Newbie needs advice!!

Hello everyone, I am Berry, the loving care giver for a wonderful kitty named Monroe.

Monroe was diagnosed on new year’s eve after my coming home from a 10 day absence to find that had not eaten very much food when I was gone, he was even skinnier than when I left, and was no longer eating. He is about 12 years old and lost his ‘house mate’ of 17 years old summer 2008. (I say house mate because she tolerated him, but he liked her!) He lost weight after that and I thought it was because he was sad from losing his 3rd buddy. But I have been noticing him getting skinnier lately, and coming home to find him feeling bad and not eating made me take him to the doctor immediately. He now weights 8.3 pounds, and he used to weight over 12 pounds a few years ago. He is very skinny. I feel bad that I didn’t put the prior large amounts of eating together with the large amounts of urine output and figure it out myself earlier, but he usually pees outside and I thought, well he’s eating really well, so that’s good :cry: Anyway, the doc said his BSL was in the 300’s (gave me no #) and put him on ProZinc, 1u, 2x a day with meals. This was the BSL after not eating for at least a day. I started this insulin regiment on 12-31-09. He kept peeing a lot until about the 6th day, then he seemed to dry up! Tiny little pees, diarrhea gone, but now seems constipated. I have not given him the dry food I bought on recommendation of the vet, instead I have done a lot of reading/research and feed him wet food with low carbos (info found on Binky’s site & manufacture’s sites) and began to do A TON of reading. He also started acting lethargic and was getting really red ears around 6-8 hours after insulin. Since I had not received my glucose meter yet, I could not test his BSL. (A friend told me he would pick up a ReliOn Micro for me after I had requested the care package. Unfortunately he got the wrong test strips!! :cry: ) Monday morning Monroe ate very little (about ¼), so I gave him ¼ unit, as instructed by the doctor.

I just received the kitty care package flip_cat (THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH) in the mail and started testing Monday evening. His first reading before food (??PMPS???) was 110, and he ate the normal amount of food. Since I had given him so little in the morning and his BSL was good, I gave him ½ unit of ProZinc. However, when I tested him 2 hours later, it was 18 (eek!) and his ears were red again, so I tested him again, and it was 25, so I gave him some kitty treats with carbos and kept a close eye on him. Now this morning, his before feed test (AMPS??) was 193, he ate more than normal, and I gave him ½ unit again. 3.5 hours later, and he was at 32, so again, I gave him more kitty treats with carbos. Now I only have 2 test strips left, one fore before and one for after tonight’s dinner, so I’m really not sure what to do about the insulin shot. I am very tempted to give him ¼ unit. Any thoughts, ideas, reprimands!!!????

I have ordered strips for the contour meter I got in my kitty care box, which will take a while to receive, but I am supposed to receive the correct strips for the ReliOn micro on Wednesday sometime.

Also, I have looked around to try to figure out the jargon/acronym’s for reading reporting you use here, and cannot find them in the glossary. AMPS, PMPS..etc

Sorry to have SUCH a long post, and for not having posted any info about Monroe yet. I spend most of my time on this, I’m getting behind in work, and have not had the time to figure out the how to post info yet. Although it is likely not too difficult to do, in reading it through quickly, it sounds complicated for someone just barely figuring out this message board!!!

Comments anyone?
Berry

 

Wow, what a ride!

My suggestion? I think he doesn't need insulin. I think that the 193 was a rebound number as a result of going too low the night before, and that you should consider holding off for 2 to 3 doses to see what numbers you get. It could be that the combo of food change and very short term insulin was enough...either that or you have a microdose kitty!

Aren't you glad you are testing??????

 

Agree with Jen. Usually we say with new diabetics, not to dose unless the bg level is over 200. Keep testing and keep track of your numbers. The good news is that Monroe could be a quick fix. The bad news is that you will need to get more strips! :mrgreen:

 

Thanks for your advice both Jen's & squeak! I am glad I am testing...can't wait for my test stips to arrive!!

 

have to agree with the others. i'd probably hold off on insulin for a couple shots and see what kind of numbers you get. you had some extremely dangerous scary low numbers there that's for sure.

