3/11 Insulin Sensitive Paco

[thaurermellon]

I just found out my cat Paco who had been in remission is now having some ketones in his urine (luckily at vet it was down to 0.2) and has high glucose. I just started monitoring at home today.

My main question: before when he had diabetes during his stint of pancreatitis and ketoacidosis they gave him glargine. He was hospitalized for his ketoacidosis for 5 days and during that time they could not get an insulin dose that he could tolerate without becoming hypoglycemic RAPIDLY. At home when I gave him a 0.5 IU dose he would crash within 1-2 hours even if he was in the 500s. It was very scary. Luckily he went into remission after about a week of this madness.

Has anyone had a similar experience and found an insulin type that worked better? My vet wants to get him on insulin but we are going to have to hospitalize him just to try the insulin out unfortunately.

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Hi and welcome to the forum.
We do have one other kitty who is having the same issue as you but in all the years I have been here it is very unusual.
0.2 ketones if using a blood meter is not a concern.
What is the blood glucose?
Glargine is a very good insulin for cats.
There are doses smaller than 0.5 unit that can be given.
Is Paco eating well and not lethargic?

 

[thaurermellon]

Hi and welcome to the forum.
We do have one other kitty who is having the same issue as you but in all the years I have been here it is very unusual.
0.2 ketones if using a blood meter is not a concern.
What is the blood glucose?
Glargine is a very good insulin for cats.
There are doses smaller than 0.5 unit that can be given.
Is Paco eating well and not lethargic?

I just started monitoring and just got strips. He was 500 after eating. He is eating very well but he’s always been low energy. He also suffers from kidney disease since he was 3/4 years old so he’s just had a rough life. He will be turning 8 this summer. I’m not sure what he was given at the hospital but I did give him 0.25 by eyeballing between 1/2 and 0 and it had the same effect.

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Are you able to set up a spreadsheet?

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

Here is the information we need for your signature
Just click on your name up top and then tap signature and add this information. It's at the end of everyone's post in gray letters

• Add info we need to help you:
  • Caregiver & kitty's name
  • DX: Date
  • Name of Insulin (do not include dose or frequency)
  • Name of your meter
  • Diet: "LC wet" or "dry food" or "combo"
  • Dosing: TR or SLGS or Custom (if applicable)
  • DKA or other recent health issue (if applicable)
  • Bexacat or Senvelgo (if applicable) and dates
  • Acro, IAA, or Cushings (if applicable)
  • Spreadsheet link. Please put the signature link on the bottom line of your signature information, on its own, so it is easy to find.
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Be sure to click the 'Save Changes' buttonat the bottom. If you need help urgently it is important we know these things at a glance. We don’t want to waste valuable time finding out information.

Link to set up your spreadsheet
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-create-a-spreadsheet.241706/

We use our spreadsheet to enter our cats BG numbers
How to use the spreadsheet
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-use-the-spreadsheet.241653/

If you need help with setting up the spreadsheet Just ask and I can ask a member to set it up for you

 

[thaurermellon]

Are you able to set up a spreadsheet?

Yes I can. How often do you recommend doing his glucose? I am trying to get him in for a hospital stay so he can try different insulin.

 

[thaurermellon]

Here is the information we need for your signature
Just click on your name up top and then tap signature and add this information. It's at the end of everyone's post in gray letters

• Add info we need to help you:
  • Caregiver & kitty's name
  • DX: Date
  • Name of Insulin (do not include dose or frequency)
  • Name of your meter
  • Diet: "LC wet" or "dry food" or "combo"
  • Dosing: TR or SLGS or Custom (if applicable)
  • DKA or other recent health issue (if applicable)
  • Bexacat or Senvelgo (if applicable) and dates
  • Acro, IAA, or Cushings (if applicable)
  • Spreadsheet link. Please put the signature link on the bottom line of your signature information, on its own, so it is easy to find.
  • Please do not put any information about your location in the signature for security reasons. If you wish to add your country location, please add it to your profile.

Be sure to click the 'Save Changes' buttonat the bottom. If you need help urgently it is important we know these things at a glance. We don’t want to waste valuable time finding out information.

Link to set up your spreadsheet
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-create-a-spreadsheet.241706/

We use our spreadsheet to enter our cats BG numbers
How to use the spreadsheet
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-use-the-spreadsheet.241653/

If you need help with setting up the spreadsheet Just ask and I can ask a member to set it up for you

I will work on this tonight, thank you.

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Yes I can. How often do you recommend doing his glucose? I am trying to get him in for a hospital stay so he can try different insulin.

I would test before every dose and then a couple of times during each cycle.
Can you tell me what was the BG when you said he crashed?

Glargine is a very good insulin for cats.
The only other insulins I would consider using for a cat are Prozinc and levemir. All other insulin are totally unsuitable for cats.m
How often and what are you feeding him?

