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MsKarilynn

MsKarilynn

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Hi Everyone!

My wonderful 12-year-old cat Brody was diagnosed with feline diabetes today. While it isn't the best news I've ever received, I am staying positive about it. I thought something much worse was wrong with him, so when my vet said "diabetes" I was immediately relieved. Having worked in an animal shelter, I know that FD is very manageable! Someone tried telling me I had 2 options (sadly, one of their options was euthanasia). Uhm, 2? I said, nope, I have one option! Deal with it. :) This cat is not going anywhere. So, anyway, here we are. I noticed he was losing weight, drinking a lot, urinating everywhere. He just wasn't his usual bouncy, happy self. :( My vet called me early this morning with his blood test results and told me his blood glucose was 485. She said ideal was around 100.

I went to my vet this afternoon to learn all about it. I feel my vet gave me a pretty good grasp on it, but there are several things that are throwing me for a loop. Home testing was never mentioned and I have read much about it here. I would like to home test, but am kind of confused about it. I guess I don't have much knowledge on what the numbers actually mean. I don't know when I am supposed to test, how many times a day, if I am supposed to do it every day, etc. I am going back to the vet in a week for a follow up appointment. She gave me insulin called ProZinc and taught me how to administer it. She told me to give him 1 unit twice a day 12 hours apart. She told me to administer the insulin a half hour after he eats and to make sure he eats at least half of his food. (I said, are you kidding? this cat? he will eat the whole bowl in 5 minutes... hehe) I also bought some prescription food, which I am reading now I didn't need to. I am wondering what other food I can purchase, as I am bound to resort to selling an organ to be able to pay for this new diet. :P I read wet food is recommended, but I have another cat (Socks) who absolutely refuses to eat wet food. Trust me, I have tried many, many, many times. Thankfully my diabetic kitty loves canned food. I am just worried about him eating my other cats dry food. I bought both dry and wet DM Purina food today. My vet told me I could mix the Purina I currently feed Socks with the Purina DM, that way if Brody eats from her bowl, it wouldn't be a big deal. I am having a hard time trying to figure out how I am supposed to feed them both as switching to all canned food isn't an option. Basically, I am just looking for advice, information, tips. I like to get other opinions. I have already spent a small fortune on this, which is fine, I realized when adopting my cat's that I would have to be able to care for them financially no matter what arises. Saving money would be pretty nice, though.

Sorry this is so long and rambling. :? I have a million thoughts going through my head and I am trying to figure out the best way to do this and make everyone happy and healthy. I am probably forgetting a few details so if you have questions for me regarding what I was told and his diagnosis, please don't hesitate to ask!

Thank you! It is much appreciated. :)
 
Prozinc users

Hi and welcome to FDMB :mrgreen:

You've definitely come to the right place.

Firstly, sorry can't advise on your insulin,as don't have experience with it.

However, if you click on this link, it will take you to a page with various health topics, including transitioning cats from dry to wet.Just a thought, in case there is something in there that you haven't tried.http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewforum.php

Vet got the 1u b.i.d (twice daily) right :mrgreen: Ethos here, start low go slow. Usually we recommend people increase doses in .25u increments. This is so you don't miss the ideal dose for kitty.
100 is about the midway non-diabetic number, and first time I've heard a vet being happy with a kitty going that low (depending on the insulin, kitties go much lower here, particularly wen trying for remision) Non-diabetic numbers are about 40-140, depending on who you ask. Under 120 is best in my view, but can take time to get into such numbers. FD is a stroll not a 100m race :-D

YOU will aslo see in the links page, hometesting tips. We absolutely advocate it here. You can request a starter kit from Cindy and Mousie.Vets are mixed on being supportive of this, but in terms of your poscket and less stress on kitty, definitely the way forward! Also allows you to make informed decisions about dosing your cat. :-D
 
Hi Karilynn, and welcome!

This is going to be a lot easier, and a lot less expensive, than you think. The more you learn about FD and its treatment the faster that will happen.

