Keiki

KeikiSugarCat

KeikiSugarCat

Member Since 2022
Hi guys,

So we had a terrible week with Keiki having her BG with a blood test at the vet at 28.9 and Ketones 4.2
she had a really bad UTI,

We finally got the results on Saturday and I got an appointment with a new vet today, the vet gave us Insulin (Glargine) 0.2 to inject every 12 hours.

I got to give her the first shot at the vet at 1pm

I just took her reading now at 5pm and happy to say it has gone from low 20's to 8.2mmol/L!!!!

yay Keiki is going to be OK! i've just ordered a new reader (i have the Accu check instant) but the strips are quite expensive so i've ordered an LifeSmart 2TwoPlus Blood Glucose & Ketone Meter LS-946 N [Abbott Optium Neo Ketone Alternative]

The strips are only $20 for 100 and the Ketone ones at around $10 for 10

i got 300 needles the same ones the vet gave me :)
 
Hi and welcome to the forum.
I will ask you a few questions if that’s OK as I am not exactly sure what has been happening.

When was it you went to the vet and the BG was28.9 and ketones 4.2?
Was Keiki given antibiotics for the UTI?

I am really surprised the vet did not start insulin immediately with ketones at 4.2.
Have you been testing for ketones since then?
I can see you have ordered a ketone blood meter but really you need to be testing for ketones every day.
Can you go out and buy a bottle of Ketostix (or Keto-Diastix) from a pharmacy today? We really need to establish if there are any ketones in the urine now because ketones can develop into DKA which can be a life threatening illness and needs to be treated urgently.
The way to help combat ketones is to give lots of food as food helps stop ketones forming. So I would be offering her food every couple of hours. It is really important she eats lots.

Another way to combat the ketones is to give insulin…..that is why I am surprised the vet didn’t start insulin immediately.
I don’t understand your dose….0.2 is a very small dose to start with. ETA…..I can see in the remarks column of the SS you are giving 2 units of insulin…not 0.2…..is that correct? if it is 2 units, that is too high a dose to start with. The normal starting dose is 1/2 to 1 unit, depending on what is being fed and the weight of the cat.
Can you show me on the syringe where you draw the dose up to please…and take a photo of it and copy and paste it into the thread?

The drop from the low 20s to 8.2 at 5pm….that is 4 hours after the dose was given…is quite a drop.

Fluids are also important to flush out the ketones so if you can add a teaspoon of warm water to all the snacks of food, that would help.

Do you think you could set up a spreadsheet and signature please? I will also ask @Bandit's Mom to look in in case you are having trouble with it. Here is a link that has the spreadsheet, signature and hypo kit. HELP US HELP YOU
We are very data driven and need to see lots of blood glucose tests.
ETA….I can see you have already set up the SS …..well done!
I am concerned about the ketones and that you have only just started the insulin and I am not sure of the dose you are giving .
Also if the UTI is being treated.
I will watch for your reply.
Bron
 
Last edited:
Sorry I posted on the FB group originally
Poor Keiki on 25/2 we took to the vet she had a bad UTI, we took a urine sample and had a blood test - my husband got antibiotics and he left.
They called me 2 days later to tell me her glucose levels were 28.9 and she had diabetes the only way to fix her was $280 per curve and she would need 3 curves and to bring her in to the vet every day twice a day, I said no way she is almost 14 and that stress would kill her, the vet said well that’s it then and hung up. ( my husband said it was a money grab from the start)

I treated her UTI with antibiotics, and on Saturday he noticed the kitty litter still smelling, so he went to change to diabetics biscuits and get another round of antibiotics.

As he was doing this I joined the FB group and was given some magnificent links so told my husband to take the diabetes biscuits back and to buy FF pate

he went and got another round of antibiotics and picked up the results from her blood and the minute I saw them I freaked out as her Keto was 4.2!!!
Obviously that was over a week ago so I frantically messaged a friend to used to be a vet nurse to ask for a trustworthy vet.

I got an appointment today and the vet was lovely, I had been testing her blood glucose levels since Sunday and they were low 20s

I told the vet about this group and said I would like Glargine and she started Keiki on 2 units (0.3ml (31g) x 8mm needles.

