Need Advice on Baxter to give insulin?

Merry Christmas FDMB friends.

I really need some help. Baxter has been on a OTJ trial for 3 weeks (today). I just went to test him before he ate @ 6:45pm & I got 213 . I don't know what to do.
Do I give insulin?
How much?
What could cause such a high number? He hasn't eaten any dry food, or cat treats.

I don't have any test from today except from this morning where he was @ 131.

Baxter SS is updated for viewing.

Merry Christmas.
Jenn & Baxter

Might just be a fluke, Jenn or he may need some insulin to help his pancreas out. He has been bringing himself down from the 100+ range but he hasn't gotten down into the 50-70 range where lots of diabetics off insulin stay, except at night. Can you figure what the difference is? Is he eating more in the day than at night? You could change the daytime feedings to match what happens at night?

Any chance you can lower the carb levels? Say if he is eating 8%, can you try 3-5% for a while to see if that makes a difference. (watch the seafood though)

This is the trickiest part of this sugar dance. You can also set a number above which you will plan to shoot. Some people say 150, some lower. I would practice measuring literally a drop of insulin. If he gets up to your number , give the drop. I would probably not do it unless I was around to monitor.

I am ready to start micro dosing if that what it is going to take. In the beginning I was a little scared, plus I had the vet telling me no need to micro dose. I haven't been home much during the day to monitor close if I micro dosed, but will be now to do so.

I feed him the same amount AM & PM & he eats the same. At night he is more active that is the only thing I can think of that brings him lower at night. I had Baxter on Before Grain until last week, I think he was allergic to the beef or someting in it. I switched back to Blue Buffalo WIlderness, Duck. I would like to think I have read the food charts right. I have learned with FD I can't think anything is right because its just the oppsite. Its such a mind game. The BBWilderness says % Cal from carbs is 2 & % Carbs fed is .50. So do I really pay attention to Carb Calories or Carbs fed?
Why can't these companies just put the information on the darn label? Oh I know why....its to easy. They don't want consumers to know the junk they put in their food.

Thank you Sue, Merry Christmas!

One "trick" you might try is to give a bit of food and re-test 2 - 3 hours later. If Baxter's pancreas is at work, it will pull the numbers down. Also, given the holiday season, is there any sort of contraband that Baxter may have scarfed down when your back was turned? I would give yourself a small window to make sure this wasn't a fluke or the result of something that was cause for Baxter to celebrate with and for you to worry about.

Sienne and Gabby said:

One "trick" you might try is to give a bit of food and re-test 2 - 3 hours later. If Baxter's pancreas is at work, it will pull the numbers down. Also, given the holiday season, is there any sort of contraband that Baxter may have scarfed down when your back was turned? I would give yourself a small window to make sure this wasn't a fluke or the result of something that was cause for Baxter to celebrate with and for you to worry about.

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Thats funny that you mention contraband - this morning I found Harry on the table licking the top of a turnover. :lol: Oh well, Merry Christmas!!!

if he is still high later then perhaps a tiny microdose, i bet it will help push him into the range you want to be in (50-70) his spreadsheet looks great, but he is rarely in the greens, although he is fine in the range he is in, i'm sure he feels great and is symptom free.

This morning he was @ 184. I waited for him to finish more of his food & tested him 1 hr later. He was a little higher 186. I did my first micro dose. I was practicing & practicing with the needle & insulin. I finally did it! I am going to home all day so will be testing.

He does feel alot better. He doesn't sleep as much. After every meal he cleans his face, paws & body. He hasn't done that in forever. I love to watch him.

Oh & just to think I was planning a OTJ party for very soon. Guess that can't happen just yet. I was hoping to kiss off 2011 with OTJ.

Thank you everyone!
Hope you have a blessed Christmas day!

how is the microdosing going? is he responding ok? no signs/symptoms of hypo?

Well his numbers are staying up. No hypo & no green even. I am really starting to think its the Blue Buffalo Willderness Duck. I just switched back to that from Before Grain beef which I think he was allergic to. He had good #'s on it & didn't need insulin. Ever since I switched to the duck his #'s have been up & needed insulin.I am also second guessing BBW label readings I don't think they are accurate, but what do I know.
I do not know what to do? I don't know what to feed him.

Well, I would print out Janet and Binky's list and go buy one can of several flavors. There is nothing wrong with FF and Friskies, IMHO. He would be eating mice in the wild and they have by products! See what he likes - hopefully a couple flavors that you can alternate.