Your vet has started you on ProZinc and there is a PZI forum under the Insulin Study Groups heading where others using ProZinc will share their experience. Home testing provides safety for Brody and rapid feedback for you about how well the insulin is working, your vet may or may not approve, and it doesn't matter, this is something you will decide is in everyone's best interest.

Food is vitally important for many cats, mine went off insulin 10 days after being put on a species appropriate diet. The phony 'prescription' foods are not the best choice since they are made with poor ingredients and cost far too much. I suggest you read www.catinfo.org for the complete information on feline nutrition. There is a wealth of information on that site.

Take the time to read as much as possible, learning for yourself, from the sources, is the best way.
 
Hi and welcome.

With regards to home testing - definitely do it.

The first thing you need to do is go to the pharmacy and pick up a human blood glucose (BG) meter, test strips to go with the meter and a box of lancets (they look like thumbtacks) and is what is used to poke the ear to get the blood to test the BG.

Home testing links

As far as which meter to get - get one that requires a small amount of blood, has sipping action for the strips.

To make it a bit easier for your brain and wallet - many people purchase the Walmart brand - Relion meter, strips - they are inexpensive, easy to use and require little amount of blood.

In addition while you are at the store also get the following (unless you already have it):

- ketostix or keto-dia-stix - this is used to test for ketones in urine - found in the diabetes section - if can't find, ask the pharmacist

you need to test for ketones which if not caught and treated early could become a dangerous situation.

We will explain more later on how to test urine and offer you tips/tricks - back to shopping

- neosporin or any other topical antibiotic ointment - typically found in first aid section near the bandaids.

this is used to massage onto ears after doing BG testing, will help with bruising and any soreness

- chocolate or any type of candy you like
- used to calm your nerves and give you something to munch to feel better :)

if your cat has dark ears - get a small handheld flashlight will be very useful when trying to see where you are poking. I used to hold it in my mouth to keep my hands free for testing.

Ok, that's your basic shopping list.

You talked about food and feeding more than one cat. Most of us here have more than one cat and honestly, we feed them all the same foods. What's good for a diabetic is certainly for a non-diabetic and will hopefully help ensure that the non-diabetic stays that way.

Regarding food, you are correct that you don't need the prescription food. The only thing you're getting with that is poorer and the quality of the food isn't there. You can get the same results by using low carb foods (typically 10% or less in carbs).

=http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=115]Nutrition and diet links

You are also correct that dry food is not good for cats. Read Dr. Lisa's website and she will explain why. She also offers tips on how to get a cat off dry and onto wet foods.

Dr. Lisa's site

I hear you when you say you have a cat that will only eat dry. I had this issue too and with determination and perseverance, all my cats eat wet food only. This was no easy accomplishment and I had many struggles and fights and giving in. I was afraid it would never happen, but after seeing what the dry food did to Maui and her BG's. I was able to force the issue and make them eat wet food.

That's not to say, if they have the opportunity - they'll dive right back into the dry. I just won't give them that opportunity.

Transitioning a cat from dry to wet

I highly recommend that you work on transitioning your dry food addict and once you do, you will feel so much better and you can rest assured that everyone is eating properly.

Something to keep in mind - when you change the foods and use the low carb ones, the BG's levels will change and the insulin needs may change too. These things are all linked and it's why it's important to learn to test, so you know if 1 unit is too much or too little and when you may need to change the dose.

OK - that's it for now - as I don't want to overwhelm you with too much information.
 
Hi! And welcome to the BEST message board you will ever find! They are so many people here that know what they are talking about when it come to Feline Diabetes.

If you can tell us what city and state you are in...there may be a member that would be able to show you how to do the hometesting in person. It's always easier after that.

You are already on the right track!
 
Welcome!

Already a lot of information provided.. I won't add to it (you are probably close to brain explosion already hehe).. just wanted to say make sure to ask lots of questions.. it's all so overwhelming at first, we've all been there..
 
Thank you all for the information. It was very helpful. I feel totally overwhelmed by all of this. I just want to make sure that my cat is healthy and that I am doing everything right.

