Hello...nervously making my first post....

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Amy & Herman

Amy & Herman

Member Since 2022
Hello all - It's been an extremely stressful time especially walking the line of following veterinary instructions, worrying about kitty, second guessing things you've been told, worrying about kitty, trusting your gut, worrying about kitty, realizing how much you were NOT told at diagnosis, worrying about kitty, and realizing something is just not right and you need to make some changes and so, here I am.

First step: Find new vet, check. I am very happy with her so far and she has encouraged me to educate myself and use trusted resources on the net.

My spreadsheet is a mess (see world tab - I am in Canada) but it is a work in progress and I am going to do my best to get it up to speed.

I am nervously making this post - as I am just so shocked and upset by my poor Herman's numbers and how it's obviously gone on for so long with out me speaking up and making a change until now. I will do whatever it takes to help him - I am putting my shame and nervousness aside and posting here in hopes that I can count on you all to help me get Herman through this.

There are many notes in my spreadsheet I thought best I not repeat them here.

My current main question/concern is this: Should I up his Lantus dose? Next dose due at 430pm. I will also speak to my vet prior but wanted the input of the group and their/your vast experience.

Thank you,
Amy & Herman
 
Glad to see you got him off Caninsulin. We don't do 'shame' here, you're in the right place. The nervousness is because you care about Herman.
Your profile says Toronto, then "Herman lives on an equestrian farm in rural Ontario". We're west down the 401 where I know of two places that board diabetic cats. You may one day find out how hard that is to find.
 
Noah & me (GA) said:
Glad to see you got him off Caninsulin. We don't do 'shame' here, you're in the right place. The nervousness is because you care about Herman.
Your profile says Toronto, then "Herman lives on an equestrian farm in rural Ontario". We're west down the 401 where I know of two places that board diabetic cats. You may one day find out how hard that is to find.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this :) - Yes we are about 45 minutes north of Toronto but figured it was a town people wouldn't recognize or relate to location wise. Good info re: boarding. I rarely go anywhere with the horses but I when I do I have a pet/house sitter who I trust to stay here. Thank goodness for that!
 
Hi and welcome to the club. Good job making this thread and seeking help, the people here are amazing and they helped my boy Hendrick so much it makes me a little emotional just typing this out lol.

I owe a debt to the people on this site that can never be repaid in full. So I will pay it forward by saying HELLO and WELCOME and hang in there. You got here, now you can get on track with Herman. Lantus is a really good insulin for cats it is what my boy Hendrick was one for a while, then another brand of insulin glargine that is a generic alternative, Basaglar. Also fantastic for cats.
 
Amy & Herman said:
Hello all - It's been an extremely stressful time especially walking the line of following veterinary instructions, worrying about kitty, second guessing things you've been told, worrying about kitty, trusting your gut, worrying about kitty, realizing how much you were NOT told at diagnosis, worrying about kitty, and realizing something is just not right and you need to make some changes and so, here I am.

First step: Find new vet, check. I am very happy with her so far and she has encouraged me to educate myself and use trusted resources on the net.

My spreadsheet is a mess (see world tab - I am in Canada) but it is a work in progress and I am going to do my best to get it up to speed.

I am nervously making this post - as I am just so shocked and upset by my poor Herman's numbers and how it's obviously gone on for so long with out me speaking up and making a change until now. I will do whatever it takes to help him - I am putting my shame and nervousness aside and posting here in hopes that I can count on you all to help me get Herman through this.

There are many notes in my spreadsheet I thought best I not repeat them here.

My current main question/concern is this: Should I up his Lantus dose? Next dose due at 430pm. I will also speak to my vet prior but wanted the input of the group and their/your vast experience.

