Need help I cannot test at home

Sanda Elena

Sanda Elena

Member Since 2019
Hello!
I am Laura 11 y old Pufi 's mom. We are new in the diabetes comunity . Two weeks ago the vet informed us that we have to deal with diabetes. I am actualy living a nightmere since , always searching for information and learn how to deal with this challenge . He is on Lantus 1 U twice a day and low carb wet food Hills md and Animonda pate with small treats of royal canin for diabetic cats after trying to test ( not every day and only few crunches )for a week and looks fine. He is eating , not drinking so much water ( 30 ml/day now) , the urine is not so sticky anymore . All this time I only tested succesfully twice. It is a fight every single time I am full of scratches . I actualy do not know what to do anymore. When he feels me touching his ears he became alert and try to bite or run away. The vet said is impossible to test him at the clinic without put him to sleep. So two weeks and no curve , not knowing how actualy Lantus works for him. This evening had a urine test and glucose was +++++. Have try to test him I am still bleeding from scratches and no valid test . I feel powerless and my hurt is full of sadness. What should I do with such an agitated cat? Any advice?
 
I am new here too and have a feisty cat too. The vet had to sedate her and we can't get near her ears but she is less mad when we test her back paws because they are less sensitive and you can get a good drop every time. We also changed the lancets number to 30 and she barely feels them. i am so sorry you are going through this but there is hope because two weeks ago I was in the same spot and this community helped and supported me.
 
Hi Laura, welcome to you and Pufi!
There is a bit of a learning curve to testing so don't panic! We're here to help!
First, get an old knee sock, fill the foot of it with rice and then tie a knot in the sock above the rice. Warm it in the microwave (I use about 20 seconds but your microwave might be different) so that it's warm but not hot, then hold it on Pufi's ear for a few seconds. This will help bring the blood to the surface....it really does help! Then hold the sock on the inside side of the ear while you "poke" the outside edge of the ear. I use a human testing device but I know lots of people just use the lancet part.
You don't need much blood. Have the meter on and ready so that you're not delayed once you get a drop of blood.
Then right after you test, hold a cloth against the spot for a few seconds, it will help stop the bleeding and minimize bruising. You can also use a topical antibiotic like neosporin. Some people actually put it on before testing; they find it helps the blood beed up. I find the opposite so I use it after the test. And then give him a treat (preferably not the kibble he's getting, there are low carb treats available.

You might also try wrapping Pufi like a burrito; it might calm him down some until he gets used to the testing.

Others here might have other suggestions! Oh...and there is a certain part of the ear you should be testing; I think there is information on the board somewhere so I will try to find it for you and link it here.
 
Remember that our cats feel our emotions. The calmer we can be, the better for our kitties. This is all new for him too! :)
Can't your vet wrap Pufi up & at least trim his nails back & front? At least he won't be able to scratch you so bad.

Pick a comfortable spot with good lighting to do testing. A chair or some place you can go to every time.Maybe just sit with Pufi & talk quietly & pet him . If he gets restless let him go. Just get him used to going to the same spot.

There's a product called Feliway. It's supposed to calm the kitty. You spray a little on a small blanket or towel & let it dry. (do not spray on the kitty) Put the towel on the place where you'll test him. I've used it in my cats carrier when he goes in the car & it does work! He didn't even cry last time.
Take a few deep breaths & get yourself calm before you start.

Everyone here has been thru some stressful times in the beginning. We all want to help you! Read as much information here as you can. The more you know the easier it will be.

Ask Questions! Lots of questions!

Be patient. It takes time but it will get better.
Best of Luck to you & Pufi! :):bighug:
 
There is another thing you can do. You can condition him to the test. Pick a "testing station" Take Purfi to that spot and just rub his ears a few times and then give him a low carb treat, maybe a small piece of poached chicken and then let him jump down. Do that a few times a day just to condition him to you rubbing his ears and associating it with a treat. Then when you actually rub the ears and do a test, he will be less anxious. Always give him a low carb treat after the test. Soon, he will be jumping up to your testing station!

And Welcome!
 
