Wanted: Advice from Experts

Status
Not open for further replies.
rnbullis

rnbullis

Member Since 2016
Hello, everyone! I'm brand new to this forum, and look forward to the multitudes of information I can gain from all of you experts!

I have an 8 year old cat who was diagnosed with diabetes in the summer. I am still working on getting him regulated...it has taken a long time mostly because I am trying to cut costs everywhere possible. The poor guy has been through quite a bit of transition, from trying different foods to types of insulin/syringes, and some unforeseen (by me) problems have come up. I greatly appreciate any advice I can gain from those with so much experience here!

Thanks in advance!
 
Hi and welcome!

What's your name, and your kittie's name? What kind of insulin are you using?

One of the best ways to cut costs is by home testing, if you don't already. No more expensive curves at the vet!

Here are some links to get you started:

hometesting links and tips
hometesting kit

Also, could we get you to start using our spreadsheet? This is a great tool that lets the folks here see BG patterns in your kitty easily. It's color-coded, and all you have to do is enter BG reading. No math/formulas involved!

spreadsheet instructions

Again, welcome!

:)
 
Hi and welcome to FDMB. This board is a treasure trove of information and support and the amount of hands on experience cannot be beat! We have a wonderful group of folks willing and able to help you with whatever you need.

If you could provide us with a little more information about yourself and your kitty we'll be better able to provide you with useful information. It would really help for us to know your location. Economical tips for diabetic supplies and cat food options differ depending on location and we have members from all around the world.

We'd love to know your name and your kitty's name! It would also be helpful if you could tell us a bit more about your journey so far. You mentioned trying different insulins so a brief history and what insulin/dose you are currently using, what diet your cat is currently on, whether there are other health concerns (wondering if that might be the "unforeseen problems" you mentioned) , whether you are home testing your kitty and if so what meter you are using would be helpful information for us to know. We strongly advocate home testing here and most folks use a human glucometer (there are pet meter users too). All the reference numbers in the documentation on this board are based on human meter readings unless otherwise specified. If you are not home testing but would like to learn we can help you with that too!

At the bottom of most posts, you will see some lighter coloured text. This is called our "signature" and that's where we store all that info I mentioned above. It makes it easier for everyone to help you and keeps you from repeatedly being asked for these details. To make your signature, click on your name up in the dark bar in the upper right hand corner of the screen. A menu will drop down and in the left column, you select "signature". This opens a text entry box where you can enter the information you wish to share. The signature is limited to three lines of text.

If there are specific things you are in need of help with, please let us know! Looking forward to getting to know you and your kitty! :)
 
I'm Rachel and my cat is Guido. He was on Humulin N from a previous vet's advice, but has since switched and is now on Vetsulin. He has been on that for the last couple of months. I'll definitely take a look at the links and spreadsheet you suggested. Thanks!
 
Nice to meet you, Rachel and Guido!
rnbullis said:
I'm Rachel and my cat is Guido. He was on Humulin N from a previous vet's advice, but has since switched and is now on Vetsulin. He has been on that for the last couple of months. I'll definitely take a look at the links and spreadsheet you suggested. Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the response! I'm Rachel, my cat's name is Guido. He was diagnosed in the summer when he was living with my parents on the western slope of Colorado, and his vet at the time suggested no food change (he was only eating regular dry cat food), which I thought was unusual. At that time, he was also prescribed 1 1/2 units of Humulin N, twice a day. Since moving him back home to the Denver area, another vet prescribed a DM diet of wet cat food, and suggested upping his insulin dosage to 2 units a day. I wasn't able to afford more of the prescribed food than the samples that the vet sent us home with, so I fed him Friskies pate instead. We have since switched to a cat-specific vet, who prescribed Guido Vetsulin, 2 units, twice a day. She also suggested the prescribed DM wet food diet, which we were able to purchase at cost and tried for a while. However, I another cat who is not diabetic, and Guido stopped eating the DM food, wanting only to eat the Friskies pate that the other cat eats. Now, he eats 1/4 of a can of Friskies pate, twice a day, followed by an insulin shot. I have also used the conversion chart to use 100U syringes with Vetsulin, since they cost so much less. So, now he gets 5 units of Vetsulin with a 100U syringe after each meal.

