Finally Starting Insulin

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@Cherish4 Quick question.. Regarding how you are blood testing.
When you manage to get the poke, what do you do? With Kraken if you hang onto her ear, then she will not be cooperative.. at all.. At first we were so stressed about each prick producing blood wed be manipulating her ear to try and squeeze some out. We HAD to get a drop.
So we stroke and snuggle and massage the ear a bit, if it´s cold we use a warm rice sock, if the ear feels warm then not. We get the poke, give the treat (a sliver of raw mince) and then just chill for a bit. Sometimes it takes a full half a minute to minute for the blood to start to bead. We gently fiddle with the ear at the vein but below the prick to get the pressure working in your favour. Little strokes up her nose. scritches under the chin. Kisses. When the blood starts to bead we gently squeeze the big ear vein and then when we feel the drop is catchable we sneak the meter under it. It's a full 5 minute process If we only have to to one poke.

I can't ever warm his ear beforehand it's impossible to do that and test and he reacts even worse if I try. It usually takes at least two pokes, sometimes three. Once done, I let go of his ear to get the meter but I have to hold onto him otherwise he'll bolt. If no blood is appearing then I gently manipulate his ear to try and get some otherwise I put the meter to his ear to try and get the blood. I do often end up having to hold his ear as he won't keep still. If I get the blood, I let go to put the meter down and then I gently press the cotton pad to his ear to stop the bleeding. The whole time I'm talking to him, trying treats and fuss but it's not easy to do that and hold him and test. Tried it with my brother's help last night but it wasn't any better.
 
I can't ever warm his ear beforehand it's impossible to do that and test and he reacts even worse if I try. It usually takes at least two pokes, sometimes three. Once done, I let go of his ear to get the meter but I have to hold onto him otherwise he'll bolt. If no blood is appearing then I gently manipulate his ear to try and get some otherwise I put the meter to his ear to try and get the blood. I do often end up having to hold his ear as he won't keep still. If I get the blood, I let go to put the meter down and then I gently press the cotton pad to his ear to stop the bleeding. The whole time I'm talking to him, trying treats and fuss but it's not easy to do that and hold him and test. Tried it with my brother's help last night but it wasn't any better.

How does he generally do with Purritos?
 
I wouldn't stress to much of him running off. He knows where the treats are.. Also once he starts stabilising he will probably connect you with that.

I hope so.

I watched all the old queer eye.. Doesn't age well but I used to love it.!

This is the new version but yes I loved the original too! However, I think I love the five on the new one even more, they're amazing.
 
I felt quite positive about the insulin injections this morning, it felt like it was going to be really easy in comparison to home testing but obviously not. Overall it's not been a great start. :(
The most important thing is that you DID start. You can build on that over time.

There will always be ups in downs in treating a diabetic kitty. But as time goes on it becomes more routine for both human and cat.
Do be patient. As the saying goes here, 'this is a marathon, not a sprint'. We may be doing this for our kitties for years, so we need to find a way of pacing ourselves and trying to keep an even keel through whatever this 'sugar dance' throws at us.
It is well worth it though. And many folks are surprised by how managing the diabetes actually strengthens the bond between us and our cats over time. It is as if the cats come to realise that we are helping them. It's very special...

Incidentally, with my new diabetic kitty (who I'm trying to test even though she doesn't know me at all), I'm now finding it helpful to gently take hold of her ear while I'm brushing her. ....So, I start brushing her, then when she starts to relax I gently hold the edge of her ear for a couple of seconds, while continuing to brush her. I let go if she really shows that she's not OK with it, but mostly she is. (I can even warm her ear a little by brushing her head and taking the brush down over her ear a few times...) The point of this is to reinforce the idea that her ear being touched is not a big deal. It helps to build a positive association, and it gives a chance for human and kitty to have some quality time together.

I do believe that if you persist, and don't let yourself get dragged down by what you see as your 'failures', you will crack this.

