Home testing?

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Stressedcatmom

Stressedcatmom

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Hi guys,

Yoshi is on day 3 of insulin and I am on day 3 of getting the hang of giving him shots.

My vet said the next step is to come in for glucose and another reading to test how he's been over the course of these weeks.

I know all of you home test, and I'm not there yet.

How often should one home test? I can't imagine pricking him every day in the ear constantly. Is there a "norm?"
 
Hi, Stressedcatmom! Welcome to the world of feline diabetes! First of all, learning to home test has been a process for all of us. You may be surprised at how easy it is, once the first few days are over. There is a learning curve. Most of us use human meters instead of the meter from the vet. The human meters are less expensive, and the test strips are a LOT less expensive. That's particularly nice since the insulin can be a bit pricey.

The great thing about home testing is that it's more accurate than the numbers at the vet because most cats get pretty stressed out at vet visits and that impacts their numbers. When you test at home, you can see the numbers when your cat is safe and relaxed. You can also see the trends over time which will help you make wiser choices with dosing, and help keep Yoshi safe.

As far as how often, some people test quite a bit, others who work all day just test right before they give the injection, and try to get more mid-cycle numbers on days and times when they aren't working. Don't let that part overwhelm you right now. There is a lot to learn and you can make decisions about what's best for you and Yoshi as you move through the flood of information you're learning right now.

And just to make sure you're in the right forum: Is Yoshi getting ProZinc as his insulin?

And have you had a chance to read the beginner's guide?

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...prozinc-pzi-insulin-for-diabetic-cats.164995/

Please ask as many questions as you have. We're all here to help!
 
Thank you for responding. Yes, he's on prozinc. I forgot to mention that my vet wants to see him in 3 weeks. She told me not to home test until then and to just check him for signs of hypo.

Yikes I can't imagine sticking him before every shot. I work A LOT and it's hard for me to give the shots every 12 hours (but I will).

How do you know how much insulin to give when you home test? Thanks for the link. Reading it now
 
Stressedcatmom said:
Yikes I can't imagine sticking him before every shot.
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I have a kitty with other health issues that will never go into remission. Over the last 2+ years I have "stuck" his ear well over 7000 times and he is doing fine. Although the idea of sticking a little sharp pointy object in your kitty's ear over and over sounds totally impossible or improbable, the fact is that home testing will keep your kitty safe. Glucose numbers can vary...sometimes a lot...day to day...and without regular testing at a minimum before each shot, there is no way to know whether it is safe to give the usual dose. Once you have been home testing and start posting your results on a daily basis. there are a lot of very experienced people here who can help with advising how well a certain dose is working. Insulin is a hormone, which is much different than something like an antibiotic. Many things can affect the glucose levels day by day. I didn't start home testing until about 3 weeks after my kitty was diagnosed and looking back now I realize that I waited too long to take control of the situation.

Sending lots of :bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
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Some members have used the paw pads for testing. Here is a short video showing how it is done.


I did try paw pads when I started but found that the ears worked much better for my kitties. Here is some excellent information on ear testing. Although this all sounds like we are torturing our kitties, it is not as bad as we think. When I started home testing I was in tears and my kitty was howling....within a month he was coming to the test pad on his own and actually purring while I did the tests. He is VERY food oriented so a nice treat or small meal after testing was all I neede to convince him that testing was a "good" thing.
 
Thank you!!! My vet didn't tell me much about home testing because I think she was scared I'd lose it. I was already crying pretty bad at the thought of shots. I think that's why she's waiting to talk more at our next visit.

I have kind of an off-ish topic question. What do people do when they go on vacation? I can't imagine training a friend to do this for me while away. My Yoshi is a mommas boy. He isn't a huge fan of other people. Absolutely hates my mother, so that's not an option.
 
And no wonder you're so nice. You're from Winnipeg! One of my good friends is from there and visits often. I think she's from Manitoba if that makes sense
 
We all felt the same way you did when we started! Trust me, I was sobbing at the vet's office...and when I gave Gypsy her first shots! I quickly realized that she wasn't upset at all...only I was!

I tested her ear...from what I understand they don't have as many nerve endings in their ears so it shouldn't really hurt...they feel more pressure than pain. But whatever works best for you is what you should do!

Until you get a meter and start home testing, why not spend some time desensitizing him? Pick a spot to test (I used the floor by the fridge, some use a counter or table..) and take him there several times a day. Rub his ears and then give him a special treat. By the time you add the poke in, he'll be excited to get that treat!

As for vacation..well...I solved that by never going on vacation. :p Super practical because I had no money! I think most folks have a neighbor or family member/friend who helps out. Some people board their cats so they know they are in the vet's hands. I've also heard of people getting a vet tech or student at a vet school to come out and take care of the kitty...that way they are getting some practice (and have some experience and knowledge of what they're doing) and kitty can stay happily in his own home.
 
My vet did say a vet tech could come but I'm scared it would coast a trillion dollars.

Thank you for the ear rubbing tip. I guess testing at home is another part of the process I didn't really realize :(
 
I'd check how much they would charge. I don't know if it would cost that much, but it might. There are some pet sitting services too who will give insulin injections...another thing to look at. I'd do some poking around and see if any friends might be willing to learn or what it would cost for other services.

I know home testing is awfully daunting...trust me, I was miserable when I started and thought I'd NEVER get the hang of it. But it really isn't that hard...if it was, not nearly as many of us would do it as we do now! And it's way cheaper than going to the vet for testing. Plus...you get a level of control you couldn't have otherwise. For a control freak like me, that's a must!!!

Maybe also watch some videos online and you'll see how most cats really submit to it easily. I know you can do this! It'll be second nature in no time. :bighug:
 
Stressedcatmom said:
Thank you!!! My vet didn't tell me much about home testing because I think she was scared I'd lose it. I was already crying pretty bad at the thought of shots. I think that's why she's waiting to talk more at our next visit.

I have kind of an off-ish topic question. What do people do when they go on vacation? I can't imagine training a friend to do this for me while away. My Yoshi is a mommas boy. He isn't a huge fan of other people. Absolutely hates my mother, so that's not an option.
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I think vets don't like to overwhelm the newly diagnosed cat owners. I clearly remember how scary it is. I didn't start home testing until six weeks after diagnosis. After a few days, once I got the hang of it, I wished I had started from the beginning. It was a relief to not shoot blindly, helped me know when a dose needed tweaking, and let me know when to steer the numbers up to keep her from dropping too low. Most of all it was the tool necessary to get her into remission. You can do this! If you click on my spreadsheet link in my signature you can see how testing really was an important component.... I tested 4-8 times a day. Didn't hurt her.
 
Stressedcatmom said:
Thank you!!! My vet didn't tell me much about home testing because I think she was scared I'd lose it. I was already crying pretty bad at the thought of shots. I think that's why she's waiting to talk more at our next visit.

I have kind of an off-ish topic question. What do people do when they go on vacation? I can't imagine training a friend to do this for me while away. My Yoshi is a mommas boy. He isn't a huge fan of other people. Absolutely hates my mother, so that's not an option.
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I boarded her at the vet. My in laws took care of my other 6 cats, but thought boarding was the best option for cc.
 
Stressedcatmom said:
And no wonder you're so nice. You're from Winnipeg! One of my good friends is from there and visits often. I think she's from Manitoba if that makes sense
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Winnipeg is the capitol of Manitoba and Canadians in general are characterized by their "helpfulness". However the members on this forum are ALL very helpful no matter where they are from. We all share a common interest/love in our kitties.
 
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