I'm in over my head, please help! | Feline Diabetes Message Board - FDMB

I'm in over my head, please help!

Sammy and Tiny

Sammy and Tiny

Member since 2024
My cat, 11 yrs old was diagnosed with diabetes and put on 1.5 units of Prozinc 2x day ( now on 6th day) He's 13 1/2 pounds and is fairly thin, though. $700 vet visit for x-rays and extensive bloodwork - High glucose, everything else was okay. My vet told me to feed him canned purina dm (I was feeding him FF pate in the morning 9 which he loves) and dry kibble throughout the day (So mad at myself, I didn't know better).
Bought the Libre sensor $98, Vet put it on $95, SENSOR FELL OFF AFTER 3 DAYS (Was sent a new one, not applied yet - terrified to do it myself).
Have an Alpha track but it's impossible to get readings, he won't let me prick his ear.
Transitioned him to Purina DM pate that the vet told me to but can't afford it since I'm supposed to feed him 1-1/2 cans to 1-3/4 a day according to Purina. My vet told me to stop the FF and only feed him twice a day but he wines constantly for food so I'm breaking up the wet...I'm going crazy, it's so hard to keep all of this in order....
I'm giving him the insulin with his food at 7 am/pm but unable to prick his ear. The 3 days I had the sensor, it was reading HIGH in between insulin and then would go down to the 300's and 200's. Vet said 150 - 250 but didn't explain, huh? I can't afford this, I'm crying. My vet wouldn't give me details for food macros/weight, libre human glucose readings. I want to go to another vet but can't afford it. I don't now what to do.
 
Sammy and Tiny said:
vet told me to feed him canned purina dm (I was feeding him FF pate in the morning 9 which he loves) and dry kibble throughout the day (So mad at myself, I didn't know better).
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You are right. Feeding him the Fancy Feast classic patés is just fine for low carb food. He should have wet food preferably so if he likes it, I would keep feeding him that. His blood glucose will be lower on the FF pates.
 
Sammy and Tiny said:
My vet told me to stop the FF and only feed him twice a day but he wines constantly for food so I'm breaking up the wet
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If he is underweight, you should feed him enough calories. Right now, I would not worry about feeding him too much since you say he needs to gain weight. Diabetic cats do much better when fed multiple small meals during the cycle. Feeding this way helps to prevent steep drops in blood glucose which also helps prevent bouncing (which I will explain later — don’t worry about ot now because you haven’t even started testing yet.). The bottom line is that he should eat at shot time amd them be fed some more small meals at about two, foir and six hours after his shot (if he is still hungry- this schedule can be modified as we go along.)
 
If you were seeing readings in the 200-300s with the Libre sensor, then that’s high and you need not worry about it — although soon we can hopefully start to get some data and be able to get the numbers down into a normal range.

Hang in there. We have all been new at this before and we remember the confusion and anxiety and worry!
 
Lots of tips and videos in this post to help you with testing with the AT. Hometesting Links and Tips Remember to breathe and relax while trying to test, and above all, he gets a treat after every attempt. You will get there. The foot pad is an alternative site to ears.

By the way, you don't need to use the AT - though many vets push it. Most of us use human blood glucose meters because the test strips are so much cheaper, are easier to obtain, and our dosing methods were written with human meter values well before AT's were a thing. The Relion meters are a popular one in the US.
 
There's info and tips on using the Libre meter here: https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...ucose-monitors-cgms-for-diabetic-cats.301950/

There's a FB group, too. @Staci & Ivy can point you to that.

A baby t shirt or something similar will keep the Libre meter on. You do need to know how to test from the ear as a back up. A Libre can fall off or malfunction and if blood glucose levels read as just "Lo" you need to test from the ear to see how exactly low.

