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How much insulin did your veterinarian advise you to give?

What type of insulin was your kitty prescribed?

How much does your kitty weigh?

What does your kitty's diet consist of?

The answers to these questions will help the caregivers here give you the best answers possible.
 
K first of all the vet did not tell me how much, the communication has broken down. Is this something only the vet can tell me?
Insulin is Lantis
Again the Vet did not tell me his weight. We have no scale but he is average size so I am guessing 8lbs.
I was suppose to go to the Vet to get a "D cat food", but will probably end up going to pet store and get a food for Diabetic kitty. Right now he is still eating dry.
This will definitely be stop a.s.a.p,
 
I'm going to bring attention to your post to the people in the Lantus forum so you can get all of the introductory info you need from the experts there. Understand that it's starting to get late, and there's not a lot of people online overnight so you may not see much in the way of replies until tomorrow. But rest assured that you've come to the right place. There is a ton of support here to help you get the best care possible for your kitty.

Until you get all of that info, please do not give any insulin to your cat.
 
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Purr, where are you from(country). It will help us to advise you on useful products such as food and Blood Glucose monitors.
 
The vet gave you Lantus insulin and didn't say how much to give or how often? Is it possible to call them for instructions.
 
@Ferndoc @Woodsywife Purr's People is in Canada so she can get insulin OTC.

@Purr's People I agree with the other folks here who have recommended trying diet first. Diet alone can have a huge impact on your cat's BG levels. Also cats tend to have elevated BG levels in the vet's office so you have an opportunity here to try conservative measures first. You can also use this time to learn how to home test your kitty so if insulin is needed you will be well prepared to do so safely. Insulin is a powerful hormone and must be used with a lot of respect to keep kitty safe.

Here is some info re: Canadian foods which are good for diabetic cats.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...0KlRA2ZVTk_tYNVRaoG_3Dfy64/edit#gid=964479244

The most costly part of treatment for a diabetic cat is the test strips used in the glucometer. Most folks here use a human meter and the least expensive meter/strips are available online only. Here is the website......

http://www.diabetesexpress.ca/free-...r-with-purchase-bravo-test-strips-p-2456.html

There are lots of other options for meters and some of the main brand name makers give a meter away with the purchase of the test strips. Check out Abbott, Bayer and AccuCheck for current free meter options. The strips for these meters will be more expensive however they are also readily available at neighbourhood stores so running out is not as much of an issue as it might be with a meter only available online.

We know and appreciate that you want to get your kitty on the road to better health ASAP, but you need to take this step by step and not rush it. Kitty did not become diabetic overnight and is not going to get regulated overnight either.

If you can get information re: glucose levels taken at the vet's office and your cat's weight, those will be helpful to know when and if insulin is needed. For now, let's see if a diet change will help!
 
If you want to measure Purr's weight at home you can look at getting a Baby Scale. (in the US a good one is 1/2 the price of a "pet scale") mine is good for up to 44lbs and the reviews I read on amazon were from mothers trying to see about weight gain from breast feedings so I figured it was great for small changes in weights.
 
You should do the food change by swapping out the old food with the new food about 20-25% every day or so in order to reduce the chances of GI upset or food refusal.
See my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools for some other assessments you may find helpful in evaluating your cat.
 
