Schedule concerns

I’m a single older woman with 3 horses, 2 dogs and 3 cats plus I work full time x-ray/CT technologist. I have been a little concerned about a diligent schedule for my diabetic Gretchen during my work week. I work 4-10s and on those days hardly have time to sneeze.
My plan is to feed and give insulin at ~1030a and 12p. It’s really my only choice. One night a week I am on call and there has been times that I’m at the hospital until 02a. Not every time, but it happens.
There is just no way for exact timing and all I can do is pray my schedule works for Gretchen.
I wanted to post a beautiful picture I caught of her yesterday but can’t figure out how

 

Which insulin are you using? Some are more "forgiving" than others. For those that aren't, we might be able to help anticipate the consequences of a shifted schedule.

In any case, all you can do is your best given your schedule. Whatever you do, it will be far, far better than not treating the FD (which, sadly, some pet owners do).

Are you willing to learn to home test Gretchen's blood glucose? Most of us here do that (we think it's the best way to keep a cat safe while giving insulin), and it might help give you peace of mind when you have to shoot and leave her for several hours.

 

Don't get too caught up in scheduling details. The fact that you care enough to be here and are smart enough to be an x-ray/CT technologist will go a long way. Noah is our second sugar cat and sometimes he's either jammed so far back in a closet or I'm so sick that his schedule can't even be called routine. That does not mean you can start fudging everything. No two cats are the same and neither are the people that care for them.

 

Thanks you guys! Gretchen is on Novolin N and I have a monitor on its way. I believe my vet told me to only get a pet monitor but I ordered the newest Rition (?) because it will synch with phone and keep log. He is going to teach me Monday how to test.
It is a relief to see your replies. Thank you!

 

i don't know what insulin you use but, with a 10:30am & 12am schedule and using lantus or levemir insulin, an hour and a half won't be too much of an issue. on days you work till 2am, i would skip that dose though.

to post pic from your computer/phone, click on 'more option' button and you will see an upload a file button there.

 

That's why we're here. (mostly)

 

02a doesn’t happen too often- but good advice! That would probably OD her on her 1030 dose.
Gretchen was a little rescue that was advised would not live. I saw her on display at PetCo- this ugly little thing with a big head. That face ate at me all night and the next day I went and adopted. She has respiratory disease which she grew out of and here she is healthy aside from diabetes at 13 years old.

 

This was before diabetes. Yikes, unhealthy but with 4 at the time impossible to diet her! I wonder if it’s my fault she GOT diabetes
34 pounds!

 

oh my thats a big girl but, still a cutie.
we do what we can for our creatures, sometimes it's not the best but, you can't beat yourself over what could of have been if you had done this or that differently.. what's important now, is that we learn from our possible mistakes by learning to avoid the past mistakes like spoiling and overfeeding so our other cats don't end up in the same boat.

 

Wowza! She’s got Diamond beat. He’s 23lbs but I’m guessing she is also a “bigger” cat. Diamond’s ideal is around 18 lb.
She sure is a beautiful girl though!

 

She is only just at 10 now. She lost a whooping 20 pounds since that photo about 4 years ago. She lost it real slowly to a point, but then all the sudden she seemed skinny and the drinking began. I would prefer a few pounds on her, her back seems bony. But vet said we want her to stay at same weight for now while we are figuring her out.
People never believed she weighed quite that much until they picked her up. She was solid. My last weight on her about 5 years ago was 34 I knew it wasn’t healthy!

 

Ps- Diamond is as cute as a bugs ear!!!

 

It's not your fault. Both Noah and his brother Nigel were slim and trim, never fed crap, never went outside.
Gretchen is beautiful, I have a thing for big cats. This is Kobiashi, 28 pounds of love. Some idiot moved and left him all alone in a house with no furniture so we took him.

 

Oh my he’s pretty. Orange! Love him!! I have an orange boy...Daisy lol. He’s in my lap right now. And a Ragdoll/Himalayan... and I just lost my oldest so I am down to 3.

 

That's priceless because we have a Himalayan that wandered into our house after sitting in the rain all night. We knew where he came from but he was abused so tough luck for them. He's a very happy cat now.
No posters, no adds, not micro-chipped. They just didn't care.

 

Hi and welcome!!

He's gorgeous !!

