First home tests

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Bron

Bron

Member Since 2017
Hi everyone - tested Quiz for the first time last night (Sunday) - he was fantastic and very relaxed. Today we are doing 2 hourly tests for the vet and the first one (pre-insulin) was not so successful. It's going to be a long day and Quiz is already annoyed at being kept in. Found it hard to get blood this morning despite doing the rice sock, massaging etc. and it hurt him, he yelled. It was before eating though so I think from now on we will do it post meal but pre insulin.....
Does anyone else have issues with it hurting their cat? All the ones on the videos are so used to it, it's not a drama......

Thanks
Bron
 
Maybe you accidentally hit the vein? Aim for the edge.
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Well done getting started with the testing !! Fantastic:)
It will get easier for both of you........it is always a bit awkward and fiddly in the beginning.
Can you give Quiz a tiny bit do something LC while you test to distract ?.
I used to give Sheba chicken stock to lap up while I tested. Just cook some chicken bones in water for several hours....nothing else added........then strain and cool the juice.......then freeze in ice block trays. When frozen put into plastic zip top bags to use as needed.
 
Congrats on the first test.:)

My Neko had dark ears. At first I found it handy to have a small flashlight under her ears so I could see the vein. Put a little pressure down from the spot you poke, and "pump" above to help the blood well up. The blood runs down towards the head. I also put a very small bit of Vaseline on her ears, to prevent the blood from soaking into her fur. I also used a pill bottle with warm water, instead of the rice sock. You have to experiment to see what works for you.

Are you holding the lancet via hand or with the device? If using a device, maybe the depth setting isn't right. I hand poked, but it's personal taste. And practice. :bighug:
 
JanetNJ said:
Maybe you accidentally hit the vein? Aim for the edge. View attachment 30598
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Thanks Janet - possibly - it was my partner who did it but my turn next. See this is why I'm so confused - I'm getting a lot of conflicting information - I was just at our vet's and the nurse there said to go into the vein.....I thought it was outside of the vein....and that's what all the videos say....
 
Bron and Sheba said:
Well done getting started with the testing !! Fantastic:)
It will get easier for both of you........it is always a bit awkward and fiddly in the beginning.
Can you give Quiz a tiny bit do something LC while you test to distract ?.
I used to give Sheba chicken stock to lap up while I tested. Just cook some chicken bones in water for several hours....nothing else added........then strain and cool the juice.......then freeze in ice block trays. When frozen put into plastic zip top bags to use as needed.
Click to expand...
Yep I have freeze dried beef treats at the ready....:)
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Congrats on the first test.:)

My Neko had dark ears. At first I found it handy to have a small flashlight under her ears so I could see the vein. Put a little pressure down from the spot you poke, and "pump" above to help the blood well up. The blood runs down towards the head. I also put a very small bit of Vaseline on her ears, to prevent the blood from soaking into her fur. I also used a pill bottle with warm water, instead of the rice sock. You have to experiment to see what works for you.

Are you holding the lancet via hand or with the device? If using a device, maybe the depth setting isn't right. I hand poked, but it's personal taste. And practice. :bighug:
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We are hand poking but wondering if we should try the device? I'm wondering if Kim poked too deep? We can easily see his vein.....our vet told us about the vaseline trick too - I 'm wondering if it would be ok to use aloe vera gel or paw paw ointment without it affecting the reading? Both the same consistency as vaseline - and we already have some in the cupboard!
 
Bron said:
We are hand poking but wondering if we should try the device? I'm wondering if Kim poked too deep? We can easily see his vein.....our vet told us about the vaseline trick too - I 'm wondering if it would be ok to use aloe vera gel or paw paw ointment without it affecting the reading? Both the same consistency as vaseline - and we already have some in the cupboard!
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I would try the lancet in the device if the other way is causing pain. I never had success without the device but some people do.
Aim for the space between the vein and the edge of the ear.
I would not use any of the creams you mentioned as they might be poisonous....unless someone comes on and says they are fine
Most of us use neosporin with pain relief ointment but we don't have it in Oz so you need to order from OS. Here is a link
https://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-1897...ViwYqCh1omg45EAQYASABEgLbQPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
 
Used the device that time and not even a flinch! And he is at 9.1 (middle of the day here) which is awesome for him - we are seeing a real curve now!
Thanks to everyone for their valuable help :)
I've ordered some Neosporin now - kicking myself as my sister just got back from the States on the weekend - wish I'd asked her to get some for me.....
 
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Bron said:
Thanks Janet - possibly - it was my partner who did it but my turn next. See this is why I'm so confused - I'm getting a lot of conflicting information - I was just at our vet's and the nurse there said to go into the vein.....I thought it was outside of the vein....and that's what all the videos say....
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Yeah my dr said that too.... Yes is easier to get a sample by poking the vein but it bleeds more than you need, bruises the ear more, and is more painful. Aim for the sweet spot.
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Congratulations! Well done!!

