? - 7/1, Vesper, AMPS 73, +6 48, +7 52, PMPS 74 - need dose advice | Feline Diabetes Management Board

? 7/1, Vesper, AMPS 73, +6 48, +7 52, PMPS 74 - need dose advice

Kelly & Vesper

Kelly & Vesper

Member
Hi all,

Vesper celebrated her 14th birthday yesterday, and I couldn't feel more grateful for this community. She nearly died in January, and I truly believe this board saved her life.

Now, I'm looking for some dosing advice. I have posted about this previously, but we are leaving on Friday on a 10 day trip, and I'm pretty nervous to be gone that long. We have hired multiple catsitters so that hopefully they can team up and get Vesper her insulin shots, but they will not be able to test her glucose at all for the 10 days we are gone. We are unable to do a CGM/libre and cannot take her on this trip, so we have to try to make this work.

That said, her current dosage is too high for a petsitter, as her nadirs are quite low (today was 48). Can someone let me know what dosage we should have our catsitter give her? Vesper will be stressed with us gone and has a DKA history, but she will also probably not be eating as much. She recently went 36h without insulin after a catsitter wasn't able to give her any shots, and her glucose was 214 when we returned. Should we do 1.5? Lower? Also, Fif riday morning is the first dose we will be gone for, when should we start our new dose? Should we start tomorrow and see how she does?

Lastly, thanks to all of you for your suggestions the other day (? - 6/20 Vesper, AMPS 183, +5 90). I called our vet and ordered some chicken chewable gabapentin to try. Unfortunately it won't come for 2 days, so I won't be here to try it, but I'm glad to have it on hand for the catsitter as an option.
 
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Kelly & Vesper said:
Vesper celebrated her 14th birthday yesterday, and I couldn't feel more grateful for this community. She nearly died in January, and I truly believe this board saved her life.
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Belated birthday wishes to Vesper! You both many more happy and healthy years together. 🥰😘


Kelly & Vesper said:
Now, I'm looking for some dosing advice. I have posted about this previously, but we are leaving on Friday on a 10 day trip, and I'm pretty nervous to be gone that long. We have hired multiple catsitters so that hopefully they can team up and get Vesper her insulin shots, but they will not be able to test her glucose at all for the 10 days we are gone. We are unable to do a CGM/libre and cannot take her on this trip, so we have to try to make this work.
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Yes, you don't want her on a dose that drops her below 50 (or even to the 50s) when you are away and there isn't anyone who can monitor. You could reduce to 1.75U from tomorrow itself. By Thursday night (4 cycles at 1.75U) you will know if that can be her vacation dose or whether you should reduce further to 1.5U. An "on the line" dose is also easier of petsitters to measure.

You might also want to check your syringes and leave out syringes that do not have "zero error". That is, when the plunger is fully pressed, the top of the plunger should align with the zero line. Many syringes have their markings off and that can result in you giving as much as 0.5U more or less.
 
Bandit's Mom said:
Belated birthday wishes to Vesper! You both many more happy and healthy years together. 🥰😘



Yes, you don't want her on a dose that drops her below 50 (or even to the 50s) when you are away and there isn't anyone who can monitor. You could reduce to 1.75U from tomorrow itself. By Thursday night (4 cycles at 1.75U) you will know if that can be her vacation dose or whether you should reduce further to 1.5U. An "on the line" dose is also easier of petsitters to measure.

You might also want to check your syringes and leave out syringes that do not have "zero error". That is, when the plunger is fully pressed, the top of the plunger should align with the zero line. Many syringes have their markings off and that can result in you giving as much as 0.5U more or less.
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Thank you!! Great suggestion about the "zero error" syringes. I didn't know that and will definitely check them.
 
Have you been able to test for ketones recently? Last I see on the SS was back in March.

What food is Vesper eating now? I see a long stretch at this dose on high carb food and still solid green, Then I see a return to LC, but just confirming that's what she'll get while you are gone.

For syringes, get a used one and fill with coloured liquid to the vacation dose, and use it as a sample for people to see how much that is.

I agree that you could try 1.5 units tomorrow, to see how that will do as an away dose. I'm worried about her not being tested, and possibly not eating as well with you not there. Have you considered asking at the vet clinic if they have someone there who will come by and give shots? Often there is someone at clinics willing to make a little money on the side. I had a friend go to England for a month with his diabetic under care of a tech for shots.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Have you been able to test for ketones recently? Last I see on the SS was back in March.
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I will check for ketones today!

Wendy&Neko said:
What food is Vesper eating now? I see a long stretch at this dose on high carb food and still solid green, Then I see a return to LC, but just confirming that's what she'll get while you are gone.
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She is eating the low carb food again. We had a stretch back in March when it wasn't available, but I have now stocked up and that's what she will have while we are away.

Wendy&Neko said:
For syringes, get a used one and fill with coloured liquid to the vacation dose, and use it as a sample for people to see how much that is.
Click to expand...
Yes, I will definitely do this. I have done it in the past for catsitters because I am so fearful of an overdose.

Wendy&Neko said:
I agree that you could try 1.5 units tomorrow, to see how that will do as an away dose. I'm worried about her not being tested, and possibly not eating as well with you not there. Have you considered asking at the vet clinic if they have someone there who will come by and give shots? Often there is someone at clinics willing to make a little money on the side. I had a friend go to England for a month with his diabetic under care of a tech for shots.
Click to expand...

My husband gave her 2 units this morning before I had a chance to tell him, but we will reduce to 1.5 tonight and I will monitor her during the night. Unfortunately, we have called every vet in the area to no success. She has defeated 3 vet techs, even those using gloves. When she's at the vet, even on gabapentin, they can't examine her, and she has to be fully sedated with IM shots for any type of full exam or bloodwork. The last vet tech we tried even spent the night here and Vesper slept ON TOP of her and cuddled and then was so aggressive at shot time that the tech couldn't get close to her. She's something else.
 
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