Pita Insulin pick up and discussion

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Caitlin M

Caitlin M

Member Since 2017
I just got back from the vet and overall I am happy with the results. Pita however, is super angry at me and is currently avoiding me at all costs-more because of the car ride-he did great while we were there! She is starting him on 2 units of PZI, twice a day until the initial curve is performed. I practiced shooting him and was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was- yay! Does that seem to be an acceptable unit to start him off with? She also said in passing that the ideal range for a reading is 70-180. Does that sound right?
Next, I told her I had done a ton of research and wanted to do home testing. She again, stated that she did not recommend home testing because she thought it was unnecessary and puts a lot of stress on the owner and pet. A vet tech who I spoke with there also, said years before, she had a diabetic cat and never home tested either. Well, I disagree! I did not get into it as much as I maybe should have (I get very anxious), but I have a plan. I did not schedule the GC yet, so I will call later next week and let her know that I understand her opinion but am choosing to home test and do the GC myself. If she is unable to support my decision to just let me know and I will find another vet.
With that being said, I would like to figure out how to actually use and read the meter! I have a friend who is a nurse and she said she would gladly help, but should I practice on myself a couple times to understand how it works? I'm not sure if this is advised on here, but I am also open to speaking with one of you on the phone who wouldn't mind walking me through it? I just want to feel as ready for the first day of T/F/S as possible and know I should practice with the meter a few times before.
So, I guess that is that for now!
 
Caitlin M said:
She is starting him on 2 units of PZI, twice a day until the initial curve is performed.
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What was his BG while he was there? Is he getting ProZinc or a compounded PZI insulin? Regardless of which, we recommend a starting dose of 1 u twice a day for safety. You don't need to stay at this dose a long time if it proves to be too low. You'll only know that by getting a testing routine going.

Caitlin M said:
the ideal range for a reading is 70-180. Does that sound right?
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That's measured with a pet meter and are similar to what my vet advised. These numbers will be lower if you use a human meter.

Caitlin M said:
She again, stated that she did not recommend home testing because she thought it was unnecessary and puts a lot of stress on the owner and pet.
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I MUST disagree! It's essential and is the way we keep out kitties safe. You're the care giver and have the right to do what you feel is best. I certainly understand the anxiety that arises when your vet tells you the opposite of what you want to do. There's really no need to get into it any further there. Avoid that stress and just do what you want to do at home.

Caitlin M said:
I would like to figure out how to actually use and read the meter!
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The booklet that comes with it is usually helpful and simple to follow. You can practice on yourself first and then try it on Pita. Have you introduced a routine with him yet? Find a spot that's comfortable for both of you and take him there, give him pets, scritches and low carb treats. Handle his ears, massage them, etc. Do this many times between now and t/f/s day. He'll soon learn to associate that spot and those actions with good things. Before the actual shot day, try some BG testing. You want to get up to speed on that before you give insulin. A warm ear is best and a"rice sock" is very handy. Put about 1/2 cup dry rice into the toe of an old, clean sock, tie it off and nuke in the microwave until it's very warm but touchable. If you don't have a microwave, a small bottle with hot water in it and tightly sealed will work.
 
Re SS: you need to give access permission so we can view it. Now, if I could remember how to do that ... I suggest you go back over the set up instructions.
 
Caitlin M said:
I just called to ask those 2 questions so they'll let me know.
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OK, they said his BG was 521. That means nothing to me unfortunately. I'm also not sure if that was from his urine or the actual blood test they sent out. Also, she said they don't do the compound ones there, so it's the 'real' ProZinc
 
Caitlin M said:
OK, they said his BG was 521. That means nothing to me unfortunately. I'm also not sure if that was from his urine or the actual blood test they sent out. Also, she said they don't do the compound ones there, so it's the 'real' ProZinc
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OK. That's a high BG but it could well be stress elevated, if not from the vet visit then from the car ride. Did they do an actual ear prick test there or other blood work that could have incorporated a BG test? It's not likely from urine. As we always like to say, if it was my cat I wouldn't start at a dose of 2 u. He might need to get there eventually and we can help you with that but if it's too high you could have a hypo to deal with. Not what you want as you're starting out. My suggestion is 1 u twice a day to start, along with the testing routine we promote here: AM/PM before feeding (no food 2 hours before) and some tests mid cycle. You're starting on a day off so those mid cycle tests could be +3, +5 and +7 to see the dose's effects.

It's good that it's the real ProZinc. The compounded version can be fine so long as there are no batch to batch potency issues. BTW - I still need permission to see your SS.
 