Wow! First of all: THANK-YOU ALL FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT!!!
AZ Jenks: Thank you for letting the Lantus Fourm know about us. Just to let you know I took your advice and did not give Purr any insulin until I had more info.
Dyana: I had saved up some money because I knew something was ....off. We went to the vet and she did a couple of tests. One was a quick test on a glucose meter (The tech was backed up and the normal test was taking a while) and it had read 27. When the "Big" test came in it was 33. Not sure of the correct test name.
Vyktors Mum: I did take him off the Boobles (dry cat food) on Thursday last week. I got some cheap..er stuff at a pet food place for diabetic kittys and on Friday I went and bought him some Diabetic Management (DM) straight from the vet. It was the difference between $1.90 and $ 2.05 at the vet. Not that large of an amount. So no more Boobles for him, The lady and the store was super nice!! She gave me some free samples and some freeze dried beef and liver, which I have been giving him after the ear pricks. At the vets his level was 33
Ferndoc: We are in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada. If it is lucky..... the hubby is also diabetic (on Metforman) so we have been using his stuff. So we are covered on that aspect. Yes I will have to look into getting that scale I think.
Woodsywife: The vet expected that we would be back for a consult and we were to get more info at that time. However, the funds were not there for the consult so I have been e-mailing her for the info, It has been a bit slow coming.
MrWorfMen'sMom: What is "OTC"? Purr is no longer on Boobles. Soft from now on. Although I have watched quite a few videos and read a lot of how to's I am always open to leaning anything or all that is out there. I understand a bit of the consequences of not having all the information when administering any medication and IT WOULD KILL ME TO HURT HIM IN THIS WAY , EVER ! I am using the hubby's strips and meter so at least I am saving some money on this. I also agree with you it must be done step by step and properly. I want him to get better ....now but I want to do everything exactly right so that he is getting better the right way and give him a chance to be better and not just do something that may be harmful just because I want everything to be alright, now. The only thing is, the vet words in the back of my mind from Friday when we hesitated to do the consult the next day ( her schedule would not permit it) is that you could see her thinking to her self and then she looked at me and said " Yea he has had it this long, one or two days should not hurt him." Kind of made me scary and worried.
BJM: In the past when we switched his food we would do the % swap but he always seemed okay and our guy will eat almost anything. So we just gave him the new stuff and he gobbled it down. There was no ill affects also so that is good.
Now to all of you here is an update:
I waited to give him his Insulin. I started today. I received a message from the vet to start him off with 2 units twice day. When I bought his food I asked about his weight. It was 8lbs 2 oz. I thought this is a fine weight. Yes? I also asked when I was there about his ear pricking. The vets e-mail was confusing. She had told me ever 2 hours before the insulin. The vet working Sat (there is like 5 different vets there) said I could do it every 4 hours. Only for the first day. (I was reading the e-mail as for a week) I went with the 4 hour suggestion which I am glad I decided that in the first place because I have been having a lot of trouble today. My meter is not working for some reason, and I must be missing his vein because I am not getting any blood. When I do hit the vein (
 
K technology is not working for me today I just posted this long reply to you all and pressed post and.......GONE. Will eat and come back and try again DANG!!!!
 
Good evening I just wanted to stop in and say hello!! I am in Winnipeg as well, so nice to meet a neighbour. :bighug:

Starting off with the diagnosis of a diabetic kitty can be totally overwhelming, but there are many experienced people on this forum that can be there for support, information and advice.
 
K, trying again.
First of all: THANK-YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!

AZJenks: Thank-you for letting the Lantus Forum know about us. I also took your advise and did not give Purr any insulin until I had some more information.
 
Dyana: I had saved for a while because I knew something was..... off. I took him to a vet and she did a quick glucose test on him ( the tech was backed up some) and it was 27. When the "Big" test came back it was 33.
 
I think most of your message got posted so just need to post the rest of your thoughts/questions after "When I do hit the vein". I've had that happen to me a time or two too so not to worry. Hope you had a good dinner! :)

"OTC" means Over the counter (no prescription needed). Our friends in the US need a prescription in most if not all states. Sorry about that! Should have typed it out.

I'm so glad your vet is willing to consult with you via email and that you have access to a meter and are home testing. Our usual process is to test before each shot having withheld food for at least 2 hours prior to the test so there is no food influencing the number. By getting pre-shot tests we know whether it's safe to give insulin. Then we try to get one or two more tests in through the day (for instance) one sometime mid day cycle and one in the night cycle like perhaps one before bed to know kitty is safe for the night. In the early days, running a curve is usually done by taking readings every 2 hours for a 12 hour cycle or every 3 hours over an 18 hour period. When you test regularly though, and have more data, curves become less necessary as the collective data over time lets you spot patterns and learn how your cat is responding to the insulin.

Can you let us know what kind of meter you are using? There may be someone else here using the same meter who can help you out. Is it working for hubby or not working at all? If not at all, has the battery been changed lately?