I appreciate the list of canned foods. I am going to try Fancy Feast. I'm just wondering in the mean time, I've got this prescription food. Should I return it or feed it until I'm out and then start on Fancy Feast? The Purina DM does qualify as an acceptable food for a diabetic cat, correct? It's just the price that is outrageous? I had no idea that dry food was so harmful. I'm sure I caused the onset of Brody's diabetes by feeding him dry food. What a mistake. :YMSIGH: I am going to make a real effort at switching my stubborn female cat from dry to wet. Thank god for Brody already loving canned food. I just feel bad for my kitties now, as I have them eating this Purina DM for the past 2 days and now I am considering switching again. Wish I would have found this forum before I spent $55 on new food. :shock: Yikes.

I gave Brody his first at home insulin injection this morning. He is really such a good cat. He laid there on the table patiently until I was done. I feel lucky for that. I was terrified to inject him after reading that BG levels can go drastically down after switching to a better food. He had eaten Purina DM last night and he wasn't in a stressful environment, so I worry that his BG levels may be down from the 485 they were at and giving him insulin will make him hypo. I am guessing this is why home testing is so important. I am going to pick up a meter and other necessary supplies from Walmart this weekend. I am just curious as to how often I test and what the numbers mean? Do I test him after he has eaten before I am going to inject insulin? Do I test him again after his insulin injection?

I want to get myself on some kind of routine schedule with this. I don't mind making the time for him and his diabetic needs, I just wish I knew a little more about what I am doing and what he is going through. I feel so bad, because for a week or so before things got bad, I was insensitive to his constant hunger. He has always been a little piggy, but he was whining for food a lot more and it was rather annoying. I had no idea he was diabetic. :( Anyway, once again, thanks everyone for the tips and advice!
 
Take the food back for a refund, it's guaranteed by Purina.

You might think about shooting Brody while he's eating. If he's like most cats here he won't even notice.
 
once you learn to home test, you want to start collecting data, as it will be helpful for you to get a routine and determine how often each day/cycle you may need to test.

To help you with the data collection, we have a google spreadsheet template that you can create - Creating Spreadsheets

The question on how often to test really depends on what the numbers are doing and time of day. To start out and not be overwhelmed, we recommend that you test BEFORE each shot and a couple times after - for example +2 hours and how about +10 hours after the shot.

What this means if you shoot at 8/8 schedule:

You will test before the shot and this will be called AMPS - morning pre-shot

Then wait until 10am and test again - this is +2
Then wait until 6 pm and test again - this is +10
Then at 8 Pm you test and this is PMPS

Of course, if you are able you can test more often. You also may want to vary + shot times, just to help build your data and see what's happening.

I do recommend that you go the PZI insulin support group and start posting your numbers there, as the folks on that board can help you fine tune your testing times, dosage, etc.

Regarding the prescription food - if you don't want to use it - you can return it for a refund - all you need to say is that the cat doesn't like it.

Finally - please don't feel guilty about your food choices causing this - many of us are here because we fed dry and/or allowed steroid use in our cats - at least that is why I am here. I didn't know and bought into the hype that an expensive dry food was good quality and to let the cats eat what they want. I had no idea until I came here and learned. So, now you know and you can do something about it.

In a way, the FD diagnosis was a blessing for me, as I have learned so much this past year that I never would have thought about before. I have an even closer bond with my cats as a result and especially Maui with everything she went through.

So, rather than feel guilty, feel grateful, that you have this opportunity to better know your cats and improve their overall health.

have fun shopping -

oh and when you get your testing supplies - so you know where on the ear to poke (something I didn't know) - here are some pics to help you:

sweetspot.jpg


And this one show how best to hold the lancet or lancet device - at an upward 45 degreeish angle - so you aren't poking straight in and piercing:

101_0669.jpg


The last trick for now - make a warming sock:

Take one sock (preferably without holes in bottom)
Add 1/4 cup of rice OR oatmeal OR dried beans (I like oatmeal best)
knot the top of sock (so nothing falls out)

microwave about 20-30 seconds, until warm to touch

place behind cat's ear to warm it up - can also keep behind ear, when testing, this way if you poke and pierce you poke the sock and not your finger.



