Advice about raising Joe's dosage faster

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/joes-bloodwork-any-and-all-input-appreciated.252323/
My guy Joe did well at 3. units. He got sick, pancreatitis and bladder infection and his numbers went down so I reduced it to 2 units and stayed there. He is on medication and getting better except his numbers are too high again. Can I take him back to 3 units by way of a .25 increase faster than a week at a time?

 

My cat Magic was just put on ProZinc... My vet indicated that dosages need to remain the same for a minimum of three cycles (basically 36hr) and they can be increased on the 4th (at 48hr) if necessary. Only exception he said was if he dropped too low. He said anything quicker than that doesn't allow for the adaption time needed to see the full effect of the change. Since every cat is different that may or may not work for Joe. I'd recommend asking your vet what he or she recommends.

 

hey there. Your call, but I'd go to 2.75 first rather than raising a whole 0.75. I'd do 2.75 for several days and reevaluate.

 

Are you aware

that he is at 2.25 now Janet? Making that a .50 jump if I go to 2.75. I feel like it would be alright just want to make sure you know the circumstances (I always listen to you)

 

Yep I am aware. If it makes you nervous then do 2.5. Any time you can get a reading 5-7 hours past the shot

 

Joe is throwing me curveballs again. 146 at testing time.
Stalled 30 minutes and got 147

 

edit

 

Whoah, curveball indeed. Threw you a 92 out of nowhere. Go Joe!
I’d give him Medium Carb food with that +2 in the future. And get another reading in an hour to see how it effected him.

One thing to remember that helped me when I got my first low PS. You’re not shooting the number he is now, you’re shooting the number he’s going to be in 2 hours (or when his insulin kicks in).
That made it seems less scary to give the full dose.

 

I do have that in the back of my head constantly but who the heck knew he would test a 92 in two hours?

 

I went to sleep in the recliner so I could wake up and test him, he was 86 a couple of hours later but I did not notate it on his chart because I did not notate the time when he tested that. MY computer is all the way at the end of a long hall, by a bedroom where Cheddar sleeps in a cage. Had I turned on the lights to go there and fired up the computer, she would have been crying and carrying on. So I just notated it on a napkin and went to bed. I think it was between 12-2am. Making it about a +6

 

Great job, that's awesome he was a safe 86 and then you could go to sleep. I was just worried when I saw a 92 so early and no other tests
Your Relion will tell you what time you got the test. Make sure to add it to his SS later today so we can see it.

Funny timing for Joe to tell you he likes this dose!

 

Wow! Yeah don't increase the dose yet. Let's see what happens

 

Annnnnd we bounce.
Not to worry, you get a few cycles to enjoy a little more Susan time! After 6 cycles he may decide that green numbers are a good idea again.

 

thanks for checking in Smorg. Yeah, he is driving me crazy with these numbers. He is feeling good though, I can tell by the spring in his step, he always wants to go outside, and his eyes are clear. He is hungry a lot but I have leanred that is to be expected when his numbers are high.

 

Much improved PS number this morning! Glad he's feeling better. Appetite is good, so doing ok with his food these days?
Looking forward to a mid-cycle test to see if he's over his bouncing!

 

Joe is peeing all over the house again. I do not get it. Just when he starts to seem to feel better this starts to happen (again)

 

Ugh. So sorry

 

Why Joe! His antibiotics are finished, right? Can you test his urine, I forget, do you have strips?
These are the ones I use:
10-in-1 Dog and Cat Vet-10 Urine Test Strips 100ct, Veterinarian Lab Grade Pet Health Wellness Urinalysis Home Testing Kit, Detect UTI Urinary Tract I
And on a day with good numbers is even stranger, it's not like his blood sugar is sky high and he has to pee all the time.

Glad to see he still likes this dose and gave you another good mid-cycle number today!

 

Yes, I have do have strips and I do test his urine occasionally and no ketones. Completely free of ketones

 

Ok, I was thinking you can see if his Leukocytes are still elevated or if pH is high or anything abnormal.
When Temp had a UTI his strips showed high Leukocytes, pH was 7, and blood was present.
Came out of nowhere. Morning test was fine, test at 5pm was all out of whack. So it can happen fast, and my vet said she could tell I caught it right away. Worth testing, even if you have to hover there with a ladle

 

I bought some aquarium gravel and a new litter pan. I lock him in the room with that pan and hope and pray I get pee and not poop. This is how I have tested it so far. Not sure I have the strips to test for what you are talking about.
They are the strips that turn from pinkish to purple if there are ketones there. His strips that I have tested (only 3 times) are always whitish, clear.

 

How is Joe doing Susan, I don't see any numbers on his SS from today?

 

running behind Smorg. Thanks for checking in.

 

I think he is due for an increase but I am scared to do it because he went so low a few days ago
*Edit*
I will test him better through the day and raise dosage tonight to 3.50

• If nadirs are more than 150 mg/dl (8.3 mmol/L), increase the dose by 0.25 unit

 

well so much for raising his dose. His number was 127 at +6 and that would be his nadir.