 

Welcome to the board! You and Monroe have certainly had quite an exciting few days, haven't you?

I agree with the others; I would wait a few cycles and see what he does on his own with no insulin. And as Sue said, most new diabetics without much data shouldn't give insulin if the BG is below 200, just as a precaution, especially if your strip supply is running low.

Give Monroe an extra chin scratch, and give yourself a pat on the back for being able to home test so soon. And what a lifesaver that turned out to be!

 

Welcome... and congrats to you for being so pro-active. I'm just another voice chiming in to say that I would hold off giving any insulin for a few cycles. And definitely get some strips first because he really does get a reaction from the insulin.

Good job... and please please keep us posted.

 

Good for you for being proactive with both the diet and home testing!!

Monroe is VERY lucky to have you as his caregiver.

 

Hi Berry,

Under Health links you will find a link to a glossary.

good luck.

 

Hello.... first, way to go for being so on top of things. I agree with the others to let it go a couple of days, but I want to mention that ketone testing would be a good idea.
Here is some info about that....http://www.felinediabetes.com/ketones.htm

You said he had been losing weight and not eating well when you came home and his blood glucose levels were in the 300s at time of diagnosis.
That is not all that high for a new diagnosis and I wonder if there may be another medical issue that was stressing his body and caused the blood gluocose levels to rise to begin with.

Were there any other blood tests done? Does he have any other medical issues?
How is his eating now?

You mention lethargy, and that makes sense to low BG levels, but if it continues now he is not getting insulin, I would consider a second opinion?

I hope all this is mute and that diet change has made all the difference but wanted to mention it to you so you have idea of what to observe.

Congrats on being so proactive

Kimmee

 

Re: Newbie needs advice!! UPDATE

First...thank you all soo much for your advice. You guys are wonderful

Monroe's PMPS was 172, he ate well (Merrick's Surf & Turf) and I did not give him any insulin. Since I had only one more test strip left, I saved it for this morning. Today, AMPS was 102, and again gave him no insulin. I am very happy with these numbers...ecstatic even! :RAHCAT I only hope that this is going to hold. I noticed an obvious difference in his after meal behavior; he did not go to sleep after food as he had the past couple days.

Also, I just watched the webinar on feline insulin therapy. It was very interesting and informative. Monroe was receiving ProZinc, so now I am wondering if it is what had done wonders with his glucose levels, or if he was perhaps in a pre-diabetic state. I am confident that if I had actually followed the vet’s instructions Monroe could be having serious BG issues as tajana340 is currently having. Although, he does seem to be neurologically fine after having hypoglycemic crashes 2 days in a row, so hopefully her kitty will come out of it O.K.

Kimmee: I was not told about ketone levels in his urine sample & I didn’t think to ask; I was told that Monroe had elevated liver something that I cannot remember, but that it was likely due to the diabetes. He also had a high white blood cell count & was given an antibiotic shot. He does have a small amount of plaque on his back teeth, but overall, his teeth look great, & the vet agreed. I am going to call them back and ask questions about his blood work. Overall, I am not very thrilled with the vet and her selling me the dry food, not mentioning testing, & leaving the techs who couldn’t answer my questions to tell me how to deal with him. The vet also told me that there was insulin (!!) in the DM food, which I knew was incorrect, but I put it off as her mis-speaking. I have a feeling she’s a newbie vet, as I am a newbie potential diabetic kitty owner. Luckily I know a little about diabetes and didn’t follow the tech’s instructions to shoot before food & don’t bother testing BG. On the other hand the doc did not tell me to put him to sleep, so that is good. Unfortunately the vets in my area are not very good; I have had bad luck with several of them and have moved around from vet to vet and have not found a good one yet. Perhaps I expect to much.

Also, I cannot thank Cindy (& Mousie) enough for sending me the glucose meter and those test strips…they saved me and Monroe! cat_pet_icon

 

FANTASTIC!!! That is totally a non-diabetic number. You've done so well with him. Keep up the good work and keep us posted. Do not worry if the number goes up a bit... it may fluctuate. But anything between 70 and 120 is really good. Even lower is ok without insulin. My kitty was regularly at 60 when she went off the insulin.