My cat Smokey was just diagnosed about a week and a half ago. The vet tried to do a glucose curve last Thursday but was not able to get him to cooperate. We have had him for almost 10 years and not sure what happened to him before that but he has never liked other people. I bought a BS meter and it came today. Smokey will not let me do the ear stick so we are going to have to try and figure out how to do this without any help. Guess I have spouted off enough for today. Thank you for letting me join.
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Andy & Pimp
Member Since 2015
Hi! Is it Toni? Welcome to the best place you never wanted to be 
Awesome that you've got a glucometer already. Curves at the vet can read high because of the stress.
There are lots of resources here to get the hang of hometesting. It's a struggle at first, but believe it or not, most kitties LOVE to get tested after a while. That's because they know a treat is coming afterwards
I've been on a few message boards in the past where you get scolded for not searching before you post...it's not like that here. We love answering questions! This is a busy place and it's a bit tough to find the information you need right away. There are lots of volunteers to help you find your way around.
When you're ready, come on over to Feline Health and start asking questions!
Awesome that you've got a glucometer already. Curves at the vet can read high because of the stress.
There are lots of resources here to get the hang of hometesting. It's a struggle at first, but believe it or not, most kitties LOVE to get tested after a while. That's because they know a treat is coming afterwards
I've been on a few message boards in the past where you get scolded for not searching before you post...it's not like that here. We love answering questions! This is a busy place and it's a bit tough to find the information you need right away. There are lots of volunteers to help you find your way around.
When you're ready, come on over to Feline Health and start asking questions!
Anitafrnhamer
Member Since 2013
I tested from Squeaker's paw pad, the large one in the center of the foot. Gather your supplies, heat a baby sock that has rice or oatmeal in it in the microwave for about 30 seconds, wrap your cat into a towel. Place him belly up, uncover one of the back fee, apply the heated sock for a couple of seconds, then lance and test. Once you wrap them into a kitty burrito, they stop struggling.
LaraB
Member Since 2015
Welcome to the board! This is a really good place to learn about caring for your sugarcat. It can be overwhelming at first, but does get easier. You'll find a lot of links on the main page on BG testing - the videos are especially helpful. Many people told me that Joshi, my sugarcat, would actually come to enjoy BG testing. I thought they were crazy at first, but lo and behold - Joshi purrs during the whole procedure now (yes, she gets a treat afterword ).
There is a lot of info here...get a handle on the basics first and the rest can be learned as you go.
). There is a lot of info here...get a handle on the basics first and the rest can be learned as you go.
Thank you to all of you. If I am not able to get a handle on this by Thurs. I will go back to the vet with glucometer in hand to have them show me. That will be a week from the time they increased his insulin from 2 units a day to 3. He is on Lantus right now and I am not sure if I want him to stay on that for the once a day dose or change to something that is a bit cheaper. I almost had a heart attack when I found out that it was more than $250 for a bottle. I was lucky to be given 3 of the pens so that took that weight off. I was also offered Levimer but the original vet said it did not work on cats so I didn't take it. Will be back to let everyone know how things work out.
Julia & Bandit (GA)
Member Since 2009
I hear you on the insulin price! When Bandit had to go back on insulin last year I was shocked to find the price had more than doubled since I had last purchased it for him in 2010 (a five pack of pens was $230 in 2010, now they're over $500!). Luckily, you can order both the pens and the vials from a Canadian online pharmacy with the script from your vet. A five pack of pens is about $170 after shipping, which is far more reasonable!
And just so you know, Levemir works great in cats, so I'm not sure why your vet told you it didn't. It works very similar to Lantus. However, if you're starting with Lantus I'd stick with that unless you don't have good results with it (but most people do with the right diet and home testing regimen).
Julia & Bandit, Thank you for the information. We are doing our best to deal with this but between the dog (we took her the week before our cat was diagnosed) fees we had for just a check up and shots that cost us $240 and the almost $500 fees for the cat we are having a major problem keeping up with it all. Not sure what we will do from here as both of the vets we have gone to have just said "having animals is not cheap". Other than that I like the vets but that kind of makes me not want to go back to them again. Toni & Smokey.
Andy & Pimp
Member Since 2015
Toni, if you can get hometesting down, you really don't need to go back for anything diabetes-related. My vet was charging me $20 for a spot check with their alphatrack and $120 for a curve, on top of the $3-400 in labs, exams, etc and a $280 vial of Lantus.
Getting started IS expensive. But you can minimize treatment costs by avoiding curves at the vet, and pick a meter with cheap strips. the relions from walmart are popular, I use the one with the cheapest strips (relion prime -$9 for 50) but it takes a wee bit more blood than other meters. Still a tiny drop, though.
Getting started IS expensive. But you can minimize treatment costs by avoiding curves at the vet, and pick a meter with cheap strips. the relions from walmart are popular, I use the one with the cheapest strips (relion prime -$9 for 50) but it takes a wee bit more blood than other meters. Still a tiny drop, though.
Andy & Pimp, My husband says he will figure out how to hometest but so far has not made any attempt. I have the Alphatrak 2 meter but when we run out of the strips I will probably try for a cheaper one. Our cat was feral before we got him so scares very easy and will bit when scared. I was bitten once when we had only had him about 6 months and it was not a pleasant treatment in urgent care for about 3 hours with IV antibiotics and a nerve block. Don't want to go there again. Vet wouldn't finish the curve because he tried to attack the staff. He has to be put out just for an ear stick in the office. We will see where we go from here.
BJM
Member Since 2010
While you work on the blood testing, take a look at my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools. That'll give you some clues about how he's doing, though not as accurately as the blood glucose tests will.
There is an older protocol which uses a combination of these older tactics, plus periodic blood work at the vet's office.
There is an older protocol which uses a combination of these older tactics, plus periodic blood work at the vet's office.
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Julia & Bandit (GA)
Member Since 2009
I would post in the main forum for advice on home testing a difficult cat--while some will fight you at first, there are techniques you can use to help get the test with as little pain as possible to you both. The ear pricks don't hurt the cats, they just don't like that you're doing something new. If you can work it into a routine with treats, even the most fractious of cats usually come around to tolerate the tests.
Thank you. We haven't given up yet but as soon as we start to get anything that goes with BS testing he takes off and hides. He is starting to fight me over his insulin now even if I give him his dinner at the same time. The fun of adopting a cat that does not like people.
Jeanne & Dottie
Member Since 2016
I use a CVS meter, and the strips are only 23.00 per hundred. The meter was $19.00. Welcome to the forums Come on over to the main forum, it's where the action is. You'll find lots of folk there to help you
Come on over to the main forum, it's where the action is. You'll find lots of folk there to help youThank you for that information. I have read a bit at the main forum. Will check it out more.I use a CVS meter, and the strips are only 23.00 per hundred. The meter was $19.00. Welcome to the forums
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