My Smartie is diabetic
- Thread starter Sandyg
- Start date
- Status
phlika29
Member Since 2014
Hi and welcome from another UK er
. It's overwhelming at first but members here will help you all you need.
Can you tell us a little bit more about smartie? How did he become to be diagnosed? Does he have any other conditions?
What insulin were you given and what dose? What food is he on?
It would be great if you could put this information in your signature
. It's overwhelming at first but members here will help you all you need.Can you tell us a little bit more about smartie? How did he become to be diagnosed? Does he have any other conditions?
What insulin were you given and what dose? What food is he on?
It would be great if you could put this information in your signature
Last edited:
phlika29
Member Since 2014
Just going to tag a few other people from the UK off the top of my head so they might come and say hi. Have missed a few people am sure.
@Elizabeth and Bertie @Critter Mom @BaileyUK @KleineMue
One final thing, whilst I don't want to worry you I want to make sure that you can recognise the symptoms of low blood glucose and know how to act if you see them. Please read through the linked thread and print off
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-treat-hypos-they-can-kill-print-this-out.15887/
@Elizabeth and Bertie @Critter Mom @BaileyUK @KleineMue
One final thing, whilst I don't want to worry you I want to make sure that you can recognise the symptoms of low blood glucose and know how to act if you see them. Please read through the linked thread and print off
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-treat-hypos-they-can-kill-print-this-out.15887/
Last edited:
BJM
Member Since 2010
Welcome to FDMB!
When you have a moment, could you add a few tidbits to your signature? It will help us give you feedback without having to go look in all your past posts.
Editing your Signature
In the upper right corner of the screen, within the dark blue bar, you will see ID, Inbox, and Alerts
Click on your ID.
On the left, under Settings, Click on Signature.
This is where you will put information that helps us give you feedback.
This is where you paste the link for your spreadsheet, once it is set up.
Add any other text, such as
your name,
cat's name,
date of Dx (diagnosis)
insulin
meter
any other pertinent issues like if there are any food issues, history of DKA, hepatic lipidosis, pancreatitis, allergies, IBD, etc.
Click the Save Changes button at the bottom.
Always click the Save Changes button at the bottom when you have changed anything.
When you have a moment, could you add a few tidbits to your signature? It will help us give you feedback without having to go look in all your past posts.
Editing your Signature
In the upper right corner of the screen, within the dark blue bar, you will see ID, Inbox, and Alerts
Click on your ID.
On the left, under Settings, Click on Signature.
This is where you will put information that helps us give you feedback.
This is where you paste the link for your spreadsheet, once it is set up.
Add any other text, such as
your name,
cat's name,
date of Dx (diagnosis)
insulin
meter
any other pertinent issues like if there are any food issues, history of DKA, hepatic lipidosis, pancreatitis, allergies, IBD, etc.
Click the Save Changes button at the bottom.
Always click the Save Changes button at the bottom when you have changed anything.
Sandyg
Member Since 2015
On the forum where you put the health bit, I put some info there. Smartie is 8 years old and has just started his injections this is the second week I am giving him injections. He is on Caninsulin two injections 12 hours apart he has 3 units each injection. Both my husband and I are diabetic and I wanted to test Smartie at home so that he is not so stressed but the PDSA vet said you can't use a human tester you have to have an animal one. He has had is 3rd sugar test at the PDSA last night, his little leg bleeding and his sugar is sky high where he is so stressed. I know he would be more comfortable at home with me testing his sugar, he automatically sits down for me to inject him. Smartie does not like any wet food he has white fish and chicken and sometimes Iams ocean fish and chicken, he also likes ham and chicken slices chicken cat treats and dare I say it grilled bacon, the vet said the bacon is a no no. Thank you for the welcome.
phlika29
Member Since 2014
He looks a real cutie.
