For Johnt and Wilbur....

[Mogmom and Goofus]

You really do have your hands full battling both diabetes and seizures! I have 6 cats including Goof, the diabetic and Mouse, the one with asthma, nasal and laryngeal polyps and most likely squamous cell cancer, so I can sympathize with the cost associated with treating a sick kitty.

If you could put a few things in your "signature" it'd really help us out, that way we don't have to ask so many questions. To do this, click on your sign in name and then on signature. This is what we need to know:

1. Your name and kitty's name (never mind that in, we already know )
2. Your location, this helps us make vet/supply/food recommendations and sometimes if someone else is close to you, they can be of help in emergencies and such.
3. Type of insulin and dose
4. Type of meter being used for home testing.
5.Food being given, this is important as so many aren't feeding the right food! Doesn't need to be expensive, but needs to be LOW CARB.

 

[Mogmom and Goofus]

Hi again, I read your post in Feline Health and saw the insulin dose is 6units am and pm, that's a VERY HIGH dose for ProZinc. What dose did he start at and what does BG run? I'm wonder if you're throwing out your unused insulin after 40 days, or if you're actually using it all up with high dose.

If you're tossing it, STOP! That stuff is still good even tho they say it's expired. It's good for at least 60 days, you'll know when it's no longer effective as it won't drop the BG anymore. Goof only gets 1 or 2 units a day and his "juice" lasts almost 3 months and is still completely effective. Just to save time, I won't comment further until you have a chance to fill your signature with the above info.

 

[johnt]

oh heck no I'm not throwing it out. do the math. 6+4=10. the bottle is 400u so i just figured in my head 40 days.
and I agree it's huge but think about it. he's been on this dose for 5 months. and i'm very strict. he'd be dead if it were too much wouldn't he? i think there's very low margin of overdose error. i could be wrong of course. this is all still new to me, and i'm trying to figure it out still'

i'm not exactly sure of his diagnosis date though. but i'll fill in my signature

 

[johnt]

I should also mention. Wilbur is 21 pounds. he's a very big cat

 

[Mogmom and Goofus]

Holy donuts! That is a big kitty! But I don't think the dose is based on that and it could very well be that the dose is accurate, but the error of margin for OD is different for every cat. If you aren't home testing, then your margin is actually dangerously low. Because you don't know how close Wilbur is to a low BG and if you give insulin, he could easily go hypo.

Thus is just an "out of curiosity" question, what was Wilburs BG at the time of his diagnosis and what dose did he start out on? Goofs 1st BG was 652, his beginning dose was 1 unit twice a day. The highest he ever went was 3 unit 2x daily, but that was for about a week or so. Have you ever tried dropping his dose by .50 increments and seeing what is does to his BG?

I know that at first we're all terrified, I was too, but I've learned a lot by reading the various threads and posts on this board.

 

[johnt]

it was rocky. his bs was at 550. they intitially had me doing 2mg in the am and 1 at night. but i took him in a week later and they did the curve then. so that's when it changed. ncome to think of it they did a curve twice then. i left him there two days because the first day they couldn't get him below 400. the second day is when they got him under control. i told them i don't want him coming home until we KNEW how to handle it

I did buy a bottle of karo just in case he starts to look like he's in trouble. since i'm around him all the time i think i would notice. but i don't want to get there.

people keep saying i can home test. let me tell ya, he's VERY strong and i can't even touch his toes when he's asleep. he jerks his foot back. his ears he's not quite as bad with, but he turns his head and lays them flat ANY time I touch them, even if he's purring and snuggling.

i tried everything i could think of

 

[Mogmom and Goofus]

I'm sure that you've probably read somewhere on the board that "vet stress" can raise the BG by a good 100 points or more. I'm glad prepared for a hypo event, you're a good kitty daddy. Just a suggestion here, could you maybe try just getting him use to having his feet rubbed for a while? Like whenever he's in your lap ( before your legs go to sleep ) just gently rub his paws. All of my cats, I have 6, love it. It might take a while, for him to get used to it, but it might work.

 

[johnt]

Yeah, i think it's important enough to give another shot. I mean there's no forward progress in giving up. So i'll start that. but how do I draw blood from the paw?

i wish I'd thought about these things when they were tiny. I raised them from this age

PS That is the blanket that Wilbur demands to this day. it MUST lay on top of my comforter or he won't sleep with me

 

[Mogmom and Goofus]

OH my gosh, how stinkin' cute! I miss having a little kitty around the house, it's been a long time.

