? Can any of you smell insulin on the cat even if the shot was successful?

[Elle D & Hugo]

I just gave Hugo his shot tonight. His fur is incredibly thick and I don't often see the needle go in. I remember someone telling me that if you can smell the insulin, then you gave a furshot. The area wasn't wet, but I definitely could smell the insulin on him. But also, I can seem to just, smell the insulin in general? Even when I take it out of the bag in the fridge?

The vet told us to go up a unit from 2 to 3 after we did his curve. I apologize for not having a SS together. I'm trying to get this all settled. He seems to be eating less, too, which alarms me and he still pees and drinks an awful lot. All of his numbers from the curve were in the 300's. I bought some ketostix and a scale, and I have more testing strips and a blood ketone/glucose monitor coming as well. We're also starting him on his Flovent inhaler, which he HATES. I know the steroids can have an effect on numbers as well.

I know this post is all over the place. I'm still pretty scatterbrained. Just, any advice in general is good with me.

 

[Juls and Billy]

Doesn't matter if you can smell it or not. Either way, you never give more insulin after a dose, even if you know it was a fur shot. There's no way to tell how much of the dose got in, so it's too dangerous to add more.

You are doing great! It sounds like you have gotten everything you need. Do you have a hypo kit set up yet? There's instructions to print out, and a list of what should be in your kit. The time to get it set up is way before you need it.

How to treat hypos

Making a hypo kit

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

If there was a drop or two of insulin on the tip of the needle or on the syringe, it can get on your kitty's fur and you'll smell insulin. In many cases, if you are adjusting the dose after drawing insulin from the pen/vial, there will be a bit of insulin on the syringe or needle. Same thing with the insulin container. If a drip got on the outside, you may notice that unique Lantus smell.

As Juls pointed out, never give a second shot. Even if the needle went in one side and out the other side of the tent and you saw the insulin squirt across the room, do not give a second shot!

And PLEASE, do not increase your cat's dose by 1.0u. It's too much. In almost all cases, we increase a dose by 0.25u. An increase of 1.0u could cause your cat's numbers to plummet. If you increase the dose too much, you can fly past what would be an effective dose.

Your kitty will get used to the asthma treatments. Inhaled steroids have much less of an effect on glucose levels than oral steroids. There are lots of members who have kitties with asthma.

 

[Sharon14]

My cats fur was thick and I had trouble telling if I had gotten the needle in. I had the vet shave a spot on his scruff so I could see what I was doing. By the time the fur grew back I knew what it felt like and didn’t have too many fur shots in the years after that.

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

Agree with Juls! never reshoot!

However, I can smell my hubby's insulin after he gives himself his shot so...

 

[Elle D & Hugo]

Doesn't matter if you can smell it or not. Either way, you never give more insulin after a dose, even if you know it was a fur shot. There's no way to tell how much of the dose got in, so it's too dangerous to add more.

You are doing great! It sounds like you have gotten everything you need. Do you have a hypo kit set up yet? There's instructions to print out, and a list of what should be in your kit. The time to get it set up is way before you need it.

How to treat hypos

Making a hypo kit

True, I wasn't going to give him another shot. I mostly just wanted to know if I was losing it.

We dont have a kit ready, but I do have corn syrup nearby, etc. I will get that together ASAP.

 

[Elle D & Hugo]

If there was a drop or two of insulin on the tip of the needle or on the syringe, it can get on your kitty's fur and you'll smell insulin. In many cases, if you are adjusting the dose after drawing insulin from the pen/vial, there will be a bit of insulin on the syringe or needle. Same thing with the insulin container. If a drip got on the outside, you may notice that unique Lantus smell.

As Juls pointed out, never give a second shot. Even if the needle went in one side and out the other side of the tent and you saw the insulin squirt across the room, do not give a second shot!

And PLEASE, do not increase your cat's dose by 1.0u. It's too much. In almost all cases, we increase a dose by 0.25u. An increase of 1.0u could cause your cat's numbers to plummet. If you increase the dose too much, you can fly past what would be an effective dose.

Your kitty will get used to the asthma treatments. Inhaled steroids have much less of an effect on glucose levels than oral steroids. There are lots of members who have kitties with asthma.

