Fena's 1st curve (at vets) - results!

[Candy&Company]

Okay so Fena went in this morning for her 8am apt. - she finished eating and got her shot at 7:42am, then after I dealt with the syringe into the carrier she went and out the door we flew.

I brought 3 FF cans with me, the tech who checked her in assured me she'd been tested ASAP then every hour on the hour and if I wanted to, I could call and check in, so I did around 2:45pm EST.

Come to find out, our usual vet called in sick today so another vet we've never dealt with before took over Fena's case for the day - the vet didn't give her any food at all, saying the results would be more accurate that way. Fena only peed for them, no BM, and outwardly was very well behaved.

They told me due to the hour-on-hour, that I could pick her up at 4pm instead of 6pm like I'd previously been advised as the vet thought she'd reached nadir already?

RESULTS BELOW, VIA BLOOD DRAW THEN ALPHA-T READ:

8:20am = 484
9:20am = 495*
10:20am = 446
11:20am = 401
12:45pm = 386
2:45pm = 283*
3:45pm = 272

When I asked about her stress, the tech noted the 495 number and said she thought it might've been an issue so before the next test she draped a towel over Fena's cage and sprayed some Feliway on it to try and calm her down and she though that might've helped contribute to the 446 number.

The 283 number, it didn't even dawn on me that they'd skipped an hour, the 1pm-ish test, until I was finally back home and could go through the papers. The tech also said that the vet wanted to see Fena's starting number (hopefully) at the next curve apt. (27th) BE the 283.

They sent her home with instructions to up her ProZinc dose to 2 units, 2x daily.

When I asked about the risk with hypo because I haven't been testing her yet, the tech said the risk was actually low since if she's been on low-carb only since Thursday and the 1 unit hasn't been making much difference that she should be fine, but to give the 2 unit dose at 8am tomorrow to start.

I asked about Fena's possible reoccuring constipation and told them that I'd bought a bottle of Miralax and that I'd heard it could be good for cats (on phone when I'd called to check in) - the tech said according to the vet and I quote, "she hadn't heard that it helped that much at all" and gave me 2 choices: a special digestive health RX food from Royal Canin or more Lactulose.

I said I didn't know the carb count on that food, so I'd take the Lactulose instead. Same dose as before, 2cc's 2x daily along with her shots. I figured, why not, helps to have a back up plan.

They also sent me home with her lab sheets so I need to figure out how to add labs to her SS soon plus try and figure out what everything means.

To make matters worse, my car sounded horrible taking her this morning and I worried about getting home. Called mechanic but they can't get me in until first thing in the morning so I was on max alert picking her up this afternoon. Thankfully we made it home. I also had an emergency project for work to do, and in the end I was so damn frazzled when I tried the meter out on myself I bungled 3 strips and just made myself stop since I was shaking so bad.

Treating myself to a beer right now. Really, REALLY hoping tomorrow is a MUCH better day.

PS - Fena inhaled Mao's lunch leftovers as soon as she was out of her carrier, then parked herself next to the water pot while I made her another meal up. Poor baby.

PPS - I also didn't add her curve to the SS since they used Alpha and the SS I downloaded is for the human meter I'll be using so decided to post here instead.

****EDIT: I'll make a separate post about her constipation since something just happened.

 

[Bama Kitty Mom (GA)]

Having actual numbers from a curve is good. Too bad the vet decided Fena didn't need to eat while the curve was ongoing. When you do your own curves at home, you can do it the right way and feed her.

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

I would not increase her dose from 1 unit to 2 units. We increase in 1/4 unit (0.25unit) increments at a time. Going from 1 unit to 2 units is doubling the dose. Your next dose should be 1.25 units (1 1/4 units)
The sooner you are home testing the better. It will save having to go to the vet where the BSL are elevated due to stress and a true reading is not possible.
I am going to tag a couple of people who are more familiar with Prozinc than I am.
@Kris & Teasel @Djamila @JanetNJ @Rachel are you able to help with dosing please.

 

[Djamila]

Hi there! First of all, I wish I could give you a real hug, but you'll have to settle for an emoji: Sounds like you and Fena have had quite a day!

It does look like Fena needs more insulin, however I would encourage you to hold off until you get your first test at home and know you can do it. I agree that in general with those numbers, a serious hypo isn't a high risk, however the curve shows a downward slope instead of a smile-shape which makes me curious. Sometimes that can be a sign of too much insulin. Given the numbers in the 400's, that seems doubtful, but I wouldn't do a huge increase without a little bit of data at home when Fena is relaxed first. You want to be sure that the increase really is warranted, and also that you can test and keep her safe.

As Bron mentioned, we usually recommend increases of 0.25u at a time. However, when a cat's nadir is still above 200, we do sometimes suggest 0.5u increases until you see your first blue (Blue = a number under 200 - it's from the color coding on the spreadsheet). Then moving to the smaller increases from there. But those are very general guidelines. If you come post over in the Prozinc section of the forum, we would be more than happy to help you navigate all of this!

