kitty not doing well--Lantus

Still familiarizing myself with the site, filling out profile, etc, but I have checked out the other resources here and elsewhere. I am only one person taking care of my cat and I feel that this disease is way ahead of me. My vet and I are trying to get Pumpkin regulated, but she is not liking the shots, which she usually gets at least once a day, and she is losing weight rapidly. She weighs 7 pounds 1 ounce--down from 11 pounds 4 ounces six just three months ago. We were maintaining her weight at 8 pounds throughout June, but then in the first two weeks of July, she lost another pound. It's not looking good at this point. I'm trying to give her the shots as comfortably as possible using the tent method (and doing so as calmly as possible), but she's still afraid of the shots. (Oh, I also give her a *little* sodium-free tuna right afterward.) But I just feel this disease is way ahead of me and Miss Pumpkin is so special. I'm afraid I'm going to lose her. Michelle

 

Re: kitty not doing well

What size needle are you using (gauge) 28ga is 'large' and 31ga is the smallest.

Where do you live (City, State)....perhaps an in-home demo by one of our members
would help you gain better technique.

 

Re: kitty not doing well

Give us a little more information so that we can help you and Pumpkin.

What is the type of insulin and the insulin dose? Also, what food are you feeding?

You say you are giving shots "usually at least once a day." What exactly does that mean? Cats usually need two shots a day, because their metabolism is very fast - much more so than dogs or people, who may be able to get by with only one shot a day. If your kitty needs two shots a day and is getting only one, that could be the root of the problem, because that would leave the diabetes completely uncontrolled for half of every day.

People here can give you hints about ways to make the shot a non-event. Most kitties don't mind them - often don't even notice them. But sometimes there are little "technique" tricks that can turn a shot that hurts into one that isn't a problem. This is not something I know first-hand, because my kitty hasn't needed shots, but I've seen this problem (and its solution) often on this board.

 

Re: kitty not doing well

Some info is now in my profile, sorry if it's being repeated here:

2 units of lantus once a day
needles are kendall monject 3/10 29G x 12", so they're small I think
she has been anorexic at times lately, so the food has changed a couple of times
currently eating dry Evo chicken flavor (the purple bag) and occasionally sodium-free tuna after shots

 

Re: kitty not doing well

Oops sorry 29 g

 

Re: kitty not doing well

Jean and Megan: Somewhere on this site there is an alternative to the tent method. I think I'm going to try that. Giving her 2 shots a day wasn't working out too well--the process of administering each shot has gotten slow and I can't wait for hours in the AM. The vet had us on initially 1 and then 1.5 units of Lantus twice a day. Pumpkin recently began to hide before I could even give her the shot--which is totally uncharacteristic for her--and so the vet said to try a higher dosage (2 units Lantus) once a day when I wasn't pressed for time. That would probably work okay except that I don't seem to be giving comfortable shots. Giving her shots hasn't been a non-event and the question is how to make it so now.

 

Re: kitty not doing well

Could you edit your original subject line to say "Lantus". Maybe "kitty not doing well on Lantus"? That would get people who know that particular insulin well to read your thread. I'd do it for you, except that only you can edit your own subject line.

Do you know any blood glucose numbers? Also, let us know whether any numbers you have are from hometesting or from the vet.

Lantus is a very good insulin for cats, but I suspect that once-a-day dosing is at the root of your problems. The dry food isn't helping, either. If you've been reading posts for a while now, you know that, though.

 

Jake used to run away from me when I did the BG test, but now he actually comes over to me, sits down and purrs. He knows I'm trying to help him out! One thing to do before you test kitty is to do lots of lovin'. Ear messages work well, and warming the ear with a bit of rice in a sock warmed up in the microwave will make gettin' blood drops easier when you're starting out.

Pumpkin is losing weight because her diabetes are not regulated, when cats are diabetic their bodies cannot get the sugar to their cells. When this happens the body starts to eat away at muscle mass to survive. Once you get Pumpkin regulated this will stop happening. I've maintained Jake's weight for 5 months now @ 11lbs. This is still smaller than he used to be (15lbs) he was a big kitty

Best advice... home testing. Low carb food... and lots of love for kitty.

Good luck,

Breayle and Jake

 

Jean and Breayle,

Thank you and others for your help.