We pretty much all use human meters so I would take no notice of what they say. Home testing is the best way of keeping your cat safe. We recommend that you test before each shot and ideally at least once during the cycle. Three units of caninsulin twice a day is quite a high dose. You might find that once you test him at home where he is less stressed he might be able to reduce the dose. Please keep an eye on him.
Here is some tips on hometesting
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/
Cats in the uk usually start off on caninsulin but many find that it drops the blood glucose hard and fast but does not last the whole twelve hours. Ifwhen you are testing you find the same you might be interested in the royal veterinary college diabetic remission clinic. You can refer yourself and your cat there, they are looking to recruit cats that are recently diagnosed. If you get on the trial you go in for a full check up for free, then all being well they will give you free lantus (a longer lasting insulin), food and a free meter. They then carry out all the follow ups, etc. some uk members have had great success on that trial. It is a great opportunity. Info here
http://www.rvc.ac.uk/research/resea...tre/projects/feline-diabetic-remission-clinic
We pretty much all use human meters so I would take no notice of what they say. Home testing is the best way of keeping your cat safe. We recommend that you test before each shot and ideally at least once during the cycle. Three units of caninsulin twice a day is quite a high dose. You might find that once you test him at home where he is less stressed he might be able to reduce the dose. Please keep an eye on him.
Here is some tips on hometesting
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/
Cats in the uk usually start off on caninsulin but many find that it drops the blood glucose hard and fast but does not last the whole twelve hours. Ifwhen you are testing you find the same you might be interested in the royal veterinary college diabetic remission clinic. You can refer yourself and your cat there, they are looking to recruit cats that are recently diagnosed. If you get on the trial you go in for a full check up for free, then all being well they will give you free lantus (a longer lasting insulin), food and a free meter. They then carry out all the follow ups, etc. some uk members have had great success on that trial. It is a great opportunity. Info here
http://www.rvc.ac.uk/research/resea...tre/projects/feline-diabetic-remission-clinic
Sandyg
Member Since 2015
Hi all, I added Smartie's picture to the avatar but it doesn't show so I dropped a cropped picture here and it shows him for those that couldn't open the picture.My Smartie was really fat and I was going to enter him in the PDSA slim contest, but he rapidly began losing weight at least he can wash himself now, he was so big I had to wash his butt for him. He was the eighth kitten born and has a bit of brain damage, but has such a nice nature, next door call him Mr Nice because her cat likes him. Smartie's twin skittles doesn't like her cat so she calls him Mr Nasty.
I'm now going to look at sugar conversions, so I can use my test meter on Smartie. thank you for the welcome.
I'm now going to look at sugar conversions, so I can use my test meter on Smartie. thank you for the welcome.
Attachments
LynRich
Member Since 2014
Hello, Smartie looks a real sweetie ! I'm in the UK & my cat Squiggles is on Caninsulin as well. It sounds as though you're doing really well. Squiggles got really stressed out at the vet, especially when she took blood from her neck 
so after a bit of practise, we know do her blood tests at home .
so after a bit of practise, we know do her blood tests at home .
Critter Mom
Member Since 2014
Hi Sandy,
Hello to you and Smartie from another UK bod.
Sarah has given you a great tip about the diabetic cat trials at the Royal Veterinary Clinic. Given that you're based in London, it's in your part of the world, too.
It's great that you're home testing. I can't get over the fact that Smartie just plonks himself down at injection times. Bless!
Hello to you and Smartie from another UK bod.
Sarah has given you a great tip about the diabetic cat trials at the Royal Veterinary Clinic. Given that you're based in London, it's in your part of the world, too.
It's great that you're home testing. I can't get over the fact that Smartie just plonks himself down at injection times. Bless!
Elizabeth and Bertie
Member Since 2010
Hi Sandy and Smartie, welcome to FDMB,
I'm in Surrey, so not too far from you.
Seconding what others have said here:
Yes, of course you can use a human glucose meter. Most of us do.
