Fin's first BG is 452....???

Ok, got the courage up and took his first blood glucose and it was 452 on an AlphaTrak monitor. Seems high...but I have no numbers to go on with him as he wasn't home test and no one had info on his last curvet curve. He got a 3 u shot this morning at 7 a.m.

I am not feeling confident with any course of action because this is all so new...

Do I give him less insulin or less food at his next feeding or should I test him again then??

Nervous,

TecWmn

 

Welcome to the vampire club!!

What insulin is he on? How long after his morning shot was the 452?

452 is high, but that's all you've got so far....maybe. Do you have any sense of how long he's been on the 3U and whether he has had any problem with it?

In the beginning, you will find yourself testing more.

I think if I were facing this (and I've got some experience, whereas you are brand new), I would try to shake up his world as little as possible at the beginning. The meter is going to be your best friend. I would keep feeding him what he had been fed before, in the same amounts and at the same times, and give him the same insulin dosage until I got maybe 6 readings on him over the course of a day. Then I would reevaluate a "do-over," starting him back at 1U or even .5U and see how things change.

I would also be testing his urine for ketones (unless the AlphaTrak tests blood ketones. I don't know whether it does).

I think you've been doing alot of reading, so you have some sense of how insulin, stress, and food work together in the diabetic cat.

The important thing right now is to keep him safe. Not so high that you get ketones; not so low that you get hypo. After he settles in a bit and you start learning his rhythms, you can start seeing how a lower carb food, or a little more or less insulin changes his numbers--and his clinical symptoms.

Hope this helps a bit.

 

Thanks...everyone has been so helpful. The 452 was at 4:11 p.m. and his shot was at 7:00 a.m. so nine hours.

I have so little information on him and his history. The vet is coming to do a housecall on Wednesday and will do a curve then, but I am going to call them first thing in the morning anyway.

So, one thing that I am confused about is that they told me give him his insulin shot and then feed him right after...the more I read, the more this doesn't seem right. He was given Purina DM wet right after his shot in the morning and evening with Purina DM hard food available for free-feed all day.

I am not testing for ketones, but will start tomorrow as soon as I can get the stuff to do so.

Again, thanks....this is a bit nerve-racking. confused_cat

 

Hi, Welcome!! I don't know your story or situation.. but I suggest canned/low carb food only... home testing & questions here!
What Insulin do you have? Lantus? I like that best.
If Fin is on Lantus.. I would post in that Forum. What you do is this.. you Test BG (kitty not eating for 2 hours) then you feed & test again throughout the day.
There is sooooo much information & help to give you.. but I want to tAke one step at a time.. this will be good.. very good.. since you are asking for help now!!

First things first... what kind of Insulin is Fin beginning & can you go to canned/low carb only? Have you seen the food charts? Also.. you don't need a Vet to do a curve... you are awesome & we are all here to help!!!

 

He is on ProZinc 3 u BID...I just did a second reading on him and it was 492 an hour after shot/food (not to mention I had to prick his ear four times...which he doesn't like). Also, I just brought him and his sister home yesterday so he may be stressed (adoption).

I want to change the food and how he eats, but I am trying to go slow, however....I really need to bring it down. His foster fed him Purina DM wet right after his shot in the morning and evening with Purina DM hard food available for free-feed all day. I have seen and read all about the food and want to get him off of the Purina DM all together.

I really just want to do what is best for him and I wish I could teleport some of you guys over to help me chillax about all this.... nailbite_smile

 

Welcome to FDMB and congrats on learning to home test.

The main thing with the order of injection and feeding -- you need to make sure your kitty has a normal appetite before giving the shot, and if your kitty is a puker, you need make sure he isn't going to puke before giving the shot.

If your kitty ALWAYS eats good and NEVER pukes - it is ok to shoot then feed.

Personally, we always TEST, then FEED, then SHOOT while they are eating. (no pukers in my house)

Thanks for adopting these two lovely and special kitties.

 

The glucose curve will help decide your course of action. 3 units may be too much insulin, causing your kitty to rebound (info below). Ask your vet about starting over at 1 unit BID.

_____________________
What is the Somogyi (Rebound) Effect?

Glucagon and insulin are released by the pancreas. Glucagon and insulin have opposite effects: insulin makes the blood sugar go down and glucagon causes blood sugar to go up. They work together to balance blood glucose levels. Glucagon can increase blood glucose levels by causing the liver to release its stored glucose to the blood stream. Insulin lowers blood glucose by allowing tissues to use or store glucose.

When too much insulin is given the blood glucose drops rapidly and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) results. This can trigger the body to release glucagon (and other hormones) and the result is that glucose is dumped into the blood. This can lead to hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). So, you have hyperglycemia induced by hypoglycemia, or the Somogyi effect. (Somogyi was a scientist who did research on glucose production by liver during times of stress.)

The method of determining if Somogyi effect is occurring is to do a blood glucose curve. Your cat will have a specific pattern of hyperglycemia if the Somogyi effect is occurring. Although at first it seems odd, the treatment for this type of hyperglycemia is to Decrease the insulin dose. This prevents the hypoglycemia from occurring and triggering the Somogyi effect.

 

I just want to say that Fin is one lucky boy that you adopted him and you are doing a great job !

Hang in there ! I'm new to the diabetes world, and this Board is great, you are in good hands !

Maria & Suzie