Eliz
 
I can't ever warm his ear beforehand it's impossible to do that and test and he reacts even worse if I try. It usually takes at least two pokes, sometimes three. Once done, I let go of his ear to get the meter but I have to hold onto him otherwise he'll bolt. If no blood is appearing then I gently manipulate his ear to try and get some otherwise I put the meter to his ear to try and get the blood. I do often end up having to hold his ear as he won't keep still. If I get the blood, I let go to put the meter down and then I gently press the cotton pad to his ear to stop the bleeding. The whole time I'm talking to him, trying treats and fuss but it's not easy to do that and hold him and test. Tried it with my brother's help last night but it wasn't any better.
I had the hardest time getting the meter and strip to that bead of blood on Jack's ear, because he would walk away (and he was tough to hold back) or he would shake his big old head and the blood would be gone. So I'd have to stick him again (and sometimes again and again). Then...I learned to use my thumb nail to scoop off the bead of blood from his ear as soon as it was big enough, and I could let go of Jack. Learning that was a game changer for me. It has been so much easier and I've used that technique every single time since I discovered it. Once the drop is on my nail, I push the strip into the meter and let it sip the blood right off my nail. Then I tend to caring for Jack's ear. And I never forget his treats (and he certainly doesn't either). He gets a couple little freeze dried minnows, and he LOVES them.
Give the nail trick a try. It may make it easier right away.
 
What's a Purrito? Is that the towel/blanket wrapping thing? If so then not great.

Yeah that's the purrito.. Damn.

One thing I've noticed about Princess Kraken is that she's easiest to test a out 2 to 4 hours after her shot. When the insulin is starting to properly hit her system. One hour after is next to impossible if she's red or pink pre shot(probably has a spike in BG from the food) but 2nd is easier and plus 4 is the easiest test of the day.

Maybe try to focus on getting a Nadir test if the pre shots are super hard. I am not suggesting to skip pre shots!!!!!! Not at all, but if you can´t get one then instead of waiting until the next pre shot then aim for a likely time when little B will be closer to Nadir, feeling the effect of the insulin and possibly a bit calmer.
Princesses old chart was almost only pre shot readings and that month it was super hard to test.. DH was home alone because I was on a work trip and we would talk every day and it was really hard for him.
After í got home and we stabilised her a bit the BG testing became much easier. I see a direct correlation with lower BG and it being easier to test.

When there BG is high they can be harder to deal with, they don't feel good and then someone is poking them. Her first calm test when I was away coincided with a BG in the green range. Her second calm test was blue. It was those couple of calm tests that made us believe we could do this.

Also we were for the first month never checking her nadir.. And were probably over dosing despite doing the pre shot tests.

And remember, each BG reading at this moment is a huge win! Not getting one is cats being cats. There's a reason we love these stubborn little furballs. ❤️
 
Then...I learned to use my thumb nail to scoop off the bead of blood from his ear as soon as it was big enough, and I could let go of Jack. Learning that was a game changer for me. It has been so much easier and I've used that technique every single time since I discovered it.
This interests me, Carolyn, and is something I'm considering trying with my new diabetic kitty (but I might practice on my old boy, Bertie, first.)
Can I ask, do you need a particularly large drop of blood to be able to get it onto your finger nail? Presumably some blood is lost in the transfer..?

Eliz
 
This interests me, Carolyn, and is something I'm considering trying with my new diabetic kitty (but I might practice on my old boy, Bertie, first.)
Can I ask, do you need a particularly large drop of blood to be able to get it onto your finger nail? Presumably some blood is lost in the transfer..?

Eliz
Surprisingly, not much blood is lost in the transfer. Sometimes, I manage to get all of it onto my nail and I don't lose any. But there are times that I do lose some but I still have enough. And there are times that I need to poke again, but that doesn't happen very often. And I don't need a very large drop of blood in order to have the strip "sip" it off my nail. I guess it may depend on what meter you're using as to how much blood you'll need. I can honestly say that it is very rare for me to have to poke him a second time. One poke, I remove the drop of blood onto my nail, and that's that. And I can take my time putting the strip into the meter with the blood sitting on my nail.
 
This interests me, Carolyn, and is something I'm considering trying with my new diabetic kitty (but I might practice on my old boy, Bertie, first.)
Can I ask, do you need a particularly large drop of blood to be able to get it onto your finger nail? Presumably some blood is lost in the transfer..?

Eliz
What a great idea, to practice on a calmer cat! Lucky for me, I think my diabetic boy is probably my only cat, of my five, who is as calm as he is. And congratulations on putting your little fur baby into remission! And after 11 years! That's so encouraging...
 
