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Everything on that list is for home testing of BG - blood :). You can also pickup some ketone test strips though since she is post-DKA it will be important to make sure ketones don't come back or if they do, you can catch them earlier.
 
No they sell the strips on the same site for about $21 for 100. And you can buy them at some kroger and I think meijer stores under their generic branded meters.
 
When i went to visit her today they noticed a lump on her that wasnt their last night. im hoping thats not a new problem and maybe just some reaction to the meds she is getting. its behind her left front leg on side of her body. im not a dr but feels like it has liquid in it?
 
They may be giving her subQ fluids to help rehydrate her. They put a small amount of fluid just under the skin in the upper back, sometimes the "bump" can be more towards the side. It absorbs in about an hour.

If they are, you can ask them to teach you how in case she isn't drinking well. This is something that can be done at home to help if needed, and supplies don't cost too much at most vets
 
Here is a pic
 

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Yikes, that does look more like a reaction/infection to one of the shots they have given her than a fluids bump. I hope the fact that they noticed it at the vet's means they are going to keep an eye on it and use caution with any further shots. Doubt it's anything serious/long-term, but it sure doesn't look normal to me.
 
oh yeah, that's not a fluid bump. Maybe skin infection or something similar (ticks? bugbite?). Infections can trigger DKA, so hopefully they are aware and treating it if it's infected.
 
Meya14 said:
oh yeah, that's not a fluid bump. Maybe skin infection or something similar (ticks? bugbite?). Infections can trigger DKA, so hopefully they are aware and treating it if it's infected.
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That's a good thought-- I had been thinking that maybe dental issues or the moving stress was the trigger, but if she got bitten by something and it got infected, that could definitely have done it.
 
Nan & Amber said:
That's a good thought-- I had been thinking that maybe dental issues or the moving stress was the trigger, but if she got bitten by something and it got infected, that could definitely have done it.
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Bump didnt appear until today,if she was bit prob a couple days ago,wouldnt it have started with the bump yesterday? i pet her very much yesterday all over and no bumps at all felt
 
It can take a few days for infections to really get going, so it might have not been noticable before. I would call the vet in the AM and ask them what they think it is, and what they are doing if they think it's infected. Vets will commonly start DKA cats on antibiotics anyway even if there isn't signs of infection, so she might already be getting some.
 
Just called,said not a bite,drained some fluid from it. said looks like a hematoma. maybe from a vaccine,which she has had any in awhile or she may have fell at some point,they said like a blood blister. calling in am again then possibly transfering her to my vet? she isnt puking anymore but also isnt eating. numbers are in high 200' s
 
Does this kit come with a pin to prick her ear? or do i need to get one? if so where do i get this? they are keeping her another 24 hrs since my vet doesnt have overnite care. said she should be able to come home tomorrow!
 
The things you use to prick the ears are called "lancets". Sometimes there will be a few included with a meter, but those are usually too thin for when you are starting out (too hard to get a drop of blood from the ear), so you should plan on picking up a separate box of 26 or 28 gauge (lower numbers = thicker) lancets. They're usually labelled "for alternate sites" or something similar.

Sounds like she's doing much better!
 
racn1320 said:
Can i get these lancets at walmart?
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Definitely, or at any human pharmacy-- they'll be with all the other diabetic testing supplies. There is usually a "lancing device" that comes with a meter-- some folks use them, others don't (they make a "click" noise, which can startle).

Yong gave you a nice shopping list here, so I'll just copy it.

Yong said:
A lot of us use a human meter from Walmart, ReliOn Confirm or Micro (Only difference is meter size).
1. Meter ($15)
2. Test strips ($35.88 / 100)
3. 26 or 28 gauge lancets ($4)
4. Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment ($3)
5. A treat for yourself :cat:

Here is the Spreadsheet link again, all you need is a Google account: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/
Signature instructions, make sure to also add her DKA date: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/editing-your-signature-profile-and-preferences.130340/
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If you are using a human meter you should be able to pick up everything you need at Walmart. If using a pet meter you may have to go through your vet. I use the AT2 and order through amazon. I also have a Henry Schein and have to order those through my vet, so it just depends.
 
If i buy ketone strips and she shows she has ketones do i have to take her back in or is there something i can do at home to correct?
 
Is this all i need? again thx to you all for your help.
 

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Yes, that is what you need for testing BG at home. Usually for ketones, anything above Trace should receive Vet attention.
 
Ok thx. would vet do same thing they are now?very costly if so. these lancets wont poke a hole in her ear correct? i have no idea how lancing device works. didnt buy it yet
 
Personally I dont use the lancet thingy, just free hand. It's easier for me to see where I'm poking and I feel I have more control over it. As for going through the ear, you might. I know I have a few times.
Usually to test for ketones a vet will do a urinalysis (at least mine does) Costs me around 30 bucks. It's much cheaper to do it at home with ketone testing strips. I got mine off amazon for $10 for 50.
 
Cats have very few nerve endings in their ears. It might be a little uncomfortable at that moment, but it will heal right up - its a very very tiny hole. Once I went all the way through and he never flinched. Didn't even know I had done it until I saw blood on the cotton ball from the underside of his ear.
As far as ketones go, I'm not entirely sure what a vet does to treat since we haven't had any experience with that.
Maybe @Kris & Teasel @Yong will have some advice.
 
