Confused I need some help

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Chrissy66

Chrissy66

Member Since 2018
Back before we took Candi to the vet and I had done some home testing for a week and her using my husband's diabetic meter, I was getting readings in the 300's. I would test her before eating first thing in the mornings and then another day before lunch,, etc. I might add Candi loves to eat a 1/4 of a can 4 times a day which is okay being we are home all day unless we are out and about. My question is her numbers where in the 300's and that morning I took her to the vet, Wednesday, her numbers were 500. My vet said she was a diabetic but what is the normal at home, not stressed BG readings should be? I told him what her numbers were and could it be possible that her reading were just because she was scared and stressed out. He insisted that they weren't and their meter was very sensitive so theirs was more accurate than ours. Also should I wait to see how how the All Canned food diet is working as he suggested we could try for a month or should we not beat around the bush and go ahead with insulin. He pretty much left it up to us because I wasn't too crazy of having to go to shots and testing her mostly because of my disability and when I would test her she was a wiggle worm. She doesn't know how to be still. She doesn't drink alot but we believe that is because she is on an All Canned Food Diet from when she was on both Dry and Canned food.
Any help would be great because I want what is best for Candi and don't really want to keep waiting if going ahead with insulin would be a chance her diabetes to go into remission.

Thanks
Chrissy
 
Chrissy66 said:
My question is her numbers where in the 300's and that morning I took her to the vet, Wednesday, her numbers were 500. My vet said she was a diabetic but what is the normal at home, not stressed BG readings should be?
Click to expand...
These are high BGs, even the numbers in the 300s at home when she's not stressed. Normal BG on a human meter is around 50 to 120 and on a pet meter around 70 to 150.

Chrissy66 said:
Any help would be great because I want what is best for Candi and don't really want to keep waiting if going ahead with insulin would be a chance her diabetes to go into remission.
Click to expand...
Is she completely switched to a low carb wet food? If so, get some BG tests done. There's no avoiding it if you want to get her under control ASAP. If the numbers are high she should be started on insulin. The sooner you get her BG under good control the better your chances of her going into remission. Many people are reluctant to test BG but it's the single best tool for helping your kitty. There's a lot of good info here: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

Here's a new member's handout I made up. Read it over a few times and post any/all questions you have here. We have members with all sorts of difficulties from disabilities to semi feral kitties so we can help. :)
______________________________________________________________________________________________

It would help us if you set up your signature (light grey text under a post). Here's how:
  • click on your name in the upper right corner of this page
  • click on "signature" in the men that drops down
  • type the following in the box that opens: kitty's name/age/date of diabetes diagnosis/insulin you're using /glucose meter you're using/what he eats/any other meds or health issues he has.
Another thing that will help us help you now that you've started BG testing at home is to set up a spreadsheet like the one we use here. We can all see it and look at it before offering advice: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/

.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Here's the basic testing routine we recommend:
  1. test every day AM and PM before feeding and injecting (no food at least 2 hours before) to see if the planned dose is safe
  2. test at least once near mid cycle or at bedtime daily to see how low the BG goes
  3. do extra tests on days off to fill in the response picture
  4. if indicated by consistently high numbers on your spreadsheet, increase the dose by no more than 0.25 u at a time so you don't accidentally go right past a good dose
  5. post here for advice whenever you're confused or unsure of what to do.
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Here's an explanation of what we call "bouncing". It explains why a kitty's BG can go from low to sky high:
  1. BG goes low OR lower than usual OR drops too quickly.
  2. Kitty's body panics and thinks there's danger (OMG! My BG is too low!).
  3. Complex physiologic processes take glycogen stored in the liver (I think of it as "bounce fuel"), convert it to glucose and dump it into the bloodstream to counteract the perceived dangerously low BG.
  4. These processes go into overdrive in kitties who are bounce prone and keep the BG propped up varying lengths of time (AKA bouncing).
  5. Bounce prone kitty repeats this until his body learns that healthy low numbers are safe. Some kitties are slow learners.
  6. Too high a dose of insulin can keep them bouncing over and over until the " bounce fuel" runs out and they crash - ie., have a hypo episode. That's why we worry so much about kitties that have had too high a starting dose prescribed by the vet and the owner isn't home testing.
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Here are some tips on how to do urine ketone testing (VERY important if BG is high and kitty isn't eating well!):
  • put the end of the test strip right in his urine stream as he's peeing
  • slip a shallow, long handled spoon under his backside to catch a little pee - you don't need much
  • put a double layer of plastic wrap over his favourite part of the litter box and poke some depressions in it too catch pee.
Most test strips have to be dipped and allowed to develop for 15 seconds before viewing the colour change in very good light.
 