The unforeseen problems (for me, at least) are his improper urination that happens on occasion, as well as his food stealing. We can't leave any food anywhere within his reach throughout the day, or he will eat it. He has lost tons of weight and is down to 8.5 lbs, very fragile. And, he no longer jumps as high as he used to be able to, making me think he is experiencing the nerve pain that is associated with diabetes in cats.

I feel like it's time for home testing, so I'm in the market for a glucometer and could use any suggestions provided.

I will fill out the signature like you suggested to make explaining these things simpler in the future. Thank you for pointing that feature out!
 
rnbullis said:
Now, he eats 1/4 of a can of Friskies pate, twice a day, followed by an insulin shot.
Click to expand...
Friskies pate is fine for a sugar kitty - but that's not very much food. He should probably eat more like 1.5-2 cans/day if he needs to gain weight. How much has he lost?
Pimp was down to 6.5lbs at his Dx, with proper feeding and insulin he is back to 10.5lbs 4 months later.
rnbullis said:
I have also used the conversion chart to use 100U syringes with Vetsulin, since they cost so much less. So, now he gets 5 units of Vetsulin with a 100U syringe after each meal.
Click to expand...
This is great! You will want to refer to the u40 units when talking dose though, to avoid confusion. So he is still getting 2u of Vetsulin.
rnbullis said:
The unforeseen problems (for me, at least) are his improper urination that happens on occasion, as well as his food stealing. We can't leave any food anywhere within his reach throughout the day, or he will eat it. He has lost tons of weight and is down to 8.5 lbs, very fragile. And, he no longer jumps as high as he used to be able to, making me think he is experiencing the nerve pain that is associated with diabetes in cats.

I feel like it's time for home testing, so I'm in the market for a glucometer and could use any suggestions provided.
Click to expand...
These are sypmtoms of poor, or no, regulation. If he's not getting enough insulin, his body can't process his food, and he is slowly starving. Hungry all the time but can't get nutrition. Diabetic neuropathy can produce the improper urination and weakness. Does he still walk on his toes?
Zobaline is a fantastic B-12 supplement that has worked for many kitties with symptoms of neuropathy.

I agree home testing can reallly help you get things dialed in. I use the relion prime from wal-mart, you can get a meter and 100 test strips for well under $50. There are other models of relion meters (confirm is one that is popular here) that need a bit less blood, but the strips are more expensive.
You will also need lancets, 26 gauge is best when starting out (usually labeled "for alternate site testing"). Making sure the ear is warm before poking helps them bleed more readily. Many of us freehand the lancets because the "click" of a lancing device can startle kitty. You'll have to see what works for you and Guido.

:)
 
The CVS generic meter is good as well. (it is also the meter available at Kroger). It runs about the same price as the prime. The meter is made by Agamatrix. I also freehand the lancets. Fern does not like the sound of a lancing device. I can't even shoot the device within 5 ft of him.
 
Thank you for all that info, and so quickly written! I was afraid to give him too much more food than he has been used to without changing his insulin dosage, especially since I am not home testing yet. Should I keep his insulin the same after feeding him more? I forgot to add that I do keep some dry cat food out each day and both cats snack on that. In fact, Guido seems to prefer that, honestly. He scarfs down wet food when it is straight out of the can, but doesn't seem to love wet cat food that has been refrigerated. I'm assuming I should wean them both off of the dry food?

I'm not sure exactly what his weight was when he was diagnosed, but he used to be our "fat cat," and I know at one point he weighed in the teens. He's all skin and bones now.

I'll look into the home testing supplies asap. Many thanks for suggestions as to what to buy, as I have no idea where to start with that!
 
Hi Rachael. Nice to meet you and Guido who is a very handsome dude! What did Guido weigh before the diabetes? What's his ideal weight? You should be feeding him based on ideal weight. I assume you are using the tall cans of Friskies (not sure how much the can contains oz. wise) because 1/2 of a small can per day would definitely not be enough food. While it's absolutely necessary to feed your cat before his insulin, it is ok to give him some smaller snacks in between meals. It helps to level out the effects of the insulin and causes less stress on their internal organs. This is a formula to determine how many calories your at needs per day;
13.6 X ideal weight in pounds +70 = calories per day

Obviously this can be adjusted based on activity level ie. if the cat is particularly active or needing to gain weight but it's a good starting point. Weighing your cat on a regular basis (at least weekly) will help you determine if he's getting enough or too much.