Doesn't hurt them anymore than a regular poke, like W.K. said, they usually barely notice if you go all the way through. Firmly holding the ear helps close it up right away and reduces bruising. The ReliOn meter does have a lancing device but most have better luck poking by hand, myself included. I use the lancing device to hold the lancet but never used the trigger function.

I don't have any personal experience, hope I won't need to, but from reading the forum I've always heard anything above Trace, needs Vet or ER Vet attention. Once they start showing, they can increase quickly and put kitty in DKA. Kris will have more specifics cos Teasel had a DKA episode. My understanding is fluids and antibiotics for initial treatments to try and flush ketones, sometimes Vet will give fast acting insulin. :)
 
I've gone right through teasel's ears more than once and they heal just fine. The treatment if ketones are detected will vary with how high the level is. At a low level it might mean extra fluids only, either at the vet or at home. If the level is high there is a danger of life-threatening diabetic ketoacidosis developing. That requires a very expensive stay in the ER ICU, extra fluids, electrolytes, and often fast acting insulin to get BG down quickly.

The risk factors for ketones developing include:
  • not eating/vomiting
  • dehydration
  • insufficient or no insulin
  • another infection or inflammation going on.
You can help at home by ensuring good hydration - add a little warm water to all wet meals - and using urine ketone test strips. Here's what can work for that:
  • put a strip into the urine stream while she's in the litter box
  • put a shallow long handled spoon under her backside to catch a bit of pee
  • put a couple of layers of plastic food wrap over her favourite peeing spot in the litter box and push some small depressions into it.
 
Ok thx,guess ill get ketone strips too. i think i can just put it under her when she pees. just need a splash right?
 
Yup. Just make sure to look at the result at the time specified. The longer it sits, the colour will naturally get darker.
 
Hi. I'm a newbie here myself. I just bought all the supplies you are looking at. Later, you may want to look at eBay for the test strips for the meter. I found them much cheaper there than in the store. I use the lancing device. I trigger it so many times during one test, trying to get enough blood, so I think my cat is now indifferent to the 'click' sound. I found that the 4th line (for depth of the poke) works the best on the device if you choose to use it.

Good luck with your kitty!!
 
Well she still wont eat on her own,how long does it normally take for one with getting over dka to eat? they dont want to release her till she eats,and im starting to get low on funds
 
Now they say could be bite marks which could have set this whole thing off? vet is very nice people!
 
No DKA advice from me but, if money is the issue most vets have sort of fund for people who need a little help. Might be worth asking about.
 
Ugh. Can they do anything to try to calm it down (antihistamine???) or do you just have to wait until it runs its course? Poor thing, no wonder she wasn't feeling well.
 
So when something stresses the body, the body needs extra insulin to recover sometimes. This is why DKA can happen. When we test blood sugar regularly, we can see the raise in blood sugar and adjust the insulin to account for these stressors and prevent DKA. As for now, if she is not eating, they need to try giving her an -Anti-nausea- medication (not appetite stimulant) because ketones can make cats very nauseous. At home, you can have this medication as well to help with eating. Homecare if she is not eating consists of syring feeding every 2-3 hours, blood sugar testing, ketone testing and close monitoring of insulin. SubQ fluids are also helpful at home to help with hydration. Cats often have a hard time eating after DKA when recovering. If her ketone level is low at the vet, it may be possible to try homecare if you have time to do nursing care around the clock for a few days. If ketone levels are medium or high, she should really stay at the vet. Also, until that wound is figured out, she should probably be at the vet to get antibiotics.
 
She is kn antobiotics and anti nausea meds. i fed her tnight some baby food with a syringe. i really hope to bring her home tomorrow,cost about 700 a day for her to stay there and jm gettn low
 
Yeah, inpatient is really expensive. Hopefully you can avoid it in the future, prevention is so much easier. It's good you were able to syringe feed. Ask for recovery wet food for when she goes home, anti-nausea meds for at home, sub-Q for at home, potassium supplement if needed, and also a copy of any lab results.

A recovering cat needs at least 1 5.5 or 6oz can a day of higher calorie food each day. More is better, so it takes a little work to get all those calories in.
 
Are all those meds thru syringes,fluid or pills,she wont do pills. so i shouldnt feed her the regular pates or classic food? luckily i have some time off for a week i can stay with her 24/7
 
You need to find a high-calorie food (Iams kitten food, recovery food, wellness brand foods). about 200 calories a day, so most brands list the calories on the can. You can check what you have at home. Anything that you syringe feed when sick she will probably never want to eat again on her own. Anti nausea and potassium (if she's low) are pills, but you can crush them and mix them with a small amount of the food you are syringing.

Also, what part of the country do you live in and does she go outside?
 
Live in pa. she is inside only. guess when i get the meter the day she comes home ill get some cat food,ill ask the hospital for a few syringes for the kitten food
 
Meya14 said:
You need to find a high-calorie food (Iams kitten food, recovery food, wellness brand foods). about 200 calories a day, so most brands list the calories on the can. You can check what you have at home. Anything that you syringe feed when sick she will probably never want to eat again on her own. Anti nausea and potassium (if she's low) are pills, but you can crush them and mix them with a small amount of the food you are syringing.

Also, what part of the country do you live in and does she go outside?
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I checked ff and friskies and they didnt list calories,im.hoping other makers list this about calories (
 
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