Questions about Pie

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Lalkabee

Lalkabee

Member Since 2020
I joined 2 months ago when Bee spent 2 days in intensive care and i now treat her for diabetes. I've been testing her mom,Pie,with my human meter (Freestyle Lite) to not spend AlphaTrak strips but compared both today. She tested 23 with the AT and 12 with human meter (after meal). Should i be worried? what meter should i trust? Could she also have diabetes?


I looked at my SS and Pie was 12.5 on Freestyle and 23.1 again on Alphatrack 4 days ago (same blood drop)

EDIT: Pie sneeze a lot, going on for 2 weeks
 
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That’s the thing there are no real symptoms. Minnie was asymptomatic at first. The only things I know I noticed and didn’t give much thought was the sneeze and moisture in her nostrils. Like when you have when you have a cold. When was her last vet appointment? Checking the temperature is another way but most people can’t do that at home
 
Aleluia Grugru & Minnie said:
That’s the thing there are no real symptoms. Minnie was asymptomatic at first. The only things I know I noticed and didn’t give much thought was the sneeze and moisture in her nostrils. Like when you have when you have a cold. When was her last vet appointment? Checking the temperature is another way but most people can’t do that at home
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She never had a vet visit since 10 years ago. I planned on a teeth cleaning for Pie but Bee got sick in 2017, cost me 2k...and again 2 months ago, 3k for Bee. I dont have money left for Pie :( Should i give her insulin or should i wait till the sneezing stop?
 
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Please don't assume that Pie may be diabetic also, based only on the BG levels.
Does Pie have other signs and symptoms of diabetes? Such as:
  1. P/U (polyuria) peeing a lot
  2. P/D (polydypsia) drinking a lot of water
  3. Huge clumps of litter in the litter box after Pie has used it. I'm talking large fist sized and bigger pee clumps. Which cat left the pee clump can be difficult to tell when 2 cats are using the same box, unless you catch one of them at the box.
  4. Voracious appetite. Like wanting to eat twice as much as normal. Constantly begging for food, when she never used to do this. (Could be a side effect of Bee getting more food, so Pie wants some more too.)
  5. Eating a lot more food, but losing weight steadily. There are other causes for weight loss in cats, including hyper-T (hyperthyroidism) and CKD (chronic kidney disease).
  6. Plantigrade stance. Walking down on her hocks either partially or fully, or is she still walking on her tippy toes?
  7. Poor coat condition. Dull, dry, lifeless looking fur. Huge patches of dandruff.
  8. Not grooming herself.
  9. Stopped acting like her normal self, listless. (Remember, cats DO sleep a lot.)
Are Bee and Pie eating the same food? The Purina DM?

It does happen that 2 cats in the same home can be diabetic, but it's not common. You are being a concerned and careful mommabean with both Pie and Bee.
 
Deb & Wink said:
Please don't assume that Pie may be diabetic also, based only on the BG levels.
Does Pie have other signs and symptoms of diabetes? Such as:
  1. P/U (polyuria) peeing a lot
  2. P/D (polydypsia) drinking a lot of water
  3. Huge clumps of litter in the litter box after Pie has used it. I'm talking large fist sized and bigger pee clumps. Which cat left the pee clump can be difficult to tell when 2 cats are using the same box, unless you catch one of them at the box.
  4. Voracious appetite. Like wanting to eat twice as much as normal. Constantly begging for food, when she never used to do this. (Could be a side effect of Bee getting more food, so Pie wants some more too.)
  5. Eating a lot more food, but losing weight steadily. There are other causes for weight loss in cats, including hyper-T (hyperthyroidism) and CKD (chronic kidney disease).
  6. Plantigrade stance. Walking down on her hocks either partially or fully, or is she still walking on her tippy toes?
  7. Poor coat condition. Dull, dry, lifeless looking fur. Huge patches of dandruff.
  8. Not grooming herself.
  9. Stopped acting like her normal self, listless. (Remember, cats DO sleep a lot.)
Are Bee and Pie eating the same food? The Purina DM?