By the way, I am sort of horrified at some of the things your substitute vet said: the nadir is the lowest number in the cycle. Fena was still going down, so had not hit nadir yet. Also, miralax is very helpful to lots of cats. And we don't recommend fasting during a curve unless your kitty usually fasts during those hours.

On a more positive note: you've already got her on good food, you've got a spreadsheet, and from reading your post, sounds like you've learned a ton already. You're definitely on the right track! I really do hope that your car holds together until the mechanic is available, and that tomorrow is a much much better day for both you and Fena. Looking forward to getting to know you better!

 

[Rachel]

Good morning! I'm sorry Fena had a tough day! The sub vet probably just made the stress even worse (for both of you!). I feel like Fena deserves a special treat and you deserve a glass of wine!

I agree that you really want to be testing at home before starting the increases. Yeah when being frazzled and upset with so much going on, it's best to give yourself a rest. But today, when you have a minute, give the meter another try on yourself (that's how I learned too!). And don't be alarmed...it hurts your fingers because there are a ton of nerve endings. Cats don't have nearly as many nerve endings in their ears so it really won't hurt as much.

My guess is you'll want to start increasing once you have some tests under your belt. We'd be happy to help guide you through that in the Prozinc forum as Djamila said!

 

[Candy&Company]

Having actual numbers from a curve is good. Too bad the vet decided Fena didn't need to eat while the curve was ongoing. When you do your own curves at home, you can do it the right way and feed her.

I agree, she was starving when she got home. I ended up putting out 1 can Friskies in addition to their left overs last night and when I woke up at 6am it was ALL gone. Hoping that comes in handy when I test, if there's no food left I won't have to worry/run/still half asleep to pick up the bowls when my alarm goes off, LOL.

 

[Candy&Company]

I would not increase her dose from 1 unit to 2 units. We increase in 1/4 unit (0.25unit) increments at a time. Going from 1 unit to 2 units is doubling the dose. Your next dose should be 1.25 units (1 1/4 units)
The sooner you are home testing the better. It will save having to go to the vet where the BSL are elevated due to stress and a true reading is not possible.
I am going to tag a couple of people who are more familiar with Prozinc than I am.
@Kris & Teasel @Djamila @JanetNJ @Rachel are you able to help with dosing please.

Thanks so much for tagging others, I've seen it done on here before while I'd been lurking and most if not all of your screen names are familiar to me by now but not enough to be able to recall/search/tag myself. It didn't even cross my mind at the time I posted either - more learning to do!

 

[Candy&Company]

Hi there! First of all, I wish I could give you a real hug, but you'll have to settle for an emoji: Sounds like you and Fena have had quite a day!

It does look like Fena needs more insulin, however I would encourage you to hold off until you get your first test at home and know you can do it. I agree that in general with those numbers, a serious hypo isn't a high risk, however the curve shows a downward slope instead of a smile-shape which makes me curious. Sometimes that can be a sign of too much insulin. Given the numbers in the 400's, that seems doubtful, but I wouldn't do a huge increase without a little bit of data at home when Fena is relaxed first. You want to be sure that the increase really is warranted, and also that you can test and keep her safe.

As Bron mentioned, we usually recommend increases of 0.25u at a time. However, when a cat's nadir is still above 200, we do sometimes suggest 0.5u increases until you see your first blue (Blue = a number under 200 - it's from the color coding on the spreadsheet). Then moving to the smaller increases from there. But those are very general guidelines. If you come post over in the Prozinc section of the forum, we would be more than happy to help you navigate all of this!

By the way, I am sort of horrified at some of the things your substitute vet said: the nadir is the lowest number in the cycle. Fena was still going down, so had not hit nadir yet. Also, miralax is very helpful to lots of cats. And we don't recommend fasting during a curve unless your kitty usually fasts during those hours.

On a more positive note: you've already got her on good food, you've got a spreadsheet, and from reading your post, sounds like you've learned a ton already. You're definitely on the right track! I really do hope that your car holds together until the mechanic is available, and that tomorrow is a much much better day for both you and Fena. Looking forward to getting to know you better!

Hellohello! Emoji's work just fine, they make me smile.

Yeah I was in a bind this morning, not knowing exactly what to do - I'd read all of your replies on my phone while running around for morning chores, etc. and couldn't decide what I should do. I told myself initially if they wanted an increase I'd stall until testing, but once seeing her numbers it gave me pause. Plus all the stress yesterday and this morning with my car, ugh. I have my fingers crossed I didn't make a huge mistake but I went ahead and gave the 2 units at 8am.

So far so good, course that's only observation monitoring which just adds more stress for me because I KNOW I should be testing but I'm still shaky. Once I get through posting replies on here I'll be rewatching the testing videos again and setting up her "kit" - putting supplies in the toiletry bag I bought then sitting myself down and testing on myself again. Hoping this time it goes better. My main problem seems to be my hand shaking - getting the strip into the meter, touching it to the blood sample. My bungles before resulted in bent/squished strips or "smeared" samples when I went to collect the blood with the strip itself. I need to calm myself down somehow.