I agree the dry food is not ideal, but she has been intermittently anorexic since her diagnosis and she IS eating the dry Evo. (I've printed out the Binky food tables and have purchased almost every canned food with low carb numbers (under 10) that my pet store sells. She isn't eating any food except the dry Evo and sodium-free tuna, the latter of which I give her only in tiny amounts and as a treat.) I need her to eat; the Evo dry was recommended by my vet as a low-carb food, so we're going with that. I think a greater contributor to the weight loss has been her intermittent anorexia.

Home testing: I'm not doing it. BS levels a week ago was at 350 I think. Her urine is testing negative for ketones every day and about 500 - 1000 on the urine sugar levels using Ketodiastix.

 

It would be MUCH better for your kitty if she was getting 2 shots of 1 unit twice a day instead of 2 units once per day. I realize that this is difficult for you, but in reality, one shot a day - at probably twice the amount of insulin she needs per dose - means that she is probably swinging from low to high to low to high sugar levels in a day and she will not ever be regulated that way.

Divide your dose into two doses of Lantus once per day and learn how to home test at least prior to every single shot so that you know you are not dosing her when she is having normal blood sugar levels.

Out of the kibble foods, the Evo Turkey & Chicken Formula IS the kibble lowest in carbohydrates, that I am aware of.
Canned low carb is better, but sometimes, just to get them to eat, you do what you have to do - even if that is feeding low carb Evo.

~M

 

Thank you very much, Mary. I'm reading all these posts and responding, but also pondering each point even after I respond.

I agree--and my vet does--that twice a day is better but I feel that I need to get the shot process down or she's going to refuse shots even once a day, which is really scary. I think there are multiple problems here: I'm not good at giving the shots, she is very finicky about her food, and this disease is relentless! I agree that the food situation is not ideal--I just checked, by the way and it's the Turkey and Chicken dry Evo--but this is not my primary concern right now. I want to make improvements with the shots. I'm happy to go to my vet who's down the street and have him do all the testing.

What I want to improve upon is administering the shots. That's what I'm worried about most. If I were better at it, giving her two shots a day would probably be no problem. Then maybe we could at least prevent her from losing more weight until she is regulated. That's my hope, at least. She's a good cat and I feel like she would do okay if I would do a better job with the shots.

 

I really want to urge you to do home testing. There is a super cheap test kit you can get from Wal-Mart:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/ReliOn-Ultima-Blood-Glucose-Monitor/3555238

They also have a 100count box of strips for only $40:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Relion-Ultima-100-ct-Blood-Glucose-Test-Strips/3555237?findingMethod=rr

It's far cheaper in the long run than having the vet do it. Also I have given Jake the Innova EVO dry kibble and three of my cats are on that right now. Jake's BG levels DID NOT react badly to the dry Innova. However some kitties do, so keep that in mind

-Breayle and Jake

 

Get a box of U-100 Insulin Syringes - 31 Gauge, 3/10cc, 5/16 inch needle. There are MANY different brands, but you can get ReliOn from your nearest WalMart, AND they have these with 1/2 unit markings as well. 1/2 markings are AWESOME for fine tuning insulin doses and a smaller gauge, shorter needle syringe are much less painful for shots. Most cats act as if they don't even feel those itty bitty needles.

As far as improving on shots, get an orange and practice sticking it with the used syringes. Use water as your "insulin". Practice, practice, practice!!

Honestly, it is very important that you get your baby on 2 separate doses per day. I believe that she is losing weight at such a rapid pace because she is no where near regulated and unregulated diabetics burn up calories like a fire does dry wood. And high numbers/low numbers swing make them feel awful, which makes them not want to eat. It is a vicious circle.

~M

 

I agree it would be much better to give 2 1-unit shots per day rather than 1 two-unit shot.

Try it.

Give 1 shot of 1 unit in the morning. Then try for 1 unit in the evening.

Better to miss a shot than to give too much insulin with a single dose.

Does your kitty like to cuddle, be brushed, or sit on your lap ?

Get insulin dose ready and place the syringe near where you will
sit with kitty.

Get kitty and brush....sit down with kitty and begin brushing.

Keep brushing and sweet-talking your kitty....use one hand to continue brushing
and part the hair in the target area for the shot.

Now with the other hand, pick up the syringe. Put the brush down, use your 'brush hand'
to continue petting. Quickly tent the skin, shoot the insulin, pick up the brush and keep
on brushing as if nothing happened.

The change-over from brushing to shot takes all of 5 seconds with practice.
With small needles (30ga 31ga) the shot should not even feel like a flea bite.

Your own stress can be transmitted to your kitty, so try to remain calm as if this
was no big deal.