Lauren, you've had loads of replies to your Facebook post so a) take heart - you can see that others have had the same problems and b) I'm sure there will be something among all the ideas you've been given that will work for you.

I noticed that one person suggested giving small pieces of plain baked chicken as treats, instead of the freeze-dried ones... this could work well as the smell of "proper" food might be irresistible to Little B, particularly if the chicken is slightly warm perhaps. And even if you're vegetarian (as many of us here are) and don't like the idea of meat - you can bake a chicken breast in foil in the oven and then just chop it up and leave it in the fridge for two or three days. The look and (very faint) smell of it is far preferable to cat food, in my opinion.
 
I had the hardest time getting the meter and strip to that bead of blood on Jack's ear, because he would walk away (and he was tough to hold back) or he would shake his big old head and the blood would be gone. So I'd have to stick him again (and sometimes again and again). Then...I learned to use my thumb nail to scoop off the bead of blood from his ear as soon as it was big enough, and I could let go of Jack. Learning that was a game changer for me. It has been so much easier and I've used that technique every single time since I discovered it. Once the drop is on my nail, I push the strip into the meter and let it sip the blood right off my nail. Then I tend to caring for Jack's ear. And I never forget his treats (and he certainly doesn't either). He gets a couple little freeze dried minnows, and he LOVES them.
Give the nail trick a try. It may make it easier right away.

A couple of people have mentioned the nail trick so if I can actually get blood I will certainly give it a go.
 
Yeah that's the purrito.. Damn.

One thing I've noticed about Princess Kraken is that she's easiest to test a out 2 to 4 hours after her shot. When the insulin is starting to properly hit her system. One hour after is next to impossible if she's red or pink pre shot(probably has a spike in BG from the food) but 2nd is easier and plus 4 is the easiest test of the day.

Maybe try to focus on getting a Nadir test if the pre shots are super hard. I am not suggesting to skip pre shots!!!!!! Not at all, but if you can´t get one then instead of waiting until the next pre shot then aim for a likely time when little B will be closer to Nadir, feeling the effect of the insulin and possibly a bit calmer.
Princesses old chart was almost only pre shot readings and that month it was super hard to test.. DH was home alone because I was on a work trip and we would talk every day and it was really hard for him.
After í got home and we stabilised her a bit the BG testing became much easier. I see a direct correlation with lower BG and it being easier to test.

When there BG is high they can be harder to deal with, they don't feel good and then someone is poking them. Her first calm test when I was away coincided with a BG in the green range. Her second calm test was blue. It was those couple of calm tests that made us believe we could do this.

Also we were for the first month never checking her nadir.. And were probably over dosing despite doing the pre shot tests.

And remember, each BG reading at this moment is a huge win! Not getting one is cats being cats. There's a reason we love these stubborn little furballs. ❤️

I will certainly consider trying a nadir test if possible but he doesn't appear any different to me then than he does earlier in the day.
 
Just another thought, Lauren, @Cherish4 ..... Have you considered practicing on your other cats....?

Eliz

Hahaha..no! Merlin would be absolutely out of the question, as he lashes out and gets very hissy if you do something he doesn't like. Willow is a lot calmer but she's 13 and has been a bit up and down lately so I don't really want to do that to her at the moment.

He's due his PMPS in an hour and I don't know what to do about it, especially after this morning and last night went so badly.

Thanks again by the way for the syringes offer, it's very good of you.
 
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I noticed that one person suggested giving small pieces of plain baked chicken as treats, instead of the freeze-dried ones... this could work well as the smell of "proper" food might be irresistible to Little B, particularly if the chicken is slightly warm perhaps. And even if you're vegetarian (as many of us here are) and don't like the idea of meat - you can bake a chicken breast in foil in the oven and then just chop it up and leave it in the fridge for two or three days. The look and (very faint) smell of it is far preferable to cat food, in my opinion.

I can have a look at getting some proper chicken that's fine.

He's due for his PMPS in an hour and I don't know what to do about it. Obviously he'll get his insulin but given how badly this morning and last night went, I'm not sure how best to approach it.
 