Pricking myself is easy despite the shaking but I know I'll need to be aiming more carefully for her "sweet spot" so if I'm shaking too bad, ugh.. I don't wanna have to stick her half a million times throughout the day with no results. Obviously there'll be a margin of error for fails anyway but I'd like to try and even the odds by getting a handle on myself. Any tips on calming down? I usually can control myself but for some reason it's like my body isn't listening to my brain or my deep breathing, etc.

If it turns out the 2 units is a bit too much (not enough for hypo but close) I can scale back just the same as scaling up, is that right? Going from 2 units to 1.75 or 1.5 for a few cycles, etc? Trying so hard to remember - everyone's posts are just burning it into my memory better, thank you all so much!

I'll definitely be heading over to the ProZinc forum - should I do that only once I'm testing though or? Because I KNOW I'll need help once I'm testing. Any idea on why she had a slope at the vets? I found that a bit weird too due to numbers, etc. I actually used graph paper to chart it, can't believe I saved the pad from HS eons ago.

She was STILL dropping? Oh gosh.. the vet said she was going to be heading back UP! Should you see more of a plateau before the rise then or? Yeah she HATED the fasting. I ended up starting the Lactulose last night, with her last 1 unit dose. I thought maybe a few doses of it (Lactulose) would give her a "boost" so I could switch to the Miralax. I don't think it'd be recommended to try both in the same day/time.. I just want her to feel better. Maybe Lactulose in morning but Miralax at night?

Thanks again so much, I look forward to getting to know you and everyone, better too! Also look forward to replying better, trying to learn this website along with everything else, eek!

 

[Candy&Company]

Good morning! I'm sorry Fena had a tough day! The sub vet probably just made the stress even worse (for both of you!). I feel like Fena deserves a special treat and you deserve a glass of wine!

I agree that you really want to be testing at home before starting the increases. Yeah when being frazzled and upset with so much going on, it's best to give yourself a rest. But today, when you have a minute, give the meter another try on yourself (that's how I learned too!). And don't be alarmed...it hurts your fingers because there are a ton of nerve endings. Cats don't have nearly as many nerve endings in their ears so it really won't hurt as much.

My guess is you'll want to start increasing once you have some tests under your belt. We'd be happy to help guide you through that in the Prozinc forum as Djamila said!

Thanks again so much, and yeah I haven't had this much stress in awhile! And she did get a treat, Mao too - each got a 1"-ish piece of fresh roasted chicken breast. I had a beer, LOL.

I think with the testing on myself, it's more the "shock/startle" effect than the pain if that makes sense? So glad to know there aren't as many nerves in their ears. Fena LOVES me doing anything to hers, rubbing, stroking, cleaning, even lipping/nibbling/kissing. If I do any of those things enough she falls asleep for some reason so that more than anything is giving me A LOT of hope that she'll take kindly to the testing. I'm counting on it pretty heavy so long as I can get myself together and don't mess it up. :/

If I have questions on some things in the testing videos (I haven't written any down yet) should I ask them here, the ProZinc forum, or...? I don't know if its a side effect of the stress but while I want to post here and make sure I know what I'm doing, get advice, etc. I also don't want to make a nuisance of myself if that makes sense? Gosh the brain is so weird sometimes, least mine.

Gearing up for kitty lunch in a few, then more video watching and finally, more testing on myself. It'll be a fun afternoon!

PS - are the test strips still ok if kitty licks/gets their nose on them? Mao was wondering what I was doing the first time and he got pretty close to the one strip. I managed to get it out of reach in time but I was just wondering if this happened at all and if the strip was still usable or not if it did?

 

[Bama Kitty Mom (GA)]

@Candy&Company

I've been testing regularly for a few months now and still find myself shaking sometimes. I find it helpful to place the strip in the slot of the meter but not press it in all the way until after I have poked the ear and gotten the blood to pool up. Then while holding the ear to keep Bama from shaking it, I press the strip all the way in, wait for it to start up and give me the blinking drop signaling it's ready to receive blood, then touch the strip to the blood drop. As others will tell you, sometimes kitty will get fidgety and you have to scoup the blood onto a finger or finger nail then touch the strip to it to get a reading. Just do what is necessary. May not be lab worthy but is probably accurate so long as you don't have anything sugary on your hands. You'll most likely get an error from the monitor if a strip is bad or gets corrupted by a nosy kitty. The more you test, the more comfortable you will be in testing and the more data you will get. Be sure to keep your SS updated.

 

[Candy&Company]

@Candy&Company

I've been testing regularly for a few months now and still find myself shaking sometimes. I find it helpful to place the strip in the slot of the meter but not press it in all the way until after I have poked the ear and gotten the blood to pool up. Then while holding the ear to keep Bama from shaking it, I press the strip all the way in, wait for it to start up and give me the blinking drop signaling it's ready to receive blood, then touch the strip to the blood drop. As others will tell you, sometimes kitty will get fidgety and you have to scoup the blood onto a finger or finger nail then touch the strip to it to get a reading. Just do what is necessary. May not be lab worthy but is probably accurate so long as you don't have anything sugary on your hands. You'll most likely get an error from the monitor if a strip is bad or gets corrupted by a nosy kitty. The more you test, the more comfortable you will be in testing and the more data you will get. Be sure to keep your SS updated.

