Remission for Pickles? Diet controlled?

[Pickles's Human]

Hello,


Is there a page I can read about remissions? I just posted in the Prozinc / PZI section under the Remissions sticky. Here's what I wrote:

I am really new at all this. Can someone confirm that Pickles is actually in remission? I just want to make sure I'm doing the right things for her. Is there a page I can read about remissions?

1. Diagnosed June 3rd 2019
2. ProZinc
3. June 18th 2019 switch from dry to wet food (estimate)
4. No other insulin used other than ProZinc
5. Last shot 08/11/19 and average BG since then is 53

 

[Idjit's mom]

Took me awhile but I found what I was looking for, because I knew I read it somewhere! This is from the Lantus forum, but remission is remission, whatever the insulin used.

Remission:
From Tilly's Diabetes Homepage - Phase 5: Remission
"14 days without insulin and normal blood glucose values. Most remission cats are able to stay in the normal range all of the time (50 to 80 mg/dl), although there are a few cases of sporadic higher and lower BGs. Don't stop feeding low-carb and try to avoid cortisone if possible.

Test the cat's BGs once per month. Approximately 25% cats that achieved remission using this protocol relapsed and required insulin again (frequent causes are hyperthyroidism or bouts of pancreatitis). Therefore, it is important to keep your diabetes kit up-to-date. Then you can react immediately by giving insulin and home testing. Importantly, the sooner you react to a relapse (i.e. preventing hyperglycemia and initiating other necessary veterinary treatment), the more likely a second remission will become.

The longer a cat has had diabetes, the less likely it will go into remission. Many long-term diabetics get stuck in Phase 3 or 4. Yet there is a benefit of using this method for such a cat as well: keeping the cat's BG levels as normal as possible is much healthier for it long term. Insulin requirements will often decrease to very low levels too."

Idjit went into remission with diet change and 11 days of insulin, so it was a real surprise to us. We were still trying to figure out how to test competently!

I have decided to test more often than once a month, however, after reading that others test once a week to be sure to catch a falling out very quickly.

So, look what you and Pickles did! Just keep watch, note any appetite, water drinking, excessive urination changes. An infection or dental issues can also knock them out of remission...and, always keep sweet Pickles on that low carb diet.

 

[Pickles's Human]

O my goodness, thank you so much, this is so helpful !