Teddy has dental scheduled Tues...How do you manage DM?

Teddy is scheduled for dental and will be "NPO" Nothing by mouth...for 8 hours before. How do you manage the insulin and diabetes? I know I will hold the insulin. Do I hold it for the 48 hours or so he can barely eat? Our 16 year old cat who also now has stomatitis had surgery in July and was in very bad shape for days...unable to eat. He was on antibiotics and pain meds and could barely eat for about 3 days.

Also, Teddy will not eat Purina DM...we tried it.

 

We don't withhold water from our diabetic kitties - just food and adjust insulin.

What insulin do you give? It might be necessary to adjust the dose before the fast since your kitty won't be able to eat before the procedure.

Most cats are ok and have a fine appetite after the dental. Depends on the work done, of course.

Rusty had a dental a few weeks ago - we had to remove food at midnight -- so he got a half dose for his evening shot and then we skipped his morning shot the day of the procedure.

When he got home in the afternoon, he was still a little groggy, so we skipped his shot.

The next day, he was eating with gusto and got his shots as normal.

 

Hi Phoebe,
Thanks for the suggestion about the water...I don't pull the water bowls before surgery for anyone.
Teddy uses Lantus 1 u BID.

I worry about eating difficulties as his appetite is poor now and seems to be related to comfort of his mouth with stomatitis. Perhaps blood sugars have something to do with it as well. We just had our Thomas with stomatitis, a civie, have surgery and he was in severe pain for nearly 3 days. The vet has specialized in dentistry...so it's very thorough. With stomatitis, it seems to be autoimmune and viral...the teeth erode from the pulp out, so there is extensive work in the gums and jaw. He was on pain meds for days.

 

You need to ask your vet what is wanted regarding the food and insulin.

As I recall, Smokey's vet had regular feeding at dinner, 1/2 usual dose of insulin.
No food after 10pm (midnight ?) and no food/insulin in the morning.

Ask your vet.

 

Different vets have different requirements. Most say no food after midnight and NO restriction for water. My vet says that if morning BG is "normal" for the cat then give 1/2 of insulin dose. Another think that makes a little difference is when the procedure is done. Some vets do them in the morning while other in the early afternoon.