3/25 Billy AMPS 117

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Manouk & Billy

Manouk & Billy

Member Since 2011
Good morning LL!

Condo for 3/23

Yesterday
AMPS 130
+2 130
PMPS 313 (Actually 1 1/2 hour later than usual : I was away and nobody was available to give him food.)

Today
AMPS 117

I have a question for you guys. What kind of litter do you use? I know there is a special kind of litter and litter box for sale on the site, but I just don't have the budget to order that at the moment, especially since orders to Canada are always more complicated. I used to have the usual agglomerating kind, but Billy has neuropathy and he'd always get his back legs covered in urine and litter. Then he'd jump out of his box putting litter everywhere and cleaning his paws was a disaster.

I switched to the Silica /crystal based kind which works fine. Billy's paws are ok and I am really enjoying the liberty of just putting the solid waste in the toilet. Downside is that even though every bag is supposed to last a month, I can never use it for that long. It takes only a few days before it gets full and the pee goes through the bag liner into the litter box, which isn't really fun to clean, nor to smell... I don't know if I can really afford a bag of this kind of litter every week, especially since my girlfriend and I are moving in together soon. She has two cats, meaning they'll have to use the same kind of litter in their litter boxes as well, and that seems like a lot of silica litter purchases every week.

I hope I can make up my mind before we move in together so the cats won't have to go through several changes (she'll switch hers before we move in). Anyone know a better solution? Anything that works great for diabetes cats using their litter box all the time? Any input would be appreciated.

Well, I hope everybody has a great day!
 
Good morning guys .. what a nice amps billy! Sorry you are having some problems with your litter and box .. we just use plain old tidy cats .. we have two boxes and the litter get's changed weekly, but I scoop daily .. I hope others have better suggestions for you .. have a great weekend!
 
I don't have any litter suggestions. I bet you will get some though. I was going to look up Celi's Breeze litter box but haven't gotten to it yet.

Billy is looking great this morning :mrgreen:

Is his neuropathy improving? Sending hugs.
 
I think the neuropathy is improving... I am sure he's not getting worse, at least, so it's already something.

I am in a bit of a panic, here. I was sure I had a 17 test strips package left, but it looks like I don't. Tomorrow I am leaving town to get the ones I ordered and am sleeping over there. That means I won't be able to test until Sunday morning. @-) I will be there to shoot tonight and tomorrow morning but a friend of mine is taking care of Bill tomorrow night.

...I am really scared. I spent like 6 months without testing but now that I do, 3 shots without tests seem like a lot, especially since I'm being more aggressive with his dose than what I used to be. On the bright side, Billy has only been in the greens for one day, so I doubt he'll go into hypo... Right? Will he be fine? :sad:
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips? :/

giving your post a bump for better eyes...

and i use the tidy cat breeze box...
initial cost is btwn $32 and $40...but in 1 years time, i have only bought the refill pellets 4 times...$11 per bag.
I also got a tip from ann about not putting the pee pads in (money savings there) which allows for ketone testing.
i just empty the bottom pan down the toilet when he pees.

here's a link to some reviews of it...
another plus is that the pellets are loud, so you always know when they're using the box...

http://reviews.petco.com/3554/106008/tidy-cats-tidy-cats-breeze-litter-box-reviews/reviews.htm
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips? :/

Hey Manouk, Why don't you just go to a local pharmacy and buy another meter and some strips for it. That way you'll always have a back-up. And pharmacies always carry strips for the brands of meter they sell (even if they don't carry strips for the meter you are using now).
As regards litter: We use "The World's Best Litter". It is made from 100% ground up corn kernels. It works GREAT! It's a clumping litter. I scoop every day. You are even supposed to be able to flush the urine clumps because it is completely biodegradable, but I don't flush it. It is virtually dust-free. It is more expensive than most litter, but it lasts and lasts. I buy about one 17-lb bag a month for 2 litterboxes (a big one and a normal-sized one). Even at the end of the month it is still pristine. I only change it because I feel that I should clean out Rusty's boxes at least once a month. We used to use the non-clumping clay litter, but with an FD cat who pees a lot (Stu was one!), that isn't much fun. Then we switched to the clumping kind, but I always found it to be like cement. Then we were told to get "World's Best" when we were planning to have the I-131 treatment for Stu's hyperthyroidism. We switched and it was the difference between night and day. It looks like it is available in Canada:
http://www.worldsbestcatlitter.com/prod ... to-buy.php