Oh bless you! Yeah I was struggling in my mind while working the meter, strip, lancet, etc. even on myself going.. if I'm going to do this to Fena, who could react unexpectedly, what in the world will I do? Because I need to make sure she's comfy, securely held (at first) then manipulate the meter, strips, etc. I wish I was an octopus with more arms! But this makes sense. I've probably read it but can't recall, it seems familiar but it makes SO much sense. How do you know how far in to put the strip? I haven't practiced that yet on myself. Is it like halfway or, I mean... can you "feel" when the strip is "there" to tun the meter on or is it more subtle than that?

No, nothing sugary - that would be the Lactulose, which is the very last thing I give at shot time. Plus I got alcohol packs for my hands, in case I need them. So kitty CAN corrupt the strip with licks or noses? I was wondering about that, via Mao in my post earlier - I thought that might happen but wasn't sure. What else can corrupt them, do you know? They're... well they're small but not THAT small but still I worry about trying to keep them secure and protected, if that makes sense? Mao is SOOOO curious.

I wonder if while I'm focusing on Fena, he'll sneak in and do something when I don't see or can't react in time, LOL. He's that kind of cat.

OOH, before I forget, I got a ketone urine strip test about 20 min ago! Nothing, not even a trace per following the directions. I got pee ALL OVER my hand since I just "slipped it under" Fena - she looked at me kinda like, "Uh what are you doing? Not that I mind but I'm trying to go here?" So I feel proud. Is there a better time of day to use the ketone strips?

 

[Bama Kitty Mom (GA)]

I somehow corrupted a test strip the other day. No idea how but got a strange error code that I looked up in the book and it said, "Test strip problem. Contact bars on test strip may be dirty. Incorrect test strip used. Used test strip has been inserted. Repeat test with a new strip." Just a catch-all error code, I'm sure. As for how far to insert the strip. Practice inserting a few times. Mine goes in and just barely covers all the contact bars. It is in enough to not dislodge easily but not so far in as to turn the meter on. Also, you'll probably want to turn off the beep. You can tell all you need to know by looking at the screen. No need for unnecessary noises that might scare kitty. That's why most don't use the lancing devices because they make an audible click.

I've had mixed results with the ketone strips, blindly waving it under his rump, I could feel I'd passed through the stream but when I pulled it out, the urine was much further up the strip and not on the square. My best results are when I've slipped a peanut jar lid underneath him to catch a sample that I then dipped the strip into. Still it's hard to get it in the right spot if he's hunkered down like he's supposed to. Once I caught him standing to urinate but the stream was heading over the side of the litter box and I was too busy repositioning his rump to get it to stream inside the box to grab my tools. Guess he feels more manly standing up but I'd rather he hunker down for less mess.

 

[Candy&Company]

Okay, update! I've managed to successfully test myself without messing anything up for once - I had a beer, sue me! I've rewatched all the videos but one thing I'm a bit confused on. I've read some places about a 45 degree angle for poking free hand, and others straight-on.. what's the difference? Sorry if I seem silly. And if free handing, how do you know if you've "poked" too little or too much.. does it have a "feel" to it, or..? Fena's ears are dark, practically black if you look at them from the backside - inside is much more clear.

She also loves watching me, looking at me, making eye contact - so doing it from behind, I don't know how long that would work? In the videos I see most people not using a flashlight to highlight the capillaries... because they've been testing so long so they know, and their cats ears have "learned to bleed"...? None of them really mention that.

Also none of them really show applying Neosporin, Vaseline or olive oil, etc. to the ear - so... how much to use? I'd imagine just a smear/smidge? Does that work if you do it over hair on the back of the ear? Do it with the grain or against? How much is too much, how little is too little?

I've watched the vids and everything but still having some trouble identifying Fena's "sweet spot" - do you just find the vein and "follow it" then find the capillaries on the outside rim, or? She's been SUCH a good girl for me so far, checking her out. Also this is a first - she's had 6+ oz of wet food today, a new record!! Tonight I hope it'll hit over the 9oz. mark so when I put out food she should be hitting 11+oz in 24 hours! Or so I hope... hope I didn't just jinx myself, arrrg.

Any help would be appreciated, thank you!!

 

[Candy&Company]

I somehow corrupted a test strip the other day. No idea how but got a strange error code that I looked up in the book and it said, "Test strip problem. Contact bars on test strip may be dirty. Incorrect test strip used. Used test strip has been inserted. Repeat test with a new strip." Just a catch-all error code, I'm sure. As for how far to insert the strip. Practice inserting a few times. Mine goes in and just barely covers all the contact bars. It is in enough to not dislodge easily but not so far in as to turn the meter on. Also, you'll probably want to turn off the beep. You can tell all you need to know by looking at the screen. No need for unnecessary noises that might scare kitty. That's why most don't use the lancing devices because they make an audible click.