Thank you,
Amy & Herman
Click to expand...
Welcome Amy and Herman
I agree with Kyle 100% (Hendrick Cuddleclaw)
If it wasn't for these experienced members here my Tyler wouldn't be in remission today ( knock in wood)
Glad you switched to Lantus
I see in your notes on your spreadsheet you are having trouble testing him with the meter. I'll give you some tips at the end. I have never used the Freestyle Libre maybe others can comment on it
I can tag a few experienced members for you about the dose
Hopefully the testing will get better .
Just keep asking questions
@tiffmaxee

@Wendy&Neko

@Bron and Sheba (GA)

@Bandit's Mom
I will also give you the link to read all about Lantus
Do you have the U-100 syringes with the half unit markings, we adjust doses by 0.25 units

I read your notes on your SS and you said
He has access to outdoors from 6am to 5pm every day keeping him inside woud be extremely stressful for him and near impossible with our farm set up. It would be helpful if you can get some tests in during the day like @+2 ( 2 hours after giving insulin , @+4 and @+6 so we can see how the insulin is working and how low he's dropping. We adjust the dose by how low he's dropping not the Pre Shots.

Only time you withhold food is 2 hours before the AMPS and PMPS tests so they are not food influenced, then you can feed him during each 12 hour cycle like you have been doing
 
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The smaller the gauge size will make the eats bleed better

Always aim for the sweet spot warm the ears up first, you can put rice in a sock and put it in the microwave, test it on the inside of your wrist to be sure it's not to hot, like you would test a babies bottle. You can fill a pill bottle with warm water and roll it on the ears also.Just keep rubbing the ears with your fingers to warm them up
c2b8079a-b471-4fa6-ac36-9ac1c8d6dcca-jpeg.57072
fec17d29-5ab4-44a8-912b-3a91944c3954-jpeg.57073

6. As the ears get used to bleeding and grow more capilares, it gets easier to get the amount of blood you need on the first try. If he won’t stand still, you can get the blood onto a clean finger nail and test from there.
When you do get some blood you can try milking the ear.
Get you finger and gently push up toward the blood , more will appear
You will put the cotton round behind his ear in case you poke your finger, after you are done testing you will fold the cotton round over his ear to stop the bleeding , press gently for about 20 seconds until it stops
Get 26 or 28 gauge lancets
A lot of us use the lancets to test freehand
I find it better to see where I'm aiming
You can also put a thin layer of vaseline on the ear ,to help the blood bead up

Here is a video one of our members did
VIDEO: How to test your cat's blood sugar

Here is the link for Lantus
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/lantus-levemir-biosimilars.9/
Read all the yellow sticky's . Dosing methods are explained also
 
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He’s still considered Newly diagnosed so you gave not waited a long time. I’m glad you found us and a new vet. My vet who is very experienced would show my spreadsheet to his second or third year veterinary students and left dosing up to me.

Depending on which dosing method you choose Hernan could actually earn a decrease or stay at his current dose for now.
Are you feeding wet, raw, or dry food?

With some dry food in the picture if you follow our method it would be SLGS. So you will take a reduction of .25. Do you have syringes with half unit markings?
 
Hi Elise just trying to help out I see Amy has this written on her information page about the food
Currently feeding Purina ProPlan DM wet and Fancy Feast Classic Pate and in process of weaning off Royal Canin Diabetes Kibble which we started when first diagnosed with an am to an all wet diet. When diagnosed he was a major kibble addict - especially temptations. Herman has always been a "grazer" - and I have continued to let him do so but more closely monitored. He has lost tons of weight.
Hope you didn't mind

@tiffmaxee
 
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Diane Tyler's Mom said:
Welcome Amy and Herman
I agree with Kyle 100% (Hendrick Cuddleclaw)
If it wasn't for these experienced members here my Tyler wouldn't be in remission today ( knock in wood)
Glad you switched to Lantus
I see in your notes on your spreadsheet you are having trouble testing him with the meter. I'll give you some tips at the end. I have never used the Freestyle Libre maybe others can comment on it
I can tag a few experienced members for you about the dose
Hopefully the testing will get better .
Just keep asking questions
@tiffmaxee

