Brand new, newly diagnosed.

[AnnetteC]

I found this board when I looked for a group on FB. Grateful to have it! My boy Marley is 16 years old. Other then some arthritis which he's on supplements for (and gabapentin as needed, not often) his labs and health have been very good. No other issues. I noticed some quick weight loss over the last couple of months and him drinking and peeing more, my head thought thyroid. He was 13lbs 6 months ago and now at 10.5.
I got the call from the vet earlier that it's diabetes! His glucose was 490!! All other labs are good. I'm going in here in about an hour and they will show me how to administer his insulin, I guess twice a day?
Now, I'm no stranger to diabetes as I'm diabetic myself as was most of my dads family. I was on insulin for about 6 months or so but now that it's controlled I'm just on metformin. I never had a hypo reaction luckily but I was also pretty careful of diet when on insulin. If I started to feel weak/fuzzy and tested a little low I'd have something to eat and done.

I guess I'm worried because I KNOW how much it sucks to get pricked! The insulin shots weren't bad unless you hit the wrong spot on the belly...the testing sucks and hurts! My fingers were always sore! I have a Livongo for myself but I lost my charger so have to order a new one. I also have a OneTouch VerioIQ that I never used. I was thinking of using that so I can monitor his separately of course. Does everyone test their kitties at home or just do the insulin shots and monitor every so often at vet? I also have a ton of syringes left ReliOn 31 gauge/6mm (15/64") length. Those are the ones I used for myself as I didn't like the longer needles. I also have those plastic disposer things. With mine I just administered once a day but it seems that it's done twice? How long typically after feeding do you administer? Do you start testing more often until stable and then go down on testing? I'm going to take all the equipment to vet to see if those will work.

Marley has pet insurance, so other then the deductible I should have some help with the costs luckily.

He east mainly canned with some dry -but I will be cutting his dry out best I can (we have two cats so this will present some problems logistically for sure). We use a rotation of Taste of the wild/4 Health/Daves/Tiki wets.

His pet family also consists of a 2yr old female Calico named Moneypenny and our two Weimaraners Cypress and Juniper. Him being older/cranky kind of ignores all of them and mostly sleeps these days.

 

[AnnetteC]

I'm also curious what canned food people use, every time I've read labels on Science or Pro plans I'm appalled that any animal does good on those, ingredients seem awful!

 

[JanetNJ]

HI! Sorry about the diagnosis. BUT, it's not a death sentence and they can live long heathy lives.

I guess I'm worried because I KNOW how much it sucks to get pricked!

Unlike people who it hurts to get pricked, cats have very few nerve endings in the very outer edge of their ears which is where you would test. I have a video in my signature showing how I tested my cat CC. Testing at home is important. It saved my cat's life several times. PLUS you can find out if a dose is good without expensive vet visits. Once I started testing my cat didn't go back to the vet for a year.

With mine I just administered once a day but it seems that it's done twice? How long typically after feeding do you administer? Do you start testing more often until stable and then go down on testing? I'm going to take all the equipment to vet to see if those will work.

Cat's metabolism is quicker than people which is why they need it twice a day. Which insulin did they put your cat on? The recommended insulins are Prozinc (which is a cat insulin) and Lantus, and the recommended starting dose is 1 unit twice a day. Generally what you would do is test before feeding, then feed, then shoot. THis can all be done one after another. I fed several small meals a day and let her graze... just no food two hours prior to the pre-shot tests. SO ideally you will get a test before each shot, and whenever possible get a mid cycle test in too. I did preshots, a mid cycle and a before bed test.

You will be able to use those leftover relion syringes if your cat is put on lantus. If he's on prozinc he will need U40 syringes.

Good you are cutting out the dry food.

 

[AnnetteC]

Thank you for your reply! They put him on Vetsulin and asked me to do 1 unit 2 x day (12 hrs apart) and with it the U40 syringes.

Also wants me to test every 2 hours (total of 5 times) so he can grasp his curve, etc for the next week. What was odd is everyone here mentions the ear where he suggested the top pad or carpal something? He showed me where. We used a lancet from that OneTouch VerioIQ i had but he suggested trying to find a little bit thicker gauge as it was a tad small to get blood, we were still able to get enough to test once (was at 385). The other issue is replacements strips for my tester are super expensive so I'm going to try that Walmart brand you all recommend instead. He had me do a practice injection with saline but he did his first dose. I'll probably start all the regimen tomorrow and at some point make the trip to Walmart to pick up the cheaper meter/strips.
I don't know how I'm going to keep him from stealing dry food from our younger cat. I'll have to come up with something-maybe give them both canned food only and then when Marley is sleeping give the other cat some dry food to snack on late night or something.
He said if his number drops below 180 to test every hour and note that also. I think I'm going to look at creating that spreadsheet you all have here to keep track. I'll admit it's a lot to digest. My husband and I have our share of health issues we treat, my male Weim who is only 4 has hypothyroid (vet thinks it was injury induced) and he's on pills 2 x day 1 hour before meals. Now we will be adding this to the schedule. Yikes. Marley was super behaved and didn't flinch at the shot but did not like his pad pricked.

 

[JanetNJ]

Thank you for your reply! They put him on Vetsulin and asked me to do 1 unit 2 x day (12 hrs apart) and with it the U40 syringes.

Also wants me to test every 2 hours (total of 5 times) so he can grasp his curve, etc for the next week. What was odd is everyone here mentions the ear where he suggested the top pad or carpal something? He showed me where. We used a lancet from that OneTouch VerioIQ i had but he suggested trying to find a little bit thicker gauge as it was a tad small to get blood, we were still able to get enough to test once (was at 385). The other issue is replacements strips for my tester are super expensive so I'm going to try that Walmart brand you all recommend instead. He had me do a practice injection with saline but he did his first dose. I'll probably start all the regimen tomorrow and at some point make the trip to Walmart to pick up the cheaper meter/strips.
I don't know how I'm going to keep him from stealing dry food from our younger cat. I'll have to come up with something-maybe give them both canned food only and then when Marley is sleeping give the other cat some dry food to snack on late night or something.
He said if his number drops below 180 to test every hour and note that also. I think I'm going to look at creating that spreadsheet you all have here to keep track. I'll admit it's a lot to digest. My husband and I have our share of health issues we treat, my male Weim who is only 4 has hypothyroid (vet thinks it was injury induced) and he's on pills 2 x day 1 hour before meals. Now we will be adding this to the schedule. Yikes. Marley was super behaved and didn't flinch at the shot but did not like his pad pricked.

A few here test the paw but almost all test the ear instead. I have a video in my signature showing how I tested my cat CC at home.