As for the inappropriate urination, it could be that he is having urgency and not making it to his box or if he does have neuropathy, he's not aware of his need to go. The other possibility is that he is having a hard time getting into the box if the sides are too high due to weakness in his legs. You could try a box with lower sides and maybe put a second box down so he doesn't have to go so far to reach one. As he gets better regulated, this problem should dissipate but I can understand how upsetting this can be.

Oh! I see you have got some advice from others as I "slowly" typed mine so you have info re: meters and Zobaline for neuropathy.:)
 
rnbullis said:
I'll look into the home testing supplies asap. Many thanks for suggestions as to what to buy, as I have no idea where to start with that!
Click to expand...
All meters are regulated by the government and provide usable readings. They are allowed 15-20% error range, so big numbers can be a bit off, but high is high, who cares how high. They're all reasonably accurate when you get to "normal" BG ranges.
The biggest thing to consider is the price of the strips, those are what you'll be constantly buying. Not everyone tests so much but I go through at least 50 strips a week.

rnbullis said:
I forgot to add that I do keep some dry cat food out each day and both cats snack on that. In fact, Guido seems to prefer that, honestly. He scarfs down wet food when it is straight out of the can, but doesn't seem to love wet cat food that has been refrigerated. I'm assuming I should wean them both off of the dry food?
Click to expand...
What kind of dry food? There are only 2 low-carb options for dry kibble, one is Evo Cat & Kitten -available in stores but can be hard to find (some cats do well on it but it will spike others) and Young Again Zero Carb (again every cat is different) which is only available online at their website.

You can microwave fridged food for a few seconds, or add a bit of hot water to warm it before serving. Even better, if you can get them both on canned, feed 1/2 can to each cat and never have leftovers;)

It is best to be home testing when attempting any diet change, especially removing dry food or lowering carb intake in any way. Testing is important when removing carbs because they could go too low and have a symptomatic hypoglycemic episode, and possibly die.
Removing high-carb dry food from the diet could/will drop BG levels by up to 200 mg/dl.

You have already done the most important step...coming here for help!
 
Andy & Pimp said:
All meters are regulated by the government and provide usable readings. They are allowed 15-20% error range, so big numbers can be a bit off, but high is high, who cares how high. They're all reasonably accurate when you get to "normal" BG ranges.
The biggest thing to consider is the price of the strips, those are what you'll be constantly buying. Not everyone tests so much but I go through at least 50 strips a week.


What kind of dry food? There are only 2 low-carb options for dry kibble, one is Evo Cat & Kitten -available in stores but can be hard to find (some cats do well on it but it will spike others) and Young Again Zero Carb (again every cat is different) which is only available online at their website.

You can microwave fridged food for a few seconds, or add a bit of hot water to warm it before serving. Even better, if you can get them both on canned, feed 1/2 can to each cat and never have leftovers;)

It is best to be home testing when attempting any diet change, especially removing dry food or lowering carb intake in any way. Testing is important when removing carbs because they could go too low and have a symptomatic hypoglycemic episode, and possibly die.
Removing high-carb dry food from the diet could/will drop BG levels by up to 200 mg/dl.

You have already done the most important step...coming here for help!
Click to expand...

The dry food is Friskies Indoor Delights, which both cats have lived on basically all of their lives (until this diagnosis). They grazed on it all day in the past. Now, I just put one scoop into their shared bowl for the day, and when it's gone, it's gone until the next day.

The wet Friskies I've been feeding him is in the short cans, what you can buy from Costco. So, obviously, I need to start feeding him more! Since I currently feed him half a can a day, should I start by doubling that?
 
Andy & Pimp said:
All meters are regulated by the government and provide usable readings. They are allowed 15-20% error range, so big numbers can be a bit off, but high is high, who cares how high. They're all reasonably accurate when you get to "normal" BG ranges.
Click to expand...

I would add avoid any meter with the word True in it. For some reason they read too low for cats. At the Vet mine read 150 while the vet read 300 and I've seen similar complaints to this.
 
I'm not sure what his original weight was before his diagnosis, but I know that at one point he weighed at least 15 lbs. He was our "fat cat" of the two. (His sister looks almost exactly like him, although she used to be the small one. Now, she's bigger than he is!)