Good luck. The best thing about this litter is that it is lightweight and soft on your kitty's feet.

Ella & Rusty

p.s. Nice amps for Billy
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips? :/

I was just going to tell you to get a new meter & strips come withit!!
Ella took the worrds right out of my :o --I urine tested Moonie for so long then once I bg tested, I wondered how I ever did that? Good luck getting strips! Great AMPS!! looks like testing is needed..
You are doing a good job!
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips? :/

Thanks guys, I'll check these out!

As for the extra strips and meter, problem is that I just don't have the extra cash needed for that at the moment. I'm on a really tight budget, thanks to being a 23 year old student living alone. I bought as many test strips as I could afford from amazon, but now it just doesn't seem like it was a clever idea... :sad:

...Should I decrease his dose or something?
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips? :/

can't help you on the test strips, but i love our cat litter. we use dun dun dun - wood stove pellets. it's compressed pine sawdust. $5 for a 40lb bag and that lasts me several weeks with 2 cats.

When they pee in the box it turns into sawdust at the bottom. So every day I scoop out the poop and flush it, and i jiggle the box to move all the unused pellets to the top. Sometimes I just dump the whole thing out twice a week, sometimes i scoop out the used sawdust at the bottom into a garbage bag and add fresh pellets on top. To empty the wet stuff, i tip one end of the box up and the good pellets roll to the down end, leaving the wetter sawdust at the end i'm holding. not too different than clay litters.

i hated the clumping litters, although the cats prefer it. It's heavy, I hate the smell and the little bits that get all over the floor. Plus it's heavy in the garbage can. The cats get used to the wood, though - if you've ever bought Feline Pine ($10 for 10 lbs) it's the same product.

I'm sending my son out to buy more right now - i'll get 5 or 6 bags ($4-5 per bag) and it will last me probably 6 months. He's going to the wood store place because if you're buying a bunch it's easier. You can buy it in most grocery stores in the winter. Buy the cheapest available (sometimes they're even $3.50) because hey, they're only using it for a bathroom!

couldn't be more environmentally sound. if you had a place to dump the used sawdust in your yard, you wouldn't even have any garbage. it also doesn't smell at all - just a little woodsy. cheap, easy, works, what's not to love?! ;-)
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips? :/

Meters are expensive up here in Canada - mine didn't come with any test strips either (accucheck aviva nano). 75$ for 100 test strips of the nano at the cheapest place I've found. Vs $38 for the relion.
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips? :/

Having a diabetic cat is making me regret I live in Canada. ohmygod_smile

I never heard of wood stove pellets. They seem great!
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips? :/

well . . . at least you can get insulin without a prescription. and for a prescription here, you have to have a current vet appt. and, you live in the most beautiful country in the world.

i can't believe there aren't wood stoves in canada - they have pallets of them in front of a lot of our grocery or misc stores.
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips? :/

Oh, they probably are available. I just haven't seem them before -- or didn't pay attention since I never needed some before.

Anyone know what I should do about Billy's doses? Should I decrease to be sure Billy doesn't go into hypo since I won't be able to test? :sad:
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips? :/

Hi, I LOVE your avatar.. super cute! I apologize if I am missing information, but I understand you are out of strips.. is it not possible to get more strips due to funds or because you dont have them available? It isn't safe to shoot insulin & not test, so I hope you can get some strips because Billy is looking great! :mrgreen:
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips? :/

Not only can you get insulin without prescription in Canada, it is half the price you pay for it here in the US!