Hahaha..no! Merlin would be absolutely out of the question, as he lashes out and gets very hissy if you do something he doesn't like. Willow is a lot calmer but she's 13 and has been a bit up and down lately so I don't really want to do that to her at the moment.
You may find you can test them while they're asleep or just a bit dozy. The advantage of testing other cats is that you don't have the pressure of 'having to get that preshot test' at a certain time. You can choose your moment. If they're in a snoozy mood just feel their ears to see if they are warm, and if so, just try to test them. What do you have to lose....? Chances are they will be fine. If they're not, it's no big deal, still worth a try. Try not to project your own feelings about testing onto them....
 
You may find you can test them while they're asleep or just a bit dozy. The advantage of testing other cats is that you don't have the pressure of 'having to get that preshot test' at a certain time. You can choose your moment. If they're in a snoozy mood just feel their ears to see if they are warm, and if so, just try to test them. What do you have to lose....? Chances are they will be fine. If they're not, it's no big deal, still worth a try. Try not to project your own feelings about testing onto them....

I'll consider it.

What about his pre shot tonight. Do I try to do it or not? I thought about maybe just leaving it, giving him his insulin and then possibly testing him just before bed (when he might be more relaxed) to make sure he's not dropping too low. It's so hard to know what to do.
 
Got a PMPS reading. Did it whilst he was on his cat bed which was a bit easier. He still made a lot of noise and I botched up the poking. Got a drop of blood on the second poke but it wasn't enough for the strip so the poor cat had to put up with me poking him again to get a larger drop. Couldn't do the fingernail thing either. His reading is very high so hopefully the insulin will help.
 
Sadly no AMPS this morning as Little B was not happy and I just didn't have the time to hang around as I had to get to work. Was also unable to get a PMPS tonight as well. Trying not to get myself too worked up about it as I don't want him to pick up on my anxiety.

I'm due to give him his insulin shortly and then if he's relaxed enough at bed time, I'll try and get a +3/+3.5 so I can at least see what effect the Caninsulin is starting have at night. Hopefully, I'll be able to get a pre shot in the morning, before I leave for my voluntary work. Fingers crossed.
 
My hopes of at least getting a +3 last night didn't happen. He's so jumpy at the moment and the slightest thing has him pulling away and moving. He's even hiding when I bring in the insulin shot and he wasn't bothered about that previously. Couldn't get a AMPS yet again this morning, haven't got one since Saturday morning now and it's making me anxious again. Will try if I can for a +1 before I leave but not sure if it'll be possible.

Incidentally, as I started him on 1u rather than the vets recommended 2u twice a day, how long do I leave it at 1u before increasing it slightly? Or is it best to leave him at 1u until he goes for a curve at the vets next Friday? I know it's difficult because I am unable to get consistent readings at the moment but I don't know how long it's supposed to take before Caninsulin starts making a difference.
 
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You've answered your own question! Without any data to see what a dose is doing, nobody can say whether an increase is called for or not.

Not being able to test does muddy the waters somewhat if he's going for a curve at the vet and the vet thinks you've been giving 2u, because the readings they'll get will be based on your 1u dose (if you're still giving that then). If you can't get any data between now and then - remember, it's not only PS numbers you need, it'd mid-cycle numbers too - you may have to come clean at the vet and tell them you've been giving 1u. I think at the time you decided to do that, at our suggestion, and feel less anxious about possibly giving too much insulin.

So I'm afraid it always goes back to the testing issue. Have you tried Feliway to calm things down?
 
Not being able to test does muddy the waters somewhat if he's going for a curve at the vet and the vet thinks you've been giving 2u, because the readings they'll get will be based on your 1u dose (if you're still giving that then). If you can't get any data between now and then - remember, it's not only PS numbers you need, it'd mid-cycle numbers too - you may have to come clean at the vet and tell them you've been giving 1u. I think at the time you decided to do that, at our suggestion, and feel less anxious about possibly giving too much insulin.

I'm just worried what their reaction will be. I still feel like I've done the right thing giving him 1u rather than their recommended 2u, especially as I am having so much trouble with testing. It just would have been too great a risk in my eyes to give him anymore.

So I'm afraid it always goes back to the testing issue. Have you tried Feliway to calm things down?

