Home testing

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Ninagirl143

Ninagirl143

Member Since 2017
HI all. My Nina is home after a bad hypo episode and 4 days almost of hospitalization. I am trying to get everything together to start home testing. Can someome advise me please how often & when this should be done? And just a basic breakdown. Ive seen how to do it, i just want to be knowledgeable on how to go about the readings and when is the right time to read them. Also is anyone familiar with the urine sample testing strips? I have those for now, but again not quite positive how to go about them and know im getting an accurate reading. I am a nervous wreck watching her around the clock I cant sleep. Just want to make sure she is ok. Any advice appreciated!
 
Hi Nina!
Here is a shopping list I typed up for new members:
Test Shop List

A lot of us use a human glucometer 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 / triple antibiotic ointment (Polysporin if CAN) ($3)
5. Ketone test strips
6. A treat for yourself ;)

The Spreadsheet we use, you only need a Google account to make one and if you need help setting it up, just ask! http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/
How to understand said SS (spreadsheet): http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/understanding-the-spreadsheet-grid.156606/
And setting up your Signature: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/editing-your-signature-profile-and-preferences.130340/

At bare minimum we recommend doing AMPS and PMPS (morning and evening pre shot tests). These are done about 5 - 30 minutes before actual shot time (depending on insulin used) with no food eaten 2 hours prior so the BG (blood glucose) is not food influenced. Whenever you can grab some mid cycle tests, this should be explained in "understanding the spreadsheet" :).

Unfortunately, Urine glucose test strips are not accurate but you'll be dipping the ketone test strips in urine instead :smuggrin:. Glucose typically spills over into the urine when it's above like 225 so if it doesn't spill into urine, BG could still be higher than normal.

Feel free to keep asking questions or need any tips :bighug:
 
How to test for urine ketones using human ketone test strips:
  • put strip right into the urine stream OR
  • slide a shallow, long-handled spoon under her backside while she's doing her business OR
  • put a double layer of plastic wrap over her favourite area of the litter box and push a few indentations into it.
Make sure you time the strips carefully before reading (usually 15 sec) and look at the colour under very good light.
 
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Can you also tell us what insulin and dose Nina takes? Also what food you are feeding her. You may need to lower her dose. For newbies we recomend using 200 as your "don't shoot" number. Any reading below 200 you would skip the dose. When you have more information about how she responds to the dose, you can begin using a lower number.
 
Based on your post above, testing urine for glucose is not an accurate way to test. It only tells you the sugar is spilling out. You can not dose insulin based on urine test. In order to dose insulin, you really need to home test blood sugar.

Ketones are different. Those you can test with urine dip sticks. Anything over trace needs to acted on as dka (diabetes ketone acidosis) can be fatal very quickly.
 
Lisa and Witn (GA) said:
Can you also tell us what insulin and dose Nina takes? Also what food you are feeding her. You may need to lower her dose. For newbies we recomend using 200 as your "don't shoot" number. Any reading below 200 you would skip the dose. When you have more information about how she responds to the dose, you can begin using a lower number.
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As of now it is basically whatever she will eat. (Shes been going for fancy feast) afterwards when she is back to normal I will be trying to get her to eat the Purina dm the vets suggested. She was on 5 cc of prozinc when this all happened . Last thursday she had not been eating much (she was on dry food iams pro health) brang her to the vet and her levels seemed okay, he suggested lowering to 3 cc and we gave her an appetite stimulant and wet food (hills from the vet/purina dm) by monday i stood up because she was acting funny around bedtime, wobbly, unstable. I called the vet around midnight they suggested giving her some honey and feeding her.. she ate. But within the hour bounced up and went into a seizure. It was very trematic, she was hospitalized for 4 days. Shes been home almost 2 now and thank god coming around. For now she is no insulin.. as they believe she may of went into a diabetic remission.she will be going back to the vet tomorrow to see where shes at regarding insulin. I am very scared to think of even giving her insulin again but I know home testing will help if that ends up being what happens. Just alot on my plate right now.. but glad my girl is improving.
 
Awful high dose of insulin. And if the dry food was removed and not home testing probably had a serious hypo. Must have been very scary. Hope you will home test. It's the only way to prevent it from happening again.

Sorry but I don't believe you can go 5 of insulin straight to remission. Please home test to make sure her glucose is not climbing to serious level. You should start a list with questions to ask your vet. But something doesn't sound right.
 
5 is a crazy high dose, and 3 is pretty high too. I didn't even want to do 2 units without testing. I have a video in my signature showing how to do it.
 
Woodsywife said:
Sorry but I don't believe you can go 5 of insulin straight to remission
Click to expand...

It actually is possible....although it doesn't happen often!!

For some reason, occasionally, a severe hypo seems to trigger the pancreas to work again. I've seen 5-6 cats since we started this adventure who had severe hypos and went into remission right after

But I totally agree that right now, you should be home testing to keep an eye on what's going on and if you need to resume insulin, you'll be ready to keep your kitty safe!!
 
