Ketone Urine Test Success!!

[whiskysmom]

I'm a mom to a newly diagnosed sugar cat Whisky, and when he was first diagnosed he had DKA (Diabetic Ketone Acidosis) along with pancreatitis, so it was recommended by people in the forum that I should try doing ketone urine tests at home.

I bought the ketostix at my local pharmacy, London Drugs (in Canada) and it was $9.99 for 50 sticks. But the challenge was going to be how to collect the urine to test.....

Since it was the weekend I had a better chance of catching Whisky in action. I prepared a piece of tinfoil and planned to slip it underneath him while he peed. It worked! He wasn't super happy about me being there and he got out of the box without covering his pee with a "what the heck?!" look, but I got a sample and successfully tested it and it was clearly negative for ketones. I won't test him too frequently as I don't want him to be afraid of the litter box, but I will plan to try again next weekend.

Just had to share this success. Feels good!

 

[Idjit's mom]

Congratulations! Did you ever think you would be so happy to collect and test a urine sample? LOL

It might be prudent to check Whiskey daily for awhile, if you can. DKA is such a serious condition and you don't want to go back there!

If he is bothered by the sound of the foil crinkling (Idjit runs when I tear off a piece in the kitchen, he is SO brave!) you could use a plastic top off a container, or a "dedicated" long handled spoon.

Anyway, I award you a gold star for your efforts on behalf of your dear kitty. You are doing SUPER Stephanie, just super!

 

[whiskysmom]

Congratulations! Did you ever think you would be so happy to collect and test a urine sample? LOL

It might be prudent to check Whiskey daily for awhile, if you can. DKA is such a serious condition and you don't want to go back there!

If he is bothered by the sound of the foil crinkling (Idjit runs when I tear off a piece in the kitchen, he is SO brave!) you could use a plastic top off a container, or a "dedicated" long handled spoon.

Anyway, I award you a gold star for your efforts on behalf of your dear kitty. You are doing SUPER Stephanie, just super!

Thank you!! And you're absolutely right, immediately texted my husband and Whisky's previous owner to share my success, haha!!

And great idea about the plastic top off a container - I am absolutely going to try that, as the tin foil crinkling did bother him some and I think it would be easier to catch in something with a bit of a lip so the pee doesn't all slide off.

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

A lot of us use a soup spoon or ladle ….of course you want to mark it "Cat Only"....LOL

 

[Kate & Toby]

This whole post made me smile! Yay for the successful test! Loving the idea of a long handled dedicated spoon and laughing at Idjit being so brave about a foil tear!

 

[Idjit's mom]

This whole post made me smile! Yay for the successful test! Loving the idea of a long handled dedicated spoon and laughing at Idjit being so brave about a foil tear!

Yay for a smile! My gosh Kate, you should see Idjit in the same room as a rustling plastic grocery bag, a broom and dustpan, a spray bottle in a hand, not to mention the dreaded monster vacuum cleaner! He's this huge cat, and a Nervous Nellie in disguise. He likes to go outside (when it's good weather and not too windy) but if there are people outside across the street or dogs in their fenced yard two houses down..he has to be very cautious and decide if it's worth the risk. If the weather is inclement out the front door, he trots through the house to the back door for a look-see into the backyard..it might be different there yanno! Thank goodness he has strong and mighty parents to protect and care for him (actually old and feeble, but what does he know? he thinks there's a chance of different weather conditions on the other side of the house!)

 

[Kate & Toby]

Yay for a smile! My gosh Kate, you should see Idjit in the same room as a rustling plastic grocery bag, a broom and dustpan, a spray bottle in a hand, not to mention the dreaded monster vacuum cleaner! He's this huge cat, and a Nervous Nellie in disguise. He likes to go outside (when it's good weather and not too windy) but if there are people outside across the street or dogs in their fenced yard two houses down..he has to be very cautious and decide if it's worth the risk. If the weather is inclement out the front door, he trots through the house to the back door for a look-see into the backyard..it might be different there yanno! Thank goodness he has strong and mighty parents to protect and care for him (actually old and feeble, but what does he know? he thinks there's a chance of different weather conditions on the other side of the house!)

Oh Lou! What an image! Bless Idjit, localised micro climates are a thing ya know mom! Hes in good company Toby is also a fair weather only cat! I genuinely love a hovered floor but our "monster in the cupboard" can only come out if Toby isn't sleeping, eating, drinking, chilling .... basically unless the weather in the garden is Clement Enough for him to venture out I cant Hoover! Nervous Nellie maybe but we love you just the same idjit!

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

I'm a mom to a newly diagnosed sugar cat Whisky, and when he was first diagnosed he had DKA (Diabetic Ketone Acidosis) along with pancreatitis, so it was recommended by people in the forum that I should try doing ketone urine tests at home.

I bought the ketostix at my local pharmacy, London Drugs (in Canada) and it was $9.99 for 50 sticks. But the challenge was going to be how to collect the urine to test.....

Since it was the weekend I had a better chance of catching Whisky in action. I prepared a piece of tinfoil and planned to slip it underneath him while he peed. It worked! He wasn't super happy about me being there and he got out of the box without covering his pee with a "what the heck?!" look, but I got a sample and successfully tested it and it was clearly negative for ketones. I won't test him too frequently as I don't want him to be afraid of the litter box, but I will plan to try again next weekend.

Just had to share this success. Feels good!

Hi Stephanie Good job! I noticed in your signature you said you are not home testing yet. Will you start to, its so very important to home test to keep your kitty safe. Looking at your spread sheet are those numbers from taking him to the vet and having him test him?
Looking at your spread sheet there are no BG numbers listed for AMPS and PMPS and how many units he is getting. We do recommend testing at home to be sure it's safe to give that injection every time, as well as mid-cycle tests to see the insulin effect on the BG
It's important so that if you ever need help the members here can take a look at your spread sheet to help you and give advice if needed @whiskysmom

 

[whiskysmom]

Hi Stephanie Good job! I noticed in your signature you said you are not home testing yet. Will you start to, its so very important to home test to keep your kitty safe. Looking at your spread sheet are those numbers from taking him to the vet and having him test him?
Looking at your spread sheet there are no BG numbers listed for AMPS and PMPS and how many units he is getting. We do recommend testing at home to be sure it's safe to give that injection every time, as well as mid-cycle tests to see the insulin effect on the BG
It's important so that if you ever need help the members here can take a look at your spread sheet to help you and give advice if needed @whiskysmom

Thanks Diane!

I'm not doing home testing for BG yet but I do plan to start soon. I've had another successful urine sample for the ketone test and it was negative, wahoo! And I plan to pick up some glucose urine strips too for testing until we start BG monitoring. I've also got a hypo kit ready to go at our house and am monitoring Whisky very closely, especially during the timeframe where a hypo would be most likely to occur. But we do plan to get started on home BG testing soon.