New members - G and Panter - diagnosed last month

Yes, that new dose sounds good to me. Hold the dose. Bouncing happens until it stops. And some kitties bounce for quite some time.

"Don't worry about something that hasn't happened yet."

When you get back home from your work trip, then we can see about switching to an all canned food diet and eliminate the high carb dry food.

Do you have at least 1 week, preferably 2 weeks when you are not traveling?

Three cheers for a supportive vet!

 

Yes - cheers for the vet - feels great! And cheers for you in here and this forum - also feels great! ;-)
When I come back I will have plenty of time. Next travel as far as I know right now, is not before end of March.

 

Hi, I have to ask again - to day we are back to 3u in the morning - and of course is kind of 'discouraging' to see the number don't go down in the yellow - if you know what I mean - but this is the right thing to do right? To get a less 'diving' curve? Im I correct in thinking - okay we will take it a bit slower and wait for the highest numbers to decrease before we go for the low numbers...? And it does - the high numbers in the +12 is going slowly down - kind of - maybe a bit up and down.... How does it work again? Does anybody have time to take a quick look at Panters Spreadsheet? I guess I'm just a bit anxious about leaving tomorrow morning....

 

Ok Goeril. Took a quick look at Panter's SS (spreadsheet).

Saw the 2U on 1/20/20 was a mistake, and you noted that in the remarks column.

That is the most likely cause for not seeing any 'yellow' range numbers yesterday.

Less diving curve, or less bouncing is what we are trying to see. When the BG (blood glucose) numbers go up and down a lot, the cat's body panics and releases more hormones and sugars into the blood stream to stop what it perceives as a dangerously low BG (blood glucose) number. This low is not necessarily a low enough BG reading to cause hypoglycemia. Those hypoglycemic symptoms don't usually start to appear until your cat is well under <100 md/dL (5.5 mmol), usually not until the blood glucose readings are <50 mg/dL (2.7 mmol). But the cat's body is used to those higher blood glucose readings and 'panic' sets in even in those 'yellow' number ranges.

We are also trying not to raise the dose too fast and bypass the right amount of insulin. Insulin is best dosed the same amount each cycle. A cycle is every 12 hours. So the same dose both morning and night. Your cat will likely be in those higher numbers for a while.

If your husband is willing and able to test while you are away for work, you could raise the dose again. Risk is that the BG drops low and hypoglycemia (hypo) symptoms are not noticed. If severe hypo, that could require an emergency visit to the vet. Or we can often help people through a hypoglycemia event if the HYPO symptoms are mild or moderate.

Risk of staying at the lower dose is insulin resistance could develop.

Talk to your vet for some reassurance with anything we have said and an experts opinion.

I think that once you are back, and can eliminate the dry food, you will be seeing much better blood glucose (BG) readings. Cat's have been know to drop 100 (5.5) basis points or more when the food switch is done. I did not think you had enough time to make the food change before you had to be away from home for work purposes.

Trying to balance the risks here for you and have you understand the pros and cons of doing one thing versus another.

Please tell me again the date you are back from traveling.

 

Thanks Deb!! I’ll be back home evening Tuesday Feb. 4. Sounds like its best to stick to the 3+3 for the moment. Less risk for emergency sounds like. And Panter is in pretty good shape... Playing and purring. But - another question, have you heard of other symptomes combine with diabetes like running nose and eyes and coughing. He had a bit sniffels before Christmas and I addressed it with our vet when I was there with Panter. She said probably a cold. But this continues and today his nose and one eye were very runny and he was coughing deeply... Yes - all kinds of worries...

 

Runny nose, runny eyes and coughing not diabetes related.

Hacking up a hairball type coughing? Coughing like he is going to vomit type coughing? Or something else?
Allergies?
May be something else going on. At least a call in to your vet would be good. Especially since it sounds like his symptoms are getting worse.

Any of your other 2 cats showing symptoms of a cold?

 

I wouldn't think these symptoms are directly related to the diabetes, but diabetics can be more prone to infection and if an infection is involved, that can raise bg. I'd call the vet and say that these symptoms noticed before Christmas are continuing - he/she may suggest antibiotics.

 

Deb: More deep little watery 'lung coughing' kind of... And no the other one is fine.

Diana: Interesting with the high BG and infection...

Yes I will let the vet know. And I will have contact with my husband through the whole stay so if it gets worse he just have to take him in for a check. Thanks again!