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Yes, I believe that BG was from his blood sample results they received on Monday, as they did not say they did an ear test. OK, I have no problem starting with 1! Yes, I'll have to wait until I'm home to fix the SS.
 
Hi! I'm working on fixing the sheet now, but wanted to post-I completed his first test! My heart is still racing but we did it! He was so agreeable and just sat next to me while i kissed and pet him-little purring. I tried once and poked through, but no blood came out. So I tried again, but I may have tried to use the wrong angle on the lancet (forget there was a slight angle and need to use the tip) so he flinched and ran away a little. I waited another minute, moved my location and tried again. I poked and had to roll his ear but a drop came out, I pushed the strip in and it read! I fed him wet food at 4:15 pm and tested at 7:25 (+3 ish?) and the meter read 230 mg/dL. I know that's not the 'ideal' range, but what does that tell me exactly? I gave him lots more kisses and praise and he's now playing with a catnip sock. Yay Pita!
 
To change the "Permission" so we can see your spreadsheet, go to the top right and click on "Share"

A new box will pop up....on the bottom right you'll see "Advanced"....click there

In the box that comes up, check "anyone with the link" and then "done"
 
Chris & China said:
To change the "Permission" so we can see your spreadsheet, go to the top right and click on "Share"

A new box will pop up....on the bottom right you'll see "Advanced"....click there

In the box that comes up, check "anyone with the link" and then "done"
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I fixed it! I have the ReliOn Confirm- how should I enter my first test number?!
 
Caitlin M said:
Hi! I'm working on fixing the sheet now, but wanted to post-I completed his first test! My heart is still racing but we did it! He was so agreeable and just sat next to me while i kissed and pet him-little purring. I tried once and poked through, but no blood came out. So I tried again, but I may have tried to use the wrong angle on the lancet (forget there was a slight angle and need to use the tip) so he flinched and ran away a little. I waited another minute, moved my location and tried again. I poked and had to roll his ear but a drop came out, I pushed the strip in and it read! I fed him wet food at 4:15 pm and tested at 7:25 (+3 ish?) and the meter read 230 mg/dL. I know that's not the 'ideal' range, but what does that tell me exactly? I gave him lots more kisses and praise and he's now playing with a catnip sock. Yay Pita!
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That's excellent! Big step forward, Caitlin! :D If he was 230 at +3 after a wet food meal and no insulin I think he's reacting well to the diet BG-wise. I'm glad you're starting him at 1 u twice a day and not 2 u.
 
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Kris & Teasel said:
That's excellent! Big step forward, Caitlin! :D If he was 230 at +3 after a wet food meal and no insulin I think he's reacting well to the diet BG-wise. I'm glad you're starting him at 1 u twice a day and not 2 u.
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Is 4:15 going to be your PM meal time? If so, go to today's date on your SS and scroll across to PM and then enter the 230 in the +3 cell. You can put a zero in the dose cell if you like.
 
Thank you! I feel like a kid with how excited I am at being able to do it. Yes, 4:15 will most likely be the exact meal time for AM/PM. I will test hime t 4:15 or around 4:10? And then I give his dose as he's eating/4:15? are the +#'s, how many hours after you feed or inject? Or is that supposed to be the same time?
 
Caitlin M said:
Thank you! I feel like a kid with how excited I am at being able to do it. Yes, 4:15 will most likely be the exact meal time for AM/PM. I will test hime t 4:15 or around 4:10? And then I give his dose as he's eating/4:15?
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It is exciting when you realize that what was scary and sounded impossible is actually not bad at all. :) You can certainly inject him as he's eating if that works.

I suggest you add info to your signature - that's the small grey text you see under our posts. If you go to the upper right of this page and put the cursor on your name a menu drops down. Click on "signature" and a box opens where you can enter info such as Pita's age and date of diagnosis/other meds he's on or health issues he has/insulin you're using/glucose meter you're using. We always look for that info when we read a post and it saves you having to answer these questions repeatedly.
 
1. "test, feed, shoot" is the mantra-- you want the test to be before eating, and you only feed once you've definitely decided you have a "shootable" number (if you get a low-ish number on your test, stall and post for help, but don't feed-- we'll want you to get another test in a bit to see where the trends are).

2. the +#'s are all relative to shot times

Congratulations on your first test! Well done!!!!
 
Thank you! Is there a forum or page that will explain what the meter numbers mean? I'm not sure exactly how I'll learn what is low/good/high. My friend who is a nurse said that 230 was high but for a human but happy to hear that it was actually pretty good for a cat.
 