I haven't as I can't afford it. I'm not going out now this morning as the weather is horrendous so I'll try for a +3 or a +4 instead and see how he reacts.
 
At the end of the day, we all take responsibility for our own cats and how we want to treat them... you had done your homework and read up about FD before starting on insulin, and you were within your rights to start on a lower dose. We've seen horrendous stories here of vets prescribing large starting doses... it is always better to be safe than sorry, start low and work your way up if necessary. All you need to do is tell the vet that you feel pretty clued-up about things thanks to all the reading you've done and that you felt you needed to err on the side of safety to begin with. They can't really argue with that. If you had given a larger dose than prescribed, and increased it every other day for example, that would be more concerning for a vet to hear.

All of us here can say what we think is best, but at the end of the day it's up to you. If you feel you want to increase slightly to be more in line with the vet's suggestion, it's your call.

When you go to the vet for the curve, ask the vet or a vet nurse to show you how they do a bg test - maybe they will have a certain little trick that just happens to work. You could also ask them to watch you attempt a test, and see if they can point out where you might be able to make it easier.

Costs are an issue that we can't really advise on, other than to state the obvious as far as careful budgeting is concerned. Are you buying cat food in bulk from an online supplier which is usually cheaper than supermarkets? Ditto flea/worming treatments etc - much cheaper online. If you can shave a bit off your ongoing costs for food and routine health treatments for three cats, you may find you have some left over for things like Feliway or crystals or whatever else you want to try.
 
All you need to do is tell the vet that you feel pretty clued-up about things thanks to all the reading you've done and that you felt you needed to err on the side of safety to begin with. They can't really argue with that. If you had given a larger dose than prescribed, and increased it every other day for example, that would be more concerning for a vet to hear.

That's true. Okay I'll explain it like that then hopefully they'll be understanding.

All of us here can say what we think is best, but at the end of the day it's up to you. If you feel you want to increase slightly to be more in line with the vet's suggestion, it's your call.

No I think I'll stick with 1u for now. If I can find a way to break through this testing barrier and get a better idea of what's going on then I can make that decision.

When you go to the vet for the curve, ask the vet or a vet nurse to show you how they do a bg test - maybe they will have a certain little trick that just happens to work. You could also ask them to watch you attempt a test, and see if they can point out where you might be able to make it easier.

They use a small syringe in his leg and draw a little blood to test but I can certainly ask them again for advice.

Are you buying cat food in bulk from an online supplier which is usually cheaper than supermarkets? Ditto flea/worming treatments etc - much cheaper online. If you can shave a bit off your ongoing costs for food and routine health treatments for three cats, you may find you have some left over for things like Feliway or crystals or whatever else you want to try.

I have their flea stuff on repeat order from Pets At Home. It's £12 a month and it's delivered to the house for free. I buy Little B's food in bulk from either Sainsbury's or Asda (they have packs of six cans for £2.60) but for my other two it's a couple of times a week at the moment. We're having issues with our eldest cat and food right now so it's hard to know which one we're getting from week to week. However I will see if I can start putting a bit aside maybe for some Feliway or something like it.
 
I didn't manage his AMPS this morning but I got a +4 test! :)

And it was done with far less stress or anxiety from either of us. I waited until he settled back down on my bed after having a small meal, gave him loads of fuss, put a couple of quartz crystals next to him (am trying everything at this point!) applied the vaseline to his ear and then more fuss for a few minutes. Then I gently poked his ear a few times without drawing blood, gave more fuss, talked to him, I gently took his ear without using the cotton pad, one quick proper poke (which did elicit an unhappy response), left it a minute whilst giving more fuss, got the meter, applied the blood, then more fuss then gently used the cotton pad. He didn't like the cotton pad touching his ear at all, so I wonder if that's been part of the problem? Maybe I should keep trying to poke without the pad and just use it afterwards?

I feel such a weird sense of relief even though it's only one test but it's the best it's gone so far so I'm happy. I gave him a few treats afterwards and more fuss and love. His tail was swishing back and forth so I know he wasn't thrilled but he didn't run away so it counts as a win. I've left him be now for a while.

Quick question regarding the reading (I've added it to the spreadsheet): It was 21.2 which seems a bit high to me for a mid cycle reading but am I wrong? He's only been on the Caninsulin for 4 days so am I expecting too much too soon?
 
