7/16 Pumbaa AMPS/285 +3/330 +6/303 PMPS/406 +3/383

[Pumbaa]

Okay, so Pumbaa got a partial fur shot last night, but it wasn't like I missed the entire shot and he didn't get any insulin, so I don't understand his high numbers today, especially since I increased his dose this morning to 1.75U. *sigh* The +6 tonight should be interesting, if the new dose kicks in and Pumbaa decides to dive. *LOL*

Poor little guy. He was doing sooooooo good, then I blew it with the partial fur shot.

When Pumbaa was skinny/scrawny after first being diagnosed with FD, it was so easy tenting his skin, but I buzzed his fur off in the shot areas, anyway, so I could see what I was doing and prevent fur shots. This worked well until Pumbaa put weight back on. Now he's very muscular and tenting his skin is difficult, especially lower, towards the belly.

Fortunately, the buzzed fur grows back in quickly. But I need to buzz him again, so I can see what I am doing, and just have to figure out the best place to tent nowadays before I buzz him. I am so thankful that he doesn't claw me too much when I buzz him. Hahahaha!

I know ear pokes aren't supposed to hurt, and I'm now using a 30-gauge lancet, and I know that the injections aren't supposed to hurt (again, using a 30-gauge needle), but Pumbaa flinches and hates when I do both testing and injections, now that he's feeling better, overall.

For BG testing, I free-hand the lancet, so he's not anticipating the popping sound, and I do rub his ear with Neosporin with pain relief ahead of time, and I try to be gentle and poke at an angle instead of straight down. I know it's anticipation on his part, because many times he flinches before I even get the lancet near his ear.

For injecting, I've tried changing our routine repeatedly, but he still tries to avoid it. I've been resorting to sprinkling parmesan on his food to distract him from the injection. But he still tries to get away from me.

Has he just developed a Pavlov's response to the routine, or is he just over sensitive to being poked? He must be feeling something if he is anticipating pain, right?

Suze

 

[Carl & Polly & Bob (GA)]

Suze,
When you test BG or shoot, is he restrained in any way? I'm sure they feel the ear poke at least a little bit. I mean, it doesn't really hurt when you poke your finger, but you feel it, and it isn't a very pleasant feeling. I used to have to hold Bob in place for the ear poke. The shot was easier because I'd wait till he was done eating, then he'd just plop down and start grooming. Bob didn't get sub-q shot, he got IM shots, so I'm sure he felt those more than he would have felt sub-q's. I would grab his back leg and shoot it, and it was over in 5 seconds or less. I always felt that it wasn't the lancet or needle he minded, but just the fact that I was keeping him from moving. He likes being held, but only when he wants to be (which is usually when I'm busy or have my hands full). But he doesn't like to be held or picked up unless it's his idea.
Maybe Pumbaa just wants "mom-time" on his terms, not on yours? He's a cat. His job description includes "be contrary to beans". ;-)

Carl

 

[Pumbaa]

Maybe Pumbaa just wants "mom-time" on his terms, not on yours? He's a cat. His job description includes "be contrary to beans". ;-)

Carl, *LMAO at the above.

Yes, I encourage mom-time without any poking or shooting. And I also make it a point to pet him and snuggle with him in between the shooting and testing times, and try to get him to purr and not realize when I am hunting him down for testing, vs. when I am hunting him down for loving only.

He's not restrained in any way, really, when poking and shooting. When I test him, he's sitting on my lap, with his butt on my legs and his front paws on the table in front of us. I don't hold him down with my hands at all. Also, I had been using the T-Touch ear rubbing method on both of my cats for over a year before Pumbaa was diagnosed, to calm them down and show them I love them. So Pumbaa is not unfamiliar at all with me stroking his ears, as I do to get the blood flowing.

As for injecting, again, Pumbaa isn't restrained, except when he's being a very uncooperative wiggle-butt and I have to hold him still against my body, on the table or counter. I much prefer having him preoccupied with his food (plus parmesan), to doing any restraining. I want these poking times to be ignored or a positive experience, but he's anticipating my moves now that he feels better.

I wouldn't trade the additional effort on my part for having Pumbaa be more pliable but feeling worse for anything. He's so worth my extra efforts. Even when it takes 30 minutes to catch him for the PM +6 test, and he makes me chase him around the house before he hides out in the litter box or under the bed! *LOL*

Suze

 

[Pumbaa]

+6 tonight = 318. I really thought he would dive tonight and have much lower numbers.

Here's hoping for better numbers tomorrow!

Now, time to get ready for bed and deal with around 5 hours of sleep when my body craves seven hours. I know you all understand this. (((HUGS)))

Suze

 

[Marje and Gracie]

Suze

I read something on one of your condos about the Monoject syringes. Thought you might be interested in this:
Syringe Info Condo

 

[Pumbaa]

Marje, thank you so much! Someone else pointed that thread out to me yesterday as well.

Since I was worried that I was giving Pumbaa more insulin than I thought, I took a used Monoject and filled it with colored water, and depressed the plunger as I would when injecting Pumbaa. The plunger aligned with the zero line, and there was, indeed, colored water left in the hub.

The only time I depress the plunger really hard is before I insert the syringe needle into the insulin pen, to help prevent air bubbles, and after I inject Pumbaa to see if there was any insulin left in the syringe -- no matter what syringe I've used (Relion, Walgreen's, Monoject) there has always been some insulin left over, and I just assumed that that was the insulin that was at the top/hub of the syringe, above the zero line.

Anyway, color me "relieved" after my test!

I have found that the Monojects are much more accurately/consistently marked than the Relions were. I threw out so many Relions and wasted so much insulin with them!

But, I do want to try those Terumo syringes the next time I order from ADW! Already have them bookmarked.

Suze