as had a night meeting to get to. Checked again late night and she had risen but by morning had gone down again. Gave the 1/4 dose again, had a good day an came home at noon to check. Has been doing pretty well overall. Had to board again yesterday (Friday 8/8 just for overnight, so checked, fed, shot and took right to vet. They gave her dose this morning and I picked her up at noon today, checked when we got home and again just now at dinnertime, still doing well. Yes, though the kennel person cannot do a BG test before they give the insulin, the vet or vet tech could do one at the 6 hour mark and again before dinner. That is an option for sure. Vet told me when I asked about the early morning people giving the shots, he said the diabetic cats being boarded, they (staff) do keep a closer eye and monitor (visually) thoughout the day.
 
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