Caitlin M said:
Thank you! Is there a forum or page that will explain what the meter numbers mean? I'm not sure exactly how I'll learn what is low/good/high. My friend who is a nurse said that 230 was high but for a human but happy to hear that it was actually pretty good for a cat.
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This might help: a kitty is said to be well regulated if the AM/PMPS numbers are in the low to mid 200s and the nadir is in the low 100s to high double digits.
 
Another key number to know is 50-- that's the cutoff we use on human meters where we know we absolutely have to take quick action to bring the BG numbers back up to avoid hypoglycemia. Are you all set with a "hypo kit", having read the stickies on treating hypos? If ever you do get a low number like that, definitely post here for help, but it's best to be prepared on your own!
 
Nan & Amber said:
Another key number to know is 50-- that's the cutoff we use on human meters where we know we absolutely have to take quick action to bring the BG numbers back up to avoid hypoglycemia. Are you all set with a "hypo kit", having read the stickies on treating hypos? If ever you do get a low number like that, definitely post here for help, but it's best to be prepared on your own!
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Thanks, Nan. Forgot to include that part.
 
I had read that before, but I will print it out and make sure I have those supplies. Thank you! Question about food- I'm now worried that I may be underfeeding the both of them. I read the can of 3oz Fancy Feast and it says to feed 1 can per 3.5 lbs. By this count, I would be giving them 10 cans per day (Pita is ~13 lbs= 4 cans , Brat is about ~18 lbs= 6 cans). That seems like an ungodly amount of food! I have been giving them 2 cans a feeding/ 4 a day. Am I wrong??
 
If he needs to lose weight, you should do calculations based on his ideal weight, not his current. But I do think those sound high-- most FF is somewhere around 90kcal/can, and I think a reasonable daily total would be in the neighborhood of 200-300kcal/day for most cats, so 6 cans would definitely be over-doing it. There are online calculators to figure this stuff out-- I don't know which one is best, I would consult a bunch of them and take a consensus or take the ones that seem most authoritative (vet schools over pet food companies, etc.).
 
Phew, k that makes me feel a bit better. I'll look into those calculators tomorrow and go from there.
 
The "starting place" for calories is [weight x 13.5] + 70......so a 10lb cat would need 205 calories per day to maintain

Of course ECID so if your cat needs to lose weight, start with that formula and weigh him once a week....if he gains or stays the same, you know you need to cut the amount of calories
 
Good morning! It took another 3 tries, but I did his second test before I fed him this morning. It was at 311 @4:20am (+12?) So I just put it in the AMPS and made a note to myself. He had not eaten since his PM meal the night before. Thoughts or concerns? Thanks!
 
I'd also like to note that there was no urine in the litter box this am. I scoop twice a day, and before bed there were some lumps. There has almost always been some lumps from overnight. I'm actually going to take it as a good sign that he wasn't constantly getting up to urinate. Hopefully? Again, no ProZinc yet, only the all wet food.
 
Are you waiting because you aren't home to test during the day? When she is starting in the 300's if you give a half unit I am sure that would be a very conservative dose that you wouldn't have to worry about but would give her some insulin support in the meantime for the next two days.
 
JanetNJ said:
Are you waiting because you aren't home to test during the day? When she is starting in the 300's if you give a half unit I am sure that would be a very conservative dose that you wouldn't have to worry about but would give her some insulin support in the meantime for the next two days.
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Yes I start vacation on Friday so I'd prefer to be home the first full day I inject him and I'm planning to start with 1 unit (instead of the 2 my vet had suggested) per suggestion of other members here. Just trying to get more comfortable testing him before the whole thing begins!
 
Well, this evenings test was a fail! I tried three times and just couldn't get any blood. By then, I was nervous and he was unhappy, so Ill just let tonight be and try again tomorrow.
 
Caitlin M said:
Well, this evenings test was a fail! I tried three times and just couldn't get any blood. By then, I was nervous and he was unhappy, so Ill just let tonight be and try again tomorrow.
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Good move. Try again when you're relaxed. Did you warm the ear beforehand? Are your lancets 26 - 28 gauge rather than the too thin 30 - 31 gauge?
 
Caitlin M said:
Well, this evenings test was a fail! I tried three times and just couldn't get any blood. By then, I was nervous and he was unhappy, so Ill just let tonight be and try again tomorrow.
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Eh, it happens. Try a double poke in the same spot (freehand, no device).
 