It does happen that 2 cats in the same home can be diabetic, but it's not common. You are being a concerned and careful mommabean with both Pie and Bee.
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Thanks again Deb <3 Pie doesn't pee more than usual but lost at least 5 pounds in the last 2 years...but i did try to make that happen by controlling the food. Pie is now on wet like Bee but she get the FF and brand store without grains pate instead of the DM. There is still big chunk of pee in the litter but not sure which cat it belongs to. I change the water everyday and it is always quite full. I do add water to their food so they do get a lot. Pie is a slow eater but always eat everything. Bee eat her food in 1 minute and pie in 5 or 6 so i have to stay next to Pie so Bee doesnt steal her food. Pie is usually more active than Bee and like to play by herself with toy (the kind of cat that run from a room to another, back and forth for no reason...or she just pick up a toy and throw it).

1. maybe
2.maybe
3.maybe
4.no
5.not really
6.no
7.actually better since all wet food but yes
8.no, she does groom
9.no
 
You might try putting Pie in a room by herself with a litter box, and see if she DOES leave a huge pee clump in the box.

Nothing special about the Purina DM food for cats. Fancy Feast works just as well for both cats.

Well, from your reply to the usual symptoms of feline diabetes, it doesn't sound like Pie is diabetic, despite the higher BG readings. Have you tested yourself with the meter (and a fresh lancet), to do a quick check if the meter is within reason on the BG levels?
 
jt and trouble (GA) said:
Hmmm well if you had food on board that could be why your number is that high. No more dry foods for you.
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Only beer and meds. I am a mess...thats why i stopped testing amps and Pm for Bee. But ok, i will stop eating dry food but i love bread and butter :p I will have to bring Pie to the vet. I might choose a different vet tho, the one i have isn't the best.
 
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Lalkabee said:
Only beer and meds. I am a mess...thats why i stopped testing amps and Pm for Bee. But ok, i will stop eating dry food but i love bread and butter :p I will have to bring Pie to the vet. I might choose a different vet tho, the one i have isn't the best.
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Interview the new potential vet. Get an idea of how their practice runs and how knowledgeable they are about feline diabetes. (Not canine diabetes, different species, different treatment plans).

9.8 times 18 = 176 (at least that's what my handy dandy calculator told me)
171 is a BIT high for a human. Did you test yourself after fasting for at least 2 hours?
The other option is to test your meter with control solution. But if you don't have any, it can take a while to get some. Not stocked in stores, have to ask the manufacturer of the meter to send you some.

Bread and butter pickles? Or a slice of bread, like homemade cardamon bread smeared thickly with butter? Yum!! (I'd make a batch if I could find some yeast.)
Lalkabee said:
There is no jinx..only care and love :) I am a mess right now...and you probably feel the same. Don't give up :)
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Don't YOU give up either. This all takes time.
What is your favorite color? I'll loan you a pair of patience pants in your fav color. Then, you can pass them along to the next person that needs them.
 
I did have blood test done for me 1 month ago and i am fine. I don't have a favorite color, i like all colors :p So sorry Deb, i did try to keep up on testing Bee more than once a day. It's so difficult atm and it's not because i don't care.
 
she tested 25.7...I have 2 cats with diabetes? this is a nightmare, i can't afford 2 sick cats. I am glad i could test Pie tho and she still have to go to the vet. The vet is gonna ask me again (they asked for Bee) if i want euthanasia because Pie is 14 years old. I can't let Pie die for a stupid disease like diabetes...but i can't afford the meds for 2 cats...

Edit: Sorry, i am panicking a bit
 
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Lalkabee said:
I did have blood test done for me 1 month ago and i am fine. I don't have a favorite color, i like all colors :p So sorry Deb, i did try to keep up on testing Bee more than once a day. It's so difficult atm and it's not because i don't care.
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The purpose of the suggestion to test yourself, was to do a quick check of your meter. Since you had a BG test done for yourself a month ago, what you get now when you test your own blood glucose, should still be in the same range.

I think something is wrong with your Alphatrac meter. The Freestyle and the Alphatrac should not be THAT different. Perhaps, call the Alphatrac manufacturer and tell them you think you have a bad meter.

Rainbow patience pants it is.

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@Chris & China (GA) Can DCIN help out here, with 2 diabetic cats?
 

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Deb & Wink said:
The purpose of the suggestion to test yourself, was to do a quick check of your meter. Since you had a BG test done for yourself a month ago, what you get now when you test your own blood glucose, should still be in the same range.

I think something is wrong with your Alphatrac meter. The Freestyle and the Alphatrac should not be THAT different. Perhaps, call the Alphatrac manufacturer and tell them you think you have a bad meter.

Rainbow patience pants it is.

