been asked to help a neighbour

I'm sorry that I don't know how Caninsulin works but a friend of a friend has contacted me - two months after it was first flagged that she would. her cat, a female aged 11, part chinchilla, part burmese has been judged by their vet to need 13 units of caninsulin twice a day. the lady does not have the internet and has been told to feed her cat special dry and her cat's health has declined significantly over the 8 months since diagnosis. The owner has halved the dose herself to 8 units and feels happier that it is a more sensible amount to give her cat. No home blood testing as yet. Four vet blood tests at $180 a time.

She called to me last nite as she didn't seem comfortable about me making a home visit to her to see her cat. I showed her how I blood test LB. We live in a pretty nice house so I'm sure she will feel more confident in me now. I told her dry of any kind was not ok. She asked my why the vet told her that dry was the best way to go. Whilst she was open to listening she was also keen to tell me things that were useless to hear in the time we had available. I told her that vets suggest dry because they don't understand diabetes. I have given her the names of my testing equipment and told her where to buy it cheap - she seems keen to start testing at home. I don't know if Caninsulin is as good as lantus - but her cat is not caring for itself, it's fur has turned to dreadlocks and she doesn't groom herself - generally it sounds like it's suffered long term damage from mismanagement. Her claws are permanently extended - she doesn't retract them any more. She can't jump and is very listless... I'm just really sorry she took so long to contact me. I asked my friend for her number at xmas time so I could get her started in the right direction - but in the end I had to wait for her to contact me. I'm not sure how much of this damage can be reversed with proper care?

I have offered unlimited support and to come and help her bg test. I understand her cat is very intelligent and will happily allow the bg testing.

Just wondered what people think of a vet suggesting 13 units of caninsulin twice per day? Is it a weaker insulin that lantus? Is it a good insulin? I am sure my vet will suggest changing her cat to Lantus. Any thoughts?

Marilyn

 

Most people don't think caninsulin is good and for most cats I think they are rigth. My own cat got caninsulin for 3-4 weeks and could then stop. But I think the foodchange from dry to wet was the major reason for that.

My vet started me out on two units twice a day, so 13 seems not rigth. Caninsulin dose is (as far as I know) based on the cats weigth, so if your friends friends cat is extremely overweigth, then maybe she could calculate it to 13 units, but it dosent sound rigth at all.

My personel experince with caninsulin is that nadir is after 2-4 hours and that the cat, even on a small dose can drop exstremly in a short time. You could look at my ss for more info.
After a visit to my vet my cat had a bg of 468 (she didn't get any insulin in the morning). I the in late afternoon gave her 1.2 unit, my vet wanted to give her 3 units but I didn't. Within 3 hours her bg was 54. Sure glad I listend to my intuition insted of my vet.