As far as getting blood from kitty's ear, make sure the ear is warm. Some folks use a little rice sock warmed in the microwave and held on the ear for a minute or so (just make sure it's not too hot!) and some use a pill bottle with warm water in it. The other thing to look at is the gauge of the lancets. Many of the human lancets these days are 31 gauge which is a bit tiny for a cat's ear when you are starting out. If you can get some 26-28 gauge lancets (alternate site lancets) that will help. Also, you do not have to hit the vein. You need to aim for the area between the vein and the outer edge of the ear. Here is a link to some very helpful tips about home testing.
 
Okay this is weird my message is here. K to continue.....When I do hit the vein ( I hope I am hitting it) he bleeds so much. Is this suppose to happen? I now have a designated shirt because ummmm there is a lot of blood on it. (don't mean to gross anyone out) He is also crying a lot. This also tugs and my heart. His sugar seems to be high too today. Of all the times I have done it, it has been. Feb 11= 17.4 Feb 12 = 14.9 and today it has been 20.1 17.6 20.8. Does this not seem high. Again today he got his first shot of insulin. He has also been eating a lot more it seems. Purr is also back to eating/chewing plastic again. One other thing.... I can see all his other wounds from the other pricks. I feel so bad for him!!! I hope I am not doing more harm than necessary! Please help my friends. I appreciate you all sooooo much I just can't say it enough !
 
MrWorfMen'sMom: Yea, after I woke up my brain it figured out OTC. You say the states need a scrip? Well that must make it more difficult. Our meter is called a Freestyle InsuLinX. Ummmm Hubby gave up using it a while ago just because he does not follow Doctor's orders ...... or wife's. :0 I believe the problem with the meter is me. I have been more nervous and just taking too long to do everything. Maybe the stars or moon or something is just not in aliment. I will check the size of the lancets.
 
Purr's People said:
Of all the times I have done it, it has been. Feb 11= 17.4 Feb 12 = 14.9 and today it has been 20.1 17.6 20.8. Does this not seem high. Again today he got his first shot of insulin.
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The 20 readings you saw today are not really that much higher than the 17 you got on the 11th of Feb. All meters allow for a 15-20% variance in readings so these numbers are almost within that variance range. BG levels fluctuate constantly so the range you are getting is not unusual or unexpected.
When during the 12 hour cycle did you get those readings ......was the 20.1 before the shot? How long after the shot did you get the 17.6?

We have a spreadsheet we all use here that is stored on Google, on which we keep all our readings. The spreadsheet is then available for everyone with the link (i.e. members here) so when you have questions about readings, doses etc. everyone can get a good picture of how your cat is using the insulin. It would be really helpful if you would set one up or if you like someone can set it up for you. The link to the instructions are here. Just make sure you choose the "World" version because our US friends measure BG differently and the World sheet automatically "translates" our readings so our US friends can help us.

My girl seems to have increased hunger sometimes when her BG is lower than she is used but nowhere near too low and I'm not sure what to make of it. Since they are not too low, I assume it's just a quirk/symptom of an unregulated cat. Others may have a better explanation! As for the plastic, has this always been a habit of your cat or something that just started with the diabetes?

Purr's People said:
I now have a designated shirt because ummmm there is a lot of blood on it.
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One other thing about testing is what I call the dreaded head shake! Now you know you don't want to hit the vein because that can be very messy and start looking like some horror movie. The dreaded head shake doesn't require a lot of blood and usually occurs when you put on a nice freshly washed white shirt and skirt and decide to get a quick reading before leaving the house for an extended period of time. Menace decided to shake and I was covered in little spackles of blood! Yeah I was stupid enough to do this! We can all relate and you aren't going to gross anyone out here! You have been duly warned!:eek:

His ears will heal and you can use some polysporin ointment (not cream) on his ears to help it along. You can also put a light skim on the spot you are going to use for testing to help the blood bead up and keep his ears feeling better. And after you poke, make sure you hold pressure on the spot for several seconds to stop all the bleeding and prevent bruising.

Are you using the lancing device? Do you put something behind his ear to support it while poking? A folded tissue or makeup pad works great and keep you from stabbing yourself.....yep, we've all done that too!

