Cat is using 30 units a day and still really high BG - HELP!

My cat has had diabetes for a year now and we have used Caninsulin exclusively. Since day one, with the help of our vet, we have had to go up up up with his insulin starting at .5 and up to 50 units a day. The lowest he has even been with his BG levels is 8 and that was on 25 units twice a day. We are using u-40 needles and feeding him special high protein low carb food. He has not lost any weight in a year and we are following the recommended amount by the manufacture. I have not seen any cases on the internet were a cat is above 5 units a day. I'm baffled and my vet keeps telling me to use the high dosages as long as he is not getting to low. Today for example we feed him 1/3 cup origin food and gave him 15 units of caninsulin. His curve showed 18 before meal, 15 two hours after, 16 four hours after, 17 six hours after, 17.1 eight hours after and 18 10 and 12 hours after. Dinner same food and insulin and same results. Sometimes he goes down and we can reduce the insulin but never below 15 units a day. Vet says some kitties are just high like that. Any advice, should I seek out another vet and try a different insulin since this one doesn't sell anything but Canisuilin?

Thanks,
Caroline

 

Re: Cat is using 30 units a day and still really high BG - H

Hi Caroline-

So sorry to hear that you're having a tough time. I can't offer any direct advice, but wanted to let you know that there's not much action on this board. I cross posted it for you on the health board so that more eyes would see it. I linked this post to direct people here. Best of luck.

s

 

Re: Cat is using 30 units a day and still really high BG - H

Hi and Welcome to FDMBs.

I am going to give you a link to another forum support group and it may peak your interest and your vet's interest. If you are dosing that high and have been for nearly/over a year I think you should consider other disease factors may be in place.

http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewforum.php?f=12

Acromegaly and Other High Dose Conditions: What We Know
http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=375

Link to have blood sent for IGF-1 testing:

For the USA and Canada – costs vary depending where you live: http://www.animalhealth.msu.edu/Bin/Cat ... st&Id=1401
UK (free test): http://www.rvc.ac.uk/CIC/Current/Internal.cfm


In the US – a result > 100 is considered + for acromegaly; in Great Britain a result > 1000 is positive.

 

Re: Cat is using 30 units a day and still really high BG - H

Please do get your kitty tested for acromegaly & IAA (links that Blue gave you).

Where are you located (it appears outside of the US)?

 

Re: Cat is using 30 units a day and still really high BG - H

Please do have your cat tested for both IGF-1 and IAA - I have two cats with acromegaly, and one also has tested positive for IAA as well. I, and others on this site, can help you with all the info you need to get your cat tested.
I had alot of trouble and issues that delayed my vet having my Shadoe tested. She said I don't know ... Shadoe does not 'look acro'. I had to provide all the info about where the blood draw needed to be sent and how to send it and when to send it. The vet dragged her feet and I had to keep after her. I pushed and the results came back positive. The vet was shocked. When I told her to have Oliver tested, she did not say anything except OK bring him in for the blood draw.

The tests are not expensive, something like $12 and $18 or something, but the additional costs will occur with your vet charges for the draw and the cost of the FEDEX shipping to the lab to do the testing.

I started Shadoe on Caninsulin, but it was not good at all, so we switched to Lantus, which gave a bit better results. Once she tested positive for acromegaly, I switched to Levemir, and she is doing extremely well now on this insulin. Her highest dose was 14u BID and she is down to 5.5u as of this morning.

I adopted Oliver and he was being given Lantus at the time. When his dose kept rising and his numbers stayed high, I had him tested and his results were positive for acromegaly and IAA, a double whammy. I switched him to Levemir, and he is also doing quite well with high dose but much lower numbers. His highest was 26u BID, but he has gone lower and is now at 16.5u BID.

It is important to have these tests done because a positive result will tell you that your cat has a functional pancreas, unlike other cats with diabetes who have poorly functioning pancreas.

That insulin you get at the vet's is not a long enough lasting insulin - saying some kitties are like that is true, but only when there is some insulin resistance in the picture. It's one thing to have a high dose, but it's another thing to have high BG numbers that won't come down.

Please kindly advise your location; I am in Canada, but many others have high dose cats and are in other locations. There will be someone who is close to you who can help with info.

I am assuming you are outside of the US, as you mentioned BG of 8, and the curve values in the teens, and the insulin Caninsulin.

If you click on the spreadsheet links in my signature, you will see the BG numbers that I have recorded for my two cats.

You are now in the very best place to get help and info that will get your cat feeling so much better.

 

Re: Cat is using 30 units a day and still really high BG - H

Welcome to FDMB

I agree that you should request the IGF-1 and IAA tests for Acromegaly and Insulin Autoimmune Antibodies.

Both tests are run in Michigan (only lab in North America), so deal direct with that lab (links already provided above) to keep your costs down.

The IGF-1 costs approx $44 US and the IAA costs approx $15 US -- so the biggest cost is having the vet draw blood and shipping it depending on where you are located.

My cat Norton had acromegaly -- at his highest, he was getting 26u per day split in two doses of 13u.

phoebe

 

Re: Cat is using 30 units a day and still really high BG - H

I will check out your links right now. I am in Edmonton Alberta Canada, to answer your question.

 

Re: Cat is using 30 units a day and still really high BG - H

I am in Calgary, and we have a great resource in Fort Saskatchewan if you need some local help.

As the others have said, your dose is HUGE. Nuts. Please take a look at links given on other conditions that may make your cat a high dose kitty, as it is important to determine whether these conditions are at play or whether something else is going on. I would absolutely hate for your cat to be overdosed

Jen

 

Re: Cat is using 30 units a day and still really high BG - H

Sorry, I forgot to add something about the food!

Before my two were fairly regulated, they ate huge amounts of food. If the body in not able to process the foods to extract what is needed, the cat just needs to eat more.

I did not ration my cats, wet food only, and Shadoe was up to 24oz or so a day, Oliver was closer to 30oz a day.

But that was then and now, well, I don't think Oliver is eating more than maybe 12 - 14 oz, and Shadoe has returned to a nibbler with her consuming close to 7oz a day.

As they became regulated and were receiving the amount of insulin their bodies needed, their hunger reduced greatly.

You may want to print off the test sheets from the MSU site, take them to your vet and get an estimate of the total cost.