 

Hi you all, back in town - and all is good looks like! Hasn't been much BS-tests but regular insulin - so I'm happy with that. I will do some testing the coming days. Right now it looks like the low are in the purple area and the highs (+12) still in the red area - but we did go down to 3+3u from 4+3 before I left. Good thing is that he has gained tiny bit weight and he is happy and cuddly Also his coughing is gone(I think)... I will from today skip the dry food completely (was very little anyway, but..) and I will give food more 'timed' - every 4 hour, to see if it can be noticed on the BS Spreadsheet. This means that I will give him about 600-700g wet food a day (it is what he eats now as well) - sounds a lot...!?... but he could preferably put on a bit weight - at least 0,5-1 kg. He is a big strong cat. How does this amount of food sound like to you?
I will also take contact with our vet as soon as we are 'up and go and updated' on BS to talk about maybe switching insulin.
Hope you all - two and four legged are doing well! Best, Goeril

 

Welcome back Goeril. I think that Panter must have missed you very much and is glad that you are back home.

When you stop feeding Panter the dry food, it is possible that his blood glucose levels/numbers/tests will drop lower too. Keep a close eye on him and test more if needed.

I realize that there were no blood glucose tests from 01/25/2020 through 02/03/2020 (25.1.20 through 4.2.20). But Panter was still receiving insulin. Please have a row on the spreadsheet (SS) even for those days where your husband was not able to test. We like to see rows on the spreadsheet for every day. Note that your husband does not test, somewhere on the spreadsheet. Would you make those changes on the spreadsheet please?

The amount of wet food you feed Panter may have to be adjusted. For now, the amounts you mentioned appear to be good amounts. Flekken and Pus may miss the dry food, but they may love the fact there will be more canned wet food too.

Hope your work trip that took you away from home went well.

 

Thanks Deb! SS updated. No worries for Flekken - he has his 'high tec VIP' microchip feeder with his beloved dry food...)

 

Wow - look at that jump - I don't understand - up in black area 28.5 - He is eating the same... nothing has changed... I even called the neighbour where he used to be before - to ask if there was food (dry) outside as it used to be... but no it wasn't... any comments on this? I'm planning to measure for a couple of days and maybe take a trip to the vet - check out if there is any infections etc...his eye is running and he is sneezing as before... and also to talk about new insulin.

 

Goeril,

It's possible that Panter had a lower than usual blood glucose overnight sometime.
Many cats are more active at night and drop lower during that time period.
Probable that Panter is "Bouncing" this morning with the blood glucose test in the "black" range.

If you are able to, would you please test a couple of times during the PMPS 12 hour cycle (the evening dosing schedule or cycle)?

A test at +2 or +3 would be good. And then a later test around +5 or +6.
Would that be possible for you to do?
These are only suggestions. You need to let us know what will and will not work for you. Everyone has different times they need to leave for work, or times they need to run errands and pick up groceries. We have busy and active lives and need our sleep also.

What works for you best to get some more tests in during the PM dosing cycle?

 

Hi Deb, thanks for checking in on us! Very strange day indeed over here...28.4 at 12+ - 23.6 at 5+ - 23 - at 8+ and 22.1 !! at 12+ - I don't understand...but I will try to take some tests during evenings and nights in the next few days...at least one here and one there - nights are a bit of a struggle...but I will do my best. I will fill in +3 at least to night.

 

Some testing at different times can fill in some of the blank spaces on the spreadsheet.
It shows you more of what is going on during the 12 hour dosing cycle.

Test when you can. When it fits in your schedule.

 

Hi! Still testing and testing - and it looks kind of the same - all the way up between 21-26 at +12 and between 14-17 at +5... If I understood right - it will take time to adjust the BG - but I was wondering - what is a long time? He have been on 3+3u since January 3. (except for 1 week in the middle of January 4+3u) Should we start to expect some change or is it too early? I sent my BG results to our vet over a week ago - but I haven't heard from her in a while. Have to call her up. Otherwise Panter is doing okay. Eating, sleeping, hunting, playing, purring. Pretty good catlife!

 

Hi Goeril. Would you please start a new thread? This one is getting really long.
Please link this old post into the top of the new thread.
I'll answer your questions there.

Thank you.

p.s. I thought you were going to talk to your vet about switching the insulin to Lantus (glargine)?

 

Hmm...now I feel a bit stupid but...how do I start this new tread...?

Yes I suppose to have the talk with our vet but she hasn't responded yet. Will try again this week.

 

I think I figured it out.