Tucker’s improvement with regard to his diabetes suffered a set-back last week.
Due to his lower dosage of insulin, I had been testing him with individual readings twice a day. After happily low numbers, his reading one morning had increased to the neighbourhood of 17; this after 10 or 8 had become usual. What’s more, after an injection of two units, of insulin the number was still about 17 five hours later. It dropped to 15 by five o’clock that evening.
I was perplexed, to say the least. I thought the insulin in the pen I was currently using had gone bad. It was almost gone, so I theorised that the remainder was spoiled. I threw it out and started using a new pen.
In speaking with the veterinary, however, I was told that the insulin was probably not bad. She suggested that the numbers were an almost normal reaction to a great reduction in Tucker’s insulin dosage. In other words, low numbers resulted in low dosages, but these in turn caused the numbers to rise. This doesn’t seem to auger well for continued diminishing numbers.
I have taken Tucker’s readings several times since and, in the mornings and the evenings, he is hovering around 16. Because I am not able to test him in the middle of the day, due to being at work, I am not giving him more than one unit of insulin each time; I have no idea how low he goes in the middle of the day. Come Saturday, when I can test him around noon, I will determine, in consultation with his doctor, whether to raise the roly poly’s dosage to two units again.
This is a disappointing development; worse than that, it is confusing. However, when I think about it, things are still going well. Tucker’s diabetes is under control. He is receiving medicine that allows him to run and play and purr. He and Josie chased each other about the apartment just yesterday, when I came home. He can jump up onto chairs.
That his condition was being reduced so much so rapidly (after just a year of treatment) was encouraging, but perhaps not quite realistic. I do believe that he will need less and less insulin; evidence for that has been shown already. But he and I can wait. We have time and technology on our side. Even if the diabetes never fades, Tucker will have a happy life. And that makes mine happy, too.
Lots of purrs to him, you're doing a fabulous job keeping him as healthy and active as possible. Is he on a low or no carb diet? Just curious, as I know carbs convert to sugar and that people with diabetes need to watch their carb intake (as well as sugar of course). That's about all I know, from someone with diabetes. I wonder if Tucker is on canned, grain-free only if that would make a difference. But again, I don't know anything about diet for diabetic cats.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your compliment. As for food, I don't give Tucker anything specifically for diabetic cats. I have tried and he won't have anything to do with it. I give him Merrick brand tinned food which I believe is very good, but is not formulated particularly for diabetes. And when he doesn't want anything to do with that, as will happen from time to time, even the old stand-by Fancy Feast is given. As you and every other cat-owner knows, we feed them the best that they deign to eat. Though a better diet would undoubtedly reduce the roly poly's weight, I've found that it is not the first ingredient of a strategy to fight diabetes. Especially if you can't get a cat to eat it. Sigh.
DeleteNo, I only wondered if (mostly) eliminating kibble (if he was getting any) would help. I know only too well that the supposed "good" cat foods are often disdained! Tucker couldn't ask for a better caregiver, regardless of what he eats (or doesn't)!
DeleteOh, I wish I could get rid of dry-food. I serve Orijin 'Regional Red', which is, I think, very good. But even so, if I could, I'd feed only soft-food to the beasts, but even Josie doesn't eat or want enough of it to keep her alive. I wish I could send them to their rooms without their dinners.
DeleteOh yes the first thing to use in any fight against an illness is medication. AND you are doing a fantastic job with controlling the diabetes. Diet is so much harder with cats as they will stop eating and that in and of itself is purely awful for diabetes. So doing what you're doing is the best for Tucker.
ReplyDeleteI was never able to get the swing of a 24 hour insulin.. I can so better predict/handle a 12 hour one. I hope you find just the right answers
ReplyDeletedood...we iz sorree yur numberz wented funkee N all, N we troo lee hoped yur diabeeteez could be managed with diet; we see up above ...knot sew much sew...we wish de catster site waz still up & runnin as we had a pal over ther that did manage his numberz with diet, we cann re call WHAT him ate tho :(
ReplyDelete.....we noe ewe N yur dad will continmew ta fite this two gether......N thatz whats important in de long run ~~~~~ ♥♥♥
Poor Tucker, and poor you! I'm so sorry to hear things have taken a step backward. But you are correct when you say that you have time and technology on your side, so hopefully, little by little you'll be able to reduce the amount of insulin Tucker needs. I was interested in the above comment about about diabetic diets for cats. Purina makes a diabetic diet, Purina DM, that both Jeremy and my old cat Marc liked, and they were pretty finicky. It comes in canned and dry forms and they would eat both types.
ReplyDeleteI would like to try diabetic foods, but in order to put Tucker on it entirely, I would have to find a way of denying food to the others through the day.
DeleteYep, diabetes can be a tricky little booger. Glad all is somewhat better now.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear this John. I hope there is improvement as you modify the dosage. Purrs from the kitties.
ReplyDeletePoor Tucker. I do hope all turns out well but diabetes and the treatments certainly are not straightforward. With you being his caregiver, Tucker has the best care possible.
ReplyDeleteDiabetes does seem to be a tough one to manage, but Tucker is a very good patient.
DeleteHe certainly looks a happy chappy. You do a great job of managing his diabetes and we hope that things settle down soon.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry that you have suffered a setback but am sure his reading will improve again with your care and attention. Setbacks are always a big disappointment. I have had so many with Flynn, but thankfully he manages to pick up again. Long may our boys continue to do so.
ReplyDeleteit sounds like you are on top of it and the vet is very helpful....
ReplyDeleteAlthough Tucker may be a life long diabetic, he is being managed splendidly and should live a long , happy and comfortable life. Excellent you are able to perform the curves yourself. He's obviously a happy boy. You're a great cat dad.
ReplyDeleteDo you think this may be a temporary rebound effect and then may settle? Tucker, as always, is in our prayers.
I do think the numbers will go down, but I suspect I will need to put his dosage for now at two units, rather than just one. That may have been too great a step, but even two would be in the right direction.
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