Simons trip thus far...

Hello everyone. My Simon (8yr neutered male) has been diagnosed with diabetes on 5/19/15. I noticed he was urinating and drinking more frequently and seemed to have lost his back fat. I started googling these symptoms which prompted me very quickly to get him to the vet. Before this, back in November I had took him in because he was walking funny. Nothing really came out of the visit. They told me to see how he does in a few days then if not better to come back for ex rays. He was better in two days or so. He was 18.8 lbs that visit. Could have jumped off something wrong. He tends to go on top of the fridge often. Idk why. Lol
When I got him in the vet of the 13th he was 15.6 lbs and his sugar was 460 on the pet Glucometer. We went back on the 19th for his first curve. She started him on 3 units of prozinc 2 times a day. First curve.....
9am 407. 3 units given
11 am 446
1pm 420
3 pm 319
6pm 219
I gave him his second shot of 3 units at 10pm. To get him on my schedule.

They also gave him 80mg of covenia ( which I just read is not good, but in the past two weeks all seemed well. Whew!)
Instructed me to be back in two weeks. In the two weeks I missed two shots. 1 on purpose 1 accidental fur shot. So this past Monday 6/1 I took him back to do a spot check at +6. His BG was 73. Perfect number the tech said. Doc would call the next day. And, the gave him another 80 mg of convenia for a poss UTI ( now I'm scared). She told me to give the 3 units still. I'm not checking his BG at home but plan on getting the materials to do so because now I know it's working for him and I am not usually home or awake at nadir and quite frankly, I'm scared to death shooting blind now. I plan on calling her tmrw, I missed her call today but she did leave a long voicemail. I have many a question for that woman. He's been very lethargic the last couple days, but still is eating. First time he swat at me after a shot tonight. Kinda being temperamental. Not sure if it's because his sugar is low or if he is having side effects to the covenia. Hope it's not the latter. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. Been reading here a lot and you all sound like really good caring people and know what you're talking about. It's wonderful to see.

 

I am really glad you are planning to home test. We generally suggest starting with one unit of insulin and slowly increase, as your testing indicates. Three units is a big starting dose. Testing before each shot will keep him safe - you'll know that the amount of insulin your are planning to give is a safe dose. We generally suggest not shooting under 200 until you have the data to know how low he might go.

We put together a protocol for ProZinc that is in blue in my signature. And we have lots of info on the forum that will help you getting home testing down. Let us know if you need help.

 

Welcome
Vet stress can artificially raise BG by 100 and more. Thus, the vet curve may not represent normal BGn at home.
3 units is a high starting dose. Based on the curve from 407 at shot time to 219 at +8 (8 hours after shots) 3 units is likely too high. I would quickly learn to hometest and test before each shot and periodically between. Most of use record our cat's BG in a spreadsheet that can be viewed by other here. Here is how to create that spreadsheet.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...te-a-ss-and-link-it-in-your-signature.130337/
What are you feeding? A low-carb canned is best. A prescription food is not required. If yo are now feeding dry and switch to canned insulin needs should decrease

 

My other cat had a urinary blockage about a year and a half ago. They put him on hills science diet for urinary. They both were eating it. They both have gained weight from it. I think that food was the culprit for Simons diabetes. I switched them both over to fancy feast classics 100% as soon as I got the diagnosis.

 

Then you really need to test around the nadir for the insulin. The 3 units was based on what the cat was doing pre-diet change. If the change was big enough, that dose could send him into hypoglycemia.

How to Handle a Hypo - read this!

 

A friend of mine at work brought me in a glucose testing package. The brand is Freestyle. Has the meter, strips and 28 gauge lancets. Is this a good brand to use? I am willing to get something different if it's not

 

So I was looking at what the lady gave me and the expiration dates are soon. I just ordered the alpha trak online. It'll be here on Tuesday. Fur shot this morning. And this weekend I'm going to miss a shot because of my sisters bachelorette party. Can't find anyone to help me out. Ive got the timed feeder so I'm not worried about that. Just popped some food into the freezer for Saturday. I'm hoping that missing these shots aren't going to set us back on any improvement. He's been acting like himself last few days. I did practice with the lancet on his ear today, no problem with letting me either and the freestyle lite meter read 26. Not sure if that was a correct reading. Another reason why I went with the pet meter.

 

If that was mg/dL, he is too low.
Re-test to confirm the value.
If still low, start feeding him 1-2 teaspoons of high carb gravy or a few drops of Karo/honey/etc and re-check in 30 min.
If that was mmol/L, he's OK, just high.