I've had mixed results with the ketone strips, blindly waving it under his rump, I could feel I'd passed through the stream but when I pulled it out, the urine was much further up the strip and not on the square. My best results are when I've slipped a peanut jar lid underneath him to catch a sample that I then dipped the strip into. Still it's hard to get it in the right spot if he's hunkered down like he's supposed to. Once I caught him standing to urinate but the stream was heading over the side of the litter box and I was too busy repositioning his rump to get it to stream inside the box to grab my tools. Guess he feels more manly standing up but I'd rather he hunker down for less mess.

Oh god love you Bama Mom, you've helped me so much! Not even kidding!

Ooh gosh the strips can do that? I haven't run into that particular error just yet - sure it's just a matter of time though! Okay I was watching the bars when I tested myself but it didn't register, but now I see what you're saying - I think I can do it! I'll have to look up turning off the beep.. and I haven't tried "clicking" the device near Fena but I have been making "clicking" noises with my mouth near her ears and she doesn't seem to care but does perk up.

Sadly it's because "clicking" was the call I'd make to get Lucky, her home-brother, to come to me but he passed in 2016. Mao is "kiss" noises and Fena is the "circus song" believe it or not, LOL.

I'll have to try a jar top.. I just happened to be at the cabinet by the box when I saw Fena heading there, saw her NOT scratch the litter before hand - which is her sign for "pee" and thought, oh god! So I hurried fished out a strip and just glided my hand under her. Course I was.... off. She got the WHOLE strip and most of my hand. My fault though, but it's so hard to see/tell!

Yeah Fena sometimes, rarely, "goes" over the side - either pee or poo and if I'm there I nudge too. The things we do for our baby's dignity and our convenience eh? LOL. I have a really old towel under their box in case of things like that but more often than not I'm just "drawing it up" to dump ALL the litter on it, back into the box, ugh. I bought some puppy pee pads but haven't used them yet as it's only really been an issue that 1 time for Fena. Mao... *shudders*

The one time I repositioned him, he got uber excited so when he "covered" his business, he sprayed the HECK out of me with litter. I swear when he wants to, he can spread out his front paws until they look like shovels and ooooooh lord the mess.

Should I note this on Fena's SS, and if so how....?

BTW I'm totally in love with Bama's picture, that black "mustache"... gosh such a handsome boy, LOL. Tuna and egg (Friskies) is a big hit in my house too when I give it, but haven't found the Tuna and cheese yet - need to visit more 9Lives sites!

 

[Bama Kitty Mom (GA)]

If you tab over to the far right on the spreadsheet, there's a space for comments. That's where I generally note things like weight, ketone tests, hairballs or anything else I might want to monitor.

Our floors are laminate so Bama's room is practically carpeted in puppy pads overlaid one another. At least, the parts near his litter box and his food and water station. When he barfs, he runs and gets in his litter box then gets out real quick and throws up nearby so I keep puppy pads in the areas he's targeted as barf spots. And I keep towels under his chair--a low to the ground beach chair he likes. Makes it easier to spot errant litter pieces before I step on them and crush them to powder.

I read in one of your other posts about how you put the poo in a bag and perform the squish test. I'm glad I'm not the only one who does this. I check to see if he's passing hair. Most times I can't tell. I never thought I'd become such an analyst of cat pee, poo, and puke. My, how far we've fallen.

 

[Djamila]

Bama Kitty Mom is taking good care of you regarding testing, so I'll just address the forum question: no, you don't need to wait until you've done a test on Fena to post there. You are welcome anytime!

Oh, I guess I will add one thing about testing - you can poke either side of the ear, so if his fur is lighter on the inside, it's okay to use that side as long as the hair isn't too long. And yes, just a thin little smear of neosporin is enough to keep the fur tamed and let the blood bead up nicely.

Believe it or not, this will all be as automatic as brushing your teeth in no time!

 

[LeoTheTuxedo]

Miralax is great! I had to take Leo to the vet a couple of times a few years back for constipation. It was even so bad that they had to do the thing where they scoop everything out. The vet recommended miralax to me and I've been giving him miralax once/day ever since and have had no problems since.

I'm in a similar position(and new to this board) where Leo was just diagnosed with diabetes a few weeks ago and I noticed he was a little constipated, so when I've noticed that I give him a bit with his evening meal as well.

 

[Candy&Company]

I thought I could do it.. Fena came up to me when I sat on the floor and called her, she laid down like the sweetheart she is.. she let me rub her ears and got sleepy/tired, I smeared a tiny bit of Vaseline then used the flashlight to see - she startled at first but settled down. When I saw, I got the lancet to do free hand.. and I stabbed accidentally all the way through her ear. She jump/startled and starting bleeding alot.. I didn't even think of the the test and just clamped the cotton square on her ear and cried. *sigh* She didn't seen to care though, but one fail down, many to go.