I told you we have all kinds of tricks to help you through this process.
 
Thank you very much, Hillary. I so appreciate the advice. I picked up some Friskee's canned food today. I went with the canned food list and picked flavors under 10 carbs. I believe that is what is recommended? Hopefully! I bought a meter, the lancets, and strips, also some neosporin. I am going to read over the meter manual tomorrow and get acquainted with it. I will admit, I am nervous about it, but if I can live through giving him insulin, which nearly makes me want to cry, I can poke his ear with a tiny needle. I am going to poke myself first on my finger, just to see what it feels like. I appreciate everything, so thank you. This has been a roller coaster week. I knew this wouldn't be a picnic, but there is a lot more to this than I thought. I am willing to do anything for my cat though. I just feel a little sad tonight after I just gave him his insulin. I'm sure it'll get easier.
 
hi there, just wanted to add my welcome and say i love the picture of your kitty.

and yes, it gets much much easier. a week from now and you'll be wondering what you were so worried about.

1. basically you'll work on getting both kitties on a low carb wet food (dr lisa has some tips on her site about transitioning for the stubborn one :) catinfo.org )

2. you'll start with the hometesting tomorrow. and know going in that it's not uncommon to not get blood the first few times and that it is common to get frustrated with it too the first couple days. because you already know that now, you'll take a break when you get frustrated, tell kitty how good he is for being patient with mommy and try it again later

3. and then over the next several days, and i mean several days because there is no getting all this over night, you'll read, jot down notes, and ask questions.
 
Welcome! You're doing a great job already! You found this little corner of the web and you are on the right path!

Don't be afraid of hometesting. That little tiny lancet and meter are your best friends, MOST ESPECIALLY when you stop feeding dry food. It doesn't matter what kind of dry food or what the bag says, dry food = CARBS so when you change your guy to all wet... test. A lot. Look at Tugger's spreadsheet, round about early-mid March we switched to all canned from "healthy, grain free" dry food. I got hit with low numbers almost with the first day. I don't know if it hits all cats that quickly... It probably depends on a number of things, but you're better off safe than sorry so get that meter and get busy practicing right away.

I used a baby sock to make the ear warmer. A package is cheap and I liked the small size. I've already lost one, so having a whole pack of socks isn't a bad thing in this house lol.

You get used to the ear poking pretty quickly. I'll tell you something... I didn't poke my own finger first when I started testing. I tested on hubby first. Then I did Tugger for months with no problems. Recently I had funny numbers so someone suggested I test the meter on myself and so I did (after much talking inside my head) and now I'm finding that I hesitate or don't poke him hard enough! I'm thinking it's because that sh!t stung when I poked my finger, so now I'm afraid to hurt Tug... after months of doing it. I know, makes no sense lol. I'm now having to work my way out of that. So whatever you do... just don't think about hurting him. His ears get used to it very quickly, especially if you are applying pressure after you get the blood on the strip, it prevents bruising. Tugger barely even twitches anymore, if he does I know it's because *I* hesitated again.

Most of us don't use the lancet like you would on your own finger. Clicking the button can startle the cat, and with the relion meter I got I can't tell if the lancet is going to hit with the cover on the lancet pen. So I yanked the cover off and use it pen style but I do the poking instead of using the button. You'll see what I mean when you play with it.

The first few times you do it will be tough. You may cry. You may need chocolate. If you don't get a successful test after three tries, wait and try later. Always give treats, even if unsuccessful. Freeze dried chicken (dog treats) are like cat crack in this house. When I put my hand on the testing basket I suddenly have five cats and a Great Dane up my butt :lol: Everyone wants me to poke their ears ;)

You'll find the spot that works best to test, the positioning of yourself in relation to kitty, etc. but it does take a few tries. Be patient. Be calm!! Your cat will react to your nerves. Tugger resists if I'm rushed or irritable but if I sit calmly and talk to him in the sweet voice and tell him how awesomesauce he is... smooth as silk.