Here's a link to a page of info and pics about hometesting (I learned to test from this page).
http://www.sugarpet.net/bloodtst.html
And it's well worth trying to get onto the RVC's remission trial. But even if you don't get onto the trial you may still get some good advice from the main vet in the project (Ruth).
That 3 units is quite a high starting dose (but not at all unusual for a UK vet to prescribe that (my vet did the same)). It may be that Smartie does need that amount, but really, the only way to tell is to test his blood glucose at home and see how that dose is working in his body.
For those willing/able to test we suggest that - as a minimum - the blood glucose is tested immediately prior to each insulin shot. That is so we have some assurance that it is actually OK to give that shot. And we generally recommend that (for those new to dealing with feline diabetes) no shot is given if the pre-shot blood glucose is below 11 (or 200 in the US).
Other tests done during the insulin cycle help us work out the pattern of how the insulin is working in the cat's body. Most importantly, a test done at the peak of the insulin cycle will let us know how low the blood glucose is dropping. But other useful things to know are; when the insulin starts working (onset), and how long the insulin lasts in the cat's body (duration). It's also helpful to see how fast the blood glucose is dropping. Cats generally metabolise insulin around twice as fast as humans do.
Caninsulin often has quite a short duration, and only lasts about 8-10 hours in many cats. And it can also drop the blood glucose quite fast in the first few hours. For this reason it can be helpful to feed a snack about an hour or two after the shot. That food can help to slow the drop.
You may see that the peak of the cycle is around 4.5 to 5 hours after the shot (what we call +4.5 to +5) and after that the blood glucose will rise. It may rise more steeply around 8-10 hours after the shot.
In some cats Caninsulin does have a longer duration and there are cats here who have done well on it (with some even going into remission). But it doesn't suit every cat. And if turns out that it doesn't suit Smartie then, under that is called the 'cascade system', you should have the right to ask for a different insulin. Some vets are very willing to help. Some aren't. There is no consistency in this regard!
It is a good idea to check a kitty's pee for ketones. Does Smartie use a litter tray? (it's harder to catch the pee of an outside cat!) You may well have some Ketostix or Ketodiastix on hand given that you are diabetic? There are some good pee-catching tips on this page: http://www.sugarpet.net/urine.html
Please ask any and all questions you want to, we're here to help. And you may find that you get 'more eyes' on your posts if you post questions in the main feline health forum.
Welcome aboard!
Eliz
I'm in Surrey, so not too far from you.
Seconding what others have said here:
Yes, of course you can use a human glucose meter. Most of us do.
Here's a link to a page of info and pics about hometesting (I learned to test from this page).http://www.sugarpet.net/bloodtst.html
And it's well worth trying to get onto the RVC's remission trial. But even if you don't get onto the trial you may still get some good advice from the main vet in the project (Ruth).
That 3 units is quite a high starting dose (but not at all unusual for a UK vet to prescribe that (my vet did the same)). It may be that Smartie does need that amount, but really, the only way to tell is to test his blood glucose at home and see how that dose is working in his body.
For those willing/able to test we suggest that - as a minimum - the blood glucose is tested immediately prior to each insulin shot. That is so we have some assurance that it is actually OK to give that shot. And we generally recommend that (for those new to dealing with feline diabetes) no shot is given if the pre-shot blood glucose is below 11 (or 200 in the US).
Other tests done during the insulin cycle help us work out the pattern of how the insulin is working in the cat's body. Most importantly, a test done at the peak of the insulin cycle will let us know how low the blood glucose is dropping. But other useful things to know are; when the insulin starts working (onset), and how long the insulin lasts in the cat's body (duration). It's also helpful to see how fast the blood glucose is dropping. Cats generally metabolise insulin around twice as fast as humans do.
Caninsulin often has quite a short duration, and only lasts about 8-10 hours in many cats. And it can also drop the blood glucose quite fast in the first few hours. For this reason it can be helpful to feed a snack about an hour or two after the shot. That food can help to slow the drop.