If none of this works to make things easier, just holler and we'll get you testing in your sleep in no time! :woot:
 
Yes the 20.1 was before he got his shot and before he ate. I got the 17.6 4 hours after his shot. The spreadsheet sounds like a great idea. I am not so good with that stuff but I will try. I agree I will not worry about his constant hunger.....yet. Now Purr was plastic lover for quite a while, however it seemed that since our Roxy died in March 2015 he left it alone. But the last couple of weeks he has been back at it. This has always perplexed me, the plastic eating. I learnt quick about the shirt. Before we went out for Valentine's lunch today I took off the good shirt and put on the "bloody shirt." My helper, she is nine, I never thought to do the same for her. Well, think you know what happened. :P Please tell me more about the Polysporin ointment. I never knew they had different kinds. Also what is "skim." And with the pressure thing......oh I know all about the pressure thing. You ever seen and middle aged woman running around an apt. yelling..."Purrrrr, Purr PURR come here and let me stop the bleeding" holding a small square of toilet paper in her hand? I have thought of protecting myself (I use my pointer finger) when I am poking him but honestly, it makes me feel a little better knowing I can feel some pain along with him, I wish I could get so good that I could test HIM in his sleep but thank-you for your tips! :)
 
Another member recently had a serious problem with her cat who actually ate plastic bags leading to an obstruction so do be careful! Someone said that the plastic bags are coated with some kind of animal fat or such (can't remember the proper term) to keep them from sticking together and this attracts a lot of our felines. My girl immediately gravitates to them but always has so I never thought of it being associated with the diabetes.

Ok I know I shouldn't laugh but your story of your helper (She'll be a fine pet parent some day with all this experience!) is just too funny! And then your finger, well suffice to say I darn near fell out of my chair. Not laughing at you.....with you, because so many (if not all of us) have done just the same. One member used to put bandaids on her fingers BEFORE testing. Talk about being prepared! :woot:

By a "skim" I meant a very light coating. You don't want much because it could clog the glucose strip. A tiny dab will do. And yes there are all different types of Polysporin and some even has pain reliever in it. Any will do. Actually I use Vaseline. Just make sure it's ointment and not cream because that won't give the same beading effect and definitely will clog the strip. And just so you know, you have far more nerve endings in your finger than Purr has in his ears so he doesn't feel anything close to what you feel. With time his ears will grow more capillaries. That's where we try to get the blood from instead of the messy vein!

Now as for those readings you got today, I just want to check that you are using Lantus if my memory is working? If so, then what you are seeing is quite normal. It takes a bit for Lantus to start taking the BG down and usually the lowest point in the 12 cycle will occur around +5 to +7 hours after the shot. That 17.6 tells you the insulin did something positive and may have taken him even lower a bit later in the cycle. Once you get the spreadsheet set up, you'll be able to see the patterns better. Tomorrow instead of testing 4 hours post shot, try 5 hours post shot if you are available and see what you get. Some cats always have their lowest point around the same time each cycle, others of course (they just won't read the rule book like hubby!) will having moving targets for their lowest readings (called nadir).

Let's try to get the spreadsheet set up. I think you will find it a most helpful tool in your kit! If you have any problems with it, just holler.:)
 
@Purr's People - You're doing great. I know it seems intimidating at first because there's so many different things to wrap your head around, but I assure you that you'll get used to it in no time at all.

A couple of notes on ear testing:

When testing, it's important to try to avoid the vein. This is for several reasons. First, as you experienced, it causes a lot of bleeding and that's messy. Two, because of the extensive bleeding, it can create significant bruising beneath the skin which makes kitty's ears tender. Finally, these meters are generally designed to work best with blood from the capillaries, not so much with blood from the veins.