I'm better with the lancet. Set it as low as possible to get enough blood. I set it to "1" if Girlie's ears are warm and "2" if her ears are cold. Vet also told me to go for the vein but I ignore that: it's clear that hurts more and I get too much blood that way - unnecessarily messy and painful.

Whenever I've tried to do it manually, she was not happy! Lancet is no problem, though.

Do rub/massage the ear afterwards to prevent scar tissue buildup.

Again, well done! :p:D:joyful:
 
What food was Quiz on before you switched to wet food? Sometimes a cat's numbers can really come down just from switching from dry to LC wet. Good thing you're testing so you can catch this if it happens! :)
 
Thank you! We are feeling a lot more confident now! His levels have gone right down to 3.9 today - first reading this morning was 18.2.....
He was on the Wellness or Holistic dry in the morning - half a small cup and various Wellness, Weruva, Holistic wet varieties in the evening. Some lactose free milk in the morning and Fussy Cat liver treats in the late evening.
 
Meant to tell you all (OT) that the new tripod Billy shot out the door on Thursday night and disappeared for about 28 hours - a stressful time for us....especially as he is just post-surgery, has hardly any fur and it's cold here, and not used to being out with just three legs! So just when I was a complete mess and pretty much given up (we'd letterboxed and doorknocked) - he walked back in late Friday night as if nothing was wrong and none the worse for wear! I burst into floods of tears again and got the stress headache from hell! Cats and stress....that's the siutation here at the moment!
 
I just looked at your SS. @Bron and Sheba and @JanetNJ what do you think? I'm wondering if that isn't a bit of a jump down from AMPS of 328 (18.2) to 103 (5.7) at +8. It looks like you're doing the SLGS (start low go slow, which it looks like you're doing) Bron; the other is the TR (tight regulation). You might want to make sure you get a +11 to see if Quiz is going up or going down... I'd ask someone like @Wendy&Neko or other experienced people to guide you if you get down to green numbers when it's time to shoot, especially as you've increased 1 U per week and you've only just started. I always think: keep kitty safe...:-)

You can put this sort of question in your title bar so people can see it easily, e.g. 28 Aug | Quiz | AMPS 328; +4=272; +8=103 Too low to shoot? (That's just an example)

Most people are more familiar with the US numbers which you can find on the Template US mg/dl tab on your SS. Fortunately, they update automatically when you put in the World mmol/L numbers! I always refer to the US numbers here as it's easier for people. :)
 
Bron said:
Meant to tell you all (OT) that the new tripod Billy shot out the door on Thursday night and disappeared for about 28 hours - a stressful time for us....especially as he is just post-surgery, has hardly any fur and it's cold here, and not used to being out with just three legs! So just when I was a complete mess and pretty much given up (we'd letterboxed and doorknocked) - he walked back in late Friday night as if nothing was wrong and none the worse for wear! I burst into floods of tears again and got the stress headache from hell! Cats and stress....that's the siutation here at the moment!
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OMG, how scared you must have been! Thank God Sasha never did anything like that, but it sounds like Billy was feeling pretty well, which is a good thing. I'd try to prevent any more escapes, though. :eek: Yes, cats can definitely give us major stress. Lord knows mine always have. But when they curl up in your lap and purr, your blood pressure goes down!
 
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I don't see a 70 on the SS. When was that, Bron, at +11? Or is it PMPS?

BTW, here's a link to your last thread. It helps us if you can link the previous thread each time you start a new one, so people can look back to see what has already been discussed. For instance, I was looking to see if you mentioned whether you are using a pet meter or a human one, and I didn't see anything about that. Which is it? The answer can affect the guidance we give.
 
Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey said:
I don't see a 70 on the SS. When was that, Bron, at +11? Or is it PMPS?

BTW, here's a link to your last thread. It helps us if you can link the previous thread each time you start a new one, so people can look back to see what has already been discussed. For instance, I was looking to see if you mentioned whether you are using a pet meter or a human one, and I didn't see anything about that. Which is it? The answer can affect the guidance we give.
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She's using a human meter. :)

About a half hour ago Bron wrote: "His levels have gone right down to 3.9 today - first reading this morning was 18.2....."

I could be too concerned, but to start at AMPS 383 and go down to 70 when getting close to shot time was something I thought that someone with experience should take a look at...is that right?
 
Girlie's mom said:
She's using a human meter. :)

About a half hour ago Bron wrote: "His levels have gone right down to 3.9 today - first reading this morning was 18.2....."

I could be too concerned, but to start at AMPS 383 and go down to 70 when getting close to shot time was something I thought that someone with experience should take a look at...is that right?
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Yes, but I'd like to know how close to shot time she is.
 
Darrah, you are a dear to be so anxious about Quiz and eager to help. I'm sure Bron appreciates having a compatriot to talk with about FD, but I have to mention that she has made it very clear she does not want dose advice from us, so unless she specifically asks, I won't risk alienating her by making recommendations.

