? 8/15/19 AMPS 452, 7.75+ 445, PMPS=405

Suzanne Burton

Suzanne Burton

Member Since 2019
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...41-kibble-theft-involved.218117/#post-2424626

LT has been fighting me so bad on getting tested. And though I warmed the ear this a.m., I still had trouble getting blood. I'm putting him a burrito wrap and sing to him and give him bites of boiled chicken, but when he figures he's not going forward, he starts backing up and then he gets those legs going. I'll do more reading today, but I'm dreading doing a curve on him because we will be repeating the whole process many times. Seriously, the whole testing is getting worse and not better.
 
Usually I can get blood by stick two. And he's fighting me as soon as he sees the lancet. It's not like he's calm and then it escalates with each stick. He escalates immediately. Pretty much all of the videos show these calm happy cats - well you wouldn't want to show a video of LT and me because no one would home test:(. I'm thinking until testing goes better, I'm not going to do a curve. Usually my husband would be able to help, but he's putting up hay right now and can't go home every 2-3 hours to help.
 
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I can just confirm that it will get better !! At the beginning, Ti-Mousse was hiding under the couch as soon as he felt testing time was coming; I had to force him out, it was terrible; I was so upset and sad, my little lovely kitty was afraid of me and hiding as soon as I was coming close to him anytime during the day... :( We were not friends anymore, I was his ennemy...

Now when I call him with the testing kit, he comes by himself and lies down on the door mat (he chose that place..) and waits!! It took me a long time and a lot of patience and tears to get there, but now it's so easy!

It's new to LT, he's afraid but he'll see with times that nothing else will happen, just the little prick and right after he'll get good treats! He'll start relaxing and let you do the job! Make sure to put a little Neosporin pain free after!

Good luck !!
 
Trying to see the bright side - my cat was feeling so poorly, that she was an easy patient. Now since she's feeling better, she tries to duck or maneuver away from me. Or even flat walk away! She can't run well yet. After a second, or a few, she will lie down as she was trained.

Don't be hard on yourself and approach or deal with LT as calmly as you can:)
You have a cat with a strong opinion about this mess!
 
Good morning Suzanne. Hopefully, you can work with LT and do more "practice" sessions with him, going through the motions of the testing w/o the actual ear pricking and hopefully letting him know that the rewards are worth putting up with the procedure. Idjit is a tough one to test too, and DH and I have to work as a team. Idjit is big and strong, and I can't get down on the floor to kind of "corral" him, plus he will not sit up on a counter or table.

I know you want to go forward and get that curve. I was just reading through quite a long thread and a few of the posts really caught my eye
Try looking through http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...s-what-is-going-on.217764/page-2#post-2423473
at posts #10, #11, #12. Especially #12. Now you are indicating you want to wait for LT to clear his bounces and the contraband kibble, then see what his "more regular" numbers are. And you will be able to do this, you are doing the best you can right now with a reluctant kitty. Just to reiterate, as Mr.Worfmen'sMom said "Random testing daily can be more accurate than curves because kitty may be having a very good or bad day when you happen to be doing a curve."

You could also try getting the blood drop on a clean fingernail then using the meter on that, instead of aiming the meter and trying to get the strip in the right place to test while you are trying to hold a squirmy cat. (we need more arms and hands for that) I have found that to be very helpful.

I hope you have a good day and LT calms down a little bit for you.
 
Thanks everyone. I might try the fingernail testing you suggested - trying to aim with the strip can be very tricky and during that bit of time he sometimes flicks his ear or jerks his head. I really appreciate all of the help I'm getting here. He's getting so much extra attention that I'm sure he's wondering why it hasn't been like this all along. Plus I'm going to get the pain relief Neosporin today.
 
LT is pretty skinny right now, and we are having trouble tenting the skin. When we tent, it's so skinny that there is barely a place to put the needle. We've trimmed some hair so we an see what we are doing, but that hasn't helped much. Any and all suggestions are appreciated.
 
Hi Suzanne! I didn't see your post earlier today and answered you on FB :)

If you could, tomorrow, please post your new thread like this: 8/16 LT AMPS ### - question about ???whatever you want to write.

As I've said and others - testing will get easier over time - you've just got to be patient and calm - bring him to the 'testing place' without testing - and just have a few minutes of petting, soft talk and a treat....always a treat or a little food - reward him for just being there. Soon it'll be all about the food...Luci was a terror when we first started - she didn't want to be held or touched...never was much of a lap cat - but now she sits there - one of those calm cats you mentioned - I wish I would have had someone take a video - but it was such a disaster every single time - I was upset and... well you know how that goes...I was determined to help her...and that's about all that pulled us through.

I hope to see your post tomorrow - and I hope you can relax a bit - just be patient and kind to LT - he'll figure it out soon - that you're not trying to hurt - just help - when the insulin starts to take effect - because he'll start feeling better.

If you don't already have some, order some freeze dried chicken or salmon from Amazon - or Orejin cat treats - all this stuff is so yummy to Luci she'd do just about anything to get one.

Have a wonderful evening :)
 
I ordered some Pure Bites Salmon Dog Treats. They were little cheaper than the cat's and looked exactly the same. Patience is not my forte, but I'm working on it!
 
For a while I was tenting the skin as my vet showed me to do, and it took me a while (and Figaro protesting) to realize I was not instructed well by my vet. It helped me to watch several youtube videos about injecting cats to see I needed to be grabbing LOTS more skin than I had been. It's much easier now!

Also, if LT is liking the attention, maybe you can make that part of the testing routine! I always start and end with lots of pets and loving because Figaro adores it.
 
He does love attention. This afternoon a random BG was a piece of cake after working with him all day. But then PM was a different story. He's so hungry I sometimes wonder if I should let him eat and then quickly test or test during eating so he's not so anxious. Oh well, I'll learn as I go. My diabetic dog has more meat on the bone, and he makes a perfect tent.
 
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