 

Oh good! Plus I was going to say, before increasing, you have to make sure he’s not getting nadirs below 150 at night. The 217 and 277 PMPS of 9/12 & 9/13 very likely could have sent him into the blues at PM nadir. Gotta get more PM +2 tests.
And what was his PMPS on 9/11?

 

I think I just did not get it on 9/11. When he is feeling crappy and is not cooperative, I no longer force him. I will muddle along as best as I can without forcing him. I do not want what might be the last year of his life to be like that.

 

I get it. Keep him safe the best you can. Maybe give him a very naughty treat in cases like that? He deserves to be happy

 

How is Joe doing? Peeing in all the appropriate places?

 

Ha Smorg! You crack me up. Yes, so far he has only used one of his 6 litter boxes. He is doing good. High at PS times but occasionally surprises me and goes low. I think he is just trying to make my life hard in retaliation for taking away his kibble.

 

6? What a life, living like a king. We currently have 3. Up from 2. Makes my life a little easier.
He is good at recovering from high PS numbers. He's trying his best! Appetite is good?

 

Appetite is huge. I had 3 litter boxes, 3 cats. Joe started having problems I added 3 more. My house is lined with them

 

Good boy! Haha. The things we do for our furchildren...

 

I might tweek that dose up just a tiny bit. I'd like to see that lowest number touch the greens a bit. On a human meter he's still slightly above normal. I'd luv to see him low around 80ish. Like 70-100.

 

OK Janet, I will raise him to 2.50 this evening. Thanks so much for looking in.

 

132 at feeding time. I chickened out on raising his dose.

 

I don't blame you. Make sure your vet some tests in tonight. I would have stalled an hour

 

Good thing, huh! 82, wow. Did you feed him at +2? Are you around +3 right now? Get a test, k?

 

Yes, feed him at +2 got a +3 of 89 and then went to bed

 

OMG in a state of panic. I cannot recollect if I gave Joe his insulin shot this morning or not. My brain! It is not working correctly. OMGosh

 

Best you can do is watch his numbers... No shot is always better than a double.
Since he went from 395 to 317 I'd wager that you did.

 

Check the trashcan? Hooeee. Sounds like one of those days.
Not the end of the world, just don’t give him a “second”

 

I put the syringes in an empty milk jug and drop at the vets when full. I never did figure it out

 

@JanetNJ do you still think I should raise Joe? He throws me so many curveballs

 

No let's hold off

on that.

 

Ok. He seems to be feeling so good. Good appetite and loves to go outside where he patrols the sidewalks. And finally GOOD POOPS

 

Awww! He's just like, MOM, I'm busy!

 

He used to 'patrol' like this up and down the block. He does not go far now. Most of the owners walking dogs in the immediate area cross the street when they see him because he has slapped the dogs. lol. He believes the sidewalk should be a "no dog' zone

 

OMG. I'm dying. That is hilarious. This is Joe's sidewalk, no droolers allowed.

 

Wow, nice 139 this AMPS! And good job getting that +2 Of course he let you have the day off. What a gentleman.

 

Joe was high numbers today and does not seem to feel as good as usual. I checked his ketones. Is this a trace or is it clear?

 

Susan - Can you start a new thread? This one is getting long.

 

Yes will do.

 

Hmm, I use a different type. I'm trying to think of who might have posted a photo of their test results. I think that is NEG. I seem to recall that other people have found it to be unclear. So I don't think you need to worry.
BUT. Starting a new thread with the title "Ketostix -help interpreting strip result" might help?
I hope he feels better soon. I see with your lack of testing, he must be feeling rather cruddy

 

Hi Smorg
I did another test with more accurate results and he was negative. I tested a couple of times but did not fill in until just now. He is really bored with his food and I sort of explored raw a little bit. Gave up on that quick and am now cooking him chicken thighs and adding it to the Weruva.

 

Oh good, I see them now. Not too much action.
Haha. Not a fan of the raw?
It takes time for them to smell it as food.
I bet he loves that. Chicken juice from cooking has gotta win any cat over!

 

@JanetNJ Do you think maybe Joe is ready for an increase, if Susan can continue to get mid-cycle tests and of course more of those pesky late night +2 tests?

 

thanks Smorg for looking in. I have not 1, not 2 but 3 cats at my house that are not mine that I have trapped and had altered and they are all too nice to dump back where I trapped them. They all came from different places. None have chips, all were starving and all are unwell but sweethearts. I actually have a cat in a cage in all three of my bedrooms. I am doctoring all (shelter medicine) and feeding all and trying to figure out a solution for each one. Sometimes getting Joes info in comes second. I did update the S.S. just now and am interested in what @JanetNJ says

 

Oh wow. What are you doing to yourself Susan! I had no idea. Are you feeding them all of Joe's rejects at least?

 

if you want you could increase by 0.25

I'm having cat issues here myself. My lita just got diagnosed hyperthyroidism. So she starts meds tomorrow and I'm researching radioactive therapy for her. good times. THAT'S IT. no more cats after these.

 

If I had a $1 for every time I said that. lol.
I have a friend who did the radioactive therapy for her cat and it worked and he is doing great.

 

I will raise it .25 in the morning