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[Kelly1207]

Hello
My 7 year old male orange long haired tabby named Ralphie was diagnosed with diabetes almost two weeks ago. He is the youngest of my three cats. He showed the obvious signs - hungry all the time, extreme thirst, weight loss and the constant meowing! We eliminated dry food and went to FF Pate instantly and his numbers dropped. Unfortunately, they are up again so we are going to try insulin next.

Today I purchased a human glucometer, Accu Chek. We have done one test and the device itself registered 13.7 but on the App it shows up as 24.6. I am not sure why there are two different readings and I’m confused to say the least! It’s our first check so I guess we will try again later, but he is not happy with us and wouldn’t even come for dinner. I’m hoping this gets easier. I’m extremely overwhelmed like many people I have read on here. I also do not think my vet is going to be on board with the human glucometer, but I am trying to see if I can make it work.
Anyone had the same issue with Accu Chek guide?

 

[CORKY]

Hello
My 7 year old male orange long haired tabby named Ralphie was diagnosed with diabetes almost two weeks ago. He is the youngest of my three cats. He showed the obvious signs - hungry all the time, extreme thirst, weight loss and the constant meowing! We eliminated dry food and went to FF Pate instantly and his numbers dropped. Unfortunately, they are up again so we are going to try insulin next.

Today I purchased a human glucometer, Accu Chek. We have done one test and the device itself registered 13.7 but on the App it shows up as 24.6. I am not sure why there are two different readings and I’m confused to say the least! It’s our first check so I guess we will try again later, but he is not happy with us and wouldn’t even come for dinner. I’m hoping this gets easier. I’m extremely overwhelmed like many people I have read on here. I also do not think my vet is going to be on board with the human glucometer, but I am trying to see if I can make it work.
Anyone had the same issue with Accu Chek guide?

Welcome to you and Ralphie, all of us have been in your shoes, it is overwhelming, to hear the Feline Diabetes, but yes, all the symptoms are there, in order for us to help you, we need a bit more information about Ralphie, like insulin, how much, what are you feeding, are you giving insulin and which one and dose, you are home testing which is good the Accu check is fine, most of us member here use the human ReliON Premier monitor and strips, it is inexpensive and accurate, below are several links for you to be able to help you please create your signature and spreadsheet, so we can better assist you, also it is important for diabetic cats to have a diet of wet can food containing between 0-10% carb, if you are feeding dry (Kibbles) or treats they contain between 25-35 % and cats cannot digest , below are several links to help each other and carbs so the pancreas do not have a chance to heal, below are several links to help each other and get Ralphie in the right track, unfortunately many Vets are not familiar with FB and they treat it as if were a dog and then complications began, no concern of yours is ever small, we are here to help you

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/new-how-you-can-help-us-help-you.216696/

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-create-a-spreadsheet.241706/

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...r-more-than-just-carbohydrate-content.175004/

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Hello and welcome. Ralphie is gorgeous! Of course, I have a fondness for the long haired ones.

Can I ask what country you are in? It'll help us with food/glucometer etc. recommendations that work for you. The Relion is only available in the US, unless you cross border shop like I did. I suspect since you are reporting in mmol/L that you are not in the US.

I would tend to trust the meter for numbers. With some meters they will test lower if you don't quite have enough blood on the test strip but that would be for much lower than 13.7 (247). We tend to use the US mg/dL numbers here, as the server is in the US and the largest percent of members are in the US. Just multiply by 18 to get the equivalent number.

From a quick scan of prices near me in Canada, I see the Accu Check Guide test strips can be obtained at a pretty good price (check eBay if you haven't yet). Cost is the major factor people use human meters, that plus the pet meters are pretty new relatively speaking, and our dosing methods were developed with the human meter numbers in mind. I'd rather you test more with cheaper test strips that not test because the pet test strips cost so much.

Has your vet mentioned what insulin you might be using? I strongly recommend Lantus or Prozinc, which are two long lasting insulins that are best for cats.

And some more information in a post that might help you with testing: Hometesting Links and Tips

 

[CORKY]

Hello and welcome. Ralphie is gorgeous! Of course, I have a fondness for the long haired ones.

Can I ask what country you are in? It'll help us with food/glucometer etc. recommendations that work for you. The Relion is only available in the US, unless you cross border shop like I did. I suspect since you are reporting in mmol/L that you are not in the US.

I would tend to trust the meter for numbers. With some meters they will test lower if you don't quite have enough blood on the test strip but that would be for much lower than 13.7 (247). We tend to use the US mg/dL numbers here, as the server is in the US and the largest percent of members are in the US. Just multiply by 18 to get the equivalent number.