 

[thaurermellon]

He has been in remission or was in remission for a year and a half, so I can’t remember the exact numbers when he crashed, but I’m pretty sure he was 20 and under. I almost had to rush him into the emergency vet a few times. Luckily, karo syrup usually kept him from completely having a hypoglycemic episode, but it was low. I just recently found out he was diabetic again so he was eating four times a day but now I’m getting it back to just twice a day. He has kidney disease so he was eating and is still eating a kidney diet. He was doing really well and the fresh pet chicken and beef even though I know that’s not supposed to be for cats of kidney disease. He’s been stable with eating it and I think it helped him keep energy. I took him off his kidney wet which he only ate a tiny bit of and he’s now on Dave’s restricted diet for some extra wet. I’ve stopped feeding him his kidney dry food.

 

[thaurermellon]

I would test before every dose and then a couple of times during each cycle.
Can you tell me what was the BG when you said he crashed?

Glargine is a very good insulin for cats.
The only other insulins I would consider using for a cat are Prozinc and levemir. All other insulin are totally unsuitable for cats.m
How often and what are you feeding him?

I am currently not dosing him because the vet wants him to be hospitalized before we try any of the insulin types because he is so prone in the past to crashing. I’ve been taking his glucose reading once a day, but I just started two days ago. I did one reading after he ate, and one before. I wasn’t sure if it’s better to take it when they’re not on insulin before he eats to see how low he is or high he is or if it’s better to do it after he eats.

 

[thaurermellon]

Here is the information we need for your signature
Just click on your name up top and then tap signature and add this information. It's at the end of everyone's post in gray letters

• Add info we need to help you:
  • Caregiver & kitty's name
  • DX: Date
  • Name of Insulin (do not include dose or frequency)
  • Name of your meter
  • Diet: "LC wet" or "dry food" or "combo"
  • Dosing: TR or SLGS or Custom (if applicable)
  • DKA or other recent health issue (if applicable)
  • Bexacat or Senvelgo (if applicable) and dates
  • Acro, IAA, or Cushings (if applicable)
  • Spreadsheet link. Please put the signature link on the bottom line of your signature information, on its own, so it is easy to find.
  • Please do not put any information about your location in the signature for security reasons. If you wish to add your country location, please add it to your profile.

Be sure to click the 'Save Changes' buttonat the bottom. If you need help urgently it is important we know these things at a glance. We don’t want to waste valuable time finding out information.

Link to set up your spreadsheet
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-create-a-spreadsheet.241706/

We use our spreadsheet to enter our cats BG numbers
How to use the spreadsheet
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-use-the-spreadsheet.241653/

If you need help with setting up the spreadsheet Just ask and I can ask a member to set it up for you

I updated my signature with what I know. I wasn’t sure what DX date is. Working on spreadsheet and looking at meter type.

 

[thaurermellon]

Hi and welcome to the forum.
We do have one other kitty who is having the same issue as you but in all the years I have been here it is very unusual.
0.2 ketones if using a blood meter is not a concern.
What is the blood glucose?
Glargine is a very good insulin for cats.
There are doses smaller than 0.5 unit that can be given.
Is Paco eating well and not lethargic?

Is there a way I can view that users post/posts or connect with them? Thanks.

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Is there a way I can view that users post/posts or connect with them? Thanks.

I’m not sure what you are asking here sorry

He has been in remission or was in remission for a year and a half, so I can’t remember the exact numbers when he crashed, but I’m pretty sure he was 20 and under. I almost

What dose was he getting when this happened? He may have just been getting too much insulin. That does not mean it is unsuitable.

just recently found out he was diabetic again so he was eating four times a day but now I’m getting it back to just twice a day. He

Why are you going back to 2 times a day? Feeding a diabetic cat multiple times a day is much better for the pancreas

[QUOTE="thaurermellon, post: 3253026, member: 42918"]He has kidney disease so he was eating and is still eating a kidney diet. He was doing really well and the fresh pet chicken and beef even though I know that’s not supposed to be for cats of kidney disease. He’s been stable with eating it and I think it helped him keep energy. I took him off his kidney wet which he only ate a tiny bit of and he’s now on Dave’s restricted diet for some extra wet. I’ve stopped feeding him his kidney dry food.[/QUOTE]
What stage kidney disease is he?
Restricting protein for kidney failure is old thinking now except for the very advanced cases. You might be better looking at low phosphorus diet and not low protein or a kidney diet.

 

[thaurermellon]

I’m not sure what you are asking here sorry

What dose was he getting when this happened? He may have just been getting too much insulin. That does not mean it is unsuitable.


Why are you going back to 2 times a day? Feeding a diabetic cat multiple times a day is much better for the pancreas

[QUOTE="thaurermellon, post: 3253026, member: 42918"]He has kidney disease so he was eating and is still eating a kidney diet. He was doing really well and the fresh pet chicken and beef even though I know that’s not supposed to be for cats of kidney disease. He’s been stable with eating it and I think it helped him keep energy. I took him off his kidney wet which he only ate a tiny bit of and he’s now on Dave’s restricted diet for some extra wet. I’ve stopped feeding him his kidney dry food.

What stage kidney disease is he?
Restricting protein for kidney failure is old thinking now except for the very advanced cases. You might be better looking at low phosphorus diet and not low protein or a kidney diet.

[/QUOTE]

that’s good to know. Last time he was diabetic I was told to try to just feed him twice a day for his insulin shots.