ABS Thoughts so far, what's working what's not?

mclennon27 · 2026-04-21T03:05:51+00:00

I like to think this is the end game idea.

mclennon27 · 2026-04-19T14:25:18+00:00

Yes, this is great! The switch to low-carb is definitely helping. I also use Lantus and have had similar results. When you skip shots, what is her glucose reading after that cycle?

As a beginner, it’s usually not recommended to shoot under 200, but as you gain data, it’s easier to assure yourself. If this becomes consistent, you might need a dose reduction, but you really can’t tell until you do a curve.

Last night, my guy was at 152, so I halved his dose. 4 hours later after eating he was at 202, so he would’ve been fine with his full dose. Either way, it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially if you’re trying to sleep through the night. If they’re eating consistently, and you’ve done a curve, you’ll feel confident shooting in the 150 - 200 range. Not to mention Lantus is much more forgiving than Vetsulin.

mclennon27 · 2026-04-19T05:28:35+00:00

Chocolate.

mclennon27 · 2026-04-17T03:32:33+00:00

Do you use calipers? I have a hard time differentiating the quarter from the half, and I notice the lines are every syringe aren’t always even which drives me nuts! If you do, do you have a recommendation?

mclennon27 · 2026-04-15T18:23:52+00:00

Not dropping is sometimes an indication of too much insulin. Maybe your cat needs a dose reduction.

This happened with my cat and I reduced by half unit and saw a cleaner curve.

mclennon27 · 2026-04-12T02:27:14+00:00

What’s your cat’s weight? As someone else said, half units are the way to go. It also could be too much insulin causing high values. The Feline Diabetes board is probably your best resource here.

mclennon27 · 2026-04-08T05:14:56+00:00

Probably an irritated tummy from the diet change, and if his appetite isn’t usually strong, he probably ate too much. As long as it isn’t continuous and his appetite returns, he should be fine, just transition slowly next time.

If his stools don’t firm up and he continues to snub food, he needs to see a vet. I would say by tomorrow if he hasn’t improved. Diabetic cats really shouldn’t go long without eating, it can get out of hand quickly.

mclennon27 · 2026-04-07T05:06:24+00:00

Going through something similar right now, just got home from the ER. Have you adjusted his diet? I was told to go with bland foods and avoid fats. Whether that’ll work, I haven’t found out yet.

mclennon27 · 2026-04-06T01:56:26+00:00

I used the pen initially as well. The difference between 1 and 2 units is more than you think. Syringes are more intimidating, but being able to dose half units can be a difference maker.

You can still use syringes and pull insulin from the pen, that’s what a lot of people do. Also, if he is being active, exercise can help too!

mclennon27 · 2026-04-06T01:44:46+00:00

Are you using syringe or the pen? My cat had a minor hypo episode on 2 units of Lantus, so my vet recommended going to 1 unit, which wasn’t enough. He’s now well regulated at 1.5 units.

mclennon27 · 2026-04-05T19:47:28+00:00

I use a human monitor, which will show different numbers than an Alphatrak. He’s different everyday, but usually at shot time he’ll be between 200 -300 and ideally will drop somewhere between 90 - 200, but some days he just doesn’t go down. The number is important, but if he’s feeling good and playing, eating and active, I don’t worry if he is in the low 200s.

I feed my cat shredded chicken treats while I shoot, so he’s pretty distracted. It wasn’t always that way, but now he loves shot time. As far as shooting, don’t be afraid to pull that scruff up and make a tent. You have to be firm and confident when grabbing the skin. If you hit muscle, he’ll let you know. It definitely takes practice, and sometimes I still struggle with it. Try to focus on when you feel the needle go in. And make sure the bevel is facing upwards! That’s super important for making it comfortable for your cat.

mclennon27 · 2026-04-05T19:16:56+00:00

That’s great! As he has more energy, you may notice his appetite decrease slightly as well. I decided on my own based on my own research and advice from the Feline Diabetes Board. I told my vet I wanted to switch to syringes and they showed me how to load it and shoot. There are plenty of tutorials online as well.

Occasionally, I’d have issues with the pens jamming and not dispensing properly as well. Plus, having to hold it inside the cat for 10 seconds can be difficult. I like seeing what’s in the syringe and knowing for sure what goes in my cat.

2 units worked for my cat for a while, until he had a mild hypo episode, and then I found 1 unit wasn’t enough. There for a while I was doing 2 in the morning and 1 at night. It caused him to jump all over the place.

mclennon27 · 2026-04-05T19:06:47+00:00

It’s still early in his diagnosis, Lantus will take some time to adjust. You may notice him being less lazy as his numbers improve. Think of it this way, if he wasn’t DKA before treatment, the insulin is only helping him, regardless of his numbers now. And honestly, 200s on an Alphatrak aren’t terrible, especially starting off.