You may see that the peak of the cycle is around 4.5 to 5 hours after the shot (what we call +4.5 to +5) and after that the blood glucose will rise. It may rise more steeply around 8-10 hours after the shot.
In some cats Caninsulin does have a longer duration and there are cats here who have done well on it (with some even going into remission). But it doesn't suit every cat. And if turns out that it doesn't suit Smartie then, under that is called the 'cascade system', you should have the right to ask for a different insulin. Some vets are very willing to help. Some aren't. There is no consistency in this regard!
It is a good idea to check a kitty's pee for ketones. Does Smartie use a litter tray? (it's harder to catch the pee of an outside cat!) You may well have some Ketostix or Ketodiastix on hand given that you are diabetic? There are some good pee-catching tips on this page: http://www.sugarpet.net/urine.html
Please ask any and all questions you want to, we're here to help. And you may find that you get 'more eyes' on your posts if you post questions in the main feline health forum.
Welcome aboard!
Eliz
Critter Mom
Member Since 2014
If you can't get Ketostix or Ketodiastix then Multistix is another option.
NB Some cats metabolise insulin very quickly. You can get an idea of onset time by watching for upticks in appetite in the couple of hours after injection time. For example Saoirse used to nadir at +3 initially and later at +2.
It's worth noting that Caninsulin contains insulin in two forms (amorphous and crystalline). The amorphous part kicks in straight away but the crystalline part reaches peak effect later in the cycle.
Here is a link to a useful article with a graph showing how Caninsulin tends to work in cats (although every cat is different!).
NB Some cats metabolise insulin very quickly. You can get an idea of onset time by watching for upticks in appetite in the couple of hours after injection time. For example Saoirse used to nadir at +3 initially and later at +2.
It's worth noting that Caninsulin contains insulin in two forms (amorphous and crystalline). The amorphous part kicks in straight away but the crystalline part reaches peak effect later in the cycle.
Here is a link to a useful article with a graph showing how Caninsulin tends to work in cats (although every cat is different!).
Deb & Wink
Member Since 2013
Hi Sandy and welcome! I saw that you posted first over in the Insulin Support Group for Vetsulin/Caninsulin/Humulin N forum first. This is a much better place for you to be, as there are more people that check this forum.
Yes, many of us do use human meters quite successfully to blood test our kitties at home. Maybe @Elizabeth and Bertie of some other of our UK folks can give you a couple of recommendations on good human meters available in the UK. Or let us know what meters you currently own for yourselves, since you said you and your husband are both diabetic.
Here's what you said in that other forum:
Yes, many of us do use human meters quite successfully to blood test our kitties at home. Maybe @Elizabeth and Bertie of some other of our UK folks can give you a couple of recommendations on good human meters available in the UK. Or let us know what meters you currently own for yourselves, since you said you and your husband are both diabetic.
Here's what you said in that other forum:
Critter Mom
Member Since 2014
I've got an Accu-Check Aviva as a backup meter.
I prefer to use the Alphatrak because of the psychological reassurance it gives me - I have concentration problems that make processing information in real time extremely difficult, so for everyday readings I like being able to read off the BG directly instead of struggling to do mental gymnastics in order to relate the human meter reference range to the pet-calibrated meter reference range. In other words, I'm paranoid!
I prefer to use the Alphatrak because of the psychological reassurance it gives me - I have concentration problems that make processing information in real time extremely difficult, so for everyday readings I like being able to read off the BG directly instead of struggling to do mental gymnastics in order to relate the human meter reference range to the pet-calibrated meter reference range. In other words, I'm paranoid!
Elizabeth and Bertie
Member Since 2010
For years now I've used a One Touch Ultra 2 meter for Bertie, such as is used by many human diabetics in the UK (probably because the NHS use it quite a lot). But quite a few folks in the UK with diabetic kitties use the Accu-check Aviva (same as Aine above uses as her backup meter).
