Hi and welcome Sarah and Blaze. It is overwhelming when you get the diagnosis. But take heart, FD is a treatable, manageable disease and our kitties can live long and healthy lives.
I'm glad you did some reading and decided to test. The meter is fine, but 26 or 28 gauge lancets work better at first, until the ears learn to bleed.
There are many things I want to share with you, but I don't want to bowl you over either. So, lets take this all one step at a time, ok? You already have the signature set up..and that's terrific. Next, set up the spreadsheet so you can record the insulin and testing data. This is linked to the signature and we can view it also.
You will see how the trends and patterns emerge, and members can review his/her progress before offering suggestions or advice:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/understanding-the-spreadsheet-grid.156606/
I just read another thread and saw this by Chris & China (GA)
Here's something I wrote up for others for testing...maybe it'll help you too!
It can be really helpful to establish a routine with testing. Pick one spot that you want your "testing spot" to be (I like the kitchen counter because it's got good light and it's at a good height....it also already blocked 2 escape routes due to the wall and the backsplash) It can be anywhere though...a rug on the floor, a table, a particular spot on the couch...wherever is good for you.
Take him there as many times a day as you can and just give his ears a quick rub and then he gets a yummy (low carb) treat. Most cats aren't objecting so much with the poking..it's the fooling with their ears they don't like, but once they're desensitized to it and learn to associate a certain place with the treats, they usually start to come when they're called! Or even when they hear us opening the test kit!
You also have to remember...you're not poking him to hurt him...you're testing him to keep him safe and understand what's going on inside his body. There's just nothing better than truly understanding what's going on inside your kitty's body and with this disease, the more knowledge you have, the more power you have against it. The edges of the ears have very few pain receptors, so it really doesn't hurt them. Also,
if you're nervous and tense, it's going to make your kitty nervous and tense too. As silly as it might seem, try singing! It forces you to use a different part of your brain!
It's also important to make sure his ear is warm. A small sock filled with a little rice and microwaved or a small pill bottle filled with warm water (check temp against your wrist like you would a baby bottle) works well
For new kitties, using a heavier gauge lancet is also really helpful. A 25-28 gauge lancet pokes a bigger "hole" than a 31-33 gauge lancet does, so look for "Alternate Site testing" lancets that are usually a lower number
Finding the right "treat" will be a great help too! Freeze dried chicken, bonito flakes, little pieces of baked chicken...whatever low carb treat you can find that he really enjoys will help him to associate the testing with the treat! China's Achilles heel was baked chicken, so I'd bake a piece, chop it into bite sized pieces, put some in the refrigerator and freeze the rest to use as needed. It didn't take long for her to come any time I picked up the meter!
I want to provide you with a link for videos and tips for home testing, plus point you in the right direction for more information on using Novolin. However, I would like us to take any further suggestions etc out to the Main Health Forum
HERE, so that more members can see and help out too. This Intro forum is only the welcome mat and not as well monitored. That way if I goof up, someone can correct me.
If you like you can just copy your message here, start a new thread there and paste the message. Looking very forward to getting to know you and Blaze better.