We just called the vet will let you guys know the dosage of insulin once he gets back with me and we go into town. I know it will be prozinc and thank you so very much for the help. I know I have been concerned with her numbers being that high. As for diet for a week and a half she has been on nothing but Nulo Grain Free Low Glycemic Index Canned Cat Food 1 a day, and about a 1/4 of can of Sardines in Water, No Salt Added.
 
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We are back from the vet and she was put on insulin. Her numbers did come way down to in the 300's instead the 500's which is good. She has her on 1cc Prozinc twice a day. Cut her eating to only twice a day. She has gained 8 ounces since Wed. "YIKES!" I went over with her what you guys do here, check, shoot(Insulin), Feed but she tells me she doesn't want me worry about having to check her sugar 2 times a day before I give her, her insulin. We do have to go back in 1 week and they will keep her all day. They plan to check her sugar all day at 2 hour intervals to see what he ups and downs are. Could this be why she says she doesn't want me worrying about checking her numbers.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
These are high BGs, even the numbers in the 300s at home when she's not stressed. Normal BG on a human meter is around 50 to 120 and on a pet meter around 70 to 150.


Is she completely switched to a low carb wet food? If so, get some BG tests done. There's no avoiding it if you want to get her under control ASAP. If the numbers are high she should be started on insulin. The sooner you get her BG under good control the better your chances of her going into remission. Many people are reluctant to test BG but it's the single best tool for helping your kitty. There's a lot of good info here: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

Here's a new member's handout I made up. Read it over a few times and post any/all questions you have here. We have members with all sorts of difficulties from disabilities to semi feral kitties so we can help. :)
______________________________________________________________________________________________

It would help us if you set up your signature (light grey text under a post). Here's how:
  • click on your name in the upper right corner of this page
  • click on "signature" in the men that drops down
  • type the following in the box that opens: kitty's name/age/date of diabetes diagnosis/insulin you're using /glucose meter you're using/what he eats/any other meds or health issues he has.
Another thing that will help us help you now that you've started BG testing at home is to set up a spreadsheet like the one we use here. We can all see it and look at it before offering advice: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/

.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Here's the basic testing routine we recommend:
  1. test every day AM and PM before feeding and injecting (no food at least 2 hours before) to see if the planned dose is safe
  2. test at least once near mid cycle or at bedtime daily to see how low the BG goes
  3. do extra tests on days off to fill in the response picture
  4. if indicated by consistently high numbers on your spreadsheet, increase the dose by no more than 0.25 u at a time so you don't accidentally go right past a good dose
  5. post here for advice whenever you're confused or unsure of what to do.
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Here's an explanation of what we call "bouncing". It explains why a kitty's BG can go from low to sky high:
  1. BG goes low OR lower than usual OR drops too quickly.
  2. Kitty's body panics and thinks there's danger (OMG! My BG is too low!).
  3. Complex physiologic processes take glycogen stored in the liver (I think of it as "bounce fuel"), convert it to glucose and dump it into the bloodstream to counteract the perceived dangerously low BG.
  4. These processes go into overdrive in kitties who are bounce prone and keep the BG propped up varying lengths of time (AKA bouncing).
  5. Bounce prone kitty repeats this until his body learns that healthy low numbers are safe. Some kitties are slow learners.
  6. Too high a dose of insulin can keep them bouncing over and over until the " bounce fuel" runs out and they crash - ie., have a hypo episode. That's why we worry so much about kitties that have had too high a starting dose prescribed by the vet and the owner isn't home testing.
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Here are some tips on how to do urine ketone testing (VERY important if BG is high and kitty isn't eating well!):
  • put the end of the test strip right in his urine stream as he's peeing
  • slip a shallow, long handled spoon under his backside to catch a little pee - you don't need much
  • put a double layer of plastic wrap over his favourite part of the litter box and poke some depressions in it too catch pee.
Most test strips have to be dipped and allowed to develop for 15 seconds before viewing the colour change in very good light.
Click to expand...
your so awesome and thorough the way you help others!:cat:
 