@Wendy&Neko

@Bron and Sheba (GA)

@Bandit's Mom
I will also give you the link to read all about Lantus
Do you have the U-100 syringes with the half unit markings, we adjust doses by 0.25 units

I read your notes on your SS and you said
He has access to outdoors from 6am to 5pm every day keeping him inside woud be extremely stressful for him and near impossible with our farm set up. It would be helpful if you can get some tests in during the day like @+2 ( 2 hours after giving insulin , @+4 and @+6 so we can see how the insulin is working and how low he's dropping. We adjust the dose by how low he's dropping not the Pre Shots.

Only time you withhold food is 2 hours before the AMPS and PMPS tests so they are not food influenced, then you can feed him during each 12 hour cycle like you have been doing
Click to expand...
He has access to outdoors during the day but I work from home and I see him hourly (or more he mostly hangs with me) so can monitor. I do have u100 syringe with half unit markings. THANK YOU
 
tiffmaxee said:
He’s still considered Newly diagnosed so you gave not waited a long time. I’m glad you found us and a new vet. My vet who is very experienced would show my spreadsheet to his second or third year veterinary students and left dosing up to me.

Depending on which dosing method you choose Hernan could actually earn a decrease or stay at his current dose for now.
Are you feeding wet, raw, or dry food?

With some dry food in the picture if you follow our method it would be SLGS. So you will take a reduction of .25. Do you have syringes with half unit markings?
Click to expand...
Yes I have half unit markings. Feeding 90% wet. Aiming for 100% we are close.
 
I'm glad he likes the Fancy Feast Classic Pates
For your hypo kit you should have some of these
Med and High Carb food and some honey



Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Beef Feast in Gravy 20% High Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Chicken Feast in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Turkey Feast in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Chicken and Beef in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Good idea to mark the cans with magic marker how many carbs

Or any on the food chart.
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/dr-pierson-new-food-chart.174147/
 
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
I'm glad he likes the Fancy Feast Classic Pates
For your hypo kit you should have some of these
Med and High Carb food and some honey



Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Beef Feast in Gravy 20% High Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Chicken Feast in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Turkey Feast in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Chicken and Beef in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Good idea to mark the cans with magic marker how many carbs

Or any on the food chart.
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/dr-pierson-new-food-chart.174147/
Click to expand...

Thank you for this. I will stock up. In a pinch can dry be given? (I still have some temptations (evil things) for emergencies and the Royal Canin Diabetic Dry that I first tried before deciding to switch to all LC wet.
 
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
The smaller the gauge size will make the eats bleed better

Always aim for the sweet spot warm the ears up first, you can put rice in a sock and put it in the microwave, test it on the inside of your wrist to be sure it's not to hot, like you would test a babies bottle. You can fill a pill bottle with warm water and roll it on the ears also.Just keep rubbing the ears with your fingers to warm them up
c2b8079a-b471-4fa6-ac36-9ac1c8d6dcca-jpeg.57072
fec17d29-5ab4-44a8-912b-3a91944c3954-jpeg.57073

6. As the ears get used to bleeding and grow more capilares, it gets easier to get the amount of blood you need on the first try. If he won’t stand still, you can get the blood onto a clean finger nail and test from there.
When you do get some blood you can try milking the ear.
Get you finger and gently push up toward the blood , more will appear
You will put the cotton round behind his ear in case you poke your finger, after you are done testing you will fold the cotton round over his ear to stop the bleeding , press gently for about 20 seconds until it stops
Get 26 or 28 gauge lancets
A lot of us use the lancets to test freehand
I find it better to see where I'm aiming
You can also put a thin layer of vaseline on the ear ,to help the blood bead up

Here is a video one of our members did
VIDEO: How to test your cat's blood sugar

Here is the link for Lantus
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/lantus-levemir-biosimilars.9/
Read all the yellow sticky's . Dosing methods are explained also
Click to expand...
Thanks for all this!
 
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