With the inappropriate urination, he has no trouble getting into his litter box and uses it many times a day. The frustrating thing is that he has never had any issues with using a litter box his entire life. He just seems to be targeting a couple of specific spots in our apartment, so I'm trying to eliminate everything in those places as best I can.
 
rnbullis said:
With the inappropriate urination, he has no trouble getting into his litter box and uses it many times a day. The frustrating thing is that he has never had any issues with using a litter box his entire life. He just seems to be targeting a couple of specific spots in our apartment, so I'm trying to eliminate everything in those places as best I can.
Click to expand...
Pimp was the same way, it's actually what led us to take him in for a check. The "accidents" stopped within about a month of starting insulin. I believe a lot of the cause is the excessive amount they urinate with the PU/PD induced from hyperglycemia.
Nature's Miracle is about the best there is for cleaning up urine odor. I use the "advanced formula".
 
Andy & Pimp said:
Not to be rude but that has GOT to go. It would be best to start phasing it out slowly, as soon as you can start testing.
Click to expand...
I figured. It's just habit, I guess, since the cats have been eating it for 7 years or so. Ugh. Never has owning a cat become so expensive. But, I'm comforted by the fact that I'm not required to feed prescription wet cat food!
 
rnbullis said:
I figured. It's just habit, I guess, since the cats have been eating it for 7 years or so. Ugh. Never has owning a cat become so expensive. But, I'm comforted by the fact that I'm not required to feed prescription wet cat food!
Click to expand...
Again, same for me, and many others here. I fed purina cat chow to my boys for 10 years up to P's dx.
 
Don't feel bad, mine were eating Whiskas kibble all because I have a senior (took in my Mom's cat when she couldn't care for him any longer) who couldn't live without it and of course my little ones wouldn't eat better food when the Whiskas was available. The stuff is kitty crack!

I know it's not ideal (kind of ruins the décor!) but if you are having repeat accidents in the same place, try some foil wrap on the floor over the spot for a few days after a very thorough cleaning. They don't like the feel of it on their paws. My old guy has the odd accident now (senior moments?!) and I have found this to be an effective way to avoid re-use of the same spot. An extra litter box on the spot or nearby wouldn't hurt either but admittedly it depends on where the spot is!

The other possibility is that Guido may have a urinary tract infection. Diabetics are very prone to them so you may want to have him checked out by the vet if the problem doesn't resolve very soon.
 
Andy & Pimp said:
All meters are regulated by the government and provide usable readings. They are allowed 15-20% error range, so big numbers can be a bit off, but high is high, who cares how high. They're all reasonably accurate when you get to "normal" BG ranges.
The biggest thing to consider is the price of the strips, those are what you'll be constantly buying. Not everyone tests so much but I go through at least 50 strips a week.
Click to expand...

I'm a little embarrassed to ask this, but since I don't currently home test...what is considered high for BG? What it normal?
 
rnbullis said:
The unforeseen problems (for me, at least) are his improper urination that happens on occasion, as well as his food stealing. We can't leave any food anywhere within his reach throughout the day, or he will eat it. He has lost tons of weight and is down to 8.5 lbs, very fragile. And, he no longer jumps as high as he used to be able to, making me think he is experiencing the nerve pain that is associated with diabetes in cats.
Click to expand...

Hi Rachel and Guido,

I see that others have already given you some great advice, so I'll just go with offering some encouragement...

My cat was also diagnosed at age 8; and he's just had his 9th anniversary of being diabetic (at age 17). He's had a wonderful life despite his diabetes.

Bertie was ravenous at first, because his body couldn't utilise the food he was eating. Once he started on insulin that soon got a lot better.

And he also had 'improper urination' and neuropathy initially...
He likes to sleep on my pillow, and in the early days of his dx I woke up in the morning on a number of occasions to find my hair soaked in cat's pee! Bertie had peed in his sleep without realising it.... He was also so desperate to pee on occasions that he'd just squat and pee wherever he was, poor little bloke. All that soon resolved once he was on insulin and his blood glucose got under better control.

His neuropathy responded well to methyl B12, and he completely recovered the strength in his legs.

Oh, and prior to his dx I fed my cats dry food.... Many of us did, and often at the recommendation of our vets.....:arghh:

You've found the best site on the planet for help with feline diabetes. Welcome! :bighug:

Eliz
 
Lab results I believe are "normal" between 70-160ish. Many diabetic cats are 400+ at dx.