Normal blood glucose levels for a cat is roughly 60 to 150 mg/dl. You want your cat to be within this range as much as possible with diet and insulin. It won't happen overnight so have patience :)

FF pates are fine. Ignore the vet about food. Return the DM to the vet for a refund. Just say your cat won't eat it anymore. There are many other suitable commercial brands of canned foods you can feed: Friskies, Weruva, Tiki Cat, etc. WalMart's Special Kitty brand and many other store generic brands are similar to FF and costs even less. Feed your cat likes and you can afford. It's ideal to feed a cat multiple small meals spread throughout the day. A programmable timed feeder works best for this.

Many people just use their vet for annual check ups, vaccinations, and a prescription for insulin. They just manage the cat's diabetes on their own with the help from FDMB members.
 
squeem3 said:
There's info and tips on using the Libre meter here: https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...ucose-monitors-cgms-for-diabetic-cats.301950/

There's a FB group, too. @Staci & Ivy can point you to that.

A baby t shirt or something similar will keep the Libre meter on. You do need to know how to test from the ear as a back up. A Libre can fall off or malfunction and if blood glucose levels read as just "Lo" you need to test from the ear to see how exactly low.

Normal blood glucose levels for a cat is roughly 60 to 150 mg/dl. You want your cat to be within this range as much as possible with diet and insulin. It won't happen overnight so have patience :)

FF pates are fine. Ignore the vet about food. Return the DM to the vet for a refund. Just say your cat won't eat it anymore. There are many other suitable commercial brands of canned foods you can feed: Friskies, Weruva, Tiki Cat, etc. WalMart's Special Kitty brand and many other store generic brands are similar to FF and costs even less. Feed your cat likes and you can afford. It's ideal to feed a cat multiple small meals spread throughout the day. A programmable timed feeder works best for this.

Many people just use their vet for annual check ups, vaccinations, and a prescription for insulin. They just manage the cat's diabetes on their own with the help from FDMB members.
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Hello, yes you have been given excellent information here about using a Libre.
Please consult the link given to our document page on this website, which gives a lot of very good information on using a Libre.
As mentioned earlier, it’s quite important to be able to test via an ear poke, especially when Libre reads LO, to verify how the dose is actually taking your cat.

I highly recommend joining the Facebook group Freestyle Libre for dogs and cats. It’s a very very good resource for information.

And using an inexpensive human Relion meter (Walmart) with accessible and inexpensive test strips is a great idea, instead of using the pet meters which cost about a dollar per strip. Way too expensive.
 
Sammy and Tiny said:
My cat, 11 yrs old was diagnosed with diabetes and put on 1.5 units of Prozinc 2x day ( now on 6th day) He's 13 1/2 pounds and is fairly thin, though. $700 vet visit for x-rays and extensive bloodwork - High glucose, everything else was okay. My vet told me to feed him canned purina dm (I was feeding him FF pate in the morning 9 which he loves) and dry kibble throughout the day (So mad at myself, I didn't know better).
Bought the Libre sensor $98, Vet put it on $95, SENSOR FELL OFF AFTER 3 DAYS (Was sent a new one, not applied yet - terrified to do it myself).
Have an Alpha track but it's impossible to get readings, he won't let me prick his ear.
Transitioned him to Purina DM pate that the vet told me to but can't afford it since I'm supposed to feed him 1-1/2 cans to 1-3/4 a day according to Purina. My vet told me to stop the FF and only feed him twice a day but he wines constantly for food so I'm breaking up the wet...I'm going crazy, it's so hard to keep all of this in order....
I'm giving him the insulin with his food at 7 am/pm but unable to prick his ear. The 3 days I had the sensor, it was reading HIGH in between insulin and then would go down to the 300's and 200's. Vet said 150 - 250 but didn't explain, huh? I can't afford this, I'm crying. My vet wouldn't give me details for food macros/weight, libre human glucose readings. I want to go to another vet but can't afford it. I don't now what to do.
Click to expand...
Please see the link to our document on using Libres. We also discuss getting Libres at better prices.
I pay around $37 at my local pharmacy and we also link a coupon from Abbott for $20 each.
I installed them myself so I have no cost from a vet and don’t have to take my cat to the vet. They’re very easy to install. You just have to follow the instructions very closely.
And it’s very important to have several on hand in case one should fail.
 