What we do for our kitties :mrgreen:

I swear if I go to Petco or Petsmart & return any more food they are going to kick me out of the store.
I not feeding him anymore duck. I had Baxter in a really good place & now this. I am so frustrated & CRAZY!!
I have the list printed out & the new list https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B8Uu8g ... ist&num=50

I will be making my daily trip back to the store. bcatrun_gif

One thing to note is that the blue wilderness duck is much higher in calories than the BG Beef (135 cal per 5.5oz compared to 222 cal per 6 oz). I think that might be your problem. When Bandit went OTJ his numbers were a little higher than normal, and I thought that was just natural for him. When I changed and reduced his food a little because he needed to lose a pound or so, his numbers dropped from the low 100s to the 80s. He was eating EVO which is very high calorie, but I switched him to the lower carb Merrick's (Cowboy Cookout, Surf and Turf, Grammys Pot Pie, Turducken), and he still eats FF a few times a week as well. All of these are lower in fat and higher in protein.

How big is Baxter? Is he carrying any extra weight? My gut is that the problem is the food, but only because of the higher fat content. You really have feed tiny amounts of those high fat foods--that's why I decided to not go that route anymore.

And believe me, PetCo and PetSmart will take your returns always. I was returning bags of food almost every week when I was dealing with Gabby's eating problems.

harrysmom said:

Sienne and Gabby said:

One "trick" you might try is to give a bit of food and re-test 2 - 3 hours later. If Baxter's pancreas is at work, it will pull the numbers down. Also, given the holiday season, is there any sort of contraband that Baxter may have scarfed down when your back was turned? I would give yourself a small window to make sure this wasn't a fluke or the result of something that was cause for Baxter to celebrate with and for you to worry about.

Click to expand...

Thats funny that you mention contraband - this morning I found Harry on the table licking the top of a turnover. :lol: Oh well, Merry Christmas!!!

Click to expand...

I left the house for 10 minutes on Christmas Eve, with the Christmas cookies I had painstakingly spent all afternoon making in a sealed container on the counter. When I got home, the cookies were scattered all over the floor so not a single one could be salvaged, and the frosting was licked off several of them. So I hurriedly made another batch because I was leaving early to go to NYC to visit family the next morning. When I got up, I found that the frosting had given Bandit very runny poo which I now had to spend the next hour cleaning, and I was so rushed doing all this that I forgot the cookies at my house. I didn't remember that until I was 3 hours into the car ride, so the cookies were a complete bust.

Julia & Bandit said:

harrysmom said:

Sienne and Gabby said:

One "trick" you might try is to give a bit of food and re-test 2 - 3 hours later. If Baxter's pancreas is at work, it will pull the numbers down. Also, given the holiday season, is there any sort of contraband that Baxter may have scarfed down when your back was turned? I would give yourself a small window to make sure this wasn't a fluke or the result of something that was cause for Baxter to celebrate with and for you to worry about.

Click to expand...

Thats funny that you mention contraband - this morning I found Harry on the table licking the top of a turnover. :lol: Oh well, Merry Christmas!!!

Click to expand...

I left the house for 10 minutes on Christmas Eve, with the Christmas cookies I had painstakingly spent all afternoon making in a sealed container on the counter. When I got home, the cookies were scattered all over the floor so not a single one could be salvaged, and the frosting was licked off several of them. So I hurriedly made another batch because I was leaving early to go to NYC to visit family the next morning. When I got up, I found that the frosting had given Bandit very runny poo which I now had to spend the next hour cleaning, and I was so rushed doing all this that I forgot the cookies at my house. I didn't remember that until I was 3 hours into the car ride, so the cookies were a complete bust.

Click to expand...

I am sorry to laugh, but that is so funny. haha_smiley I guess you could say his name is very fitting (Bandit) & he does'nt wear that brown mask for nothing. BAD KIT-TY!! dancing_cat
Baxter doesn't need to lose weight. I think he has lost a few pounds he looks very boney & feels boney. He was 10 pds @ DX on Nov 12th. He is a tall cat.
The food issue makes me crazy. I have Blinkey's list printed & highlighted along with the newer chart.
I bought Nature's Variety Instinct Lamb & Rabbit. I will try the lamb first.
I might be back @ Petco tomorrow for Merrick.

have you tried fancy feast? Just curious... I know it isn't really the highest quality ingredient wise but most people generally have really good luck on it...

I haven't tried FF yet. I feel like I am at the end of the rope here. Last nght & today I tried the Nature's Variety Lamb I think its high in fat. He won't eat much of it. I have family in town tomorrow (airport, lunch, beach etc) & don't know when I can get to my daily visit to the pet store.
I spoke to the vet today. He wants to see Baxter next week. I didn't tell him I switched food. The vet still doesn't want me to Micro dose he said the drops I am giving him really aren't doing anything. He said to only give him inuslin if he reachs the 300's. I am so confused!! More so now then in the beginning of this game.

I have about 6 days to find a food & stay consistent on it. Just so I can walk into the vet & say "this is what I'm feeding Baxter & this is what works."

Thank you everyone for your ideas.