Switching over to LC canned today-still New at this

Discussion in 'Prozinc / PZI' started by Michelle & Prudence, Mar 6, 2010.

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  1. Michelle & Prudence

    Michelle & Prudence Member

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    Feb 21, 2010
    Can someone please tell me if I am on the right track? I've switched my cat Prudence to friskies LC canned last night. Her amsp = 464, +3 = 219, +6 = 68 I will take it again at +9

    I just gave her some more canned food.
     
  2. Ele & Blackie (GA)

    Ele & Blackie (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    That was a big drop, Michelle, so I would keep checking to make sure Prudence doesn't go much lower. I think you know this, but now that you've switched to lc, Prudence's insulin needs will drop and you'll have to do more checking. You may have to decrease the dose tonight or even shoot later if you get a low pmps. Do you have U100 syringes? If not, you should be able to estimate a lower dose if you need to. I hope your trip went well.

    And welcome, Prudence! We always have room for more black cats (and other cats too of course). :mrgreen:
     
  3. Terri and Lucy

    Terri and Lucy Member

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    Dec 29, 2009
    Hi Michelle,

    Welcome to PZI Land. Looks like Prudence is going to need a dose reduction. You don't want to see big drops like she got today. That's good news though. If you using the U-40 syringes, try and eyeball something around 1/2 unit is she's back up around 300-400. If she's around 200, you'll want to shoot a bit less than 1/2 unit. If she's under 200, you should test again at +13 before you decide to shoot.
     
  4. Michelle & Prudence

    Michelle & Prudence Member

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    Feb 21, 2010
    Thank you for the welcome back :smile: Prudence didn't do to well at the Vet, but she's home now! I just took BG at +7 and it is still 68? My vet has me on the U-40 Insulin and said I needed to us the 1/2cc 29G x 1/2" whatever that means... I am just reading it off of the package. I will test again in an hour confused_cat I was told if pmps is 200 or lower - to skip the shot.
     
  5. Larry and Kitties

    Larry and Kitties Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    The "1/2cc 29G x 1/2"" syringes are probably U40 syringes. If they are U40 they should have marking from zero to 20 units.
     
  6. Michelle & Prudence

    Michelle & Prudence Member

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    Feb 21, 2010
    Yes. They are the U40 syringes.

    Thank you for your post Terri and Lucy! at +8 she's at 129 so that makes me happy. Not sure what to do if she's at 205 give or take a few points - when I take her pmps... confused_cat
     
  7. Terri and Lucy

    Terri and Lucy Member

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    Dec 29, 2009
    I would drop the dose to something just under .5 units. I know it's hard to eyeball. That's why so many of us use the U-100 syringes with U-40 insulin.
     
  8. Michelle & Prudence

    Michelle & Prudence Member

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    Feb 21, 2010
    More questions - My plan was to only feed Prudence 2xs day @ amps & pmps. Since her BG went to 68 twice -once at +6 and +7 I did what was suggested and fed her. I do understand that she needs food being on the ProZinc. Since she's eating small meals throughout the day... Will I still be able to get her off of insulin? I am keeping on top of her BG's She was at 300 for pmps tonight. at +2 she went to 330. I am not 100% sure she got the full 1u because she pulled away, but I did not feel wetness on her fur and did not give another shot. Am I just being too anal with all of this? I know it will take a few days before I see what her numbers look like, but I also want to do the right thing.
     
  9. Michelle & Prudence

    Michelle & Prudence Member

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    Feb 21, 2010
    Prudence was tested for Ketones in her urine at the Vet on the 19 of Feb. It was neg. so I have not bought the test strips for this. I am trying to understand what to look for using the spreadsheet. I do understand the physical signs to look for, but didn't know if her numbers keep raising... does that me she's heading for ketoacidosis? If she didn't get her full 1u after pmps - her numbers will raise too, right?
     
  10. Terri and Lucy

    Terri and Lucy Member

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    Dec 29, 2009
    Not all cats are subject to ketones, but all diabetics should be tested regularly for them. So please get the test strips ASAP.

    Her numbers from last night are most likely rebound from yesterday's big drop. When someone takes dry food away, the advice should be to cut the insulin dose to prevent rebound. Sorry no one told you about that. Since we know that she responded so positively to the food change, she should have lower numbers today after the rebound clears (rebound is caused by stored glucose being released).
     
  11. Michelle & Prudence

    Michelle & Prudence Member

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    Feb 21, 2010
    Hi Terri:

    When I asked what to do if her PMPS last night was going to be about 200, you had mentioned to maybe cut her dose to .5units. Being that she was at 68 at +6 and +7 yeasterday... I take it that either way she needs her insulin cut back.. is that right?
     
  12. Terri and Lucy

    Terri and Lucy Member

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    Dec 29, 2009
    I would cut her dose to .5 units or maybe just a tad more as long as she isn't getting any dry food. If that doesn't bring her peaks down by tomorrow, you may need to shoot more but reducing today will eliminate the chance of another rebound episode.
     
  13. Joanna & Bix (GA)

    Joanna & Bix (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    Don't stress yourself out too much Michelle in worrying. Many cats tolerate higher #s fairly well even for extended periods of time, and though of course that is not ideal, if Prudence is eating well and acting ok, and you are checking her pee daily for ketones and the readings are negative, it's nothing to lose sleep over. If she is not eating, or acting like she feels rotten, that's when it gets more worrisome.

    We've all been where you are - everything is new and overwhelming, and every # - high or low, is a reason to freak out! You will get a better feel for things as you continue and it will get a lot easier.

    You are right not to give a second shot if you are unsure the first went in. If you don't know if it was a fur shot or not, just put that in your spreadsheet notes, but don't shoot again, it's really too risky if it did go in. Even if you felt some liquid in her fur, you wouldn't want to shoot again, as you wouldn't know if you got a partial shot in or not, or how much might have actually gone in.

    You are doing great, just follow along with Terri's advice on the dose, and continue to ask questions if you aren't clear what to do. You are seeing a good response to the insulin, so it just takes some fine-tuning from here to get her in good #s more consistently. Yes, she can still go OTJ regardless of feeding patterns, and smaller meals more often is supposed to help their pancreas by not overtaxing it all at once.
     
  14. Michelle & Prudence

    Michelle & Prudence Member

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    Feb 21, 2010
    Thank you!

    Thank you Joanna for all the advice. I can not get what I need to test Ketones until tomorrow or late tonight. Prudence is eating well and alert, so I will keep watching her cat_pet_icon
     
  15. Sarah and Buzz

    Sarah and Buzz Well-Known Member

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    Dec 31, 2009
    Hi Michelle! Welcome to PZI Land. :) You have gotten good advice about dosing and ketones from the others, so I will just address this question you had about meals. It is actually best for a diabetic kitty (and all kitties, really) to eat many smaller meals throughout the day. This keeps their pancreas from being overwhelmed by a lot of food at once. If the pancreas works at all, food will stimulate it, which will, in a perfect world, bring down BG.

    That being said, if you can't feed more than twice a day, it's okay. I just didn't want you to fear that feeding more meals will keep her on insulin, because that's not the case at all. Mini-meals work very well for a lot of people and their kitties. :)
     
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