Hi Sammy, Oh how I know how you feel, It is extremely stressful to find out that our cat was diagnosed with FD, but do not despair, it does gets better, I had no idea about Diabetes, never mind in a cat, Corky was 9 1/2 years old at the time weight 16.5lbs, he's quite a big cat, he is now 12, I started seeing him glued to the water bowl, and even crying in front of it, other than that he was himself, with the exception that he allowed me to pick him up one day, he felt like a feather, I weight him, and he had lost 8.5lbs, when I couldn't figure it out, I immediately took him to an emergency hospital to find out 9 hours later waiting in the lobby he had Diabetes 650BG, he was hospitalized for 8 days, we left with all these foreign supplies in a bag, insulin, syringes, antibiotics a sensor and monitor, and told a diabetic cats needed to be between 200-300 BG, I was given simple instructions, at night the sensor falls off, when I went to give him the insulin the next morning, after I filled the syringe, I turned the bottle around and fell out of my hand, I was frantic, balling, I ran back to his regular Vet for 9 years, and refused to even look at him he was not interested, but did give me a bottle of ProZinc which was what he was prescribed, for month I had to learn things by trial and error, with sensors that stopped working after 4-8 days, falling off, the monitor will start ringing the low BG as 49-50, I would run around the house like a chicken without a head. So Yes! I hear you, not until by coincidence I found this Forum,
It was like breathing again, Zuzanne has coached me till today, and all these knowledgeable members dedicated in saving our loved fur babies, today Corky is as regulated and healthy as any normal cat, although he will be a lifetime diabetic, this Forum saved his life, and perhaps even mine! So, It Does Gets Better,
Like Squeem3 expressed, Wet canned food, low carbs between 0-10% Home Testing, and lots of cuddles, He will be fine, as for you I will tell you what Suzanne said to me " Take a step back, breath in, breath out, Cats are very sensitive to stress, you stress, they stress" and it really worked . Keep posting, vent, we are here for you. Also, if you have a financial situation there are many Foundations that can assist you with supplies and insulin, the Link is below, DCIN Foundation is very quick at qualifying, also in the main menu forum there is a Supply Closet link of members that sell at a low price, free, or pay postage.
🤗 :bighug::cat::cat:

Financial Help Links
 
Just let me know when you catch your breath and are ready for some help with your ProZinc dosing. I don’t want to overwhelm you all at once with too much of a fire hose approach. Poke around the sticky notes at the top of the ProZinc forum. Ask questions as they arise. A Libre can be a handy tool for some people for a variety of reasons— as long as you have a way to check it with a handheld meter when it is giving you a lower number. Normal blood glucose for a healthy cat is about 50-120 with most of the time being in numbers below 100. It can take time to get them back to that range and some cats are more challenging than others, but you can do a lot to get your baby more healthy along the way.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
If he is underweight, you should feed him enough calories. Right now, I would not worry about feeding him too much since you say he needs to gain weight. Diabetic cats do much better when fed multiple small meals during the cycle. Feeding this way helps to prevent steep drops in blood glucose which also helps prevent bouncing (which I will explain later — don’t worry about ot now because you haven’t even started testing yet.). The bottom line is that he should eat at shot time amd them be fed some more small meals at about two, foir and six hours after his shot (if he is still hungry- this schedule can be modified as we go along.)
Click to expand...