I gave it to her immediately at the vet and we left.

I took her back to work with me and tested her an hour later and her level was 21.3 mmol/L

then I tested as I was about to leave 3hrs later at it was 8.2

I tested her before dinner at 5hrs and it is 5.4

she has had dinner now.

is this ok?

I got the dip sticks and keto was neg in the litter this morning
 
KeikiSugarCat said:
Sorry I posted on the FB group originally
Poor Keiki on 25/2 we took to the vet she had a bad UTI, we took a urine sample and had a blood test - my husband got antibiotics and he left.
They called me 2 days later to tell me her glucose levels were 28.9 and she had diabetes the only way to fix her was $280 per curve and she would need 3 curves and to bring her in to the vet every day twice a day, I said no way she is almost 14 and that stress would kill her, the vet said well that’s it then and hung up. ( my husband said it was a money grab from the start)

I treated her UTI with antibiotics, and on Saturday he noticed the kitty litter still smelling, so he went to change to diabetics biscuits and get another round of antibiotics.

As he was doing this I joined the FB group and was given some magnificent links so told my husband to take the diabetes biscuits back and to buy FF pate

he went and got another round of antibiotics and picked up the results from her blood and the minute I saw them I freaked out as her Keto was 4.2!!!
Obviously that was over a week ago so I frantically messaged a friend to used to be a vet nurse to ask for a trustworthy vet.

I got an appointment today and the vet was lovely, I had been testing her blood glucose levels since Sunday and they were low 20s

I told the vet about this group and said I would like Glargine and she started Keiki on 2 units (0.3ml (31g) x 8mm needles.

I gave it to her immediately at the vet and we left.

I took her back to work with me and tested her an hour later and her level was 21.3 mmol/L

then I tested as I was about to leave 3hrs later at it was 8.2

I tested her before dinner at 5hrs and it is 5.4

she has had dinner now.

is this ok?

I got the dip sticks and keto was neg in the litter this morning
Click to expand...
I am so glad the ketones tested negative today.
Please continue to test daily for ketones at the moment…….it is really important that we make sure the ketones have gone for good.
I’m glad you swapped over to a low carb food….that’s great.
Make sure you give all the antibiotics for the UTI and then when they are finished, take a urine to the vet to be tested to make sure the UTI has been cured.

With Insulin…..the routine is to test first, then feed a meal, then give the dose of insulin in that order.
At the moment, if the pre shot BG is lower than 200 I would stall, don’t feed and test again in 20 minutes and post and ask for help…..change the subject line so that people know you need help.
If the insulin was given at 1 pm, that means you have a 1am 1 pm schedule which I am sure is not suitable. You can move it forward or backwards 15 minutes each cycle or 1/2 hour each day to get to the schedule you want.
At the moment, I would feed before the dose and give at least three snacks during the cycle …..both am and pm cycles ….as we want to make sure she is eating enough food. Most of us feed at least 2 snacks during all the cycles….normally in the first half of the cycles. Just don’t feed for the 2 hours before the dose is due as we don’t the BG to be food influenced.

I would test again now to check the BG is rising after the 5.4.
Do you have a hypo kit set up…..very important.
I also think that the 2units is too high a dose to start with. And dropping to 5.4 on the first dose is a bit low. Lantus is a depot insulin and it takes 5 days for the dose to fully take effect.
I don’t like reducing the dose of a cat with ketones but as she tested negative this morning before any insulin was given….I think the dose can be reduced to 1.5 units next dose and stay with that dose unless she drops under 90
Keep posting every day so we can help you. Ask lots of questions as it’s a big learning curve in the beginning.

Are you able to set up a signature so we can learn all about Keiki? Make sure you put she had ketones at diagnosis please in the signature.
Also if you could put the daily ketones test results into the spreadsheet remarks column, that would be very helpful. Thx.

 
I think my spread sheet should be in the signature?

Her reading now 8pm (7hrs after dose) is still 5.4 and she has had dinner.

I am scared to dose her again in the morning, would it be ok to start her at 1ml at 8am when I’ll start the cycle?

Is the rule if under 11 don’t dose?
 