From a quick scan of prices near me in Canada, I see the Accu Check Guide test strips can be obtained at a pretty good price (check eBay if you haven't yet). Cost is the major factor people use human meters, that plus the pet meters are pretty new relatively speaking, and our dosing methods were developed with the human meter numbers in mind. I'd rather you test more with cheaper test strips that not test because the pet test strips cost so much.

Has your vet mentioned what insulin you might be using? I strongly recommend Lantus or Prozinc, which are two long lasting insulins that are best for cats.

And some more information in a post that might help you with testing: Hometesting Links and Tips

Ralphie is just gorgeous, Main Coon?? he seems to have some traits of it, m favorite breed, my Coco is 1/2 Main Coon, Ralphie is adorable

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

@Kelly1207
Always aim for the sweet spot warm the ears up first, you can put rice in a sock and put it in the microwave, test it on the inside of your wrist to be sure it's not to hot, like you would test a babies bottle. You can fill a pill bottle with warm water and roll it on the ears also.Just keep rubbing the ears with your fingers to warm them up

6. As the ears get used to bleeding and grow more capilares, it gets easier to get the amount of blood you need on the first try. If he won’t stand still, you can get the blood onto a clean finger nail and test from there.
When you do get some blood you can try milking the ear.
Get you finger and gently push up toward the blood , more will appear
You will put the cotton round behind his ear in case you poke your finger, after you are done testing you will fold the cotton round over his ear to stop the bleeding , press gently for about 10 or 20 seconds until it stops
Get 26 or 28 gauge lancets
A lot of us use the lancets to test freehand not the lancing device
I find it better to see where I'm aiming
Look at the lancet under a light and you will see one side is curved upward, that's the side you want to poke with

Try putting a thin layer of Vaseline on the ear so the blood will bead up

Ralphie is so gorgeous

 

[Kelly1207]

Thank you everyone for the help! After coming out of my state of being overwhelmed I realized that the device itself registered in mmol/L and on the app they change it to mg/dL!

I am not sure if Ralphie is main coon or not but I am guessing he certainly has some traits! He was a kitten rescue from a woodpile.
The vet recommended insulin is ProZinc but we are still waiting on the prescription.
He eats FF pate. No dry food.
I am using the Accu Chek guide. I am in Canada and this was the most recommended one for here.
I have done two home tests today successfully. I am finding that using the lancet free hand is working much better for us.

 

[CORKY]

Thank you everyone for the help! After coming out of my state of being overwhelmed I realized that the device itself registered in mmol/L and on the app they change it to mg/dL!

I am not sure if Ralphie is main coon or not but I am guessing he certainly has some traits! He was a kitten rescue from a woodpile.
The vet recommended insulin is ProZinc but we are still waiting on the prescription.
He eats FF pate. No dry food.
I am using the Accu Chek guide. I am in Canada and this was the most recommended one for here.
I have done two home tests today successfully. I am finding that using the lancet free hand is working much better for us.

Awesome! the most important test are always on AMPS/PMPS (before shooting) you want to make sure his BG is appropriate for the insulin, I myself, after almost two years I was so proud to see yellows and high blues on the spread sheet, that I would totally panic when I saw a green BG especially right before shooting, I would bomb the members for help, now is a piece of cake Corky's numbers are all green with some blues, but I learned to shoot even on BGs in the 80s, now his pancreas are healing, he turned 11 this October 15, I adopted him from the ASPCA at the age of 8 weeks, inside cat, with a 11/2 Main Coon 4 year old female named Coco, they both had grown up eating MeauMix dry food, Gladly Corky is a very healthy 16.5 huge cat and no other health issues, so I became obsessed, with testing every 2 hours and I write in the remarks all the foods and times of meals or any changes, this Forum has been for my Corky heaven sent, I trust these members blindly and they are always there when needed, all cats are different, Corky has not stepped paws in a Vet since the first visit after January 2, 2023 and 8 days hospitalization, the experience was overwhelmingly terrifying, his Vet for all his years, was not cooperative in seeing him any longer after that, he had no knowledge about FD, although he is A great Vet, I found this Forum 5 months later, so I was blindly banging everything, and since I started here, Corky and my fear of losing him was gone, Corky began to flourish, I was told at first that I needed to take a step back, breath in and breath out, that cats senses our anxiety, and now is a walk in the park, so stick around I am sure that in no time Ralphie's spreadsheet is going to show wonderful yellows and blue BGs, and I have to say again he is Gorgeous!

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Waving "Hi" from BC.

Glad you figured out the meter issue.