Chrissy66 said:
We are back from the vet and she was put on insulin. Her numbers did come way down to in the 300's instead the 500's which is good. She has her on 1cc Prozinc twice a day. Cut her eating to only twice a day. She has gained 8 ounces since Wed. "YIKES!" I went over with her what you guys do here, check, shoot(Insulin), Feed but she tells me she doesn't want me worry about having to check her sugar 2 times a day before I give her, her insulin. We do have to go back in 1 week and they will keep her all day. They plan to check her sugar all day at 2 hour intervals to see what he ups and downs are. Could this be why she says she doesn't want me worrying about checking her numbers.
Click to expand...

Vets usually think that testing stresses the owner too much and sometimes that's why the say that, and well at the beginning I won't deny it is stressful but I think is more stressful not to know what his levels are and that he may be in danger and I just don't know, and really eventually it gets easier.

What they are planning to do is a curve ( check her blood sugar every two hours during one day ) to see how low and how high she gets during the day , and see how is she responding to the insulin, that you could do it yourself at home which would be less stressful for your cat (there for more how she is really doing ) and less expensive for you, and if you are monitoring him every day you will actually have much more information on how she is really doing that just one day's data
 
Thanks so much guys and yes, I was telling my husband that I feel more comfortable checking her sugar. I can see doing this myself yes, would be cheaper but rather let them do this at least until I get the hang of checking Candi;s sugar a little more without doing 5- 6 sticks.
 
Chrissy66 said:
Thanks so much guys and yes, I was telling my husband that I feel more comfortable checking her sugar. I can see doing this myself yes, would be cheaper but rather let them do this at least until I get the hang of checking Candi;s sugar a little more without doing 5- 6 sticks.
Click to expand...
. Once I started home testing it eliminated the need to take her to the vet for curves.... I just put it all in the spreadsheet like you see linked in our signatures and emailed her a link to that. Much cheaper and more accurate.
 
Okay first check and record done and gosh thanks for the videos. Candi was a sweetheart and didn't mind mama sticking her. LOL!!! Thanks guys for the help. First Shot given a tad nervous but it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Now to just learn how to monitor her BG.
 
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Chrissy66 said:
Okay first check and record done and gosh thanks for the videos. Candi was a sweetheart and didn't mind mama sticking her. LOL!!! Thanks guys for the help. First Shot given a tad nervous but it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Now to just learn how to monitor her BG.
Click to expand...
Wow awesome job!
 
Chrissy66 said:
Okay first check and record done and gosh thanks for the videos. Candi was a sweetheart and didn't mind mama sticking her. LOL!!! Thanks guys for the help. First Shot given a tad nervous but it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Now to just learn how to monitor her BG.
Click to expand...
Hey 282 isn't a bad number for just starting out! Great!
 
A bit of spreadsheet housekeeping: you entered the evening dose as 1 cc. I think you mean 1 unit, right? The U at the top of the column stands for "units" so all you have to do is put 1 in the cell.
 
Chrissy66 said:
Oh okay. Thanks I just checked her sugar again and was pleased with the results.
Click to expand...
Very nice number but quite a drop. Give her a small snack of her regular low carb food to try to slow the drop rate. You have another 4 hours or so until the usual nadir time for ProZinc and you don’t want her to get too low.
 
Vet said feed 2 times a day no snack. Candi has gained from 9lbs to 9lbs. 10 ounces. I believe the canned food is the cause of the extra weight and she told us to not to give her any snacks which didn't make sense to me. Candi was still a little hungry after eating last night. What do you guys give your kitties? I don't want her to get overweight but don't want her to be hungry either. I was feeding her a can a day but have cut it down to a half of can a day along with a half of can of No Salt Added in Water Sardines.
 
If she's underweight because of the diabetes feed her more. They're also very hungry when BG isn't well controlled because they can't use their food well to get energy.
 
So giving her a can a day is okay? I know that usually fills her up along with her Sardines. She has gotten spoiled when it comes to that. No she isn't underweight she is 9lbs 10 oz now that she has been on an all canned food diet but beforehand on a mostly dry food diet and some canned food for her Thyroid Medicine she was staying at 9lbs.
 
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