What kind of meter do you have, Manouk? Did you get one of the newbie kits from FDMB? If not, why don't you ask for one to be sent to you. Then at least you will have a back-up meter and strips (which everyone should have). Go to the FDMB Health forum and check the informational "sticky" "Newbie Kits".

I don't think it's wise to decrease Billy's dose unless it is an earned dose decrease. At the very least it will mess up his shed. But put the question in your subject line so that someone more knowledgeable will see it.

Ella
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips : dose decrease?

@ Nicole : Thank you! The strips are available here, but I won't be able to afford any of them before getting my package of test strips anyway, which I will be able to use Sunday morning. :/

@ Ella : Haha, guess I should stop complaining then. I'll go look at those newbie kits, they seem great. At least I'll be sure something like this won't happen again - anyways, I learned my lesson. 17 strips can go in no time. :YMSIGH: I changed my subject line. Thanks!
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips : dose decrease?

boy, i know what you mean about how fast they go. i just ordered 150 (3 boxes) from Hocks - I got 2 boxes just - well, i think the package came last week. i'm restraining myself from testing right now because i'm sure there's no danger, i just want to know what the lowest point is today.
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips : dose decrease?

Manouk: no advice on the dose but I would tend to agree with Ella. We also use World's Best and we LOVE it!!! Hope things get worked out and you can be sure he gets tested......
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips : dose decrease?

Can't help on the dosing issue but I used to use Worlds Best and I loved it because I felt it was safer being that it is just corn. But I recently found one at Walmart called fresh results and I actually like it better than worlds best. Odor control is better and it is 5.77 for a bag. Lasts a long time, I only have one box for two kitties but I scoop constantly. HTH!
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips : dose decrease?

i saw an ad today for Feline Pine - it was $9 for a 20 lb bag. The wood stove pellets were $3.50 for 40 lbs, which is huge. I didn't want to be unfair to the Feline Pine people because i'd said 10 lb bag earlier.
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips : dose decrease?

We also use "World's Best..." it is the best!! One of my civvies is allergic to anything else (she'd puke right after using the box), as is my hubby (who would sneeze about 48 times after scooping). And, even worse than that, silica dust is carcinogenic, so I would definitely avoid any silica-based litter. We have 6 kitties, 5 boxes, and we go through about 70lbs of World's Best a month. Considering we have three civvies with food "sensitvies", World's Best does an amazing job.

Amy
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips : dose decrease?

Well, here's my spin on the dose issue. Your situation is not unlike when I travel. I have a wonderful cat sitter and a cat who is an absolute diva/mommy's girl. My cat sitter is a vet tech and Gabby categorically will not allow her to test. So, she shoots blind. It makes me crazy but I don't have a choice. I reduce Gabby's dose so there is a far more limited chance for her to drop into low numbers. I'd suggest dropping Billy's dose to 1.75u.
 
Re: 3/25 Billy AMPS 117 Out of test strips : dose decrease?

Just wanted to say hello. Good luck with Billy as he is very lucky to have you caring for him. Sorry about the recent loss of his sister too. A difficult situation for all of you. Take care.
 
Thank you so much for your advice and concern, once again, all of you. :) I really feel like Billy and I found a family here.

Sienne, I will decrease the dose to 1.75 u just to make sure. I feel a little less panicked knowing that you've had to deal with similar situations. Sunday will be a happy day. Never thought I'd miss being able to test.

Time for supper and a good night's sleep. Have a nice evening, LL. :)
 
Manouk --

Since you've got a friend shooting, how about having them shoot 1.5u? It's hard to draw up a dose that's not on a line on the syringe unless you're used to doing it. I'd also suggest setting up a sample syringe. Fill it with milk or some other colored liquid so it's easy for your friend to compare the syringe they draw vs. the sample. (We've had friends shoot the wrong dose so having a syringe as a sample is very helpful.)
 
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