When you first start out, it's going to be difficult to get blood out of the kitty's ears. Here are some tips that might help:
  • Start by reading the testing tips here. It has an excellent diagram of the sweet spot between the vein and the edge of the ear lobe that everybody uses to test.
  • At first, the ears don't bleed because there's not a lot of capillaries in that area. Only through repeated poking can we coax more of them to grow, at which point the ears bleed much more easily.
  • Because of this, it's generally recommended to start with a larger gauge lancet, something in the neighborhood of 28g should be great. As the ears learn to bleed more easily, then we can graduate to thinner lancets like 31g.
  • Grab a flashlight and shine it through your kitty's ear. That will illuminate the anatomy by showing you the location of the vein and the sweet spot between it and the edge of the ear lobe.
  • Warm the ear first before testing. That will help immensely by dilating any blood vessels there.
  • If you're poking by hand, try to go in at an angle rather than perpendicular to the lobe to minimize the chances of poking through to the other side.
  • After every poke, put some pressure on the area for a few seconds (I choose 20-30 seconds, but I honestly don't know where i came up with that number) to minimize bruising.
  • If you get blood to test, awesome! If not, keep up your poking regimen to get those capillaries to grow, but consider getting your blood from an alternate testing site in the meantime. Many find success using the big center pad on the rear feet.
  • Make sure to praise kitty with love and/or a favorite low- or no-carb treat after every poke so that kitty associates testing with something good.
 
A tip when ear poking. :facepalm: Most kitties will jerk their head BACK from a stimuli..be it a foot or an ear or a whisker. So aim that lancet towards the back of the cat's head. When he jerks away, the lancet will leave the ear. No tearing..no kitty with fringe on top.

I read another poster's comment that it was good to keep the lancet angle really low, almost parallel to the ear, when poking. It works!..the less the angle, the easier that poke..that lancet slides in nice..especially if the flat side of the needle tip is on top. Otherwise the needle puts pressure down on the ear as it tries to slide into the skin. I started with a whopper of a lancet..a 26. :eek: Geeze it looks like a sewing needle when I look at that size, now. No wonder Dottie squeaked. Now she grins and bears it, because she knows she's going to get a tiny shred of freeze dried chicken.

I really love those Pure Bite chicken pieces. And thanks to Mogs, I ordered the HUGE dog-sized bag. Nice big chunks instead of tiny brittle pieces. I broke the bag down to smaller bags that I put in my vacuum sealer, to keep them fresh, so I'm good to go for a long time. :woot:Will get some other flavors soon, too.

I came in on this thread late, (this whole week has been crash and burn for Dottie and me)...and was really proud of the team here. So much help, to a person who really didn't get much from her vet. I had the same happen to me, so I appreciate our newbie's panic. (Psst..we know your cat's name..it's Purr! Now what's your name?:p)
 
HELP! Oh my gosh I was just told today that maybe I do not have to poke Purr's ear every time I give him a insulin shot. Is this true?
 
K, my replies to all my friends. MrWorfsMen'sMom: I am so not sure about Purr and plastic! I have also been told about the oil on the plastic bag (back when he first started it) I know some of the dangers of him eating it so it does worry me that he is doing it all over again. Please laugh, laugh all you want. I feel better when I can make people laugh in any way. Partly why I share the stories. :) I have been using the Polysporin. I put it on after I do the poke. I have enough trouble getting blood from him as it is. If I used it before I would probably put too much on or something. I'm glad I can be in more pain pricking my finger than his ear. On a side note ... I got a good prick today. More blood from mine than his ear. So I thought what the heck and tested myself. My reading was "Lo." Go figure. And, yes, I am using Lantus. AZ Jenks: Thanks for the ear pricking tips. I did stumble on to the flashlight trick, my apt. is soooo dark. My helper holds it for me. Most times not directly in my eyes at all. I also tried your warming the ear up. It has help some, I am sure it will help more in the future. About testing on his feet, I did not know there was any where else. Does this give him more pain with the pricking? Purr also gets treats for sure every time he gets pricked. They are freeze dried beef and liver. Also, my helpers job. And lots and lots "good guy, good guy"! Jeanne & Dottie: Purr does jerk the way you said and he is also yelling at me now when I do it. I am trying the the angle because I sure don't want to rip or tear his ear!!! You and Dottie have been crashing and burning??? I am sorry. I hope all is going to be okay. I wholeheartedly agree with you, the people on here are absoultly amazing!!! So kind, understanding and patient! We are Purr, Tracy and my helper is Anyetta.
Thank-you all again.
 
Purr's People said:
maybe I do not have to poke Purr's ear every time I give him a insulin shot. Is this true
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Hi Tracy and Anyetta and of course Purr!