There's lots to learn but it will come, just read, post, ask all the questions you have, and soon the knowledge will just start sticking. Promise =)

Happy Easter!
 
MsKarilynn said:
Thank you very much, Hillary. I so appreciate the advice. I picked up some Friskee's canned food today. I went with the canned food list and picked flavors under 10 carbs. I believe that is what is recommended? Hopefully! I bought a meter, the lancets, and strips, also some neosporin. I am going to read over the meter manual tomorrow and get acquainted with it. I will admit, I am nervous about it, but if I can live through giving him insulin, which nearly makes me want to cry, I can poke his ear with a tiny needle. I am going to poke myself first on my finger, just to see what it feels like. I appreciate everything, so thank you. This has been a roller coaster week. I knew this wouldn't be a picnic, but there is a lot more to this than I thought. I am willing to do anything for my cat though. I just feel a little sad tonight after I just gave him his insulin. I'm sure it'll get easier.
Click to expand...

Just want to welcome you and you have come to the right place this forum has really helped me I understand not being able to switch to all wet food yet as Do Lou refuses to eat wet I still try but he is on royal canin diabetic DS dry for the most part and I am sure its affecting our numbers but I just cannot get him to eat wet or I have not found the right one yet anyway. You sound like me ready to do anything to help your cat :mrgreen: hometesting gets easier I gave up when my cat was first diagnosed bk in Nov and really really regret it I just recently started hometesting. I use paw pads instead of ears Do Lou cannot stand his ears touched so this has worked our well and now purrs the entire time I am testing. Good luck and there are so many wonderful people on this board ready to help you :YMHUG: :YMHUG: cat_pet_icon
 
Everyone who has replied, I thank you. Marvie, I got the best laugh out of your reply. Thank you! I needed it. I feel better today. Last night was rough. This whole week I have been so together, taking all of this in stride, but I just fell apart last night and cried. This is how special Brody is, he came over to me and gave me a head butt while I was crying, he wanted to snuggle. :) He is worth every penny, every tear, every bit of fear and frustration.

I took the meter and everything out today and figured everything out, for the most part. Still a little unsure of how the strips work. It was a busy day though with family plans and homework. (I'm a 24 year old college student) Anyway, I plan on beginning my home testing legitimately tomorrow. I feel kind of like I am putting it off? I am honestly really nervous about it. Marvie, you are right about the stinging. Good lord, that hurts. It freaked me out a lot! I just gave Brody his insulin and I felt like it was my best attempt yet. I felt really confident about it and I think that really helped Brody too. It was quick and everything went perfectly. He loves his treat afterward. I got these 2 calorie treats from Walmart. They are really, really small. I think they are OK for him? I always worry so much after his insulin injection. I am very afraid of him going hypo.

As far as my other kitty, Socks, the can feeding is going terribly. She has been on a hunger strike for 24 hours now. I feel like I am about cave in and feed her dry food. I did actually mix in dry food with the wet food to try to get her used to it. She wont go anywhere near the bowl. What a brat! She has to eventually eat, right?

Anyway, thanks again everyone for helping me through this. It has been... interesting. It can only get better!
 

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as far as your non-diabetic goes, you may have to pull her aside, maybe feed her in a bedroom or a bathroom occasionally as she does have to eat. if she goes on a hunger strike she could end up with other problems so don't let her go without eating completely.

have you seen Dr. Lisa's website? http://www.catinfo.org she has tips on there about transitioning a dry food addict to wet food.

or what about getting one of the lower carb dry foods? see if she likes it and if your diabetic gets into it then it's not quite as bad as regular dry food? there's a couple dry foods (EVO and Wellness Core i think they are) that are like 11-13% carbs i believe compared to most dry foods running 20%+ as far as carbs go. ideally no dry food is best but it's better than nothing really
 
I've had a few tearful days, we all do. This is tough stuff, but we just have to let the tears out and then gather ourselves up and move on to the next task.

