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johnt

johnt

Member Since 2016
Something seems off with Wilbur. i thought he was acting lethargic. I think he's really just not feeling great.

But I checked glucose and need some advice.

it's 2.5 hours from dosing time. his sugar right now is 156. So 9.5 hours after his last shot.

Does that seem right? it seems low, and he HATES having his blood checked so i really shouldn't for awhile.

anyone got advice?
 
Hi John. Do you have some more numbers for us for perspective? 156 isn't low, is it low for Wilbur? If it is, then that may be why he's feeling lethargic.
 
actually i think he was just tired. he seems fine now. it was just so strange. he came up to me and laid down in his normal spot, but he was STARING at me for a good 10 minutes fighting to keep his eyes open. Then he came and laid down on me (he covers my entire chest) and he normally sits there for 10 to 15 minutes, this time it was well over 30. it just didn't seem normal. i'm so paranoid that he'll have another seizure. but i'm pretty sure he wont.

Here's the thing, i've neglected to say how much ProZinc i have him on because people talk about such tiny amounts.

To answer your question he creeps up to near 200 by feeding time. i suppose this is about right for 2 hours prior.

now here's the bad part. he gets 10u twice daily. that seems like an ENORMOUS amount, but he's been on it for 2 months and it seems to keep his glucose in good range. he sits between 85 and 120 during mid-times between dosing, which should be right. he eats Hills Prescriptoin Diet w/d for dry (and doesn't eat that muchg of it) but twice a day he gets a can of Fancy Feat Classic.

I hate admitting how much he gets, people are talking about tenths of a unit and i'm cramming 20 per day in him. A bottle of ProZinc lasts me 3 weeks now
 
Hi John
10u twice a day may seem a lot compared to what the average kitty here gets but every cat is different and if, as you say, this dose is working for Wilbur, that's fine. I'm curious to know, though - did your vet start you off on a lower dose which didn't give such good control so you have steadily worked up from that?
Anyway, I'm glad he is doing ok and feeling better now. Do post any time you have any concerns. And if you can add some more info about Wilbur and his treatment in your profile, that'd be good!

Diana
 
i'd give my little boy 20 twice a day if it would keep him in good range. I try not to be TOO optimistic, but I can't help but feel like if I can keep his ranges where they are, he should live a pretty normal life (i sure hope). he's only 8.

So he gets so much, it is costing me about 160 per month in insulin alone
 
Diana&Tom said:
Hi John
10u twice a day may seem a lot compared to what the average kitty here gets but every cat is different and if, as you say, this dose is working for Wilbur, that's fine. I'm curious to know, though - did your vet start you off on a lower dose which didn't give such good control so you have steadily worked up from that?
Anyway, I'm glad he is doing ok and feeling better now. Do post any time you have any concerns. And if you can add some more info about Wilbur and his treatment in your profile, that'd be good!

Diana
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yeah. at first i tried 1u in the morning, 2 at night. couple months later, seizures. but back then he wouldn't let me test him.


it's gone up 3 or 4 times until his last seizure we put him at 10u and 10u. seizures stopped and his range is good.
 
Would you consider setting up the spreadsheet? That would help us to help you. There are lots of us high dose kitty's here, so don't be embarrassed by that. A cat needs as much as he needs. You're doing a great job!
 
I don't know how much it will help. I'm fighting him very hard to get him to allow me to test. he pulls his head so bad when I try to prick that little vein in his ear i miss sometimes and he meows.

Because of this i don't test as much as I'd like. i just got to the point he'll let me get that far. if I start doing it too much he's going to star running every time he sees the meter.

Honestly i only test him once every few days at different times
 
Have you tried to desensitize him to testing? Pick a spot for testing, go there several times a day and pet him give him a treat and let him go. Then when he's relaxed with that, add ear or paw rubs, give a treat and let him to. When that is ok with him add the ear prick. Then continue the occasional pets and rubs and treats without a test.
 
yeah. it is just taking time. A month ago i was unable to get him to even let me attempt it. At least now I can get it if I HAVE to, but i have to ease him into this. it'll be ok once i get him really used to it i just can't push him
 
johnt said:
I don't know how much it will help. I'm fighting him very hard to get him to allow me to test. he pulls his head so bad when I try to prick that little vein in his ear i miss sometimes and he meows.

Because of this i don't test as much as I'd like. i just got to the point he'll let me get that far. if I start doing it too much he's going to star running every time he sees the meter.

Honestly i only test him once every few days at different times
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You do know that you don't have to hit that vein, right? The vein is sensitive and he will feel it more than if you just prick the outer edge of the ear where there are very few nerve endings. My cat barely notices it at all!
 
sweetspot.jpg
 
I've hit all over his ear. not even a visible spec comes out. the only time it works is when I hit the vein and then of course a giant blop comes out. But when i hit that 'sweet spot' even massaging it prior, and working it after, nothing at all comes out. it's been very frustrating.

I'll get it, and we'll get a system down, it just takes time with Wilbur. he doesn't like his ears being touched at all anyway
 
Sharon14 said:
Lots of treats! Would he prefer that you test the paw pad?
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I don't know. can someone show me that? i don't know that it'll help, he doesn't even like me touching his feet

put it this way, if it's not his chin neck or back, don't touch :)
 
johnt said:
I've hit all over his ear. not even a visible spec comes out. the only time it works is when I hit the vein and then of course a giant blop comes out. But when i hit that 'sweet spot' even massaging it prior, and working it after, nothing at all comes out. it's been very frustrating.

I'll get it, and we'll get a system down, it just takes time with Wilbur. he doesn't like his ears being touched at all anyway
Click to expand...
what size lancet are you using? try a bigger gauge on like 28 or 26. I use 28 and the first two weeks I had to poke a few times in the same spot to get a drop. Even just now I tried poking twice in one ear and got nothing, so I poked the other ear and I got just enough. Oh, and don't be afraid to poke all the way through, it doesn't really hurt them any more than not poking through. just put a cotton pad behind the ear.
 
Many of us warm up the ear or paw with a small rice sock warmed in the microwave. I run a wash cloth under hot water and put it in a zip lock bag. Hold that against the ear for a few minutes before trying to test, If he tries to get away, you can wrap him up in a towel like a burrito. If all else fails, feed him while you test. When you test, try to do it just before feeding and testing. That is the best time to keep him from going hypo
 
John, my cat and I have been at this for over a year, and sometimes it is still difficult to get a drop of blood from his ears. I don't know why this is, usually it's not a problem, but every once in a while he'll go a week or more at a time where it is very hard to get his ears to bleed. Before kitty's ears "learn" to bleed it is a good idea to use a larger size lancet. You will also need a larger size lancet if you try testing Wilbur using his paw pad. :)
 
Instructions for taking blood from the paws are in my signature. The towel is to make a kitty burrito if you need to, if you are comfy and relaxed the cat should be as well. I test exclusively from the paw pads, make sure you check they are warm before sticking for the blood, it can take longer than you think, and use vaseline to keep the pads soft. My kitty won't tolerate her ears being messed with but tolerates the checks remarkably well and occasionally lets me do a check if she is lying down relaxing somewhere and I don't then need to hold her. I use 28g lancets and get a good blood drop most of the time without having to squeeze the pad.
 
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