I would have to say a resounding "no" to that comment but I know a lot of vets would not agree with me. It's almost like some vets do not acknowledge that a cat can go hypo with too much insulin. In the days before anyone was using a glucometer on cats, people did just that....they shot insulin into their cats blindly. And I'm sure there are still a lot of folks doing just that. The problem is, back when this was common practice, no one had done any research re: using a glucometer with a cat. I'm sure if you could compare statistics from then to now, it would show that testing before each shot not only saves a lot of kitty's lives but also helps get far more into remission. Only by testing before each shot, do you know whether it's safe to give insulin.

If you want to use the Polysporin to help the blood bead up, get just enough on your finger to make it greasy but no lumps of it and rub it on the spot. Just make sure you use the finger you are most likely to prick when you poke Purr so you get some benefit from it too! :p I love your sense of humour and it definitely helps to have one when dealing with these little critters and their refusal to read the rule book on diabetes. :woot:

Personally, I wouldn't have any luck using paws for testing so I've never tried. My cat just doesn't like her paws being held. I assume, rightly or wrongly, that the paw is no more sensitive and may even be less sensitive for pricking.
 
Hi @Purr's People !!
Welcome--
I agree with @MrWorfMen's Mom I would never give insulin with testing --
I also want to add my experience with ear pricking ...
I was confused at first and was trying to hit the vein and I was not going down at a 45 degree angle. You want to prick the "sweet spot"
What works really great for us (and we test often)
I prick the very outer edge of the ear in between the edge and the vein and at a angle and he doesn't even flinch -
His ears are have no bruising or irritation. I do use a salve from a essential oil company that I like.
laur_danny_famoussweetspot.jpg
 
I have no luck poking at Dottie's paws. For a cat who is so tiny, it's like she has vulcanized U.S. Rubber soles on those little footsies. I get nothing, not with a lancet, not with a lancet pen to improve my 'depth'. She just jumps, and gets mad at me for daring to sully her paw. So far, except for an occasional muttered "Nuuu" when I lean over, lancet in hand, she's been very good lately with the ear pokes. Sometimes I'm spot on, and sometimes I'm a klutz...but mostly I've gotten pretty good at it.

I'm beginning to notice a pattern...when I have the right insulin dosage, Dottie's blood sugar drops at about 38 points per hour. This allows me to estimate how she's doing, so I can skip a few ear pokes. Previously I would test at two hour intervals, but if I continue that it will look like I have a new breed of kitty...a 'Fringe Eared" variety that can hold it's own with Scottish Folds and Curls.

I'm monitoring closely to see if this pattern continues. Of course, if Dottie takes it upon herself to whomp the tar out of Gizmo, which she did the other day, to my great surprise..I have to assume her BG will drop much faster. But we're practically glued at the hip. Unless I'm at the grocery store, we're never more than a few feet apart. So I'm able to gauge when she might drop too low because of over excercise.

Polysporin is a good thing. It takes away the pain of an energetic poke. Your kitty might jump if you squeeze it directly from the tube...it might be cold! Let it warm on your fingertip a bit, and it will be soothing rather than startling.
 
Jeanne & Dottie said:
I have no luck poking at Dottie's paws. For a cat who is so tiny, it's like she has vulcanized U.S. Rubber soles on those little footsies. I get nothing, not with a lancet, not with a lancet pen to improve my 'depth'. She just jumps, and gets mad at me for daring to sully her paw. So far, except for an occasional muttered "Nuuu" when I lean over, lancet in hand, she's been very good lately with the ear pokes. Sometimes I'm spot on, and sometimes I'm a klutz...but mostly I've gotten pretty good at it.

I'm beginning to notice a pattern...when I have the right insulin dosage, Dottie's blood sugar drops at about 38 points per hour. This allows me to estimate how she's doing, so I can skip a few ear pokes. Previously I would test at two hour intervals, but if I continue that it will look like I have a new breed of kitty...a 'Fringe Eared" variety that can hold it's own with Scottish Folds and Curls.

I'm monitoring closely to see if this pattern continues. Of course, if Dottie takes it upon herself to whomp the tar out of Gizmo, which she did the other day, to my great surprise..I have to assume her BG will drop much faster. But we're practically glued at the hip. Unless I'm at the grocery store, we're never more than a few feet apart. So I'm able to gauge when she might drop too low because of over excercise.

