What happens if you give your cat too much insulin?

“If a cat receives too much insulin, it is possible for the blood sugar level to drop dangerously low.” Clinical signs displayed by a cat with a very low blood sugar level include weakness and lethargy, shaking, unsteadiness and even convulsions.

How much does 1 unit of insulin bring down glucose?

One unit of insulin should cause your blood sugar level to drop 30 to 50 mg per dL, but you may need more insulin to get the same effect.

What should a cat’s insulin level be?

It helps to determine insulin effectiveness and the maximum and minimum levels of glycemia, which ideally should be between 120–300 mg/dL (5.6–16.7mmol/L) for cats for most of the day. Try our online glucose curve generator. Veterinarians commonly adjust the insulin dose based on a blood glucose curve.

What is the life expectancy of a diabetic cat?

Cats who are treated effectively for diabetes can live for very prolonged periods after diagnosis. Average length of life after diagnosis is variable dependent on which study is examined, however, average lifespans of up to around three years are reported in some studies.

How long after a cat eats Do you give insulin?

The important thing is to make sure your cat eats before you give an insulin shot. You do not want to run the risk of dropping your cat’s glucose level too low. This means your cat should eat twice a day before receiving insulin injections.

How many units of insulin per day is normal?

How much insulin do you need? In type 1 diabetes, most people need a total of 0.5 – 0.8 units of insulin per kilogram of body weight each day. Roughly half this insulin is needed for food intake, and half is the basal rate.

How do I calculate how much insulin to take?

Divide the total grams of carb by your insulin-to-carb ratio. Example Let’s say you plan to eat 45 grams of carbohydrate and your insulin-to-carb ratio is 1 unit of insulin for every 15 grams of carbohydrate eaten. To figure out how much insulin to give, divide 45 by 15.

Can I give my cat insulin 2 hours late?

If you must miss a dose or two of insulin (occasionally), do not be concerned. Your cat’s blood glucose will get too high for a day or two but will not cause great problems.

What kind of insulin does a diabetic cat take?

Initially, her diabetes was moderately controlled on 5 to 6 units of recombinant human protamine zinc insulin (PZI) (40 U/mL; ProZinc, bi-vetmedica.com), but over the year prior to presentation the insulin dose had been progressively increased with no improvement in glycemic control.

Is it possible for a cat to not respond to insulin?

The cat was still eating dry food, but after a change in diet the cat became regulated on 3 units of Prozinc. I am going to cross post your post in the Prozinc forum and see if I can get some additional eyes on your post.

What causes an uncontrolled cat to become diabetic?

GH has anti-insulin effects, causing increased glucose production in the liver and reducing insulin sensitivity in the body by a variety of mechanisms. When insulin resistance and glucose production cause elevation of serum blood glucose, the animal becomes diabetic.

How can I tell if my cat has diabetes?

It’s VERY easy to home test and find out exactly what’s happening to your cat with all that insulin. Get the curve numbers from the vet, what time insulin was given, how much, and all the times and numbers of the tests done by the vet. Curves at the vet are stressful and the numbers obtained are artificial.

Initially, her diabetes was moderately controlled on 5 to 6 units of recombinant human protamine zinc insulin (PZI) (40 U/mL; ProZinc, bi-vetmedica.com), but over the year prior to presentation the insulin dose had been progressively increased with no improvement in glycemic control.

When does a diabetic cat become hypoglycemic?

The mostly likely time that a cat will become hypoglycemic is the time of peak insulin effect (5 – 8 hours after an insulin injection). When the blood glucose is only mildly low, the cat will be very tired and unresponsive.

What happens if you miss a dose of insulin for a cat?

If your cat does not eat, do not miss a dose of insulin unless the anorexia lasts more than 48 hours. If you must miss a dose or two of insulin (occasionally), do not be concerned. Your cat’s blood glucose will get too high for a day or two but will not cause great problems.

It’s VERY easy to home test and find out exactly what’s happening to your cat with all that insulin. Get the curve numbers from the vet, what time insulin was given, how much, and all the times and numbers of the tests done by the vet. Curves at the vet are stressful and the numbers obtained are artificial.