first reading: 74

[Dora the Explorer]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here! I posted on the main board but finally got a testing kit and used it properly yesterday.

Dora has been on Lantus 1 unit for a week without testing. I tried to get urine because I have strips that will test sugar only. The others are enroute and hung up at the post office with the slow COVID service. She wouldn't pee on the fake litter. The vest had said I could wait a week so we went out and bought the OneTouch monitor on Friday when the AlphaTrack didn't seem to be moving.

I started the chart yesterday but up until then everything was the same: no tests and 1 unit twice a day. Dora appears fine.

So we tested her about five hours after her shot and the reading was 74! Called the vet and they said skip the night dose and give her half this morning. They suggested feed, shot, test, but I wanted to see her true level so fed and then tested and her level had gone back up to 476. So what is going on? Is that large of a swing normal? Gave her the half shot (sooo hard to give a half of 0.1) and will test her again later. This is harder than I thought it would be!

Thankfully she is being tolerant but there is no way she will stand for pricks to her ear every hour or two. I need to find the best way to test 2-3 times throughout the day to understand what is happening without ruining her compliance.

Thanks all...

Jane

 

[Darcy and Jonesy]

HI Jane!!!!
Congrats on your first test, and WELCOME!! Now you see how critical home testing is.

That said, believe it or not, that 74 is a lovely number to dip down to mid cycle! Now that she's back up to 476 this morning, you can see, she probably could have used the full dose and it would NOT have put her in any danger. But now you see what her body is actually "doing" with the insulin! Interesting (and scary) isn't it! heehee

I'm not one of the super brilliant veterans here, so I'm very sure someone else will chime in with some thoughts. As for the testing, definitely stick with the human meter for your spread sheet. If your vet is insisting on tests with the AT, then save those ridiculously expensive strips for when they want readings. I will say though, kudos to your vet for starting her off on ONE unit. Too many vets start off at a standard (and dangerous) of 2 units. So good for them!

Your beautiful little Dora's ear will "learn" to bleed, so I promise. This DOES get easier. Just be sure to always, always, give her either a treat, or lots of loving right after you test. She'll realize this is a good thing

What are you feeding her?

Thanks, again, welcome! You've GOT THIS!
Darcy

 

[Darcy and Jonesy]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here! I posted on the main board but finally got a testing kit and used it properly yesterday.

Dora has been on Lantus 1 unit for a week without testing. I tried to get urine because I have strips that will test sugar only. The others are enroute and hung up at the post office with the slow COVID service. She wouldn't pee on the fake litter. The vest had said I could wait a week so we went out and bought the OneTouch monitor on Friday when the AlphaTrack didn't seem to be moving.

I started the chart yesterday but up until then everything was the same: no tests and 1 unit twice a day. Dora appears fine.

So we tested her about five hours after her shot and the reading was 74! Called the vet and they said skip the night dose and give her half this morning. They suggested feed, shot, test, but I wanted to see her true level so fed and then tested and her level had gone back up to 476. So what is going on? Is that large of a swing normal? Gave her the half shot (sooo hard to give a half of 0.1) and will test her again later. This is harder than I thought it would be!

Thankfully she is being tolerant but there is no way she will stand for pricks to her ear every hour or two. I need to find the best way to test 2-3 times throughout the day to understand what is happening without ruining her compliance.

Thanks all...

Jane

Oh! I forgot! For the "title" of each message, you'll want to do it like this . . .
" date, 'Dora', AMPS (for the morning, preshot) then the reading" Then for the PMPS (evening, preshot) just edit your title

Also!!!! VERRRRRY important, the process you want to follow is TEST, FEED, SHOOT, in that order. You want to test before feeding to ensure the food doesn't artificially raise her numbers. Then feed, to ensure she has food in her system, then shoot!

 

[Patty & Teal'c]

Give her time to associate testing with treats. Once they realize test gives them something they want they will be asking for it like Teal'c did last night. Had to tell him 15 more mins buddy it's to early lol.

 

[Dora the Explorer]

Thank you!

I’ve stopped the dry food free feeding so I give her some dry when she gets her shots and when she gets tested. I bought some Tiki Cat that claims to be high protein low carb although I don’t see it on any of the posted charts.

Otherwise she has been eating BFF chicken and pumpkin or chicken and turkey (by Weruva) but I also don’t see that here. I’m finishing that up and have some fancy feast classics and some weruva chicken and turkey that I bought at the recommendation of this board.

