It seems so hard at first, and I know it's hard to picture, but it really gets a whole lot easier once it's no longer new stuff.
Ok, so Bandit was also on a 7am/7pm schedule, so let me share with you my step by step process! You don't have to test 10x a day with Lantus...I work a lot so Bandit and I got by just fine with testing 3-4 times a day and a curve once week. However, you may want to get a few more tests in the beginning when you are able as you're finding the right dose to get him regulated.
If you haven't already, set yourself up with a spreadsheet, like the one in my signature. You can do that here:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/. The spreadsheet is a great tool to help you visualize his numbers when making dose adjustments. You can also use it to get dosing advice here, and to share with your vet.
So, the first thing we do at 7am is get a test. this is called the AM Pre Shot, or AMPS. Here's how I hometested Bandit in the beginning, which is different than now because in the beginning he didn't like it and fought me a lot. Now, he runs to me and sits patiently through the test when he hears the meter beep on, so time and routine will definitely be your friend when testing! But I want to give you instructions for a difficult cat, just in case you have any problems. Cats sometimes resist in the beginning because you're doing something new to them and they can sense your nervousness. Once you and your cat gets used to it, it's never as hard to test as it is the first few weeks. And despite what you may think, it doesn't hurt them at all--cats have less nerve endings in their ears than people do in their fingertips, so pain is not an issue.
If your cat struggles at first, I would recommend getting a fuzzy, comfortable blanket, wrapping him in it and putting him in a box, container, or basket (anything that he fits inside comfortably that encloses him on the sides). Do this for every test, and do the test in the same spot. Make sure you're either feeding or giving him a treat after every test.
1. Warm the ear with the rice sock.
2. Back the ear with a piece of tissue or a cotton ball. This will help you poke without stabbing your fingers, and you can use it to put pressure on the poke spot after you're done testing.
3. Find the "sweet spot" where you'll be poking. This is the area between the vein and the outer edge of the ear. Here's a picture:
http://s106.photobucket.com/user/chupie_2006/media/testingear/sweetspot.jpg.html. You can use a flashlight behind the ear if you're having trouble finding the vein.
4. Load the strip into the meter. It should turn on and give you a beep. Usually, there's an indication that it's ready for blood that varies with each meter. Mine has a flashing blood drop icon.
5. Poke the spot with the lancet. You can either freehand the lancet or use a lancet device. I use the Relion Lancet device--and I position it so the circle in the middle is aligned to where I want to poke. When you're starting out, make sure you're using a larger size gauge lancet--26-28g. The ultra thin ones are really hard to get a big enough drop of blood with, especially at first.
6. If you get a good sized drop of blood with poke, great! put the end of the test strip to the drop of blood. The strip will "sip" up the blood on its own when the tip comes in contact with it.
7. If the drop of blood isn't big enough for the test, you can "milk" the spot to make the drop bigger. You do this by gently squeezing near the outside of the poke spot with your fingers.
8. If you still can't get a drop, try poking again. Make sure that your poke spot is being firmly backed with your tissue/cottonball so that the lancet isn't just glancing off the spot. Try poking with a little more force if you're freehanding, or using a deeper poke setting on your lancet device.
9. After every test, successful or not, give him a treat! This is a VERY important step!
After you get your test and the number indicates it's safe for you to shoot his insulin, then it's time to do breakfast and the shot. My routine with Bandit is this:
1. Prepare the cats' breakfast. Food goes into bowls with a little water mixed in.
2. Prepare the insulin shot.Take the caps off the syringe, and then pull the plunger back and forth a few times to get the syringe lubricated. Insert the needle into the vial. Pull the syringe back just a little further than his dose. Remove the syringe from the vial. Holding the syringe upright with the needle facing to the ceiling, flick the syringe with your finger to get any bubbles up to the top. Slowly (this may take you several tries at first) push the plunger forward until you reach your desired dose. If you accidentally remove too much insulin from the syringe, reinsert the syringe in the vial and try again. Don't worry about wasting insulin; you'll never get through the whole vial before the insulin goes bad, even if it lasts you several months. Check out the Lantus forum for storage and handling tips.
3. Give the cats their food.
4. While he's eating, give Bandit his shot. You do this by tenting the fur on his back or flank, inserting the syringe needle into the skin (not the muscle), and pressing down on the syringe plunger.
5. Dispose of the syringe in a sharps container (you can buy them or use a heavy plastic container like an empty laundry soap bottle. Just make sure you mark it!)
At 7pm, you repeat the same thing. The test then would be the PMPS.
About halfway through either cycle, try and get another test. With Bandit, this was usually at his 1am feeding. But it could be at 1pm, or before bed, or whenever you're home and able to test him. Lantus is dosed based off the mid-cycle tests, not the AMPS or the PMPS, so that's why that third test is really important.
Good luck, and ask lots of questions if you have them! There's also a lot of experienced folks in the Lantus forum that can help you out.