If you tab over to the far right on the spreadsheet, there's a space for comments. That's where I generally note things like weight, ketone tests, hairballs or anything else I might want to monitor.

Our floors are laminate so Bama's room is practically carpeted in puppy pads overlaid one another. At least, the parts near his litter box and his food and water station. When he barfs, he runs and gets in his litter box then gets out real quick and throws up nearby so I keep puppy pads in the areas he's targeted as barf spots. And I keep towels under his chair--a low to the ground beach chair he likes. Makes it easier to spot errant litter pieces before I step on them and crush them to powder.

I read in one of your other posts about how you put the poo in a bag and perform the squish test. I'm glad I'm not the only one who does this. I check to see if he's passing hair. Most times I can't tell. I never thought I'd become such an analyst of cat pee, poo, and puke. My, how far we've fallen.

Ooh okay I see, I've made a note to update that when I get back to the SS - thank you!! Ah lucky you, ours are hardwood but unsealed traditionally - my house is so old it's a joke, sigh. The floor in our kitchen though is just subfloor/plywood which I've sealed so it's a bit easier to clean up anything. And your set up sounds like what I'll probably end up with! The last 2 days, all pee has ended up in the box but 2 poops haven't - least not totally and those are Mao. The pack I bought was for 30 puppy pads, so glad I made that investment now! If it keeps up I'll be busting them out.

Their barf though is usually hard to predict, where it is anyway - the WORST is when it's on the back of the couch! I have sheet/slip covers so it's not a big deal really but it's still one of those, "Oh god really?!" moments. Plus they like doing it in the thoroughfares - right in the middle of the walkway between rooms/going places. Never off to the side so some mornings I'll plod along and get one of those "pssssshish" moments under my foot. Guess they really want me to find it.

And ooh yes I'm a "bag squisher" totally! First is the "is the litter clinging" test by sight, then the scoop and "squish" for pressure - as for hairballs I can help! When you "squish", pick a slightly different part of the stool and "squish/slide" - instead of compressing, do that and "slip/slide" your thumb and fingers past each other - kinda like plate tectonics? This way you can smear/open the stool. Your fella looks like short hair, so you'd probably see a crosshatch/web looking effect if hair is present. If not it'll just resemble.. hm. Kinda "well formed pate" food. Ish.

Or to REALLY get an idea, if it's a bigger piece - "squish" lightly along the length - the firmest part I've found usually holds the hair, or the most hair. And if you're ever really concerned about Bama (I've done this with Mao especially during winter-shed season, at least once a week) is to get a disposable bucket you can clean outside. Pick up a piece or two of stool and drop in bucket, then stir/break it down. The hair SHOULD either sink to the bottom and be easy to see, or float to the top. Also a good indicator of excess fat in the diet too, as it floats REAL well.

As an added bonus no matter where you dispose of it if it's in the yard, you MIGHT see a reduction in feral cats coming around - they think another cat has claimed your "turf".

Agreed on the fallen part, I've had no choice but to bow down to my kitty overlords.

 

[Candy&Company]

Bama Kitty Mom is taking good care of you regarding testing, so I'll just address the forum question: no, you don't need to wait until you've done a test on Fena to post there. You are welcome anytime!

Oh, I guess I will add one thing about testing - you can poke either side of the ear, so if his fur is lighter on the inside, it's okay to use that side as long as the hair isn't too long. And yes, just a thin little smear of neosporin is enough to keep the fur tamed and let the blood bead up nicely.

Believe it or not, this will all be as automatic as brushing your teeth in no time!

Hi Djamila and thank you SO much, I was a tiny bit worried about that - silly huh? I did try tonight but blew it.

Yeah Fena has little hair inside the ear as opposed to outside and she's short-hair. God love her, she still seems to love me even though I totally botched it and pierced her poor left ear! Still feel horrible, I think I got the angle all wrong and wanted to do it "quick" - but put too much force behind it. It's looong since stopped bleeding though and I put Neosporin on since most of the Vaseline rubbed off when I was applying pressure, then cleaning her up to get a better look. She's currently stretched out on her side about 3 feet from me sleeping.

On the automatic thing, from your lips to Gods ears, LOL. Bless you!!

 

[Candy&Company]

Miralax is great! I had to take Leo to the vet a couple of times a few years back for constipation. It was even so bad that they had to do the thing where they scoop everything out. The vet recommended miralax to me and I've been giving him miralax once/day ever since and have had no problems since.

I'm in a similar position(and new to this board) where Leo was just diagnosed with diabetes a few weeks ago and I noticed he was a little constipated, so when I've noticed that I give him a bit with his evening meal as well.

Hi Leo's parent!! Oh good, yeah I was hoping when I bought the Miralax it would work - I haven't tried it yet, just gave the 2nd dose of Lactulose tonight instead since it's 2cc's and more than the 1/8 teaspoon Miralax start dose I read about. Was thinking I could keep the Lactulose for 3-4 days then switch to 1/8 teaspoon Miralax in morning and night, and see then? And keep the Lactulose for a main backup if I need it... but that's only me assuming since it's 2cc's it would be more "effective".

