7/5 Bandit AMPS 269 *advice?

Previous condo: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=46439&p=498708#p498708

I'm a bit confused with Bandit. He's not having curves like he did his first time around (even when he was high, generally the cycle curved). This seems like he's rising and falling, and rising and falling, and it doesn't appear to have to do with his cycle. I planned on raising him to 1u tonight unless his nadir today was in the normal range.

I know that when a cat is in high numbers for a period of time, the liver will dump glucose into the blood because it's not used to normal numbers. Do you think this is what is happening with Bandit? His first number out of the normal range was the day of his dental, so can this sort of thing happen even if he was only in high numbers for 5 days before I started him on insulin? I just am trying to figure out what might be going on with him.

I was also concerned that maybe my pens had gone bad. They've been in my fridge for over a year, but never opened, and they aren't set to expire until 4/2012. But is it possible they might have gone before their time? Have you ever heard of this happening? I'm hesitant to go get new pens unless I can somehow determine this is the likely problem right now, because of the expense involved. I would hate to go spend $230 on insulin only to find out the pens were fine. It's possible, but unlikely the pens got too cold in there.

As for how my boy is doing, there is a lot of improvement. The Horner's and head tilt have improved a lot. There doesn't appear to be any redness or inflammation at the extraction sites. He also does not act like he is in pain. We're through with the pain meds now, and he's pretty much back to acting normal. He wants to go out on his leash, he's eating without problem, he's pooping normal, jumping on his cat tree, etc. The only thing he's not doing is running around the house at breakneck speed chasing his mice, but he is back to nipping my legs if I'm not getting his food ready fast enough for him.

 

Hi Julia,

No advice here, just wanted to drop in and say HI to you and Bandit. Sorry to hear he isn't responding as well as he did last time, but on the other hand its great to hear he's back to kitty business of being hungry and attacking your feet!

Yuck on the price of pens *2 thumbs down* I know i only paid $92 for 5 pens at Costco.

 

Yup. I wish insulin was as cheap in the states as it is in Canada!

 

Did he get antibiotics following the dental?

 

Yup. He was on Clindamycin for 2 days, and then Flagyl for 10 days.

 

Regarding your insulin: Were the pens kept at a constant temperature and your sure they didn't freeze? Those would be the only reasons I could see that the pens would go bad. You might call around to some of the local hospitals. Often, their outpatient pharmacy will sell a single pen. That may be one way to see if it is bad insulin without buying a box of 5 pens.

Did your vet get post-extraction x-rays? If not, I remember you took Bandit to a new vet. I'd inquire about any other potential complications from the dental. Is there anything that could be causing pain or infection/inflammation? I don't recall all of the details from the dental other than it was a bit of a mess. I do wonder if there's something else (e.g., pain) that's effecting Bandit's numbers.

I don't think that's quite right. What happens, if a cat sits in high numbers, is that their body readjusts and the higher BG levels in a sense, become the new "normal." In part, this is why after insulin seems to bring numbers down they begin to creep back up again. I think what you have this confused with is glucose toxicity or insulin resistance vs. the action of the liver. That said, what I suspect is more the likely scenario is that the dental issues knocked Bandit out of remission. There are any number of people here whose cats have had a return visit from the Falls due to either a dental or health issue.

I also recall Jill saying that for cats that are back from the Falls, often more insulin is needed than in the previous go 'round. So, I'd raise the dose.