KeikiSugarCat said:
I think my spread sheet should be in the signature?
Click to expand...
This would be your signature , tap in the blue Help Us Help You
Here is a link helping us to help you link. If you noticed, our members have some basic information about their cat's in their signature. This helps us to not pester you by asking the same questions (your cat's name, insulin type, date of diagnosis, etc.) repeatedly. We also have a link to our spreadsheet in our signature. We are very numbers driven. The spreadsheet is a record of your cat's progress. By linking it in your signature, we can follow along and provide feedback should you need the help.

Signature is at the end of everyone's post in gray, see mine
 
KeikiSugarCat said:
think my spread sheet should be in the signature?
Click to expand...
Yes that is correct.

KeikiSugarCat said:
Her reading now 8pm (7hrs after dose) is still 5.4 and she has had dinner.
I am scared to dose her again in the morning, would it be ok to start her at 1ml at 8am when I’ll start the cycle?
Is the rule if under 11 don’t dose?
Click to expand...
I would give her another snack soon. She is in safe numbers but I think the dose is too high for a first dose.
In the beginning when we don’t have any data, it is best not to shoot under 11 or (200). So if she is under that…..stall, don’t feed and post and ask for help. And test again 20 minutes later to see if the BG is rising.
So you are going to wait until 8 am to restart the dose are you? That is 19 hours after the last dose….right?
If you do that you need to have tested for ketones in the urine around the +12 or 14 mark as we need to make sure she does not get them again. We do not like skipping doses with ketones in the picture.
I think 1.5 would be a better dose but let’s wait until 8 am when you take the BG pre shot…..actually if you could get a test at 7 am that will give us a heads up as to what is happening. Post that BG and I will ask @tiffmaxee if she can look out for you as I will probably be asleep as I am in Australia or if I am awake I won’t be online in the morning as I have appointments to go to.
 
Last edited:
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
@Bron and Sheba (GA)
Hi Bron I don't mean to butt in but to me it looks like her last dose was at 1 PM if you read what she wrote in #5 which is


Her reading now 8pm (7hrs after dose) is still 5.4 and she has had dinner.
So how can she want to shoot at 8AM?

If she is saying 7 hours after dose , I would think that dose was at 1PM
Click to expand...
I have asked her in the previous post #8 if she is going to wait 18 hours to shoot to get back on schedule
 
I’m in Sydney Australia too, (dealing with major wind and rain right now doesn’t help)

18 hours will be the gap yes, I’ll test the litter box when I wake up but have 2 cats so hopefully she has been I’ll put her out there first up to check hopefully she goes.

Sorry I had a dr appt for my 2 year old who is also sick so new to all this will try to update in the morning.

i tested again at 8.30pm and she is 6 so going up thankfully, I will post again in the morning but if not over 11 I will call the vet,

Argh this is much harder than I thought

Keiki is pissed at me for jabbing her ear constantly
 
KeikiSugarCat said:
I’m in Sydney Australia too, (dealing with major wind and rain right now doesn’t help)

18 hours will be the gap yes, I’ll test the litter box when I wake up but have 2 cats so hopefully she has been I’ll put her out there first up to check hopefully she goes.

Sorry I had a dr appt for my 2 year old who is also sick so new to all this will try to update in the morning.

i tested again at 8.30pm and she is 6 so going up thankfully, I will post again in the morning but if not over 11 I will call the vet,

Argh this is much harder than I thought

Keiki is pissed at me for jabbing her ear constantly
Click to expand...
I am in Sydney as well…it’s been pouring with rain all day.
Here is a link you might like to read through INFORMATION FOR AUSSIE CAREGIVERS

You really need to test the urine, not the litter box. Are you able to catch her in the act and either slip a strip under her or put a small container under her.
Does she seem alert and is hungry?
You might be better posting here than calling the vet about the dose, if she is under 11……
I hope your 2 years old is OK.
 
Hi guys, I got her just as she was going to the litter this morning and tested straight away - Keto negative

Her reading was up to 24 this morning, I gave her the 1.5 dose so reduced by 0.5


I'll do her reading again in 2 hours.

She is happy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top