What would happen if?

I got a neighbour to feed LB on sunday coz we took a day trip and he needed a meal around lunch time. Now we are wanting to take a trip to see our daughter in the UK for 2 weeks. we haven't left LB since dx for FD. what would happen if we stopped giving him insulin for 2 weeks? He's not far off trialling OTJ. If we kept to the diet but no insulin? In an ideal world he has another month of dropping insulin bit by bit. We are worried that cat sitters won't test and we don't want him to get hypo attacks. We feed him in the nite once and test him thru the day to see how he's going. you can see his SS (click on World to see colours). What would happen if in on the 30th of November we stopped giving him insulin until the 15th of December? (I have to go out so can't answer until later today)

thanx marilyn

 

You would lose regulation and have to start over.

I will give you my professional pet sitter opinion....

Have the cat sitter shoot 0.5u reduced dose. If the cat sitter is willing to learn to test for Pre-shots...teach him/her.

Unless the cat is totally fractious with the sitter...teach the sitter what to do. And be sure to tell them about the beveled needle!!!

Most will come a few times ahead of your leaving to keep your cat on schedule. At least that is the professional courtesy my company provides. I assume professional sitters do the same.


You might try these guys:
http://www.zootopiapetminding.com/Services

 

I agree. If you were giving the 0.10 dose or just waving the bottle of insulin under his nose, I'd say, why not try it w/o?

But at 0.9U, you have plenty of step downs before trying OTJ, IMHO. You have two weeks, but can you make sure pet sitter can measure a dose under 1U and knows how to give shot? I have a petsitter who used to be a vet tech and my dear Dr B vouched for her. You might ask your vet if he/she has any techs that pet sit on the side.

 

I had to go away for four days, so I paid my neighbor very well to come over and test him and shoot. She tested at +3 as well as AM and PM PS. We reduced the shot while I was gone. Now, I am very lucky that my neighbor loves my cats and she has Type 1 diabetes, so she is familiar with testing BG and Lantus. When I got back, Sue was ready to decrease even further.

 

Hi Marilyn - I'm going away the same time you are. Someone from my work is going to come stay at my house while I'm gone. She'll have to work in the daytimes of course. She doesn't have any trouble giving insulin so I'm going to reduce Shadow's dose and try not to think about shooting blind .We are going to make an effort to teach her to hometest. I'd rather do that than skip insulin all together. Although the same thought did cross my mind. I would just feel like we were starting over when I got home and I don't want Shadow to go back to the state she was in at the time of Dx, she was so sick.

good luck with whatever you decide for Little Boy.

 

what *could* happen?

• regulation would be lost

• you could be risking kitty going into DKA

LB needs insulin. as mentioned, you're much better off reducing the dose and teaching your pet sitter to test.

 

Thank you everyone for your comments. I think our trip will need to wait till next yr. I have someone who will look after him in Feb. I was just feeling sad about my DD (she left last Feb). There are other issues about going prior to xmas and the comments from the group have helped me realise that I can't do the trip yet. We have to see this healing program thru to completion.

marilyn

 

Marilyn,

I know this decision is hard, but Little Boy thanks you. You care a lot about your kitty!!!!

 

I'm very sorry that you have to postpone your trip, but you are doing the right thing. LB needs his insulin. At least you don't have to cancel it altogether, you will be able to go in a few months! That gives you plenty of time to find someone you can trust to take care of your baby while you are gone. You can have some time to teach them about home testing and giving the shots and also how to get on FDMB in case there is some questionss :smile: I'm sure just by having that all in place by your trip time, your visit to your DD much more relaxed and stress free!