I
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Just let me know when you catch your breath and are ready for some help with your ProZinc dosing. I don’t want to overwhelm you all at once with too much of a fire hose approach. Poke around the sticky notes at the top of the ProZinc forum. Ask questions as they arise. A Libre can be a handy tool for some people for a variety of reasons— as long as you have a way to check it with a handheld meter when it is giving you a lower number. Normal blood glucose for a healthy cat is about 50-120 with most of the time being in numbers below 100. It can take time to get them back to that range and some cats are more challenging than others, but you can do a lot to get your baby more healthy along the way.
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Thank you all so much for responding. 😻😻😻 I'm going to deep dive the information you've given me. I tried to poke his ear manually yesterday but it took 3 tries and no blood :arghh: poor baby! I gave him his insulin anyway. Does anyone use Vaseline on the ear? Also, for the Libre sticking, has anyone had luck with or prefer a particular adhesive? Skin tac wipes, liquid or tissue glue? 🥰🙏 I have the app on my phone. Also, I'm trying to figure out how to use the forum to post, seems like I can only respond to each response? 😬
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Hello and welcome to the FDMB.
Here’s a little information that may be helpful just for starters.
Sticky - NEW TO THE GROUP: THE PROZINC BASICS. PLEASE START HERE.
Click to expand...
 
Sammy and Tiny said:
Also, for the Libre sticking, has anyone had luck with or prefer a particular adhesive? Skin tac wipes, liquid or tissue glue?
Click to expand...
Our page on getting started with CGMs has recommendations for products. You will need trimmers, alcohol swabs, SkinTac adhesive barrier wipes (or Skin Glu wipes). For removal we recommend Brava spray. SkinTac and Skin Glu are NOT actual glue, they just make the skin very dry and tacky so it's ready for the adhesive on the Libre itself. You shouldn't use tissue glue/vet bond because 1) it's extremely harsh and can damage the skin and 2) it can flood the sensor and cause the Libre to fail.
 
Also, I feel so silly asking this but the whole feeding/amount schedule has me going in circles. If I feed him FF pate in the small cans, what would be ideal amounts for meals before dosing and mini meals throughout the day? How many cans per day is an average? He's always hungry.
 
Lauren & Esse said:
Our page on getting started with CGMs has recommendations for products. You will need trimmers, alcohol swabs, SkinTac adhesive barrier wipes (or Skin Glu wipes). For removal we recommend Brava spray. SkinTac and Skin Glu are NOT actual glue, they just make the skin very dry and tacky so it's ready for the adhesive on the Libre itself. You shouldn't use tissue glue/vet bond because 1) it's extremely harsh and can damage the skin and 2) it can flood the sensor and cause the Libre to fail.
Click to expand...
Great! Thank you so much, I'll check it out!
 
CORKY said:
Hi Sammy, Oh how I know how you feel, It is extremely stressful to find out that our cat was diagnosed with FD, but do not despair, it does gets better, I had no idea about Diabetes, never mind in a cat, Corky was 9 1/2 years old at the time weight 16.5lbs, he's quite a big cat, he is now 12, I started seeing him glued to the water bowl, and even crying in front of it, other than that he was himself, with the exception that he allowed me to pick him up one day, he felt like a feather, I weight him, and he had lost 8.5lbs, when I couldn't figure it out, I immediately took him to an emergency hospital to find out 9 hours later waiting in the lobby he had Diabetes 650BG, he was hospitalized for 8 days, we left with all these foreign supplies in a bag, insulin, syringes, antibiotics a sensor and monitor, and told a diabetic cats needed to be between 200-300 BG, I was given simple instructions, at night the sensor falls off, when I went to give him the insulin the next morning, after I filled the syringe, I turned the bottle around and fell out of my hand, I was frantic, balling, I ran back to his regular Vet for 9 years, and refused to even look at him he was not interested, but did give me a bottle of ProZinc which was what he was prescribed, for month I had to learn things by trial and error, with sensors that stopped working after 4-8 days, falling off, the monitor will start ringing the low BG as 49-50, I would run around the house like a chicken without a head. So Yes! I hear you, not until by coincidence I found this Forum,
It was like breathing again, Zuzanne has coached me till today, and all these knowledgeable members dedicated in saving our loved fur babies, today Corky is as regulated and healthy as any normal cat, although he will be a lifetime diabetic, this Forum saved his life, and perhaps even mine! So, It Does Gets Better,
Like Squeem3 expressed, Wet canned food, low carbs between 0-10% Home Testing, and lots of cuddles, He will be fine, as for you I will tell you what Suzanne said to me " Take a step back, breath in, breath out, Cats are very sensitive to stress, you stress, they stress" and it really worked . Keep posting, vent, we are here for you. Also, if you have a financial situation there are many Foundations that can assist you with supplies and insulin, the Link is below, DCIN Foundation is very quick at qualifying, also in the main menu forum there is a Supply Closet link of members that sell at a low price, free, or pay postage.
🤗 :bighug::cat::cat:

Financial Help Links
Click to expand...
This is wonderful, thank you so much 😻
 
Sammy and Tiny said:
Also, I feel so silly asking this but the whole feeding/amount schedule has me going in circles. If I feed him FF pate in the small cans, what would be ideal amounts for meals before dosing and mini meals throughout the day? How many cans per day is an average? He's always hungry.
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Both my cats, Corky weighs 16.5. And Coco 11 , since they feed 4 times a day and one early snack I feed 1/2 a can, if you only have 1 cat you can put the other half in the fridge covered till next meal, that totals to 4 cans a day for 2 cats, I also give four different flavors a day, beef, chicken, beef and Turkey
 
Sammy and Tiny said:
Great! Thank you so much, I'll check it out!
Click to expand...
And no question is silly, tge more you ask before second guessing the faster you will be able to regulate his BG, still after 3 years I still ask if in doubt before making a mistake, and I’ve made some juicy ones believe me😉 :cat: :cat:
 
CORKY said:
Both my cats, Corky weighs 16.5. And Coco 11 , since they feed 4 times a day and one early snack I feed 1/2 a can, if you only have 1 cat you can put the other half in the fridge covered till next meal, that totals to 4 cans a day for 2 cats, I also give four different flavors a day, beef, chicken, beef and Turkey
Click to expand...

CORKY said:
And no question is silly, tge more you ask before second guessing the faster you will be able to regulate his BG, still after 3 years I still ask if in doubt before making a mistake, and I’ve made some juicy ones believe me😉 :cat: :cat:
Click to expand...
Thank you for that, I never stressed out about feeding until now with the Tiny on Prozinc and my other, Agnes who is 31/2 and a fattttttty fat. I made the biggest mistake by leaving them dry food mountains for when I'm away overnight 1 or 2 nights. Now I don't go anywhere. Is 1/2 can enough of a meal for Prozinc injection? I don't know what's considered a "full meal" but I follow him around sometimes trying to entice him to eat a bunch. The portions are what trip me up.
 
Sammy and Tiny said:
Thank you for that, I never stressed out about feeding until now with the Tiny on Prozinc and my other, Agnes who is 31/2 and a fattttttty fat. I made the biggest mistake by leaving them dry food mountains for when I'm away overnight 1 or 2 nights. Now I don't go anywhere. Is 1/2 can enough of a meal for Prozinc injection? I don't know what's considered a "full meal" but I follow him around sometimes trying to entice him to eat a bunch. The portions are what trip me up.
Click to expand...
It is enough if you are feeding several meals 3-4 a day, and a snack is good two hours after shot and testing as well, that’s when ProZinc kicks in, You can click on Corky’s spreadsheet, below in blue, scroll to the left you will see remark, you can see his daily feeding schedule, Corky is also on ProZinc
 
Sammy and Tiny said:
Does anyone use Vaseline on the ear?
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Absolutely! Especially the black haired ones (seems even the non diabetics in my house that I've tested had black ears). Just a tiny smear, so the blood beads up on it and doesn't hide in the fur.

The amount of food that a cat needs is individual to the cat. Cats have different metabolism rates. They have different levels of activity. A rule of thumb that you can start with (from catinfo.org) is
Required calories per day = [13.6 X optimal lean body weight in pounds] + 70
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Has your vet told you what is an idea weight for your cat? If his current weight was optimal (sounds like maybe not), then the above formula says he needs 250-255 calories per day. The FF pate's range from 82-95 calories per can, so that would be 3 cans per day. Then if you have a pet/baby scale, weight kitty regularly to see if his weight is going in the right direction. Adjust amount of food given as needed.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Absolutely! Especially the black haired ones (seems even the non diabetics in my house that I've tested had black ears). Just a tiny smear, so the blood beads up on it and doesn't hide in the fur.