I really like the One Touch Ultra. It's basic (no 'bells and whistles') but 'basic' suits me just fine. And I really like the way it stores and gives averages of readings over the previous 7, 14 and 30 days. I think it uses a smidge more blood than the Accu-check though, so the Accu-check may suit some folks better.
I did also briefly try the Alphatrak (animal specific) meter that Aine now uses as her main meter. And it's a nice meter. But I do a lot of tests and the cost of the test strips was way too much for me...
Eliz
I really like the One Touch Ultra. It's basic (no 'bells and whistles') but 'basic' suits me just fine. And I really like the way it stores and gives averages of readings over the previous 7, 14 and 30 days. I think it uses a smidge more blood than the Accu-check though, so the Accu-check may suit some folks better.
I did also briefly try the Alphatrak (animal specific) meter that Aine now uses as her main meter. And it's a nice meter. But I do a lot of tests and the cost of the test strips was way too much for me...
Eliz
Elizabeth and Bertie
Member Since 2010
For years now I've used a One Touch Ultra 2 meter for Bertie, such as is used by many human diabetics in the UK (probably because the NHS use it quite a lot). But quite a few folks in the UK with diabetic kitties use the Accu-check Aviva (same as Aine above uses as her backup meter).
I really like the One Touch Ultra. It's basic (no 'bells and whistles') but 'basic' suits me just fine. And I really like the way it stores and gives averages of readings over the previous 7, 14 and 30 days. I think it uses a smidge more blood than the Accu-check though, so the Accu-check may suit some folks better.
I did also briefly try the Alphatrak (animal specific) meter that Aine now uses as her main meter. And it's a nice meter. But I do a lot of tests and the cost of the test strips was way too much for me...
Eliz
I really like the One Touch Ultra. It's basic (no 'bells and whistles') but 'basic' suits me just fine. And I really like the way it stores and gives averages of readings over the previous 7, 14 and 30 days. I think it uses a smidge more blood than the Accu-check though, so the Accu-check may suit some folks better.
I did also briefly try the Alphatrak (animal specific) meter that Aine now uses as her main meter. And it's a nice meter. But I do a lot of tests and the cost of the test strips was way too much for me...
Eliz
Elizabeth and Bertie
Member Since 2010
Ah, that reminds me. FDMB'er Juliet ('Dr Schrodinger') did a couple of graphs when her cat Milo was on Caninsulin a couple of years back. And the second one of those is quite like the graph that Aine posted the link to. The first is a graph of the first 8 hours of a cycle. The second is a 12 hour graph (and the photo is a bit dark and blurry).
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/attachments/bg-curve-03-01-2013-jpg.8396/
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/attachments/bg-curve-05-01-2012-jpg.8413/
It is the case that 'every cat is different' though. An insulin may have a 'typical' action, but a kitty may not have a typical response to that insulin.
Just a little while ago we had a kitty here who had beautiful smooth 12 hour duration on Caninsulin.
Sandyg
Member Since 2015
We both use the Contour Bayer Next USB my hubby also uses another tester as a spare, he checks his sugar often he is on 4 injections and metformin wish I could give Smartie the metformin. With the contour Bayer if you don't add enough blood it lets you add more without losing a glucose test strip and it has a large read out and saves the readings. If my glucose test showed 11.00 it would be high for me, but if I tested Smartie and it showed the same number, I wouldn't need to give him an injection. I have MS and I have poor vision, I'm just so pleased Smartie is so good about his injections, he panicked earlier today when I put my boots on, he must have thought he was going to the PDSA, I had to remove my boots so he could relax. I'm dreading taking him to the PDSA this coming Monday for another glucose test. I'll have to see if I can get some urine test strips.
Critter Mom
Member Since 2014
Hopefully once you get testing Smartie's BG at home, it will save him a lot of unnecessary anxiety.
(((Smartie)))
.
(((Smartie)))
.
- Status