View attachment 54213

@Chris & China (GA) Can DCIN help out here, with 2 diabetic cats?
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I did do test with the control solution
 
Me again and sorry about that. Pie was at 18.5 at +7 PM yesterday and is at 22.9 at +6 AM Today. The sneezing is gone but i noticed how skinny she is...i can feel her bones tru her skin. This week i had 2 vomit with hairballs but cant tell if its from her or Bee. She is maybe 13-14 years old (can't be sure, she was a stray). I really can't go to the vet atm, because of $ but in 3 months i think it will be ok.
 
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jt and trouble (GA) said:
Shes adorable:bighug:
She is also diabetic? Sorry I thought it was Bee who is diabetic. I'm :confused:
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Bee is diabetic but i've been testing Pie (her mom) since i have the stuff to do it now, and the results are scary. She was never under 19. I am gonna start to feed Dry food to Pie again, even if she had enough wet food tonight, she hate all the dry food i was giving. she eat like she is starving but barely complain in the morning and never eat wet food that fast.
 
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jt and trouble (GA) said:
Shes adorable:bighug:
She is also diabetic? Sorry I thought it was Bee who is diabetic. I'm :confused:
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They are both adorable in a different way :) Bee is shy and nervous and won't let anybody see her but spoon me every night...If i don't, she pokes my face with her 6 toes paw till i lift my arm and make a place for her. She is scared if i wear shoes in our apt :p I think i protected her to much since birth because she had a flat chest and Pie could not take care of her. Pie doesn't go outside anymore since i officially adopter her but she loves everybody. I left my door open on a summer night 14 years ago and i woke up with a cat in my bed, licking my ears :p Pie is the perfect loving cat and trust all humans, Bee is the scared but cute as hell cat that you have to pay extra attention to.
 
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Lalkabee said:
They are both adorable in a different way :) Bee is shy and nervous and won't let anybody see her but spoon me every night...If i don't, she pokes my face with her 6 toes paw till i lift my arm and make a place for her. She is scared if i wear shoes in our apt :p I think i protected her to much since birth because she had a flat chest and Pie could not take care of her. Pie doesn't go outside anymore since i officially adopter her but she loves everybody. I left my door open on a summer night 14 years ago and i woke up with a cat in my bed, licking my ears :p Pie is the perfect loving cat and trust all humans, Bee is the scared but cute as hell cat that you have to pay extra attention to.
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Two cats, mother and daughter, with such different personalities.

The dry food does have more calories in it. So it may help Pie to gain weight. On the other hand, if Pie IS diabetic, than the dry food will cause her BG levels to go much higher.
 
A cats sugar should be under 250 depending on his age. If its over 250 you need to give him a shot of vetsulin. When you check his sugar do you do it on his ear? And when you give him his vetsulin do you pull the skin up under his arm? You should be alternating the under arms. Thats what our vet told us.
 
You might want to check that the code to which the AlphaTrak meter is set matches the “cat” code on the vial of test strips. Sometimes the vials of strips have different codes and you have to change the coding on the meter. Or the code can get changed accidentally (by bumping the meter, etc)
 
Never heard of shooting insulin under a cats arms. The following is a partial quote from Marje and Gracie's Testing and Shooting Tips, with a diagram of places to shoot the insulin.

Shooting
We all have our own techniques for shooting but just a few thoughts and others may bring some of their ideas in as well.
  • Injection sites:
You can shoot the scruff, side of chest, side of belly, side of flank....wherever your kitty is comfortable and you have the least chance of doing a fur shot.

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  • Site Rotation
It's actually a great idea to rotate sites in order to prevent development of a lipoma or scar tissue. A lipoma is just a thickened area of fatty cells right under the skin. If you shoot in the same place repeatedly and your kitty develops one, they often will go away on their own if you switch to another site. However, if you change injection sites every day (if possible), there is a much decreased chance in developing either a lipoma or scar tissue. Both of these can affect absorption negatively. If your cat prefers scruff shots only, you can shoot one side in the morning and the other side at night; you can also move the scruff site so the first day, you shoot at the inner scruff on one side, the next day, the middle scruff, and the third day, the outer part of the scruff. Or, if kitty is tolerant of any injection sites, you can shoot one side in the mornings and shoot the scruff the first day, the chest the next, the flank the third day. In the evenings, you can shoot the other side of the kitty but in the same order.
 
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