Sanda Elena said:
All this time I only tested succesfully twice.
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At least, right at the very beginning, you were able to succeed twice ! That's very good even if you don't think so! Cats don't like us to poke their ears and you were able to do it!
Now, it's just a matter of finding the right way for your little kitty to feel safe when you test and please try to be patient! Kitties even feel if we are stressed, one trick is to sing when poking (don't laugh...)! I never tried that one, my kitty would probably still be under the bed!
We all went through this and we had to do it for our kitties health! You will be able ! I tried paw testing but he hated it :eek:, depends on kitties; so no choice for me, only had ears left!!

My ti-minou had both ears frozen to death when I found him so when I was approching his ears he would run and hide under the bed, the couch, wherever I could not catch him; I was so sad! But after so many tries, he finally understood I did not want to hurt him; it took a little while and treats; but now when I take his testing kit out, he lies down and waits for it to be done! You'll see, you will get there with your little Pufi! :bighug:

Keep asking for tips if the ones above don't work! :cat:
 
If you can find a special treat he really likes and give one every time whether or not the test is successful it might help. I used my bathroom sink for testing so Max felt safe everywhere else. He as easy to test but tge furs time I had to give him fluids was awful. Once he knew he would get the special treat for that he waited for me to give it.

My vet didn’t like lancets and preferred needles. So I bought 25 gauge terumo needles which are very sharp and were easy to use.

Hang in there.
 
All great suggestions and advice!

I work at a vet hospital and at work, we put cones on cats who may bite or scratch. If all the above suggestions do not work, I would try this method as a last ditch effort.

Get a cone from a pet store or your vet - make sure it's long enough so kitty can't turn around and bite you. Putting on the cone can also be a challenge, of course and can cause stress (again, it's why I would only do this if none of the calmer methods work). You may need to burrito wrap your kitty to keep from scratching you.

Once the cone is on, you can nudge an ear out of the neck of the cone so that one ear is sticking out. You'll test that ear.

Does that make sense? If it doesn't, I'll try to get a photo of what we do at the hospital to get ear pricks the next time I'm at work.
 
Thank you so much! I will try the tips you suggested. I know it is me who make him so nervous. I am anxious , my father recently nas been diagnosed with colon cancer few days after starting insuline so ....I feel like I am not good enough to help them both . It 's like a never ending bad dream
 
You are doing the best you can! And I'm sorry to hear about your father. It definitely sounds like a hard time. Please take care of yourself. You need to care for yourself in order to care for others too. :bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Story about the long story of my life but this is the only place were people understand me .I know I have to take care of myself but this year was very hard for me. First my husband had a TIA ( mini stroke) in january, than I had a syncope in february, Pufi nas diabetes and now my father. I try to be brave even if I want to scream . It's hard. I want to do my best for them all and right now I feel like I am not good enough.
I will be fine some day.
Right now I have to find a way to bring my cat close to normal glycaemia . He usually eat small amount of food when he feels the need. I have not change this pattern because I am working in 12 h shift and I was affraid of hypoglicaemia when nowbody is around. Do you suggest feeding him twice a day?
 
Most people here feed several small meals a day and it is recommended. The majority of which is fed in the first half of the cycle. You'd want to stop feeding about 2 hours before shot time so that when you test Pufi's BG (when you can!), the number isn't food influenced.

I usually feed Ming two larger meals and then snacks throughout the day. I use Levemir which is a depot insulin like Lantus but it works a little different. So I feed a smaller meal at shot time and then when it's onset/when the insulin kicks in at about +4 to +5 for Ming, I feed him a larger meal. I also feed one more meal somewhere after. That's me though and remember, Ming is on Levemir insulin which is slightly different than Lantus.

I would recommend for Pufi and you to feed larger meals at shot time and snacks throughout the cycle.

That might have been a lot of information I just dumped into you but to summarize, feeding several meals a day is okay despite what your vet might recommend.

And don't be afraid to ask lots and lots of questions! You are going through a tough time and having a newly diagnosed sugar kitty is a difficult time that we are all familiar with. When you're up to it, I would read all the stickies on the Lantus forum. You'll find a ton of good info there like how the Lantus cycle works, the protocols we follow here, and how to do housekeeping things like setting up your spreadsheet.

For now, let's focus on getting you and Pufi comfortable with testing :)
 
Crista & Ming said:
Most people here feed several small meals a day and it is recommended. The majority of which is fed in the first half of the cycle. You'd want to stop feeding about 2 hours before shot time so that when you test Pufi's BG (when you can!), the number isn't food influenced.

