I’ve been front loading Lenny as recommended by the group but have a question on the timing. I give Lenny a snack (usually 1/8 to 1/4 of fancy feast) two hours past his morning and evening shot. At 4-1/2 hours I’ve been testing him and then feeding him usually 1/4 of a can. I’m modifying my spreadsheet for his testing times. I have the time in the four hour column but if the next column has three *** it means the test was at 4-1/2 hours. His nadir is at 6 hours and at 7 hours his numbers are higher so I know somewhere between 6 and 7 hours is when the change occurs. I’ve had several low numbers at the morning tests and am wondering if I should feed him his snack later than the two hour mark. The evening one seems to be working because it’s not overly low at 4-1/2 hours and I know it still will probably drop a little. If his overnight test is a little high, I’ll skip his snack overnight. My other question is that yesterday the morning and evening tests were identical, he had a snack at 2 hours both times but yet his morning test was 91 but his evening was 292. If his preshot test, his insulin dose, his snacks were identical, why was there such a difference? Thanks, Nancy
Can't help you with the answer on front loading the food. But looking at your SS (spreadsheet), Lenny has earned several dose reductions that you have not taken. Any time the BG level falls below 68 on a pet meter (Alphatrak, iPet Pro, etc.), the cat has earned a 0.25U reduction in dose when following the SLGS Prozinc dosing protocol. Anything in those neon green colors on the SS screams "Dose Reduction". And you keep that reduction, until the subsequent bounce from the low has cleared and you know the dose reduction isn't working. You've had 2 lows below 68 in the last week, but you haven't reduced the dose. I really, really, really think you should go back down to 1.5U, ASAP. And hold it there for at least 3-6 cycles, or until you see that the bounce clears or is about to clear. Those really low numbers? They are telling you the 1.75U dose is too high.
Thank you — I already gave him his insulin tonight and since his number was 445, I gave him 1.75. Starting tomorrow, no matter what his number is, I’ll reduce his dose to 1.5 for at least 3 to 6 cycles.
Another question — today Lenny’s numbers were better. I gave him a reduced dose (1.5) and his number at 4.5 hours past his shot was 150. Tonight his number was 364 so I gave him 1.5 tonight. Do I stay with the lower dose or do I increase it if I see higher preshot numbers? I guess what I’m asking is do you make regular adjustments to the doses you give based on the numbers? Thank you
Stay with the lower dose. You make the dose adjustments based on the nadirs, not the pre-shot tests. Protocol on dosing is here. Sticky PROZINC DOSING METHODS Simply click on the blue text, to open the link.