My cat acts lethargic after insulin shots

Hey there, my cat is newly diagnosed with diabetes. We caught it early, her range was only in the 300's. My concern is that this is the second time I've given her the insulin shot, and both times it changed her behavior. She moves slower, seems lethargic, has glassy eyes. Seems really sleepy. Is she perhaps just not eating enough? I give her half a can at feeding time. We just started on vetsulin and give .2 cc's AM/PM. I don't have an at home test or anything yet.

 

Well first, it's very important that you get a meter and start testing. The only way to know what's going on in your cat's body is to test!!

Lethargy can be a sign of hypoglycemia!!

If you live in the US, you can get the meter a lot of us use by going to your nearest WalMart. The Relion Confirm or Micro are both popular and the strips are affordable too ($35.88/100)

 

Hi Elyssa. I agree that your cat sounds hypoglycemic. It is imperative you start checking blood sugar at home. When she acts odd are you giving extra food? Does she perk up? You may not be giving enough food. Is it 1/2 of a 3 or 5 oz can?

My other concern is you said you are giving " .2 cc's" Insulin is given in "unit" measurements. You need to use a syringe that specifically states "U-40" insulin syringe. Vetsulin requires U-40 syringe for proper dosing. There is also a U-100 syringe for other types of insulin. It is imperative to use the correct syringe to prevent under or overdosing.

Sorry for the questions but I want your kitty to start off on the right foot. You can find more info on the Vetsulin Support group on this forum.

 

Welcome to the board Elyssa. Chris is correct, it's critical to home test to keep your cat safe. Shooting blind (giving insulin without knowing the blood sugar level) is a dangerous thing to do. We can help you learn how to home test. There is information here on the board with instructions and links to videos. It may seem daunting at first, but it becomes just a part of the routine. It sounds as if your cat is experiencing a "hypo" and this can be very serious.
HERE is information on home testing, and HERE is another link for testing.

 

Welcome! As everyone has said, please start testing your cat right away. It is the only and best way to keep them safe.

 

Thank you for the responses! I do have the correct syringes, I just said the wrong measurement sorry! I feed her half of a 5 oz can. But I keep giving her food periodically today and she's perked up! I think the problem is that I've been trying to force her to eat this new diabetic food and she doesn't like it. So I've given her some of her usual dry food to help her eat something. But I'm trying to switch her off dry food completely. I see people mentioning Fancy Feast has some good wet food options that I might try. Just have to ask her vet first. As far as testing at home, my cat is not good for me. She is super good for other people but whenever I try to do anything she does not sit still. How you do you test at home, when this is the case? Thanks!

 

Find a friend, housemate, neighbor, relative, other cat lover, vet tech you can pay or someone to help you while you and your cat are getting familiar with it.

That's what I did and it helped a lot. I also offer a treat immediately upon completing the test and now my kitty very willingly does the testing because she wants the treat.

 

Here's something I wrote up for others for testing...maybe it'll help you too!

It can be really helpful to establish a routine with testing.Pick one spot that you want your "testing spot" to be (I like the kitchen counter because it's got good light and it's at a good height....it also already blocked 2 escape routes due to the wall and the backsplash) It can be anywhere though...a rug on the floor, a table, a particular spot on the couch...wherever is good for you.

Take him there as many times a day as you can and just give his ears a quick rub and then he gets a yummy (low carb) treat.Most cats aren't objecting so much with the poking..it's the fooling with their ears they don't like, but once they're desensitized to it and learn to associate a certain place with the treats, they usually start to come when they're called! Or even when they hear us opening the test kit!

You also have to remember...you're not poking him to hurt him...you're testing him to keep him safe and understand what's going on inside his body. There's just nothing better than truly understanding what's going on inside your kitty's body and with this disease, the more knowledge you have, the more power you have against it. The edges of the ears have very few pain receptors, so it really doesn't hurt them. Also, if you're nervous and tense, it's going to make your kitty nervous and tense too. As silly as it might seem, try singing! It forces you to use a different part of your brain!

It's also important to make sure his ear is warm. A small sock filled with a little rice and microwaved or a small pill bottle filled with warm water (check temp against your wrist like you would a baby bottle) works well

For new kitties, using a heavier gauge lancet is also really helpful. A 25-28 gauge lancet pokes a bigger "hole" than a 31-33 gauge lancet does, so look for "Alternate Site testing" lancets that are usually a lower number

Finding the right "treat" will be a great help too! Freeze dried chicken, bonito flakes, little pieces of baked chicken...whatever low carb treat you can find that he really enjoys will help him to associate the testing with the treat! China's Achilles heel was baked chicken, so I'd bake a piece, chop it into bite sized pieces, put some in the refrigerator and freeze the rest to use as needed. It didn't take long for her to come any time I picked up the meter!

There are more testing tips here:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/