The range we like to see (for a kitty on insulin) on human meters is between 50-120, or 90-150 if they're eating any dry food. Under 150 will keep them under renal threshold, which is the point where hyperglycemia causes damage to the body. My non-diabetic cat routinely tests around 45-50 on my meter.

I don't think anyone here has mentioned...one of the best ways to learn here is poking around and looking at other members daily threads and spreadsheets. Please feel free to look at any of our spreadsheets to see how we manage our kitties - we all have them linked in our signatures. Do bear in mind that we don't all use the same insulin. (I use Lantus)

*Edit to add: SPREADSHEETS ARE NOT FOR DOSING GUIDELINES
 
Last edited:
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
I know it's not ideal (kind of ruins the décor!) but if you are having repeat accidents in the same place, try some foil wrap on the floor over the spot for a few days after a very thorough cleaning. They don't like the feel of it on their paws. My old guy has the odd accident now (senior moments?!) and I have found this to be an effective way to avoid re-use of the same spot. An extra litter box on the spot or nearby wouldn't hurt either but admittedly it depends on where the spot is!

The other possibility is that Guido may have a urinary tract infection. Diabetics are very prone to them so you may want to have him checked out by the vet if the problem doesn't resolve very soon.
Click to expand...

Funny, it has been weeks of me trying to solve that problem and I finally did JUST start putting down foil on the spots after cleaning! I'm not sure why I hadn't found that as a solution sooner. Fortunately, both spots are in closets, so it isn't messing with the decor. ;) I'm leery of putting a litter box on the spots, which has been the piece of advice most-given, because I don't want him to get used to going there all the time. We are also closing the doors to those areas, but in a small apartment with two small children, that gets very tricky. It feels like we are closing off our whole living space after a while!

He has been tested for UTIs a couple of different times, but tests always come back negative, thankfully.
 
Thank you for the encouragement! Sounds like you started off in a VERY similar place with your kitty. I spend a lot of time wondering if he won't last very much longer, so it's nice to hear that it isn't a death sentence. :)

The inappropriate urination has truly been the last straw. Thinking that resolving that is a possibility is so helpful! I was almost resolving myself to the idea of having to clean up cat pee for the rest of his life. It's such a nasty and lengthy process, that is certainly not ideal. I really hope that after he gets regulated, he will stop with that!
 
Andy & Pimp said:
The range we like to see (for a kitty on insulin) on human meters is between 50-120, or 90-150 if they're eating any dry food. Under 150 will keep them under renal threshold, which is the point where hyperglycemia causes damage to the body. My non-diabetic cat routinely tests around 45-50 on my meter.
Click to expand...
Should mention - your high-range will be higher since you use Vetsulin.
 
rnbullis said:
I figured. It's just habit, I guess, since the cats have been eating it for 7 years or so. Ugh. Never has owning a cat become so expensive. But, I'm comforted by the fact that I'm not required to feed prescription wet cat food!
Click to expand...

Welcome Rachel and Guido! Please start home testing before you take away any food you're currently feeding. By lowering the carbs, his insulin needs will drop - many times drastically. You'll want to catch this and lower his insulin dose to keep him safe.

HUGS!
 
I don't recommend peaking at my spreadsheet! It may blow your mind and does not show anything close to "normal"! I have a rare cat who tested positive for insulin autoantibodies (IAA) so she requires far, far more insulin that the average cat and I use Levemir so again different from yours. Peak if you wish but do so knowing my Menace is an odd ball and nothing on her sheet in within normal expectations and definitely should NOT be copied dose wise!
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
I don't recommend peaking at my spreadsheet! It may blow your mind and does not show anything close to "normal"! I have a rare cat who tested positive for insulin autoantibodies (IAA) so she requires far, far more insulin that the average cat and I use Levemir so again different from yours. Peak if you wish but do so knowing my Menace is an odd ball and nothing on her sheet in within normal expectations and definitely should NOT be copied dose wise!
Click to expand...
Good point Linda...the spreadsheets are NOT for dosing guidelines.
 
Ok, so here is my next question. I've ordered the glucometer and supplies, now after I test him and his blood sugar is high, what do I do next? Add insulin? If so, how do I know how much to add? Also, if I'm going to start feeding him more wet food, how do I accommodate with insulin for that? Maybe these are questions I should be asking my vet... But, I also don't want to call my vet every time I make a decision with his food and insulin!
 