Just remember, Brody's ears will toughen up very soon so the sting you felt won't be the same sting he feels every time forever and ever. If you had to poke your finger two or ten times a day for life, your finger'd get tough too and eventually you'd hardly notice it.

What about the strips don't you understand? Also, did you get the Relion meter and strips or another brand? Ask anything you don't understand and someone will have an answer =)

Treats: most of us use either boiled chicken (just boil a chicken breast till it's cooked through and shred it up.) or Freeze dried chicken treats (I get mine at Petsmart and Petco, they look like little yellow blocks of styrofoam or something but they are like CRACK. Honestly, I get mauled for them) You want something that is Low Carb. It's not so much calories that matter. If those treats aren't 100% protein, they've probably got wheat gluten and corn crap and rice crap in 'em. You'll want to avoid those with Brody, especially once you get to the point where you are testing more often. You could falsely elevate his numbers if you're giving him those every 15 minutes when he's dipped low and you're testing/feeding every 15 minutes. You're better off with meat treats of some sort. They have beef ones too but my kitties don't care for them.

I've got a civvie who is also unhappy with the food change. There are very few canned foods that she eats. I'm going to get her a bag of Evo or Wellness Core and start feeding it to her in the bathroom while the others are eating the canned. My plan, which I was going to run by the Health board before trying but haven't done yet bc I haven't bought the kibble, is to give it to her only at the dinner feeding. I keep plenty of canned food out all day and night, there are only 4 hours a day when there isn't something available so she can eat canned if she's hungry in the daytime. The dry will be offered once a day, with the door closed and when her time is up the food will go away. It's the only thing I can think of. I'm pretty sure she can't survive on FF appetizers and one flavor of Soulistic canned food forever.

You might try Soulistic for your stubborn one if you have a Petco near you. It's what Bella likes. It's shredded chicken (she likes Polynesian Picnic) and stuff and it looks like people food. Doesn't stink like regular canned does either. It's reasonably priced at .89 a can (if I remember right) so feeding it to just the one isn't too bad. They say it's only 1-3% carbs but I'm not satisfied with that so I haven't fed it to Tugger yet but Bella adores the stuff. I got Bella a case of the PP she likes and I offer it when she isn't eating anything else. It makes her motor run and she's not one to purr a lot, not audibly at least, but with this stuff you can hear her motor going from a foot away.

You're doing very well! Keep it up =) I know this isn't easy, especially with school and stuff, but you're going to be fine! You'll find a routine and before long things will go smoothly.
 
I am a FD Newbie also. Just so you know and don't freak out -- changing the diet does not always result in a dramatic effect on a diabetic cat. If it does, that is great really because it means your cat has a better chance to get off insulin eventually. It is scary to think about hypoglycemia but if you read about it on this website, you will know how to deal with it. I got the Karo syrup and was all set for the big drop in gc and it never happened. So I am at the other end of the spectrum just trying to find an insulin that will work. Hang in there. Lots of help on this board. Susan and Willie
 
Hi everyone, sorry for the delay in replying here. It's been a busy week of exams. I took Brody to the vet today for his first week check up. It did not go so well. His number a week ago was 485 and today it was 535. He has gone up. I feel totally disappointed because I thought he was doing so much better. They upped his insulin to 2 unites twice a day. I am a little concerned about this. I wonder if I have been injecting it correctly? He has been so fidgety lately for his shot and I keep thinking I am doing it wrong. I know that cats can be stressed out at the vet and it raises their number. Also, I brought my Relion meter from Walmart to the vet appointment so they could show me how to use it (I hadn't tried it on him yet out of fear, sad I know). Their number was 100 higher than mine. The vet tech tried to tell me I can't use a human meter for a cat, that I have to buy their $180 cat meter. I told her about this forum and how everyone here uses a human meter. She said she didn't know how because they "aren't calibrated for cats" no worries, I didn't buy their ridiculously priced meter. I just am confused now. Mine was 435 and their number was 535. Can there seriously be a difference of 100!? That seems very off. I am totally frustrated right now. I cried the whole ride home. The vet tech was telling me that some cats do not respond to insulin. He did however gain a pound, which I think is very good. His coat looks a lot better and he's had more energy lately. I just don't know what to do. Is my meter no good? Should I just add 100 to my number when I home test him? Upping his insulin intake is freaking me out. Does anyone know anyone on the board here from Minneapolis who may be able to meet me and watch me do his insulin injection or help me with testing? Slim chance but worth mentioning in case there is anyone from Minneapolis, Minnesota here.
 