The amount of food that a cat needs is individual to the cat. Cats have different metabolism rates. They have different levels of activity. A rule of thumb that you can start with (from catinfo.org) is

Has your vet told you what is an idea weight for your cat? If his current weight was optimal (sounds like maybe not), then the above formula says he needs 250-255 calories per day. The FF pate's range from 82-95 calories per can, so that would be 3 cans per day. Then if you have a pet/baby scale, weight kitty regularly to see if his weight is going in the right direction. Adjust amount of food given as needed.
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Hi Wendy, Good to know. The vet told me 11.5 lbs but wouldn't give me dietary info, so frustrating. Right now he is around 13.5 and feels really light, but he has always been porky and until this past year, so what do I know, lol. He is a bit lazy but will chase after crunchy treats. which maybe I shouldn't give him? He does love them though.
 
I used to play chase with Neko and freeze dried/air dried no carb treats.

With 11.5 lbs, the calculation is 225-230 calories per day. But as above, it's just a starting point based on metabolism.
 
Testing tips: Hometesting Links and Tips

Warm ears bleed best. Most people use a "rice sock": a sock filled with uncooked rice or dried beans, tied closed, and heated in the microwave until just comfortably warm enough to hold in your hand. A baby or toddler sized sock is all you need but use whatever old cotton sock you have. A few spoonfuls of rice or beans is enough. Do a test run in the microwave to see how much time it takes to warm the sock up. Try 10 seconds to start and adjust as needed.
 
You can also use an empty pill bottle or a tiny glass bottle if you have one — to put warm water into and apply it to the ear. Massaging the ear can also help. I did this with a non-diabetic cat of mine just the other night when I needed to get a BG test. Her ears bled for me (but then again I have been doing this a long time— which goes to show you that you will also be a pro at some point with a little practice.)
 
I can’t imagine Andy allowing me to do a GB test on him. He is freaking out just getting his twice daily blood tests. He is wary of me and my husband thinking we are going to grab him and give him a shot. I’m sure we’re sending out bad energy because we feel bad about upsetting him. It’s early days for us so I’m trying to chill.
 
This is going to sound dumb but try singing when you're either testing or giving a shot. It will distract you and Andy might like it! Your cat will pick up on your energy so it's important to try to be calm. Remember, this is helping your cat to feel better.
 
It’s true what Sienne said… we’ve had members sing little songs to their cats while testing or giving insulin and it was relaxing for both the cat and the caregiver.
 
Suzanne told me at first when I was at tge point of a nervous breakdown, she said: “ breath in and breath out, cats are very sensitive to stress, you stress they stress” it stil works!!!
 
Sienne and Gabby (GA) said:
This is going to sound dumb but try singing when you're either testing or giving a shot. It will distract you and Andy might like it! Your cat will pick up on your energy so it's important to try to be calm. Remember, this is helping your cat to feel better.
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This is such a great idea!!! When I’m feeling stressed getting ready for work I sing Oh What a Beautiful Morning! It settles my breathing down and oxygenates my brain! I will try this. Andy will think I’m nuts but that’s okay 👍🏼
 
If you go back to using the Libre, it basically just reads glucose readings all day so there's no need to do a full day curve :) Have you read the Libre info and tips thread that someone posted above? There's a coupon to get a Libre for something like $20.

Most cats do learn to more or less tolerate being poked daily. Always reward with a treat so your cat associates the poking with something yummy. Or try catnip if your cat isn't very food motivated.
 
DeniseWeldon said:
This is such a great idea!!! When I’m feeling stressed getting ready for work I sing Oh What a Beautiful Morning! It settles my breathing down and oxygenates my brain! I will try this. Andy will think I’m nuts but that’s okay 👍🏼
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Singing did the trick this time. It kept me relaxed and Andy less suspicious! I was able to give him his shot with no upsets for either of us 😁
 
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