For a treat I give her some weruva pouches. I have the pate slide on the way.

I have a cat who eats c/d dry and Dora was a fan of snacking on that before she was diagnosed. I’ve cut that out but wonder if it contributed to her condition although the vet says no.

I’m trying to understand the best way to feed her. At first I only let her eat every 12 hours but realized that was starving her so started feeding her at noon and before her shots.

Dora can be a challenge so I’ve never met this vet! She had a bad infection when she was spayed by my usual vet and I can’t take her there because she immediately starts growling and freaking out. I’ve had to take her to the emergency vet for not eating a few times and she’s been good there so I got approval for her to be a regular patient and this is her first experience. But since they do curbside dropoff I’ve only spoken to the vet on the phone!

thanks for the tips. We will alter the testing order. The vet tech actually told me to feed shoot test but I overruled that just in case she was still low.

We are low on lancets so maybe will have to pick up more. The mail and other carriers aren’t reliable these days.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

A couple of points...

I'd be nervous getting a 74 close to nadir (lowest point in the cycle) with no other testing data. I agree with your vet about reducing the dose to 0.5u. (Also, in your signature, I think you meant that the dose was 1.0u, not 0.1u.)

Please do whatever you can to eliminate dry food from Dora's diet. Even a few pieces of kibble can influence her BG readings. I'd likewise encourage you to read through the website authored by Lisa Pierson, DVM on feline nutrition. There's a section on urinary track issues that may convince you to ditch the C/D food for your other kitty. There's a chart with a wide selection of canned cat foods along with their carb content on the website. It's also fine to give Dora several smaller meals/snacks during the day.

With regard to testing, you want to test before you feed your cat. Lantus onset takes about 2 hours and you do not have to feed before you test the same way you have to do with shorter acting insulins. I would test, feed, and then give Gabby her shot when her head was in her bowl. It took all of about 5 min. or so. Please test before every, single shot. It is the only way to insure that it's safe to give insulin. Likewise, you'll want to get at least one test per cycle, in addition to your pre-shot test.

You will want to look over the sticky notes at the top of the board. It will be very helpful if you familiarize yourself with the two approaches to dosing -- Tight Regulation (TR) and Start Low Go Slow (SLGS). You cannot opt for TR if there is any dry food in Dora's diet.

Please let us know what other questions you have.

 

[Dora the Explorer]

Thank you - we are working on cutting out the dry. Right now it serves as somewhat of a treat, so she gets it like she'd normally get treats.

The vet told us to feed and then wait 30 minutes to give her the shot, which is why I've been giving her a little dry so she will put her head in the bowl while I give her the shot. The vet said we would adjust the foods once we got used to the routine, so we are heading that way. She didn't want to change up everything at once. No problem to pull the other cat off the c/d. She hasn't had a UTI in a while anyway, and she is getting porky at age 13, when all of my other cats have started to get thin. I half want to check her blood glucose! Hah!

Anyway, re: Dora. We just retested her and she was at 362. So nowhere near the 74 of yesterday, after only one missed dose and a half dose this morning. I'll check in with the vet to see what we should do tonight. It was hard for me to do a half of one unit.

A question I do have: if I am able to test the urine, how long does it take for the urine glucose changes to reflect changes in the blood? Like if her sugar drops low, could she still have sugar in the urine for a little while or is it immediate?

I will keep reading...so much to take in. I have another cat with hyperthyroidism and other untreatable health issues (liver cysts, mainly) and a dog with congestive heart failure. I am running a pet hospital here! Still just so surprised that this could happen to Dora - isn't she young for diabetes?

Thanks again - very grateful to have found this resource even if I do have a long way to go. (I couldn't figure out how to change the title of the thread, is that possible to do?)

Jane

 

[Darcy and Jonesy]

(I couldn't figure out how to change the title of the thread, is that possible to do?)

Hi Jane,

Yes! At the top of your thread, on the far right you'll see "thread tools" (right next to "unwatch thread" I think) Click on Thread Tools and it will give you the option to "Edit". Easy peasy!

Just a reminder, we do an entirely NEW thread for each day Just get in the habit of coming to the previous thread from the day before, and copy that link. Then, in your NEW post, you want to put the link to the previous thread in your new thread.
This helps people find information without asking questions over and over.

Good job!
Darcy