I can't speak to your question regarding Caninsulin, but Bravo! for making a success of the testing!! Every success is a step forward - and all you need is to take one step at a time, whenever you are ready. Before you know it, you will have covered a lot of ground. Go you!! :cat:

Funny about the cotton, though - I wonder if it tickled him in an unpleasant way? I tried a few things, finally settled on a square of toilet tissue, folded into quarters - it's easy and inexpensive and works well for me.
 
Great stuff! You see, you can do it when you stay calm and take the necessary steps. Maybe you've been trying to get it done too quickly, to get it over with, before. The cotton pad could well be part of the problem, yes - now that you've identified that as a possible issue, try the next test without it.

Celebrate this and move forward!

As for the reading - again, we don't know if it's high or low for +4 because there isn't an AMPS to look at in conjunction with it, nor any data to see what might be normal for that point in the cycle. Until you start getting a few PS tests in, one reading in isolation is rather meaningless, unfortunately. And as to whether four days in is too early to expect results - the answer is that hopefully, he should be dropping at least a little at some point during the cycle and therefore spending more of the day in better numbers. We just don't know how this insulin is working in your cat. ECID. Take a look at other people's spreadsheets and you will see a huge variation of responses. FD is not an exact science, and it is a marathon not a sprint - you've taken what seems to be a good step forward today, now hold on to that and persevere with the tests... and we'll start to see a picture...
 
I can't speak to your question regarding Caninsulin, but Bravo! for making a success of the testing!! Every success is a step forward - and all you need is to take one step at a time, whenever you are ready. Before you know it, you will have covered a lot of ground. Go you!! :cat:

Thank you! :):bighug:

Funny about the cotton, though - I wonder if it tickled him in an unpleasant way? I tried a few things, finally settled on a square of toilet tissue, folded into quarters - it's easy and inexpensive and works well for me.

Isn't it? I never even considered that it might be an issue. I might try toilet tissue or I might just stick to using nothing now. As long as I can safely poke his ear without hurting him or me then I can just use it to stem the blood afterwards.
 
Great stuff! You see, you can do it when you stay calm and take the necessary steps. Maybe you've been trying to get it done too quickly, to get it over with, before. The cotton pad could well be part of the problem, yes - now that you've identified that as a possible issue, try the next test without it.

Celebrate this and move forward!

I will do, thank you! :)

And yes I think that I have been trying to do it too quickly and all at once rather than pausing between each stage. However having him already settled on the bed definitely helped as well.

As for the reading - again, we don't know if it's high or low for +4 because there isn't an AMPS to look at in conjunction with it, nor any data to see what might be normal for that point in the cycle. Until you start getting a few PS tests in, one reading in isolation is rather meaningless, unfortunately.

I understand and that makes complete sense but I just thought I'd ask anyway.

And as to whether four days in is too early to expect results - the answer is that hopefully, he should be dropping at least a little at some point during the cycle and therefore spending more of the day in better numbers. We just don't know how this insulin is working in your cat. ECID. Take a look at other people's spreadsheets and you will see a huge variation of responses. FD is not an exact science, and it is a marathon not a sprint - you've taken what seems to be a good step forward today, now hold on to that and persevere with the tests... and we'll start to see a picture...

Okay will do. Fingers crossed this is the break through I've needed. Thanks. :)
 
Unfortunately I don't think that the method I tried yesterday is going to be viable for Little B's AMPS. I think it'll be perfect for mid cycle tests and probably his PMPS test as well, as he's usually settled on a chair/his blanket/the bed and already relaxed. However on a morning, as soon as I make a move to get up, he's straight downstairs to the kitchen so I end up having to pick him up to try and do it as I did before. Then of course the usual reaction occurs as it did this morning and I don't get a reading, just one upset kitty instead. He really is reacting badly to the ear pokes as well so I'm wondering if his ears aren't a lot more sensitive than I first thought?

Anyway I will try to get another mid cycle test this morning (maybe a +3 today), as he'll likely be settled on my bed again and therefore more at ease. However I need to figure out some other method that I can use first thing on a morning, if I'm to have any hope of getting AMPS tests.
 
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