Hi all

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colonikki1978

colonikki1978

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I posted this on the welcome/intro main thread, but wanted to say hi here.

Waaayyyyy back in 2002/03 my cat Ramses (aka, Boo) was diagnosed with feline diabetes, which is how I found this board/community. Sadly he passed in early '04.

Our now almost 13 year old cat, Shelby, was just diagnosed yesterday with FD. Extreme weight loss in a very short amount of time, large pee lakes, and even trying to drink from the toilet! Our Vet is putting her on ProZinc, 2 units a day (can't remember dosage per unit)...we get the insulin today or Friday when it comes in.

Hopefully we can get her managed well...vet wants her to eat before injections, but she was feral so getting her to sit still and not hide after eating will be the biggest challenge! I'm also going to go buy a meter today. I'm thinking the Relion Micro, because it doesn't need much of a sample!
 
Welcome, back. Relion Micro or Confirm are great choices when you need to get a small sample size. You definitely want to home test. Personally, I wouldn't start out at 2 units. I would start at 1 unit and work my way up as needed. You'll raise the dose based on the low point in the cycle not the preshot numbers. When @Sue and Oliver (GA) sees your post she will give you more information. She has a Prozinc guideline/protocol linked in her signature.
 
The protocol we put together for ProZinc is in my signature in blue. I'm with Kristen; I would start with one unit rather than two. My thinking is that, if it proves to be not enough after a few cycles, based on your home testing, you can always raise the dose. But if the dose is too much, she could hypo. We are big on Start Low, Go Slow.
 
Thanks all! Haven't yet gotten the insulin yet from the vet. Here's what they recommended last night. Let me know your thoughts:

- I already mentioned the 2 units twice a day (which I'll do 1, two x a day to start with)
- Mentioned changing dry cat food to wet "after starting insulin," and gave us a couple cans of Hills M/D to try. -- I'm going to change to Fancy Feast or something else canned that is better on the budget. Should I wait to start insulin or work on diet first while waiting for insulin to arrive? And keep testing while changing the diet, right?
- They want to do a curve on her in about 10 days/2 weeks. -- this is a cat who LOATHES the vet. I've looked like a loser in a Freddy Kreuger fight with this one, getting her INTO the carrier. - should I go through with the curve (and the extra $$ to do it) or just do my own while keeping them in the loop?

They did send us home with the "how to shoot" pamphlet and an article on FD, which mentions at-home testing, but they personally never mentioned anything about testing.

Also...We're in Denver, CO. Does anyone have a good vet they recommend? (Just in case I need to fire this one)
 
Hello and welcome!
I would do your own curve and keep the vet in the loop. It saves you a lot of money, and it does give you insight in how Shelby is doing instead of not testing and going after 10 days to the vet. In the meantime you don't know how Shelby is doing.. still don't get why vets recommend that....

Hope everything works out for you! :bighug:
 
Hills MD is 14% carbs. I'd pick something in the 8-10% carb rang, or lower. Here is our food chart:

http://catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf

It may work to change food and start insulin at the same time BUT be sure you are confident testing and be sure to get each preshot test (to make sure the dose you are planning to give is safe) and the nadir (+5-7 hours since the test). Two units is a higher starting dose so she might drop lower than expected. Add to that low carb food and you might be surprised at her levels.
 
Hi! Sounds like you've already gotten some really good advice, so I won't repeat it. If you're worried about giving the shot, you might try it while she's eating. Let her get some food down and then, after she's eaten a bit, swoop in and shoot! I used to give shots like that at first so Gypsy could get used to it. I often did that if I was in a hurry too...make sure she gets some food in her first, but often they don't even notice the shot while eating. :)
 
Oh she's going to be quite a fighter. Of COURSE it's the cat who hates any type of contact is the one who has this hands-on diseasez

Tried checking BS this morning. Refused to let me near her ears, even with lots of rubs and pets from hubby. That will take more time...maybe a kitty burrito.

Got her to eat this morning, and then only did 1U about 30 min after.

Trying to get her to eat a bit early (we have a pre-planned BBQ tonight) so we can shoot about 30 min early. Isolated her in a room w/ litter box, food and water. She's cowering in the corner not moving. I'm going to leave her be and see if she eats within the next hour. If she doesn't...should I shoot her or wait till the normal morning dose?
 
Hi. I've been taking Leo's blood via ear for a year. He still hates it. A treat afterwards helps defocus the struggle. Kitty burritos can work. I think they can create stress.
 
Gypsy wasn't fond of the test at first either. The kitty burrito worked great for us....for whatever reason she enjoyed being wrapped up and it helped keep her calm. We only had to do it for about a week before she got used to it.

Do you always test in the same place? We find that if you have a "test spot" that helps. And the treats are definitely the way to go!
 
Sorry for the late reply. Yes, I usually test the same ear, in the same region. Since I'm testing more frequently now, I find the mode of - get 'er done real quick - is the best way to avoid a struggle. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
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