New To Forum. Need Advice.

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HPowers61

HPowers61

Member Since 2015
My cat, Screwby, is 11 (she will be 12 in June). She was diagnose with diabetes last May and started on insulin. After a few month block, the vet said it went into remission and we could manage it with diet. Fast forward to October, she started peeing on my carpet and throwing up everywhere. She was put on 3 units of Novolin and was on that until early February. I started noticing some lethargic spells and took her to my vet for a glucose curve. Midway through the day, her levels went down to around 40. With that we dropped her to 2 units and repeated the curve yesterday. The vet said her sugar was so low that it was not even registering on the machine. She decided that we should try to take her off insulin and just try to manager her with diet as she thinks she is in remission. She also put her on prescription wet cat food (Royal Canin Diabetic), which I have my own reserves about. Since October, I have had her on low carb wet food (no dry at all) as per the Binky and Janet charts.
She is going in for another curve in 2 weeks, but I am at a loss if this curve comes out weird again. Any advice on what to do next would be great.
Thank you!
 
I would strongly encourage you to test the blood glucose at home. Numbers at the vet may be elevated 100-180 mg/dL. All you need is an inexpensive glucometer such as the Target Up and Up, or the WalMart ReliOn Confirm or Confirm Micro (the confirm is sold as the Glucocard 01 or 01 Mini, online), matching test strips, and 26-28 gauge lancets (usually labelled for alternate site testing). Pick those up and we'll coach you through it.
 
Hello and welcome to FDMB :bighug:

BJM said:
I would strongly encourage you to test the blood glucose at home.
Click to expand...
Seconding what BJ said!

'Hometesting' is a quick and painless process, though, like anything new, it may take a few goes to get the hang of it.
Essentially, it involves pricking the outside edge of the kitty's ear to get a teensy blood droplet, transferring that blood droplet to a test strip in a glucose meter, and waiting for the meter to count down and give the result. Most of us use ordinary glucose meters made for humans.

We can help you learn to test. Meanwhile, the following page (from the Sugarpet website) has some useful pics and basic info that explains the process in more detail:
http://www.sugarpet.net/bloodtst.html

Keeping fingers crossed that Screwby (great name!) can be diet-controlled...

Eliz
 
A few weeks ago, I picked up the Walgreens True Metrix meter because I read that it takes low blood volumes. I'll buy the strips for it tonight and tell you how it goes. She's super well behaved for her shots, so I don't see testing as a big deal for her. Right now, she is acting very out of character and it's worrying me. She usually will give kisses if I pet her but she is just laying in my bed watching my other two play. She also peed a lot this morning. I have a crystal box and its just filled with liquid. It doesn't smell funny though so that's a plus.



Her name is kind of a joke. She was Scooby, but my brother started calling her Screwby when she was kitten and being rascally.
 
Maybe she has a urine infection ? That could make her blood glucose raise. Or perhaps pancreatitis?

Is she eating and drinking okay?

If she isn't more like her normal self in the next day or two I would take her in early. If you are testing yourself that will help the vet make a diagnosis

Tips on hometesting. My number one tip heat the ear before hand with a rice soak and them give a treat afterwards.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/
 
She would never miss a meal! That's one thing she loves is her food!
I treated her for a UTI about a month ago and she had a build up of bacteria in her stomach as well. This has been an issue since the diabetes has started. She was on an antibiotic and probiotic for a week. If she is still funny tomorrow, I'm going to take her in tomorrow.
 
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