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tashal21
Starting Member
1 Posts |
 Posted - 07/23/2010 : 8:15:29 PM
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| We are new to a diabetic cat. We switched to wet low carb food only. And using PZI insulin. My question is, which is better. To hometest frequently and give numerous and small shots of insulin, or hometest twice a day and give two bigger doses of insulin. I think it's best to do small numerous shots throughout the day to keep in the right zone longer. My wife thinks that we should do two shots per day to keep him in the zone. Is there a right way or no? |
Edited by - mod on 07/24/2010 06:55:58 AM |
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Debbie and Greta
Average Member
USA
1501 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2010 : 10:37:40 AM
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With PZI you could shoot as much as 4 times in a twenty four period, once each 6 hours. Be sure to test prior to each shot and shoot to the scale.
With tight regulation we only shoot after first testing, and shoot only when needed. Please read the info. sticky at the top of the basics forum it gives a lot of info. on testing, shooting, food and more.
We follow the basic sliding scale listed in the info. sticky.
First, you should do a curve, and shoot using the basic sliding scale. That is test immediately prior to shooting, then test again at hour 2,4,6 and until your kitty reaches 150. This lets you see when the PZI brings your kitty to the lowest point (nadir). Keep testing until your kitty is above 150,and it's been 6 hours or more since the last shot, then shoot to scale. Normally PZI peaks (nadir) at about 6 hours. This is something that is done only at the beginning and again if things seem to change.
Ideally you want to keep your kitty under 100, this is the healing range, and where you want to keep him as long as possible. 100-150 isn't doing harm to the pancreas, but it isn't healing it either. Above 150 needs insulin. My non-diabetic kitties all test at about 65.
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Debbie and Greta(GA), dx 3/06,BCP PZI, in remission 9/06 - raw food-civies:Jake, Shadow, Buddy(GA), Maggie
http://www.yourdiabeticcat.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=51 |
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pleimanlb
Average Member
USA
2221 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2010 : 2:20:28 PM
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Hi, there are two schools of thought. One, giving 2 shots a day as is normally recommended by your vet. They usually don't recommend hometesting at all. Pzi is a long acting insulin. So they figure if the cat stays around 250-300, you're in good shape and the cat most likely won't go hypoglycemic with those numbers. The trouble with keeping the bg's so high is that other organs are also being damaged by the high glucose in the body, and having to work nonstop to keep it at a level state. The heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas of course, are all affected. The renal threshold where damage starts with the kidneys is around 250bg for prolonged periods of time. There can also be neurological damage as displayed by peripheral neuropathy in many FD cats.
With TR that we practice here, the bg is kept in normal 50-130 glucose range for as long as possible. So, many times when first starting insulin, the cat may need more than two shots a day, to keep the bg's in normal range for as long as you can. The pancreas has suffered trauma, in a way, and needs that time to heal. The liver needs to retrain to be able to work without thinking that any bg higher than normal (50-120ish in a healthy non FD cat)is a hypo event and shoot out glucose to protect itself against it. So basically, the longer the pancreas has to heal in good normal levels, the more chance there is for remission, or at the least, better health for your cat.
We dose with a sliding scale on TR, which is what human diabetics do. We do not use a static dose because if the bg is 300 for example it will take more insulin to bring the bgs down, than it would for a bg of 150, and vice versa. With a sliding scale you have less chance of hypo, and it can be adjusted to suit your cat's needs. Here we only dose if the bg is 150 or higher and it's been at least 6 hours since the last dose. And we always test at shot time, to make sure that the bg is in dosable range.
As time goes on, your cat will most likely settle into 2 or less doses a day, or even remission hopefully, on TR anyway. But knowing when, if and how much to dose, to me, is the only way to go. But the choice is yours. If you both work, you can still do this method, just tighten it up more on your days off and test more when you are home from work.
Whichever you decide, please always test the bg before dosing and use the sliding scale here for PZI and adjust it if and when needed by small increments of 0.25u up or down at a time, and never feed dry food again. It will only keep him/her diabetic and there will eventually be other medical issues caused by dry food, that I know you don't want.
Best wishes |
Lindsey
Kitty's Numbers Feb/Mar 09 http://www.yourdiabeticcat.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8355
Kitty's Numbers Jan 09 http://www.yourdiabeticcat.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8081
Kitty's Numbers Dec 08 http://www.yourdiabeticcat.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7861
http://s244.photobucket.com/albums/gg24/pleimanlb/?action=view¤t=125ec684.pbw |
Edited by - pleimanlb on 07/24/2010 9:28:57 PM |
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How often to give insulin