Woodsywife said:
Awful high dose of insulin. And if the dry food was removed and not home testing probably had a serious hypo. Must have been very scary. Hope you will home test. It's the only way to prevent it from happening again.

Sorry but I don't believe you can go 5 of insulin straight to remission. Please home test to make sure her glucose is not climbing to serious level. You should start a list with questions to ask your vet. But something doesn't sound right.
Click to expand...
Thank you I am def going to home test. I have tons of questions to ask my vet.. and i am considering finding a new one. I am thankful for the emergency care vet that was open around the clock to help me during such a scary time. I am wondering why he went so high with 5 and am now skeptical of any amount he will come up with.
 
Chris & China said:
It actually is possible....although it doesn't happen often!!

For some reason, occasionally, a severe hypo seems to trigger the pancreas to work again. I've seen 5-6 cats since we started this adventure who had severe hypos and went into remission right after

But I totally agree that right now, you should be home testing to keep an eye on what's going on and if you need to resume insulin, you'll be ready to keep your kitty safe!!
Click to expand...
As the clinic said it may of been happening over the course of time .. and as the 5 was too high it eventually hit her all at once even when lowered till 3. Wish i had known to test. No one informed me. I am getting everything together now to begin doing it.
 
Yes, insulin needs can constantly change....that's why it's so important to test!!

We see it here all the time where vets start their patients at crazy high doses....the sad fact is that vets only get 5 hours of formal education on diabetes when they're in school (and that covers dogs and cats!).....after that, unless they have a special interest in feline diabetes, they tend to treat their cats like small dogs. Vets see a lot more diabetic dogs than cats (although with the current problem of obesity, cats are catching up)

The vet that gave me our original script for Lantus told me I'd need to start China at 4U and that she'd probably need much more....she only weighed 7.8lbs!! In the over 5 years she's been treated, she's never gone over 2.75 so I'm so glad I listened to the people here instead of that vet!
 
Chris & China said:
It actually is possible....although it doesn't happen often!!

For some reason, occasionally, a severe hypo seems to trigger the pancreas to work again. I've seen 5-6 cats since we started this adventure who had severe hypos and went into remission right after

But I totally agree that right now, you should be home testing to keep an eye on what's going on and if you need to resume insulin, you'll be ready to keep your kitty safe!!
Click to expand...

Thanks for info Chris. I never saw or heard that can happen. Very interesting. Although I'm not in the dance anymore, I still like to learn about it. Hopefully I will never have to do it again. Although there are some DCIN kitties I really like.
 
Chris & China said:
Yes, insulin needs can constantly change....that's why it's so important to test!!

We see it here all the time where vets start their patients at crazy high doses....the sad fact is that vets only get 5 hours of formal education on diabetes when they're in school (and that covers dogs and cats!).....after that, unless they have a special interest in feline diabetes, they tend to treat their cats like small dogs. Vets see a lot more diabetic dogs than cats (although with the current problem of obesity, cats are catching up)

The vet that gave me our original script for Lantus told me I'd need to start China at 4U and that she'd probably need much more....she only weighed 7.8lbs!! In the over 5 years she's been treated, she's never gone over 2.75 so I'm so glad I listened to the people here instead of that vet!
Click to expand...
Exactly .. just scary thinking i thought i had a good caring vet and then this happens. Just dont know who to trust out there. Thankful i came here to learn about the home testing and thankful for the emergency clinic ! Its just a scary thing
 
Chris & China said:
We can hook you up!!! Seems like a shame to waste all that knowledge!! ;)

There are over 100 diabetic kitties still waiting for their forever home that DCIN is searching for
Click to expand...

I know. DH is retiring this year before SS starts. I have a feeling I will have to go back to work to afford the 3 I have. And it's not fair to Tripper, she should be an only cat.
 
Yong said:
This is a little confusing to me. Not doubting it but haven't heard of a kitty going from a low and then having a seizure because of a bounce. Am I misunderstanding something?
:bookworm:
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Well she had the seizure because she was going into hypoglycemia.. she was at an extreme low. not because of the bounce thats how she popped up from laying down and it happened. This when it all originally happened and she had a severe hypo episode
 
Ninagirl143 said:
Well she had the seizure because she was going into hypoglycemia.. she was at an extreme low. not because of the bounce thats how she popped up from laying down and it happened. This when it all originally happened and she had a severe hypo episode
Click to expand...
Yong said:
This is a little confusing to me. Not doubting it but haven't heard of a kitty going from a low and then having a seizure because of a bounce. Am I misunderstanding something?
:bookworm:
Click to expand...
Sorry im not great at explaining things Lol.. my nerves are done for this week as is my brain.
 
Ninagirl143 said:
Well she had the seizure because she was going into hypoglycemia.. she was at an extreme low. not because of the bounce thats how she popped up from laying down and it happened. This when it all originally happened and she had a severe hypo episode
Click to expand...
Oooh ok. That, I have heard of. I'm sorry that happened :bighug:. When you get a chance, try to at least setup your Signature from the links I posted in post #2. Bottom right of every posted message should have a number next to Like and Reply options :)
 
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