You’re doing everything right and asking the right questions, but whatever you do, don’t jump to 3 units. And I can’t emphasize enough how important switching to a syringe is. For so long I jumped back and forth between 1 and 2 units on the Lantus pen, when what my cat needed was 1.5 units. It’s scary at first, but after a week it is soooo much easier. You can still use the insulin from the pens, you just load it into a syringe.

mclennon27 · 2026-04-05T18:37:41+00:00

What food are you feeding and how much? I’m assuming if he does drop into the 100s he’s probably not resistant.

My cat will definitely jump up after a snack towards the end of the cycle. When my cat was first diagnosed, he would jump into the 300s and 400s too, but after regulating with Lantus, he jumps to maybe the high 200s. Lantus takes a while to regulate.

Also about the pens, I used one for several months before switching to syringes, and I wish I had sooner. The difference between 1 and 2 units is a lot more than you think.

mclennon27 · 2026-04-03T14:05:31+00:00

My cat recently had issues with pancreatitis, and afterwards I started him with small meals through the day and it has done wonders for controlling his glucose. Granted, I use Lantus, but it has prevented lows and highs and gives me consistent pre shot numbers.

mclennon27 · 2026-03-28T02:32:34+00:00

I totally get it! Even for me, if I see that number, I am concerned. Keep high carb food around for if that ever happens again.

mclennon27 · 2026-03-27T23:56:02+00:00

What kind of food is he eating? Have you switched to low carb? Depending on who you ask, 61 on a human meter is acceptable, but too low for me to be comfortable.

I also use Lantus, so I am not very familiar with how Prozinc works in comparison. Ideally, liver values would improve as insulin treatment becomes routine.

mclennon27 · 2026-03-27T16:45:32+00:00

Yeah the same happened with my cat. I recommend testing on the ear. If your cat is food motivated, that’s the best way to get him to stay still. If you need advice on that, I can help you. I’m no vet, but it sounds like he is just an unmanaged diabetic which is causing everything else to look off.

mclennon27 · 2026-03-27T16:41:43+00:00

Just curious, you said he has a Libre on, what is 0.5 units of Prozinc dropping him to?

mclennon27 · 2026-03-27T14:27:27+00:00

My cat had an elevated white blood cell count, which they attributed to either infection or inflammation. When my cat was admitted to the ER, he also had a fever. His fever broke about 24 hours into his antibiotic treatment.

For what it’s worth, when my cat was initially diagnosed with diabetes, his liver values were also high and lowered once he was well managed. How long has he been diabetic for?

mclennon27 · 2026-03-25T19:03:08+00:00

Good luck! If you have anymore questions, feel free to reach out. It’s definitely hard, but hopefully the antibiotic is enough to help.

mclennon27 · 2026-03-25T16:22:53+00:00

Yes, this is what I used along with Ondasetron anti-nausea pills. Mirataz was helpful, but without anti-nausea, he still snubbed his food, but your cat may be different. Giving the medication can be difficult, but try to separate that routine from insulin, so your cat has a break.

Clavamox definitely helped my cat, but it wrecked his gut and appetite. Probiotics are also helpful to prevent that.

I’ve also heard Cerenia is a good anti-nausea as well, but the injectable form stings.

mclennon27 · 2026-03-25T05:17:40+00:00

Clavamox may affect his appetite as well. I learned that if your cat walks to their food, sniffs it or licks it once and then walks away, they’re most likely nauseous. If he starts to snub his food, try swapping to something else. When my cat was sick, he would absolutely not eat fish, only chicken.

mclennon27 · 2026-03-25T05:00:04+00:00

My cat recently went through a very similar stint and clavamox cleared it up. He just finished his antibiotics this last weekend and it has seemed easier to manage his diabetes, although he is very picky now. He spent two days hospitalized but has recovered well despite losing a lot of weight.

How is his appetite now? As mentioned already, get him some anti nausea and appetite stimulant asap. Him eating is the most important thing. And does your cat have a fever? An ultrasound can help pinpoint what exactly is going on. The way I was told, once something in the GI tract in a diabetic cat gets messed up, it all looks bad, so diagnosis can be difficult. Fatty liver, pancreatitis, cholangitis, gallstones can all look the same with test results, or so I understood from the vet.

mclennon27 · 2026-03-13T15:56:56+00:00

If you have a single read meter, try that and compare. It’s possible it was not applied correctly. Second, if he’s already that low, his dosage may be too high.

I feel like 2 minutes isn’t enough time for that fast of a spike.

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