I thought the same thing about the increase. It makes me nervous. But I figured that the vet knew best. Should I just start giving him less? How do I do a half unit measurement on the 30 unit syringes? I've never seen a syringe with a half unit. I know that someone said that Walmart has them, but getting to a Walmart is nearly impossible. I think the closest is 30 miles away, and I don't have a car. Is it just a guess?

 

[Elle D & Hugo]

My cats fur was thick and I had trouble telling if I had gotten the needle in. I had the vet shave a spot on his scruff so I could see what I was doing. By the time the fur grew back I knew what it felt like and didn’t have too many fur shots in the years after that.

I think I may have finally worn down my boyfriend and I'm going to trim down a couple spots on Hugo so we can see better. It's just too important to know if we're getting the shot to him properly. Thank you!

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

ADW is an online retailer of diabetic supplies. There are a number of manufacturers that sell insulin syringes with half unit markings. You want:

• U-100 3/10cc syringes with half unit markings are the best to use for drawing Lantus, Basaglar, or Levemir from vials, cartridges, and pens.
• BD Ultra-Fine, CarePoint Vet, Monoject, GNP, UltiCare Vet Rx, Sure Comfort, and ReliOn are just some of the brands available with half unit markings.
• Syringes come in ½ inch or 5/16 inch needle lengths. Needle gauges are 29, 30 or 31 (31 being the thinnest)

This is from my search on the ADW website. You may need to fax them a prescription from your vet in order to get the syringes. Whether you need an Rx depends on the laws in your state.

 

[Juls and Billy]

I just wanted to agree it's best to increase .25 of a unit at a time. Sienne has given you good ordering advice on the syringes. Also, you can eyeball it. It's more important that the dose is consistent than it's precisely 1.25. Some people take a syringe they are not going to use for insulin, and fill it with colored water to the mark they want to hit, then use it as a guide for how much insulin to give.

 

[Elle D & Hugo]

I just wanted to agree it's best to increase .25 of a unit at a time. Sienne has given you good ordering advice on the syringes. Also, you can eyeball it. It's more important that the dose is consistent than it's precisely 1.25. Some people take a syringe they are not going to use for insulin, and fill it with colored water to the mark they want to hit, then use it as a guide for how much insulin to give.

That's very good advice. I might do that with one of our failed syringes.

Am I going to have a problem if I back him off now? He's been on the 3 units since Tuesday evening. Does anyone have any advice on the best way to do this?

 

[Deb & Wink]

Am I going to have a problem if I back him off now? He's been on the 3 units since Tuesday evening. Does anyone have any advice on the best way to do this?

Any way you could update Hugo's SS so we can answer that question better?

How is the home testing going? Need any tips?

 

[Elle D & Hugo]

Any way you could update Hugo's SS so we can answer that question better?

I don't have any glucose readings past the curve we did on 3/1/20. Both my partner and I work, and I have a 1.5 hour commute. We're both barely there for giving the insulin in the morning and night. The vet said to do the next curve in 1-2 weeks.

 

[Deb & Wink]

So you don't even test Hugo before you give him his insulin shot?

p.s. Long commutes can be brutal.

 

[Elle D & Hugo]

So you don't even test Hugo before you give him his insulin shot?

p.s. Long commutes can be brutal.

I haven't, no. I will start, though. I think it's just been quite a struggle with the shots and inhaler, and we haven't really even gotten to the point where we're both comfortable giving the shot by ourselves yet. I will try tonight.

 

[Deb & Wink]

These tips can be helpful with both giving the insulin shot and the home BG testing. May help you with the inhaler too.
2 of my favorites.

•Ear Testing Psychology•

Marje and Gracie's Testing and Shooting Tips

With an excerpt from that second document for you below:
"Testing
We all know the basics:

• Warm the ear with a rice sock or a warm washcloth wrapped in a plastic bag.

• Either freehand or use a lancing device; new members usually start with a larger gauge lancet such as 28g or 29g until the ear learns to bleed; then progress to a 31g or 33g which are finer.

Be sure to poke in the "sweet spot" and not the major vein that runs along the length of the ear. Poking the vein will not only hurt, but will result in a lot of blood. The sweet spot is on the edge of the ear.

But did you also know there is a particular way for the lancet to be used? It has one side that is beveled so the sharpest part goes in first, if used correctly."

More comprehensive information here on home testing, including videos. From the Health Links/FAQS forum, in the INDEX "Sticky" or pinned post at the top of that forum.
Hometesting Links and Tips - includes numerous links, instructions, pictures, & videos