syringes that measure increments less than .5 units?

Are there any syringes or insulin pens on the market that measure increments less than a half a unit? I see some people taking about quarter unit doses or smaller. This might seem like a dumb question, but how are you measuring this? I use BD needles with half unit marks. I even had a hard time finding those locally!

 

You'll need to eyeball the quarter unit increments, they don't make them with 1/4U markings. Tucker gets 0.75, so it's halfway between the 0.5 hashmark and the 1. I don't think I always give the exact 0.75, but it's close enough.

At one point my Misty(GA) had such a tiny dose I did buy reading glasses so I could see where the plunger was under the 0.5 mark.

 

Rusty and Tiggy both get 0.25u Levemir.

We just eyeball it between the zero and .5 marks


If using a U40 insulin (PZI or ProZinc), you can measure tiny doses easier using U100 syringes.

0.2u == 0.5u mark on U100 syringe
0.4u == 1u mark on U100 syringe
etc

because the U40 insulin is dilute compared to the U100.

 

Here is the link to the petdiabetes wiki about fine doses:
http://petdiabetes.wikia.com/wiki/Fine_dose

 

Or you can spend $20 or less and get this: http://www.qcinspect.com/images/Micrometer.jpg

It's called a micrometer. I have instructions & pictures on how to use one for determining dose here: http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y161/F ... tructions/
They are available from Ebay sellers, just search for micrometer and make sure it looks like that one.

I use a 1U=1mm ratio with GNP syringes. And again, you don't always get what you pay for, regarding BD syringes: http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/r ... 22,1462377

I was told by a University teaching hospital veterinarian when he tried using BD syringes for Gandalf that they were difficult to get bubbles out of and that it really matters when using small doses because the air displaces the insulin and even though you think you have the right dose, the syringe is actually holding less insulin, which is confirmed by the study that D and Shadow did.

Also, you can try Sheila's droplet technique, which should work very well if you're consistent: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=15637#p156967

 

Oh, I just opened this thread to commiserate -- I was just wishing for such a thing this morning. (well, that and U-40 Levemir) My foster girl Tzuri is a tiny-dose cat and it's so frustrating to try to get accurate doses.

But voila! Debby and Vicky posted info I vaguely remembered and had been trying to find for a while. And there's even more info that I never knew -- twisting the syringe vice pushing on it? Gotta give it a try.

thanks guys!
laur

 

Re: syringes that measure increments less than .5 units? (Edited

There are supposedly 25 unit (1/4 cc) insulin syringes available for Human diabetics that are much easier to measure quarter units with but I've never seen any. These web site lists 25 unit insulin syringes as available: http://www.revolutionhealth.com/article ... es/hw39086 and http://www.diabetesexplained.com/insulin-syringe.html Someone on the old board claimed to have gotten such insulin syringes and was able to measure quarter units of insulin for the cat very easily.

 

Hi .. Callie uses SunMark and they have under 5 readings .. short needle. They are tiny but do show units well. They are 31 gauge. I'll look at the package for more info tomorrow. Libby and Callie

 

That measuring device is actually a caliper - not a micrometer

 

OK .. the stats on the Sunmark syringes that I was telling you about is:
ON BOX: short needle .. U-100 insulin for 30 units or less .. 31 gauge.. 5/16" 8m needle .. 3/10 cc .. has half unit markings. With the half markings you just go in the middle of the marks to get 1/4. All I have on this subject Libby and Callie

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ar?w=1& ... KegdSt4S3I

Callie dx 6/12/10 10 yrs old on 9/17/10
Lantus 4 units BID (U100) 2x daily since 9/23/10
Started with 2 units 2x daily worked up to 4
Today went down to 2 units
pretest reading was 465
she improved greatly.. her water intake and output is
almost back to her normal (same as her brother and sister)
Beginner at home testing BG with AlphaTrak & Lancet device
1 day got 2 good readings under 150
2nd try about 3 weeks later had 4 readings all above 400
Was on Hill’s prescription diet M/D dry 1/4 cup at feedings 7am & pm,
but I am testing low carb & high protein wet starting today
No ketone reading ever done but now have test strips
Camp Hill, PA USA

 

Thanks everyone for your replies. This discussion makes me realize even more that in treating diabetic cats we are in frontier country. Almost everything is designed for humans and we are improvising it to treat our cats.The two insulins on the market designed for vet use were developed for dogs. Close but no cigar. I feel the same way about insulin doses.With all the pediatric human cases, small dogs, cats and rabbits you think one pharm. Company would make 10 or 15 unit syringes that have at least quarter unit marks? My quest to find them will continue.If I do find any I will let you know.