You're right about the home testing, it's really important and will save you a lot of money! First, you need a meter, test strips and lancets. Many people on here use human meters, the ReliOn Micro is very popular. That part is a bit cloudy for me, so I'm going to ask a couple of others to tell you about that. ( I use an animal specific meter and it's pricey, but it's what I started with so its what I'm comfortable with).

I test Goof's paw pads as we had a very bad experience trying to do the ear. After a meltdown of epic proportions, on my part, not Goof's, my vet talked me down and suggested the paw pads. It went much better, now he just lays there on the counter and lets me poke. I get eveything ready first, I out the strip in the meter, but not pushed all the way in, I push it in just before I poke. As I'm holding him, I rub the paw for a few seconds first then gently lay him on his side in the kitchen counter.

I love him up a little and keep my forearm across his body length wise so I can use both hands. I use the lancing device that will come with your meter, it'll tell you how to set it up, very simple. Then just press it against the pad, kinda firmly, but not hard, and press the button. They have very little feeling in the paw pads and he probably won't even flinch, but if he does, just stop and love him up for a few seconds again. Then with your forearm still across his body use both hands to gently but firmly, squeeze with kind of a "pumping " action you only need a very tiny drop of blood, like the head of a stick pin. You touch and hold the strip to the drop until the meter beeps, and there you have it! It sounds like a lot, but I'm going to suggest that you google glucose testing paw pads on cat, there's lots of videos, and you'll see that it sounds a lot more complicated than it really is.

And everyone here is willing to help with any questions you may have.

 

[johnt]

I do know the testing procedure it's just the paw part I'm not sure about. I test my own blood glucose as i'm diabetic. But what number setting do you set the lancet at? there is 4 or 5 numbers depending on the brand and the higher the number the deeper the poke.

 

[Olive & Paula]

John, love those kitties, so freaking cute.

So Wilber is not taking to home testing easily? Do you have a meter? What kind?

 

[johnt]

thanks! yeah i use a freestyle lite myself. it requires the lowest amount of blood I've ever seen. plus i don't like pricking my fingers, it hurts, i can use my forearm with the lancet i have.

 

[Olive & Paula]

You can start conditioning Wilbur to the process. I don't test paw pads myself, although I am going to entertain the idea.

Anyway, find one place for testing that will be easy for you and relaxing for Wilbur. Start with rubbing the paw or ear and talking or sing to him. Give a treat. Do this at the time you will be testing. Warm the ear or paw helps. People use rice sock, or empty pill bottle filled with warm water. He will start to associate the test with a treat and he will learn he gets fed after and his shot which will make him feel better. There are some sticky notes and video on the forum. I'm on tablet and can't provide links right now.

On a human meter, the readings are lower than pet specific meter and labs run by a vet. On a human meter you need to pay attention to a number of 50. If that happens you need to post and ask for help immediately. That bears frequent testing and intervention to prevent further dropping. Personally I start monitoring more when I see a 60 and act accordingly.

Is there a specific area you need more help with?

 

[Mogmom and Goofus]

I do know the testing procedure it's just the paw part I'm not sure about. I test my own blood glucose as i'm diabetic. But what number setting do you set the lancet at? there is 4 or 5 numbers depending on the brand and the higher the number the deeper the poke.

I'm glad you know the procedure, not glad WHY you know tho. I have the lancet set at 4, the hole closes up quickly. I alternate paws each time so they don't get sore. I only test am and pm unless I'm doing a curve or if he's acting "Goof"ier than usual.

 

[Olive & Paula]

I'm glad you know the procedure, not glad WHY you know tho. I have the lancet set at 4, the hole closes up quickly. I alternate paws each time so they don't get sore. I only test am and pm unless I'm doing a curve or if he's acting "Goof"ier than usual.

I don't use the Lancet device. I free hand the stick. Smokey still hasn't decide what he wants yet. So he puts me through the paces.

 

[Mogmom and Goofus]

I don't use the Lancet device. I free hand the stick. Smokey still hasn't decide what he wants yet. So he puts me through the paces.

I can't freehand it, it makes me nauseous. When first tried freehand poking Goofs ear, I almost threw up on my poor cat. Then I tried using the lancet and went right through his ear, that's when the meltdown of epic proportions occurred. After the vet "talked me off the ledge", he suggested the paws pads, I can make that work.