Once you start testing, record the readings in your spreadsheet (great job with that, and the signature, btw:)). Does it all make sense, how it works?
The spreadsheet is the most critical tool in getting dosing advice here.

You'll probably want to post in the Main Forum- Feline Health because the Vetsulin forum is inactive.

You can start feeding more canned right away, just don't take away the dry food (yet).

You can start getting him ready for testing by rubbing his ears and giving him a low carb treat afterwards. Most cats don't even notice the poke and giving a treat really helps to reinforce the experience. Pimp actually jumps up to his "test spot" when he hears the test strip vial open now.

...and keep asking questions!
 
Andy & Pimp said:
Once you start testing, record the readings in your spreadsheet (great job with that, and the signature, btw:)). Does it all make sense, how it works?
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'm not sure it will completely make sense until I start actually testing. I'm sure I'll have questions when I start trying to record readings, but it is nice to be able to look at other spreadsheets just to see how to fill one out. How do you get yours to show up in your signature with just the title you gave it, instead of the full web address?
 
rnbullis said:
How do you get yours to show up in your signature with just the title you gave it, instead of the full web address?
Click to expand...
At the top of the text entry box is a button that looks like chain links, highlight text and click this button. Paste link into URL box and click insert.:)
 
If you have any BG readings from the vet, you can put them in the SS (spreadsheet). Any data you already have is valuable and can help the Vetsulin gurus advise you on dosing.
 
The routine would be test, feed and then give insulin. Withhold food for at least two hours before the pre-shot test so you don't have food influencing the numbers. I don't use Vetsulin but I believe you need to feed and wait 20 30 minutes or so before giving the insulin. I'm going to tag Lucy to get someone who uses your insulin into the discussion.

Since Guido is already on low carb food and all you're doing is increasing his portions, you don't need to do anything different because of the food. Once you start getting some BG readings, you'll be able to see if Guido needs more or less insulin. A general rule of thumb for "beginners" is not to shoot at any reading below 200. Since you have no idea what numbers you have been shooting, this might be a good rule of thumb to begin with and if you get a lower reading, post here using a "?" prefix on your message title asking for dosing assistance and include that you are using Vetsulin. Once you get some data and know how Guido is reacting to the 2u then you can decide how low a pre-shot number is safe for you to shoot with Guido.

@Squalliesmom We could use your counsel here regarding Vetsulin. Do you need to leave some wait time between feeding and shooting? Any other thoughts to help Rachel or corrections to my diatribe? I know little about Vetsulin since I've never used it. Thanks!
 
Last edited:
@Squalliesmom We could use your counsel here regarding Vetsulin. Do you need to leave some wait time between feeding and shooting? Any other thoughts to help Rachel or corrections to my diatribe? I know little about Vetsulin since I've never used it. Thanks![/QUOTE]

Although I'm not Squalliesmom, when I used it you give Vetsulin 30 minutes after eating. You want some food in him before the insulin because it's a short term insulin. It has been a few months since I used it, so I think it would still be correct.
 
rnbullis said:
Thanks for the response! I'm Rachel, my cat's name is Guido. He was diagnosed in the summer when he was living with my parents on the western slope of Colorado, and his vet at the time suggested no food change (he was only eating regular dry cat food), which I thought was unusual. At that time, he was also prescribed 1 1/2 units of Humulin N, twice a day. Since moving him back home to the Denver area, another vet prescribed a DM diet of wet cat food, and suggested upping his insulin dosage to 2 units a day. I wasn't able to afford more of the prescribed food than the samples that the vet sent us home with, so I fed him Friskies pate instead. We have since switched to a cat-specific vet, who prescribed Guido Vetsulin, 2 units, twice a day. She also suggested the prescribed DM wet food diet, which we were able to purchase at cost and tried for a while. However, I another cat who is not diabetic, and Guido stopped eating the DM food, wanting only to eat the Friskies pate that the other cat eats. Now, he eats 1/4 of a can of Friskies pate, twice a day, followed by an insulin shot. I have also used the conversion chart to use 100U syringes with Vetsulin, since they cost so much less. So, now he gets 5 units of Vetsulin with a 100U syringe after each meal.

