? 1/15 Buddy AMPS 116 - need help with shooting guidance with low appetite

lbeachmike

lbeachmike

Member Since 2022
Not sure what we do about Buddy's AM shot.

Buddy pulled the lowest number in a very long time, but didn't have a full meal last night and now only was hungry for about a teaspoon of food so far, even when bribed. We are not sure how much we'll be able to get him to eat.

Some of his constipation broke last night, but now he's been going to the litterbox with just spurts of tiny amounts of liquid coming out. We're pretty sure his BM last night was not everything from the last four days, so it looks like he's having trouble passing the rest.

We have a call into our vet but what do we do about his AM shot?
 
Thanks for adding the previous post link - we were on the phone with the vet - trying to feed - other cat also suddenly got sick - a lot going on :-(

We were able to get Buddy to eat a little more and were comfortable shooting. We gave him mirtazapine and will try to snack him in an hour.

If we are ever unsure if he's not eaten enough, what is the min BG to shoot if we test *after* he eats something? Or what is the best approach?
 
Last edited:
lbeachmike said:
Thanks for adding the previous post link - we were on the phone with the vet - trying to feed - other cat also suddenly got sick - a lot going on :-(

We were able to get Buddy to eat a little more and were comfortable shooting. We gave him mirtazapine and will try to snack him in an hour.

If we are ever unsure if he's not eaten enough, what is the min BG to shoot if we test *after* he eats something? Or what is the best approach?
Click to expand...
@Bandit's Mom
 
lbeachmike said:
If we are ever unsure if he's not eaten enough, what is the min BG to shoot if we test *after* he eats something? Or what is the best approach?
Click to expand...
This really depends on the cat and situation. There is no one answer that fits all situations. First things though, it's always good how much of a numbers bump Buddy gets from food. Getting +1 tests periodically will help you figure that out. As an example, I knew Neko got about 30 ish points from her preshot meal. So if she had eaten before I tested, I could subtract 30 from her PS test to get an idea of what her numbers would be and if it was safe to test. Lots more information on that in this Sticky Note:
Tight Regulation: Becoming Data Ready to Shoot / Handle Lower Pre-shot Numbers

What was your actual preshot test data? If 116 was not when you shot, then you can enter it as +12 116 in the spreadsheet, then the actual AMPS, if it was 311 at +14 (for example), you would list that in the AMPS cell. So the AMPS cell would look like +12 116; +14 311. That way we can see there was a 2 hour delay and what the PS value was when you shot. Note I may not have the details correct, just guessing based on the fact you delayed and what is in the spreadsheet now.

Next, what is Buddy's typical time when he onsets after insulin? You have that much time to get some food in. It doesn't have to be all of it. We've had plenty of members here whose cats are grazers and spread their meals out during the day naturally. Some people give multiple feeding during the day, effectively doing the same thing. For me, I was happy if Neko got at least 2/3 of her needed calories during the cycle. I also had a bunch of tricks on hand to get her to eat. Suggestions on How to Stimulate Kitty's Appetite. Churu or other creamy treats have also come out since that list was developed so it's an option. If none of those worked, I'd syringe in a little food, which would usually "prime the pump" and get her eating on her own. Having some food in her tummy would help make her feel better.

Finally, that 100 point drop to +2 last night indicted an active cycle. That original AMPS test this morning bears that out. A big drop to +2 is worth setting alarm for later, say +4, to see how low he went.
 
@Wendy&Neko - Want to be sure I am understanding this correctly, because I believe we have been testing his AMPS and PMPS correctly.
  1. It's test, feed, shoot, yes? If so, we have been doing this correctly. This morning was not normal, we tested at around 9:30AM but he wasn't interested in eating until about an hour later - should we have taken another test prior to him actually eat today? (Again, normally we test and he eats with no issue.)


  2. Are Churu treats safe for diabetic cats?
  3. Is there something in the creamy treats we should look out for to avoid?

Thank you.
 
Yes, you test, feed, then shoot. What you did today was test, put down food, delay an hour, then shoot. You want to test before you shoot, or at least within 15 minutes or so. So this morning, in an ideal world, would be test, put down food, delay, test again, then shoot.

As for creamy treats, I think TikiCat also makes a Mousse product which is creamy. According to Chewy, the Churu are 2-2.5% carbs on an as fed basis. It does have tapioca starch, but a low enough amount I guess. Generally avoid flours, starches and other products you think of as carbs.
 
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