 

I just tested him before his pm shot and food. It was 55 mg/dl. So no shot

 

A lovely normal number.

However, he went extremely low (hypo low) during the last insulin cycle so you may see his blood glucose swing up high in response to that. If that happens don't worry. It's temporary.
And it's clear that this insulin dose is too high and now needs to be reduced....
FYI, for people new to dealing with feline diabetes we recommend that no insulin is given if the blood glucose (at the time of the shot) is less than 200.

If you ever get a reading that seems 'off' then just do another test for comparison. (Although, if I got a 26 I'd give glucose first and then retest, since 'time would be of the essence'.... )

The Freestyle Lite meter has proved problematic for some folks because it doesn't always read correctly at higher numbers. Some folks found that it didn't seem to 'recognise' high blood glucose levels. For example, there was someone here who thought her cat wasn't going above 300 but it was just that the meter wasn't reading the level correctly. She got a shock when she changed her meter... I've not heard of folks having problems at the lower numbers (but someone correct me if I'm wrong..? )

Well done for learning to hometest!

Edited to add: Here's the link to link to the emergency hypo information. Do read this through and then print it out if you can, and keep it with your 'hypo kit' (glucose, high carb food etc).
How to treat HYPOS - THEY CAN KILL! Print this Out!!

Eliz

 

Morning test was 65 mg/dl. Again. No shot. That 26 I got, i don't think I was doing right. I didn't put the blood on the right spot and he hissed at me so I just left him alone. Now that I'm not so nervous to make him bleed I'm holding him in my knees. I'll test him throughout the day to see where he goes with food. When I put the food down he doesn't finish it but grazes throughout the day.

 

I'm glad he is OK.

 

Maybe your kitty doesn't need insulin after all!
It is possible that the (suspected) UTI was raising his blood glucose levels and that they've come down now that the infection has subsided.

Have you made any other changes recently? New food?
And has he been on steroids at all prior to his diabetes diagnosis?

Eliz

 

They gave him antibiotics for UTI. They did find sugar in his urine when they diagnosed and his sugar was 460. He was on total wet food for a week before his first insulin shot and antibiotic. Was eating science diet for urinary dry food before that because my other cat needed it. Or well I thought. He was never on any Meds before except an antibiotic for teeth issues. He was an 18 lb cat before. Now he's about 16 lbs. the water intake and urinating excessively stopped soon after his first insulin shot. I'm hoping that the possibility it was just the infection was the whole cause of this. His second visit after two weeks of insulin, his spot check was right on and they gave him more antibiotics. After reading all the information I have researched, I will never ever feed my boys dry again.

 

Just took a mid day test. Was 60 mg/dl.

 

Looking good! Just for reference, we consider a cat in remission if they are between 40-120, without insulin, for 2 weeks. Hope Simon stays in this lovely range.

 

He's still riding at 55

 

Day 2; only 12 more to go!

 

I got the alpha trak 2 in the mail today. I tested Si using both meters
Freestyle lite......60 mg/dl
Alpha trak 2........92 mg/dl
He's last (successful) insulin shot was Thursday night. Starting testing him Friday. Thinking that 26 reading I got was because I was trying to put the blood on the front not sides of the strip. I got a booklet with this meter not the first one. So I can probably rule out that 26. Oops. But besides that on the freestyle it's been a ten point range throughout the day for 3 days. Going to call the vet tmrw and update her on the progress. Had I not had this site and did my research the 3 units she told me to continue with would have been very bad! Thank you everyone who has replied to my posts

 

Just be tactful. Along the lines of we explained how to recognize and manage a hypo, for example. She may be trainable, or at the very least, won't fire you or badmouth you to other vets.

 

No. I'm not going to say anything about her over dosing. She knows I was going to home test as soon as I got the materials. And she knows I'm a member here. Just going to tell her his numbers and how he's acting ( like his old wacky self).

 

Welcome and great to hear that he's doing so well again. He may be one of the ones that had a brief encounter with diabetes and may not need it?? Let's hope that's the case and that he's off of it. I did think 3 units sounded a bit too much but, I'm not using the same insulin so, wasn't familiar with how that works. That's the great thing about the members here...someone will know something...oftentimes...many people

Keep us updated and best of wishes!

 

For the last 7 days no insulin! Sugar holding between 70 and 90 mg/dl on alpha trak.

 

Go Simon!!! Halfway there!!!

 

Last 7 days coasting in the low 80s. Gonna say we are in the clear!

 

These stories are always so beautiful!

 

Yeah Simon!