The unforeseen problems (for me, at least) are his improper urination that happens on occasion, as well as his food stealing. We can't leave any food anywhere within his reach throughout the day, or he will eat it. He has lost tons of weight and is down to 8.5 lbs, very fragile. And, he no longer jumps as high as he used to be able to, making me think he is experiencing the nerve pain that is associated with diabetes in cats.
Click to expand...

Hello Rachel and Guido,

The inappropriate box issue is probably because he is not feeling well and it his way of alerting you that he is sick. This behavior should disappear when the Vetsulin starts to lower his BS. My Smokey before I got him was horrible with this issue for a very long time. Now we have no issue. You can put puppy pads around box if he is missing it. When he did use the carpet (before receiving insulin regularly) which is always the same spot, I cleaned with nature's miracle and put puppy pads in that area. So if for any reason (now my fault for not cleaning box fast enough) he will use puppy pad. Smokey had a rough time before I got him. But that's a story for another day. I AGREE. The dry food is not helping him at all, it is part of the problem. If you have the wet DM already, you can mix it with store food to make it last longer until you are finished with it. Or see if vet will credit you for unopened cans. Smokey was barely 12 lbs (used to be 22-25) when I got him. He is now maintaining 16-17 lbs. He now gets regular feedings many times though out the day and probably tripled what he was getting, but that's hard to determine.

You will get Guido managed and feeling well. We are here to help you. Ask all the questions you want. We all want Guido feeling well.
 
This may sound silly, but I'm sort of excited to pick up a meter tomorrow! I can't wait until this cat feels better and starts acting more like himself again. Thank you for all of your input, everyone! I'm sure I will be asking more questions soon. In the meantime, I'll watch some You Tube videos to learn how to test Guido.
 
Glad to be of help. Do let us know if you need any help with the testing. We are full of tips and tricks for everything! One thing you might find helpful as you start out testing that I don't think is in the video tutorials is to make sure Guido's ear is warm. You can use a little pill bottle with warmed water in it or a little rice sock warmed in the microwave. Just make sure either one feels good on your ear before using it...don't want it too hot. Warm ears bleed better and helps you get a better bead of blood to test with. Fingers and paws crossed here for your success tomorrow!
 
rnbullis said:
This may sound silly, but I'm sort of excited to pick up a meter tomorrow! I can't wait until this cat feels better and starts acting more like himself again. Thank you for all of your input, everyone! I'm sure I will be asking more questions soon. In the meantime, I'll watch some You Tube videos to learn how to test Guido.
Click to expand...

Don't forget the treats. It helps with testing. Pure Bites is safe. It's freeze dried chicken. You can give it dry. Get the dog package if you can, more for your money and cheaper than the cats. Also nature variety instinct mixers for dog are good. There is a trial size package you can get.
 
rnbullis said:
This may sound silly, but I'm sort of excited to pick up a meter tomorrow! I can't wait until this cat feels better and starts acting more like himself again. Thank you for all of your input, everyone! I'm sure I will be asking more questions soon. In the meantime, I'll watch some You Tube videos to learn how to test Guido.
Click to expand...

I know the feeling. Keep us posted. Every day we start a new thread (condo) so everyone can see what's going and to possibly catch any potential problems.
 
Woodsywife said:
Don't forget the treats. It helps with testing. Pure Bites is safe.
Click to expand...
Ahh you guys are such softees! I'm a hard nose! I use treats for reward when we use our scratchy poles but testing has to be done. So Menace's reward for testing is getting smothered in kisses for being such a good girl and then some brushies! Whatever works is what you do! ;)
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
Ahh you guys are such softees! I'm a hard nose! I use treats for reward when we use our scratchy poles but testing has to be done. So Menace's reward for testing is getting smothered in kisses for being such a good girl and then some brushies! Whatever works is what you do! ;)
Click to expand...

Smokey gets treat most of time. Lately I've been talking and rubbing noses with him while playing with his ears. Hubby thinks I lost my mind.
 
rnbullis said:
I spend a lot of time wondering if he won't last very much longer ...
Click to expand...
An unregulated diabetic cat can look very poorly indeed both before and during the early days of treatment. The transformations that occur when cats start returning to good glucose regulation can be nothing short of amazing. For all the negative emotions that come with the diabetes diagnosis, there is much joy to be found on the journey back to wellness. Hang in there. :)


Mogs
.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top