I did warm his ears- a few times actually, and the lancets are 26g. He's been growling a bit when I poke him also, so I feel like I may be hurting him and/or it gets me flustered. It's obviously extremely new so I realize he's still getting used to it. From the 3 I've done, 2 have taken me three tries, and 1 I got the first try. Ugh.
 
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Caitlin M said:
I did warm his ears- a few times actually, and the lancets are 26g. He's been growling a bit when I poke him also, so I feel like I may be hurting him and/or it gets me flustered. It's obviously extremely new so I realize he's still getting used to it. From the 3 I've done, 2 have taken me three tries, and 1 I got the first try. Ugh.
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Are you aiming for the sweet spot?
 
Caitlin M said:
I did warm his ears- a few times actually, and the lancets are 26g. He's been growling a bit when I poke him also, so I feel like I may be hurting him and/or it gets me flustered. It's obviously extremely new so I realize he's still getting used to it. From the 3 I've done, 2 have taken me three tries, and 1 I got the first try. Ugh.
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I promise you - it gets better. Being as calm and business-like as possible is the way to approach it because they sense it when we're anxious.
 
JanetNJ said:
Eh, it happens. Try a double poke in the same spot (freehand, no device).
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I do actually just use the lancet-I hated the device! Maybe it's because he's been a bit growly, butI can't imagine being able to do a double poke-I think it makes me nervous when he does it. How do you know if you've hit the same spot? Or is it supposed to be the general area? I may not be doing it fast enough yet either. I certainly don't draw it out, but from some videos I viewed, their hand was lightning fast. Can you tell I just want to be a pro already?! ;-)
 
Kris & Teasel said:
I promise you - it gets better. Being as calm and business-like as possible is the way to approach it because they sense it when we're anxious.
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The whole thing seems to take me a few minutes, even when I set everything up beforehand-that's normal right? I try to warm his ear, I put on ointment, I kiss him, I try to poke...it definitely takes 3-5 minutes (or it just feels like forever).
 
Caitlin M said:
I do actually just use the lancet-I hated the device! Maybe it's because he's been a bit growly, butI can't imagine being able to do a double poke-I think it makes me nervous when he does it. How do you know if you've hit the same spot? Or is it supposed to be the general area? I may not be doing it fast enough yet either. I certainly don't draw it out, but from some videos I viewed, their hand was lightning fast. Can you tell I just want to be a pro already?! ;-)
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A new lancet every time might help - sharper is better; bevel side up; lancet on an angle to the ear; quick little motion to pierce.
 
Caitlin M said:
The whole thing seems to take me a few minutes, even when I set everything up beforehand-that's normal right? I try to warm his ear, I put on ointment, I kiss him, I try to poke...it definitely takes 3-5 minutes (or it just feels like forever).
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Yeah, with the ear-warming it does take a bit of time, but that's OK. Eventually, you will both get used to the whole process. Make sure to always give a treat at the end, even if there wasn't a successful test-- that way, at least one of you will be happy with the outcome! :)
 
Kris & Teasel said:
A new lancet every time might help - sharper is better; bevel side up; lancet on an angle to the ear; quick little motion to pierce.
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Ok, I have actually tried a new lancet each time and also the same one twice in a row. I've been checking for bevel side up and I can probably try to angle it more. It may not be accurate, but he seems to be urinating and drinking less since the dry food has been completely gone, so that makes me happy.
 
Nan & Amber said:
Yeah, with the ear-warming it does take a bit of time, but that's OK. Eventually, you will both get used to the whole process. Make sure to always give a treat at the end, even if there wasn't a successful test-- that way, at least one of you will be happy with the outcome! :)
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He actually doesn't like treats! So even if he's jumped away, I make sure to go rub and kiss him and use a positive voice. I actually gave him a catnip sock this am as I was doing it but I'm not sure if it really helped. He does love catnip to play with.
 
Just make sure to do something he associates with as a positive reward. He will learn that after the test something good is coming :cat: After a few days, Maury learned after the beep of the meter he was going to get a treat! His other training plays in to because he jumps down and promptly sits lol
 
Yong said:
Just make sure to do something he associates with as a positive reward. He will learn that after the test something good is coming :cat: After a few days, Maury learned after the beep of the meter he was going to get a treat! His other training plays in to because he jumps down and promptly sits lol
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Yeah the only thing I can think to do that he cares about it pet him. I hope that becomes enough! Or I can give him the catnip, but he doesn't always care.
 
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