The accuracy of human meters )as well as the "pet" meters is +/- 20%. At high numbers. like 400, that would be +/- 80 points. The difference you saw would not be unexpected. The "pet" meters should give a more accurate value but that is really not necessary. The meter is used for trends. Because the error is a % the absolute difference becomes smaller at lower BGs. Also, nothing different would be done with the two number you obtained, they are close enough.

Further, both BGs probably are higher than the typical BG at home since vet stress tend to elevate BGs. That is one reason home testing is preferred to using BG obtained at the vet.
 
My son was part of a team that developed the 'painless' meters for humans. He laughed when I told him vets said they wouldn't work on cats. Seems these meters don't care about blood, cat dog or owl... they measure glucose, and glucose is the same in all animals..... (They used cow's blood to test the testers)

Good job on not investing in an expensive meter for 'cats'. We all know how you feel about your baby.

I live in the twin cities, if you need assistance, someone private messaged me that you were close here in Minnesota... Glad to help you with the start, which is the hardest part....
 
Meters o care if the blood is human, canine or feline. There is significant difference in the distribution of glucose between the liquid portion (plasma) and cellular (red blood cells) between human, canine and feline blood. That is why the pet meters have two different codes, one for canines and the other for felines. However, a human meter is accurate enough for use on canines and felines.

Specifically,

Species Glucose Concentration in RBCs Glucose Concentration in Plasma
Human ---------------42% ------------------58%
Canine ---------------12.5% ---------------7.5%
Feline ----------------7% -------------------93%
 
At high numbers the variance can actually be quite large.. since both meters can have up to a 20% error margin.. hopefully I didn't screw up my math :)

Meter 1 - 500 - could be anywhere between 400 and 600
Meter 2 - 400 - could be anywhere between 320 and 480 (notice the overlapping range)

It's the same in humans too.. cats are no different.. when the numbers get bigger, they are "off" by more.. you'd probably get different results testing 2 minutes apart with the same meter.. the actions you need to take are the same anywhere in that range.. so it gives the data you need.

When you start to get into teeny numbers, it matters more, but the numbers are also more accurate.. at 20% of the numbers mentioned above

Meter 1 - 100 - could be anywhere between 80 and 120
Meter 2 - 80 - could be anywhere between 64 and 96

Where the first example had a total range (combined) of 280 points.. at lower numbers the range is only 56.. and once you get to the reaaally low numbers, the advice is always to re-test before taking action (if there are no hypo symptoms).. to narrow it down further... or in any situation where you get a number that seems totally off..

My vets office uses a human meter in their clinic.. they don't even try to sell that over-priced insanity thank goodness.
 
Thank you everyone for the information. That actually makes me feel a lot better and of course it makes absolute sense. The larger the number, the larger the difference between monitors. I will keep my human monitor. :) I know the goal is to get him low, but not too low! I am going to start the 2 units twice daily tomorrow that way I can watch him closely all day. He is just getting worse and worse for the shot. I have to hold him in place now because the second the needle goes through his skin, he tries to jump off the table. Last night the needle even bent. I felt so bad. It was just very disappointing to see his numbers still so high. I guess I am starting to realize that this isn't going to be easy, but I am along for the ride all the way. At the vet today they did his test by pricking his paw and it seemed much easier than the ear. Can I do his paw instead? Does that hurt him more? Do I need to warm up his paw first? It seemed so easy at the vet, but when I tried to do it tonight he bit me and he never bites. I guess I will try again tomorrow. A little advice on paw vs. ear would be quite helpful. The vet tech said paw is preferred but she also said I needed a cat monitor so her opinions are automatically taken with a grain of salt from now on. I have my very smart friends on the forum here instead :)

Carol, I would so appreciate any help I could get. I live in Plymouth. I see you are in Victoria. That's near Chaska, right? I would just love to be able to meet someone else with a diabetic cat and see how they do things, because honestly I feel like I am doing everything wrong here, even his insulin injection. Let me know if you'd be willing to perhaps meet up sometime and give me a few pointers and demonstrations. I would be very grateful. Thank you!
 