Polysporin is a good thing. It takes away the pain of an energetic poke. Your kitty might jump if you squeeze it directly from the tube...it might be cold! Let it warm on your fingertip a bit, and it will be soothing rather than startling.
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Dottie--you crack me up!!
You always make me laugh:p
 
It is essential to get a test before each and every shot. No exceptions. Whoever told you otherwise is unfortunately misinformed. Pre-shot testing is important because we don't want to risk the dangers of giving a long-lasting insulin like Lantus to a kitty whose blood sugar is too low at the time to handle it.

As for pad testing, we've had lots of success testing Jenks' pads. In fact, it's how we started while we were still learning to ear test. He barely even acknowledges it. The skin there is very thick, and it's a non-weight-bearing pad, so beyond the initial prick there doesn't appear to be any lasting discomfort. Every kitty is different though.
 
Hello, if there is anyone out there right now I kind of need an answer quickly. If kitty's blood is at 8.6 he does not need insulin, correct?
 
Purr's People said:
Hello, if there is anyone out there right now I kind of need an answer quickly. If kitty's blood is at 8.6 he does not need insulin, correct?
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8.6 (155 US) is a lower number if you do not have a lot of data. For newer diabetics it is suggested not to shoot under 11 mmol/l (200 US)
 
Do you have more information. How many units of Lantus are you giving right now?

What other readings do you have? How often are you monitoring?
 
Also what type of food are you feeding...dry or wet? Have you changed the type of food in the last few weeks such as going to all wet low carb? Sorry for all the questions but the information is important in making decisions.
 
k he is getting 2 units of insulin every 12 hours right now. I check every time I give him insulin, however I did not get reading this morning. (having trouble testing some times) He is getting Prescribed DM wet food. The only time it was changed was when he was diagnosed, bout a week and a half ago. Before that he was on dry. Love the many questions. Keep em coming. :)
 
I wouldn't shoot at 155 until you have more data on how he responds, but if you have NOT fed him lately, you could test again in about 30 minutes (IF you can stall his shot tomorrow morning)

200 is our "no shot" limit until you have more test results on how he responds
 
OK First off changing from dry food to all wet food can cause a drop in glucose levels, with some kitties it can be a big drop. This is where testing comes in.

Testing is very important. For sure before each shot and around 4-5 hours after each shot would be good. This tells you whether the numbers are safe to shoot and how low the insulin is taking your kitty. With the diet change it is possible that 2 units may be too much, but without regular tests there is no way of knowing.

When you have enough data shooting at 8.5 mmol might be okay but at this point you really don't know what the insulin is doing, so it would be wisest to skip the dose.
 
Tracy, I think it would be a really good idea if we got you to set up a signature so we don't keep asking the same questions over and over again about insulin, dose etc. especially when you need some assistance in a timely fashion. I agree with Mary Ann, you will get more eyes on your request in the Lantus forum but just starting a new thread with a "?" mark prefix here will get more attention too! And should you ever be at or lower than 2.8 (hopefully never happens!), then use the "911" as your prefix.

I think without any data (can we also get that spreadsheet set up for you?) the advice from the Lantus forum "experts" may very well be to not shoot tonight. Better too high for a day than too low for a moment and you don't have data for anyone to look at and feel comfortable advising you otherwise.

The change to wet food is probably having an effect on Purr's BG levels too so monitoring is key. I know it can be hit or miss at the beginning, (we've all been there) but now that he has given you this low a pre-shot number, it's more important to get that pre-shot test in. We don't know where he started this morning so he could have been lower and possibly teetering on too low earlier in the day. If that is the case, it could make him a little more sensitive to the insulin. My vote would be to not shoot tonight and deal with a likely higher morning pre-shot number. He may need a dose reduction.

Let us know how we can help you with the signature and spreadsheet and we'll get you all set up.
 
It will really help if you'll start to keep track of his test results on our spreadsheet. Here are Instructions on setting up the FDMB spreadsheet

As you've already learned, it's very important to always test before shooting to make sure they're high enough to give insulin at all, but it's ALSO important to get at least 1 test somewhere mid-cycle on the AM cycle (like 5 to 7 hours after the shot) and a "before bed" test on the PM cycle.