 

[AlphaCat]

Hi Candy and Fena!

First. You are doing okay. You really are! If you go back to any of our first posts in here you'll see they look a lot like yours.
So please know, it does get easier!
Tips on the blood test:
I would sit on the edge of my bed (right by where I fed Fabby) and grab my test kit.
I grab my Fabby and I sit criss-cross-applesauce style. Fabby's back legs and behind go in the hole my legs create and her front paws are resting on my right thigh (little bunny-like paws).
Then I just pet. I make sure to touch her ears while petting and even stroke them. Stroking a cats ears is a calming technique anyway... but the sugar cat extra benefit is it will warm the ear and increase circulation (making the blood come out easier).
She would just sit there while I got her kit all set up because I would keep her no carb treats in the testing kit. So once it was open she could see the treat pouch and would focus on the treat. (She would drool waiting for her treat, so I knew she was okay with what I was doing...)
I get out the lancet and set it on the side. I tear a small piece off the paper towel and set it aside. Then I pull out my strip, put it in the meter. It beeps and I remove the lancet top and also free-hand poke. I would go through the back, and I navigated by just staying near the edge slightly above that little flap part on the side. (There's a diagram I'll go find you...) I put my fingers on the other side of where I poke so I rarely poked all the way through as it meant I'd poke myself (though it did happen a couple of times). Fabby was always a good bleeder so I barely had to poke. If I poked too little I would just rub the ear up toward the poke and her blood would appear. It was rare I had to poke twice (but that did happen too).
Once the blood was out I would hold her ear in a pinch so she didn't shake it off and then put the already ready strip and machine to the droplet.
Then I set the machine down and grab the paper towel and place it on her poke spot and apply pressure for a few moments. Then I would add the smallest smear of Neosporin. Fabby turned out to be allergic to it so we ended up switching to polysporin, even though she might have been okay with nothing. I think it made me feel better most of all.
Then I'd open up her treat and let her eat while I added the numbers into her spreadsheet.
After that she got as much Friskies Pate as I could get her to eat.

Fabby took to our process so quickly due to the treats I think, and they made me feel better too, so it was a win win. Once she got used to the process she would run to me when it was time to test. If I went to "our spot" Fabby was there. If I grabbed the kit, she was sitting in my lap, no need to pick her up. I used the Fancy Feast one ingredient treats in Salmon. It was literally just a piece of salmon in a tiny package. My favorite part was they were individually wrapped so I could keep a few in her kit at a time, so she thought that's where the treats came from.

I hope sharing my experience helps you in your journey. I'll go find that ear diagram for you!
Good luck!
Also: enjoy your reward beer! You need rewards too!

 

[Candy&Company]

Hi Candy and Fena!

First. You are doing okay. You really are! If you go back to any of our first posts in here you'll see they look a lot like yours.
So please know, it does get easier!
Tips on the blood test:
I would sit on the edge of my bed (right by where I fed Fabby) and grab my test kit.
I grab my Fabby and I sit criss-cross-applesauce style. Fabby's back legs and behind go in the hole my legs create and her front paws are resting on my right thigh (little bunny-like paws).
Then I just pet. I make sure to touch her ears while petting and even stroke them. Stroking a cats ears is a calming technique anyway... but the sugar cat extra benefit is it will warm the ear and increase circulation (making the blood come out easier)

Okay so if I'm right handed, I'll want her to be facing.. my right? Or my left?

She would just sit there while I got her kit all set up because I would keep her no carb treats in the testing kit. So once it was open she could see the treat pouch and would focus on the treat. (She would drool waiting for her treat, so I knew she was okay with what I was doing...)
I get out the lancet and set it on the side. I tear a small piece off the paper towel and set it aside. Then I pull out my strip, put it in the meter. It beeps and I remove the lancet top and also free-hand poke. I would go through the back, and I navigated by just staying near the edge slightly above that little flap part on the side. (There's a diagram I'll go find you...) I put my fingers on the other side of where I poke so I rarely poked all the way through as it meant I'd poke myself (though it did happen a couple of times). Fabby was always a good bleeder so I barely had to poke. If I poked too little I would just rub the ear up toward the poke and her blood would appear. It was rare I had to poke twice (but that did happen too)

If you could find that diagram I'd appreciate it so much, I've been going over everything here multiple times! But before by the flap part, you mean that little bit of ear skin that kinda bends/folds on it's own making this odd looking little pocket?

Once the blood was out I would hold her ear in a pinch so she didn't shake it off and then put the already ready strip and machine to the droplet.
Then I set the machine down and grab the paper towel and place it on her poke spot and apply pressure for a few moments. Then I would add the smallest smear of Neosporin. Fabby turned out to be allergic to it so we ended up switching to polysporin, even though she might have been okay with nothing. I think it made me feel better most of all.
Then I'd open up her treat and let her eat while I added the numbers into her spreadsheet.
After that she got as much Friskies Pate as I could get her to eat

Okay so you put the ointment on AFTER and not before to help the blood bead up - did you used to do that or never needed to, or? My first bungle I did a very small smear of Vaseline but due to the bad poke she was bleeding all over, so I couldn't even tell the "beading effect".