Testing can be easier if you are calm when you start the process. Take some deep breaths, find your happy place, whatever =) Tugger fought me early on, when I was stressed over it all. My heart would pound, my hands would shake, I'd be near tears and all the while he'd struggle.

When I slowed down, talked sweet to him in the special voice (not the mean-mommy voice as my youngest once called it lol) and took my time... Tugger melted. So now, I go to him with my testing basket and I talk to him the whole time, soft and deep sets his motor running. I get the stuff set up and give him lots of attention, then I take the warm rice sock and warm his ear (he loves this part, there's ear massaging and skritches!) then the quick poke (it will be easier if you use a light behind his ear to light up the veins, did you see the pictures?) once you know where the sweet spot is you can do the poke quick then I drop the poker in the basket, grab the meter and let it sip the blood drop that has formed (which reminds me... do NOT let go of that poked ear till you have blood in the meter!) and then I pinch the poked spot to make it stop bleeding. Then it's treat time! Yay! Treats! Tugger will run his very wide load all the way to the kitchen for them.

At this point, Tug sometimes comes to me to tell me it's test time =) Or treat time... ;)

You'll get there too!

I know some people use the pad, so hopefully they will come explain how. I've not tried that.

Treats for shots too. All mean stuff earns a treat or three. ;)

He'll learn soon that all of this isn't as painful as he thinks it is. The treats are the biggest key. Fine a single ingredient protein treat that he wants to do backflips for. Mine act like that for freeze dried chicken. Nothing else but freeze dried salmon gets them stirred up like that =) I could do just about anything to any of them at this point because they know FDCC is coming at the end.

Deep breaths, calm yourself and your kitty will be calm too. Be patient, none of us had it easy the first time or ten. You'll get it =) Check out the videos, I can't remember if I saw them on the forum or found 'em on youtube but there are lots of videos of people testing cats ears... watch them and maybe you'll pick up a trick or two =)
 
Yes you can test either the paw or the ear. There is a small group that for various reasons find paw testing works better than ear testing.

Follow the same procedures - however, when using the neosporin - you may want to look for a product (possibly get from vet) that will not be toxic if ingested. As he may lick his paw, but can't reach to lick his ear.

If you want to learn more about paw testing - I suggest you start a new post and put that in subject line - the paw testers will be able to give you tips/tricks to help.

Your goal is to learn to test and to do that in whatever fashion you and the cat are most comfortable.

If you want to read up on the differences of meters and blood - here's an interesting post - http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/r ... ?8,1840808

And you've done the hard part - you bought the meter - now you just need to be brave and calm and attempt the test. You can do it!
 
Hi, Just saying welcome and that you've come to the right place. You've gotten so much good information already. I would add: when you give your insulin shot give it while your boy is eating. His head will be in his bowl and he won't even notice that you are pulling up a little tent of skin on his shoulder and gently sticking in the syringe. Now, for the testing on the ear vs. the paw pad. We test on the ear and it was difficult at first because it was new, but now is just routine. (I worried about trying a paw stick because those paws go into the litterbox and maybe outdoors, too.) I read recently on this board that cat's ears have much fewer nerve endings than human fingertips because cats have evolved doing a lot of fighting (getting bitten on the ears, etc.) and this evolutionary past has resulted in less nerve pain in the ear. Yup, cats are smart as well as tough! So don't let your test on your own fingertip be your criterion with regard to whether or not you are hurting your cat!
Good luck with everything! Learn at your own pace and don't let your vet bully you!

Ella & Stu
 
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