I usually feed Ming two larger meals and then snacks throughout the day. I use Levemir which is a depot insulin like Lantus but it works a little different. So I feed a smaller meal at shot time and then when it's onset/when the insulin kicks in at about +4 to +5 for Ming, I feed him a larger meal. I also feed one more meal somewhere after. That's me though and remember, Ming is on Levemir insulin which is slightly different than Lantus.

I would recommend for Pufi and you to feed larger meals at shot time and snacks throughout the cycle.

That might have been a lot of information I just dumped into you but to summarize, feeding several meals a day is okay despite what your vet might recommend.

And don't be afraid to ask lots and lots of questions! You are going through a tough time and having a newly diagnosed sugar kitty is a difficult time that we are all familiar with. When you're up to it, I would read all the stickies on the Lantus forum. You'll find a ton of good info there like how the Lantus cycle works, the protocols we follow here, and how to do housekeeping things like setting up your spreadsheet.

For now, let's focus on getting you and Pufi comfortable with testing :)
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Right now seems impossible to get confortable with testing but my baby need me so I have to make it work . You people are just great . I am not alone now and that's all I need right now.
 
We are always hear for you, emotionally and to help with medical conditions
These people are great!! You will get this
I talk to a person on here a cpl months ago and they were going through the same thing, and at first it was so overwhelming to them and now they have it, right now ur doing the best you can and I promise it will get easier
I trained Bella with lc treats, now I shake the strips and he jumps on couch and lays down
They do learn
Remember when in doubt ask
I would also suggest getting rid of the hills md and put him on fancy feast classics that’s what a lot of us feed our cats, low carbs, take the hills back to vets, they prescribe that a lot
 
Welcome Laura and Pufi !

Sorry to hear about all the challenges you’re facing, sometimes life throws everything at you at the same time and it can feel overwhelming. You’ve definitely come to the right place for great advice and moral support. The people here are really wonderful, always willing to help and are extremely knowledgeable on so many different subjects.

Take a deep breath and be confident that things are only going to get better for you and Pufi. :bighug:
 
Deep breaths!! We've all been at the front end of this very steep learning curve.

You've gotten a ton of information. I'm likewise of the "condition your cat to testing" school. Find a treat that works. Many of us use freeze dried chicken or some other freeze dried protein. My non-diabetic cat goes crazy for freeze dried mussels. They stink to high heaven but I think that's part of the appeal (to him). With the process as Bobbi described above, even if you don't get a successful test, your kitty still gets a treat. Any time you put him in his testing spot, you give a treat.

Until testing is easier, you may want to consider getting Ketodiastix. This is a way to test your cat's urine for glucose. It's not ideal -- you don't get a reading of what the BG level is at the very minute the way you do with blood glucose testing but at least you will know if numbers are low.

Another couple of options with testing is that you can test on a paw pad. Some cats are not happy with having you handle their ears. Paw pads may be more your cat's style. You can also "burrito wrap" you're kitty. And finally, one of the specialists at the vet school that's near me has recommended, Clipnosis -- it's almost like a hair clip that replicates a mom cat scruffing a kitten. I've not used it so I can't give a first hand recommendation but it's an option.

Once you are able to feel more confident and able to test, we might want to lend a hand with what you're feeding you're kitty. Some of what you're giving your cat is a bit high in carbs. However, without testing, I'd be reticent to suggest a food change since numbers could drop and you wouldn't know if that's the case.
 
I am using Vet 10 urine strips . Negative for ketone until now but glucose positive the highest level on the scale ( 30 minutes after pm shot) . Two nights before he had a PMPS 235 mg the second and the last valid test.
 
On feeding: in their state of nature, cats snack throughout the day, every time they catch something. Before M'row was diagnosed, he always had access to his food (bad kibble, but I didn't know better). So anyway, I put out food when the bowl gets low. If he had to go without food, he'd then bolt food when it did show up, and probably puke right away. So, ECID (Every cat is different), but I dont think you need to worry about changing your feeding schedule too, unless your kitty says you do. Here in the US, summer's coming, so I put a few tablespoons of water on his wet cat food to keep it from drying out. He doesn't like like the dried up bits at the edge of the bowl otherwise. Welcome!
 
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