Bron, I'm so glad you and Kim are getting the hang of testing. That's just awesome! :woot:
 
Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey said:
Darrah, you are a dear to be so anxious about Quiz and eager to help. I'm sure Bron appreciates having a compatriot to talk with about FD, but I have to mention that she has made it very clear she does not want dose advice from us, so unless she specifically asks, I won't risk alienating her by making recommendations.

Bron, I'm so glad you and Kim are getting the hang of testing. That's just awesome! :woot:
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Oh, I didn't realise that! I will back off then. Thanks for letting me know...

Sorry, Bron. Glad to hear the testing is going so well for you and Quiz! :-)
 
Girlie's mom said:
I just looked at your SS. @Bron and Sheba and @JanetNJ what do you think? I'm wondering if that isn't a bit of a jump down from AMPS of 328 (18.2) to 103 (5.7) at +8. It looks like you're doing the SLGS (start low go slow, which it looks like you're doing) Bron; the other is the TR (tight regulation). You might want to make sure you get a +11 to see if Quiz is going up or going down... I'd ask someone like @Wendy&Neko or other experienced people to guide you if you get down to green numbers when it's time to shoot, especially as you've increased 1 U per week and you've only just started. I always think: keep kitty safe...:)

You can put this sort of question in your title bar so people can see it easily, e.g. 28 Aug | Quiz | AMPS 328; +4=272; +8=103 Too low to shoot? (That's just an example)

Most people are more familiar with the US numbers which you can find on the Template US mg/dl tab on your SS. Fortunately, they update automatically when you put in the World mmol/L numbers! I always refer to the US numbers here as it's easier for people. :)
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Aaaw hun you are wonderful to be so caring - don't worry - I've emailed the vet the results and he will get back to me soon with next steps :) You guys are all awesome!
 
Bron said:
Aaaw hun you are wonderful to be so caring - don't worry - I've emailed the vet the results and he will get back to me soon with next steps :) You guys are all awesome!
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Good to hear, Bron. I hope his numbers come up before his PMPS. So happy to hear the lancet testing is working for you...great good news there! :-)
 
Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey said:
OMG, how scared you must have been! Thank God Sasha never did anything like that, but it sounds like Billy was feeling pretty well, which is a good thing. I'd try to prevent any more escapes, though. :eek: Yes, cats can definitely give us major stress. Lord knows mine always have. But when they curl up in your lap and purr, your blood pressure goes down!
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He's supposed to be in until the enclosure is done - but wham he was off! He is doing so well on three legs but I wish he'd left a note! :)
 
Girlie's mom said:
Oh, I didn't realise that! I will back off then. Thanks for letting me know...

Sorry, Bron. Glad to hear the testing is going so well for you and Quiz! :)
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Please please understand everyone - I love that you are so concerned and I totally respect your experience and advice....but....this is all Greek to me in this early stage, and I'm closely being supervised by my vet.....he has just emailed me and asked for a test at 7pm tonight and 7am tomorrow morning. He's told me not to dose him at all tonight....and we may go back to 2 units.....so he's completely on the ball.
He's very encouraged by Quiz's response to the insulin :)

Bron
 
Sorry I am just getting home and seeing the tags. Looks like Quiz is certainly responding to the insulin.!!
Glad you are able to email your vet to get advice. Ah...I see he has just responded.
You are doing a great job monitoring him. And looks like your vet is on the ball.
Please keep us posted:bighug:
 
Billy boy, Billy boy, behave! Still, it's great that he's managing so well - fantastic news. And super, super lucky cats to have an outside enclosure! I have a cat mesh on the verandah so mine can go out there whenever they want. I'm saving up to do one for the backyard, but for now, we have supervised play dates outside in the fenced-in garden.

Bron said:
Please please understand everyone - I love that you are so concerned and I totally respect your experience and advice....but....this is all Greek to me in this early stage, and I'm closely being supervised by my vet.....he has just emailed me and asked for a test at 7pm tonight and 7am tomorrow morning. He's told me not to dose him at all tonight....and we may go back to 2 units.....so he's completely on the ball.
He's very encouraged by Quiz's response to the insulin :)

Bron
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Good to hear, Bron. :-) And good to see Quiz respond to the insulin. :-)
 
Bron said:
Thank you! We are feeling a lot more confident now! His levels have gone right down to 3.9 today - first reading this morning was 18.2.....
He was on the Wellness or Holistic dry in the morning - half a small cup and various Wellness, Weruva, Holistic wet varieties in the evening. Some lactose free milk in the morning and Fussy Cat liver treats in the late evening.
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Your dose is too high. It's too severe of a drop and is going to cause a bounce. Raising in whole units is not a safe way. Lantus is a deposit insulin and builds up in the system. Read the yellow stickies at the top of the forum for the two methods the slow go method and tight regulation..... Choose one that works for you.
 
Morning, Bron! I just looked at your SS and it looks like you gave the 3 U of insulin last night. I was just curious whether you did actually give that shot after all... :)

On the SS, I always put NS for no shot if I don't give a shot, so I don't confuse myself...:confused:
 
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