Don't be to hard on yourself you love him and that's what matters most, nobody really knows what causes diabetes, if may just be genetics , so the good thing is that you want to help him, Lantus needs consistency, that is same dose and not much change in the schedule to work best ( doesn't mean it won't work other way) but I think there may be other insulin that could work best for you but I'm not an expert, I suggest you open a new thread or change the title to this one to something that says like "Suggestion for insulin with a changing schedule" or a complicated schedule or something like that so that you catch more expert eyes on you specific problem

 

I forgot! Everyone here is old, I did not handle "tragedy" very well in my 20's or 30's.
Hopefully what you'll get from us is friendship and you will never, ever be judged.
And diabetes is not a tragedy despite the stupid looks I get at the pharmacy.

 

Ah, that is one of the more "forgiving" in-and-out insulins. You shouldn't have any trouble with a variable schedule with that one.

That said, with this insulin, if you haven't already started, I'd suggest waiting until you are home testing and starting on a day when you can be home to get some tests in (if you have any such days in your schedule). This is just because Novalin N is one of the stronger insulins and can have a pretty dramatic effect on blood glucose, so it's good to go in with eyes open.

Gretchen is gorgeous at any size!

 

Beautiful kitty!

 

Yikes...he had me start Saturday morning. I can’t get what the lines on syringe are but the tiny lines between the numbers...I only give 2. Are the numbers units? I’ve just been keeping a close eye on her and she has seemed a little brighter plus her nose is cold and wet!!! Yay!!!
He has me using TB needles as they are stronger and easier, shots have been going fine I’m just dreading testing I ordered the Relion Premier Blue and it should be here Tuesday or Wed.

 

Are your TB needles insulin syringes? It's important because ml are not the same as units

If you're using insulin needles do you know if it has half unit marks? The small lines could be either units or half units

Is great that it appears like she's feeling better but since she doesn't have an infection or a fever and Since you're not still testing is even more important that you monitor her for hypo symptoms lethargic, disoriented,shivering extreme hunger ,This is a link that I strongly suggest you review to really be monitoring any signs and know what to do
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-treat-hypos-they-can-kill-print-this-out.15887/

Also get yourself prepared with some emergency supplies just in case like karo (corn syrup) or some kind of syrup, some high carb food that you can give her just in case

This is the link with the basic supplies
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/jojo-and-bunnys-hypo-tool-box.2354/

 

Veronica - your kitty looks just like my other, Lucky! She’s the one in the very back of my profile avatar.

I don’t know how to quote each answer separately...but- I’ll post a photo of the syringe. I should know this stuff it’s ml’s. He probably wrote it down but that’s out in my truck and I know just where he showed me.
I have been home watching her. So far all is well. She even seems brighter. And I do have some emergency glucose..I picked up a pkg of human glucose gel. I know to try gums or rectal. I have regular syringes from work also...one with a cath tip that would easily do rectal.
Thank you

 

Oh, I'm sorry if I frightened you on this! I was speaking in ideal terms-- if you've already started shooting and she seems better, I'd just keep with that and keep the close eye on her you have been. 2U is a large-ish starting dose on Novalin, but it sounds like she's doing well with it, and you will be testing soon!

 

I think that you'd find dosing easier with proper U100 insulin syringes that have a total capacity of 0.3 cc (mL). The marks on yours are very close together and because they aren't numbered in "units" it could lead to a dosing error in a moment of stress or distraction. The U1oos should also have half unit marks on them for easier fractional dosing. Here's an example from adwdiabetes.com:
https://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/6941/bd-ultra-fine-insulin-syringes

 

Here's a link that has a table I found on line to convert from ml to units that may be helpful to you (https://www.petplace.com/article/do...onvert-u-100-insulin-in-units-to-milliliters/) I'm guessing when you say you are dosing two lines is two of the very small ones in your syringe which would be 0.02 ml ? I think that is 2 units according with the table , I will also suggest you get proper insulin syringes that would make your life a lot easier, it's easier to get the proper dose with bigger numbers and lines also you will start changing doses eventually and the change will be in 0.25 Units which will be really really hard to do with the ones you are using .

 

When you quote someone you can hit the Reply button and if you want edit out things that don't matter or you can highlight a part of a message and click on the Reply bubble. Do you know how to Tag someone?

 

Thank you all for the very helpful info. I am definitely going to get “real” syringes. This not even being able to see lines with readers just isn’t going to work.
Gretchen ate a full can of beyond this am. That’s a first. She’s napping now, but at 4 I take her to vet. I’ll let you know what her BG is!
Now I have to make a hay run- I took the day off for Gretchen busy day!

 

Good luck

 

She moved plastic I put down so I left that end of box empty and she hasn’t peed. She’s got about 45 minutes to do her duty lol!