Lantus dosing is based on how LOW it takes them, so it's important to find out how low the 2U dose is taking him

Just a quick note...most of us here are in the US and we use a different system on our numbers....for your numbers it would help if you'd multiply by 18 and report them in US numbers (or it's fine to put both too!....so our "200" is your "11.1")

If you use the "World" spreadsheet, it will convert them automatically for you!!
 
Ok Thank-you all. I have decided to not shoot tonight. I want to start the spreadsheet up but I have to set aside some time to figure it out. I have great difficulty with the testing. His ears have so many wounds and after pricking him twice to get just one reading and it still has not worked, him "owwwing" ( I swear his meow sound like that) all the time trying I let him go. So we will try it all again tomorrow morning and figure out what to do. The tip on the "911" was great!! Thank-you so much. Info I hope I will never use.
 
Here's something I wrote up for others that needed help with testing...maybe it'll help you too! (substitute "him" for "her"....LOL)

It can be really helpful to establish a routine with testing. Pick one spot that you want your "testing spot" to be (I like the kitchen counter because it's got good light and it's at a good height....it also already blocked 2 escape routes due to the wall and the backsplash) It can be anywhere though...a rug on the floor, a table, a particular spot on the couch...wherever is good for you. Take her there as many times a day as you can and just give her ears a quick rub and then she gets a yummy (low carb) treat. Most cats aren't objecting so much with the poking..it's the fooling with their ears they don't like, but once they're desensitized to it and learn to associate a certain place with the treats, they usually start to come when they're called! Or even when they hear us opening the test kit!

You also have to remember...you're not poking her to hurt her...you're testing her to keep him safe and understand what's going on inside her body. There's just nothing better than truly understanding what's going on inside your kitty's body and with this disease, the more knowledge you have, the more power you have against it. The edges of the ears have very few pain receptors, so it really doesn't hurt them. Also, if you're nervous and tense, it's going to make your kitty nervous and tense too. As silly as it might seem, try singing! It forces you to use a different part of your brain!

It's also important to make sure her ear is warm. A small sock filled with a little rice and microwaved or a small pill bottle filled with warm water (check temp against your wrist like you would a baby bottle) works well

Finding the right "treat" will be a great help too! Freeze dried chicken, bonito flakes, little pieces of baked chicken...whatever low carb treat you can find that she really enjoys will help her to associate the testing with the treat! China's Achilles heel was baked chicken, so I'd bake a piece, chop it into bite sized pieces, put some in the refrigerator and freeze the rest to use as needed. It didn't take long for her to come any time I picked up the meter!
 
The spreadsheet is actually pretty simple....all you have to do is have a Google account and start it.....after that, you just put the numbers in!!

The AMPS is the AM Pre-Shot....the test you always get before shooting
PMPS is (you guessed it!)...the PM Pre-shot!

After the Pre-shot tests, each cycle is 12 hours, so if you get a test 2 hours after the AM shot, that test result goes in the "+2" cell....if you get a test 6 hours after the shot, it goes in the "+6" cell....all the way up to +11 and then you start the PM cycle and it all starts over

If you have any trouble getting the spreadsheet going, please just ask....there are several of us that are more than happy to get it set up for you and then transfer it to your ownership when you're comfortable with it!!
 
Just a few more comments :)

Are you using regular syringes or an insulin pen? Regular syringes, with 1/2 unit markings are best since you can change doses in much smaller units than with the pens. I am also in Winnipeg so if you need any "insider" information on pricing I may be able to give you some tips.

Once you get your spreadsheet set up and you are doing regular testing you will find it invaluable to be able to see how your fellow is responding.
 
Thank-you Chris and China: Our testing spot is the couch. My negative about my house is that it is soooo dark so I use the flashlight on my phone. It is hard to juggle sometimes. I like your suggestions though about the treats. Purr has never had a problem with me touching his ears, I give him scrichy scratches there all the time. If he can't feel much of the pain in his ears than he should be on stage with that acting ability :P
 
But I know I have to do it. I am going to try singing too. Maybe Cat Scratch F
ever or something? I do try to make sure his ear is warm too.
Tuxedo Mom: I have an insulin pen. Any "insider info" on pricing I would love thank you.
 
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