Fabby took to our process so quickly due to the treats I think, and they made me feel better too, so it was a win win. Once she got used to the process she would run to me when it was time to test. If I went to "our spot" Fabby was there. If I grabbed the kit, she was sitting in my lap, no need to pick her up. I used the Fancy Feast one ingredient treats in Salmon. It was literally just a piece of salmon in a tiny package. My favorite part was they were individually wrapped so I could keep a few in her kit at a time, so she thought that's where the treats came from.

I hope sharing my experience helps you in your journey. I'll go find that ear diagram for you!
Good luck!
Also: enjoy your reward beer! You need rewards too!

Can I ask where her "testing spot" is? I've been having trouble trying to figure out where to put mine - there's a few possibilities but I'm not sure. Also for treats, have you tried anything beyond the FF 1Ingred. Salmon? My grocer sells them but I haven't bought yet, just Halo freeze dried.. I've heard of Purebites too? And with the FF 1Ingred. treats, what's your "treat" size of it?

God bless you thank you for replying, so much!! And yes, liked my beer, LOL. Having another one today!

 

[AlphaCat]

Okay so if I'm right handed, I'll want her to be facing.. my right? Or my left?

I'm right handed and she faced my right leaning over my right thigh. She stared at the treat in the kit to the right of my thigh on the bed which gave me access to the back of both ears.

If you could find that diagram I'd appreciate it so much, I've been going over everything here multiple times! But before by the flap part, you mean that little bit of ear skin that kinda bends/folds on it's own making this odd looking little pocket?

Yes. In the diagram I'm attaching it's a little lower than where the sweet spot is shown. Fabby had huge bat like ears and bled a lot, so I didn't hit the sweet spot shown, but below it. It was always the right place for Fabby which meant she bled just right, not too much or too little.
I am having trouble uploading the diagram image. I'm going to try from my phone instead of my iPad, so it will be in the next post.

Okay so you put the ointment on AFTER and not before to help the blood bead up - did you used to do that or never needed to, or? My first bungle I did a very small smear of Vaseline but due to the bad poke she was bleeding all over, so I couldn't even tell the "beading effect".

Yes after. And really it didn't seem to do much except make her ear greasy, lol. But because I poked her 4times a day (2x each ear) I felt better putting it on her giving her poke spot the best chance to heal up inbetween pokes. It's like when a kid gets a scrape. Scrape first, then Neosporin, then bandaid.


Can I ask where her "testing spot" is? I've been having trouble trying to figure out where to put mine - there's a few possibilities but I'm not sure. Also for treats, have you tried anything beyond the FF 1Ingred. Salmon? My grocer sells them but I haven't bought yet, just Halo freeze dried.. I've heard of Purebites too? And with the FF 1Ingred. treats, what's your "treat" size of it?

I have other cats, so I quarantined Fabby (with a baby gate because she doesn't jump) in my bedroom. It allowed me to monitor both input and output. We tried her off quarantine a couple times and she had carb cravings so bad she ate weird stuff we didn't even know was around. Because she was quarantined her food spot was right by my side of the bed and my night stand. Since she ate right after her shot, our spot was right on my bed by my night stand. I kept all her supplies in a little plastic bin right in front of my night stand. We also removed our bed frame and sat the box spring right on the ground. I was not willing to drag a cat out from under the bed when I needed her... lol. It also made it easier for her to get on the bed.

The FF 1 ingredient in Salmon was the first one I tried, and she went wild for them so I stuck with them. We did try some sticks that were low carb once, she wanted nothing to do with those and none of the other cats did either, the dog ended up getting those, lol. The FF 1 ingredient salmon was about the size of a quarter maybe slightly larger and about 3mm thick. Fabby didn't have any fangs (not diabetes related, she lost them long before) so I generally broke up the treat into four pieces to hand her.

God bless you thank you for replying, so much!! And yes, liked my beer, LOL. Having another one today!

Good for you for having the human treats ready. You got this!
*Open the quote box for my replies to each of your questions.

 

[AlphaCat]

JanetNJ added this in your other thread, but just in case... Here's the diagram:

 

[Candy&Company]

Good for you for having the human treats ready. You got this!
*Open the quote box for my replies to each of your questions.

Thanks so much for your replies, it really does help!! I'm right handed, so using the poke with my right is usually best - I can play billiards with my left, so maybe in the future I can poke with that too, think it might give me a bit of an edge, LOL. Sigh, practice, try, right?

 

[Candy&Company]

JanetNJ added this in your other thread, but just in case... Here's the diagram:View attachment 39058

Oh I love the big size, THANK YOU!! Saving this to my hard drive now!!