? 04/03 Henry AMPS +100, +3 76, +6 103, +8 104. Question about skipping shot.

Hi everyone,

Henry is having an abdominal ultrasound with an internal medicine specialist on Monday. I'm dropping him off at 7:30am when they open.

Of course I forgot to ask and the clinic has been closed all weekend for Easter- should I shoot Monday morning before I take him in? What about the night before?

I feel like I should maybe skip his shot the morning of the procedure as he needs to be fasted the night before starting at 8pm (he normally gets small meals every 4 hours) and he's going to be at the Vet all day. I really don't want them dealing with a hypo on top of all the other stress he's going to be under being there.

As for the night before, I shoot at 7pm. He needs to be fasted from 8pm onward. I'm worried if he drops too low overnight I won't be able to give him food to bring him up.

I really don't want the internist upset with me if there's food in his stomach & he can't get a good view. He may even need to do guided biopsy if he finds anything. It's taken me 1.5 months to get this specialist appointment to figure out why the heck he's drinking & peeing in bucketloads. Also costing me a pretty penny!

I don't want to skip two shots, but I don't know what to do.

Previous
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...hooting-tomorrow-morning.245391/#post-2768783

 

Hi - just here to bump up your post @Wendy&Neko usually has good ideas for these fasted vet visits. Does Henry have any history of ketones?

FWIW, when Jax had dental surgery, he fasted for 6 hours so I just moved his shot time up so 6 hours was his PMPS+6 and then I ended up giving a token for his AM shot (and then I actually skipped his PM one because he wasn't really eating due to the drugs/surgery).

Good luck with the procedure and hope it gives you all some answers

 

I wouldn't shoot if there's no food on board. No food = skip the shot.

If they insist on an empty tummy, then adding insulin on top of this, with his already lower numbers isn't a good idea.

I've had to have the same discussion with my vet a number of times as the 'routine' advice is to not give them food after midnight - so I always tell them - she's a diabetic - so no food = no insulin.

Don't take the chance of a hypo situation - at least with no insulin, his numbers won't go too low. Might not be ideal...but for a few hours higher is better than lower.

 

@JaxBenji thanks for responding. No he does not have a history of Ketones. I have ketostix, I can check his urine once I get him home.

@Sue and Luci Thanks for responding as well! Looks like my instincts were right (no food no shot.) Just to be clear, I should skip his evening shot tomorrow night too right? I can feed him at PMPS if I shoot tomorrow, but he can't have anything after.

So no shot tomorrow night, no shot Monday morning, it would be 24 hours without insulin.

 

I'm not experienced enough to know personally but certainly you also need to do what you are comfortable with too. I think an 18 hour schedule may also be on the table but I don't have experience there - I'm sure @Wendy&Neko will pop by if she can.

I did want to mention it's not a hard rule of no food = no insulin - here's just one post from her where she's mentioned that (mind you, in a different situation) - https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...-232-2-75-241-vet-report.245173/#post-2766455 (and I personally gave my cat a token dose of insulin when he was fasted for his dental surgery)

Hoping some more folks will weigh in when they have time. Maybe @tiffmaxee or @Christie & Maverick can swing by too.

 

When Max had a dental my vet who is an IM said no food after midnight so I shot the night before. He could have water. I skipped the morning shot. That’s a long fast for an ultrasound. If he’s going to be there all day why fast that long? I’m sure the vet won’t be in tomorrow so I’d consider a token dose the night before and no insulin the day of.

 

Thanks @JaxBenji I could definitely give a token dose. Gotcha on it not being a hard rule. Hopefully others chime in as well, I appreciate your help!

 

Hi @tiffmaxee I think they want the fast started at 8pm as they're doing him really early in the morning. I'm at work all day, that's why I won't be able to pick him up until later in the afternoon. I'll send him with a can of food so they can feed him after the ultrasound.

So if I give a token tomorrow night, how much do you suggest? Like 0.25? Thank you for your help!

 

If they do the ultrasound really early maybe they would give him his insulin and feed him? That would only work if it doesn’t put you too off schedule. Yes, I think .25 tomorrow night.

 

Let’s see what happens tomorrow and the PMPS tomorrow night to decide for sure what to do tomorrow night.

 

Sounds like a plan, I'll post tomorrow at PMPS. Thank you!

 

Neko never needed to fast for her abdominal ultrasounds, neither did my other non diabetic. They only need to fast if they think they'll be hard to handle and might need to give anaesthesia. The fast after 8pm is probably their standard answer for all cats - I usually had to push and ask them ask the vet what to do for a diabetic. The answer always came back later. Either 12pm, or in the case of her dental, only 1/3 of her food by 6AM.

As for dose in the morning, cats undergoing anaesthesia who cannot eat, are usually suggested to have 1/2 dose.