? Shoot or not shoot?

Skittles has been in remission for over a year, it may year December 5. He has a tooth infection and has been running high numbers, please see spreadsheet. Also I found out that Friskies has changed their formula and some carb counts are different
He did get his first unit which was one unit on Thursday, January 19 because his BG was 434!

Thursday 1/19
AMPS- 434 ( gave 1 unit )
+2- 401
+6.5-128
PMPM=124 ( no insulin)

Fri 1/20
AMPS -167 ( no insulin)
+4-159
PMPS- 160 ( no insulin)

Sat 1/21
AMPS- 264

The toaster scared him 10 mins before he was due to,be tested . And last night he ate ( Left it down all night so he could free feed. But I pulled it 2 hours before testing Friskies. I have been questioning whether or not the Friskies is what is driving up his glucose level that and his infected tooth. He did not have any Friskies at all on Friday and his numbers were good.

So I'm questioning whether or not to give him insulin right now based on his numbers for the past two days. And the numbers on his spreadsheet before the 13th when I noticed his really bad infected tooth ( but before his bad numbers on the 13th he is always eaten Friskies since he went into remission or year ago )

 

Hey Sherri, it looks like Skittles is coming down. Did the infected tooth get taken care of?

 

Just saw on SS that he was started on an AB for the infected tooth. After about 2-3 days when the AB kicks in, the BG numbers can go down. Hopefully, you have an appointment to have the tooth removed before the AB is done.

So shoot or not to shoot........ can you get another test in before you decide and I think if it were me, I would give insulin. Can you test today? Maybe at least 1/2 unit of insulin and those insulin needs can change once the infected tooth is removed.

 

I can get another test in but it will have to be in 2 hours. There will be no way I can get him a dental anytime soon. I hope the medicine knocks out the infection but his gum was so swollen and so bloody that we couldn't even see the tooth! But when he yawned last night it looked better,it in the back and hard to see though.

I don't have any half unit needles, I thought I did but they aren't in my animal supply bag.

 

The AB will only subdue the infection. Unfortunately ,the only way to get rid of the infection is to remove the tooth. Have you looked into Care Credit? It is an interest free credit card for 6 months good as case and can be used at Vet office's or dentist and physicians for yourself. You can apply online. It saved me during Bubba's eye removal. I would pay what I could each month and just make sure I paid off the whole balance before 6 months so I wouldn't be charged interest.

Make sure your vet participates with is.

 

I can't get any type of credit card right now because when my husband left us, he also stopped paying the mortgage and the house was in my name. And he even stopped paying on my SUV ( also in my name ) and the bank took it back and I had to pay what he owed to get it back so in other words my credit is now very very bad.

 

its getting close to the 2 hour mark since he ate last so I can check his BG again.

What number do y'all recommend that I give him insulin at, but please keep in mind that he has been in remission since Dec 2015 , he has a infection and I'm not sure if the food he eats is still on our " safe food list" due to Friskies changing the formula for their food . His vet said to give him 1 unit if his BG is 350 and higher. But I feel like that's a pretty high number. Also, he got his first insulin dose in year on Thursday morning and hasn't needed it since ( going by his BG level ) I posted his numbers up above and they are on his SS . I do not have any half unit needles anymore.

 

I will be leaving around 5:00 PM tonight and no one will be here to watch him

 

If you can't test after 5 I would be reluctant to give insulin unless his numbers are really high.

Sherri, I am so sorry about your financial difficulties right now, my heart goes out to go. You can go to DCIN and they could perhaps help you with the dental. I will see if I can get a contact for you.

Post your number when you get it.

 

Just tested he is at 255.
Yeah, I will be leaving around 5:00 PM and will gone at least til 12:00 AM and he will be alone.

What is DCIN?

 

DCIN is Diabetic Cats In Need. Sorry I missed when you posted the number. I am not comfortable to tell you to shoot that when you won't be able to test and since he has only been just recently back on insulin and is on an AB now for the tooth infection.

When is your normal shoot times?

 

I just sent you a PM with a contact number for DCIN. I hope they can help you.

 

He has only gotten insulin once his BG have been up and that was Thursday morning at 10:00 AM. ( BG had been good again until this AM and then it was 264 )
I was going to do 10:00 AM and 10:00 PM

 

Thank you, I will look as soon as I finish up my errands

 

Sherri, depending on where you live - we have No More Homeless Pets, several Humane Society operated animal hospitals, a non profit hospital, and at least 3 different Friends of Animals type organizations in my area. Also cat rescue groups.
Try checking in your area. All of these organizations help with medical care either based on your financial situation or sponsor the medical care. Maybe start with calling the Humane society or animal control in your area and see if they have suggestions as to getting Skittles dental done.

 

You could do a reduced dose.... 0.25 or 0.5 since you won't be around to test

 

I am going to do all you suggested, only thing is that I live in a very small town and I already know the SPCA can not help me. I did call them a few months ago and they said that they can't help anyone right now ( that's why I want so bad to open my own place , actually before my husband walked out we were so close to opening our own pet shop. I had already started talking to people to hire. All we had left to do was complete signing all the paperwork, but this is a long story for another time.

 

This is what really sucks, I do not have any half dose syringes and being at one does using the syringe is that I have would be impossible for ME to judge anything smaller than the 1 unit , and my luck is so bad.... I would end up giving him over a 1/2 unit and we all knows what a insulin overdose can do .
I hate hate being in this position, and I also can't stand the fact that for the first time in my life I am completely broke. I had only a few hundred dollars in savings and Had to use that to move in November. I know a lot of people say that they don't have any money when they really do have a tiny bit,but in this case I really don't. And now it could cost me the most wonderful loving cat I have ever known. This might be TMI, but he loves me so much that I can't even use the toilet without him sitting in my lap but leaning up against me with his arms around my neck. I am absolutely serious and buy even think about putting him down he tightens his arms around my neck and I have to pry him off of me . It's the cutest thing ever. He also can't sleep unless he has at least one paw touching my face

 

If you only have the syringes with full unit marks for now, you can practice eyeballing 0.5 u and 0.75 u by using coloured water. Get two reference syringes set up with those fractional doses in coloured water and then use them for side by side comparison when drawing up insulin.

 

Sherri, definitely contact DCIN and see if they can help. They might set up a youcaring fundraiser for you. If they can't...I suggest setting it up yourself. A dental might be the only thing you need to push Skittles back into remission.

 

Hey everyone
I hope I just made the right choice, skittles BG is 273 right now. With my daughters help, we eyeballed a 1/2 unit and I just gave it to him

He is just running to high today, no where near as high as 2 days ago but he has been over 200 all day.

AMPS 264 ( no insulin )
+3= 255
+11.5= 273 ( eyed & gave 1/2 unit )

 

Great idea!