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totallybeachin said:
Karen & Smokey(GA) said:
Kitty cold.

Add 250 mg L-Lysine to food 2x/day. Get 500mg capsules of L-Lysine powder from
a vitamin/health foods store. Just open the capsule and mix 1/2 of the contents into
a meal 2x/day. Get pure L-Lysine powder in 500mg gel-caps if you can.
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Good to know.
I always have that on hand as it helps with cold sores. Never knew Kitty could use it for colds. Will definitely keep this info handy for future use.
Thanks. :smile:
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Cats are susceptible to Herpes viruses. L-Lysine boosts the immune response against Herpes
viruses and suppresses the viral reproduction. Cold sores are caused by a Herpes virus.
 
Does anyone know of a message board for caregivers (I take care of my older sister, who has neurological damage from a car accident) that is as wonderfully supportive as this board? I love you all and everything you have said has helped. Any ideas? :?
 
This time I gave Woo her shot WHILE she was still eating---she is an enthusiastic eater and almost did not notice the shot as she dug into her Iams Pate. She had been getting mad at me about the shots; I had been waiting a little bit after she finished eating. But during eating works better; I got post-breakfast lap-snuggles again and I haven't got those in days.

What were the low-carb treats y'all recommended again?
 
I have some boiled chicken breast nuggets that I made myself and I also have freeze dried chicken breast that I found in the dog treat section at Petco and freeze dried salmon that I found in the cat treat section of PetSmart.

I'm sure there are others out there, but when I posted a similar question, those were the first responses I got, so I just went with it.
Fair warning, the freeze dried salmon should be labeled Kitty Crack, cuz Callie Mae LOVES them that much. She tries to get in the tub if I leave it out on the table! She can't get the lid off, but that doesn't keep her from trying. All I have to do is SHOW her the tub and she starts going nuts.

Another thing I remember reading was homemade dehydrated chicken jerky, if you have a dehydrator. Someone posted a link of the one they had, so if your interested in going that route, here is what they used. Can't remember who it was, but they may come along shortly.

This is NOT the link they provided, but I think it is the same unit. Also, the price on this website is more than the one original linked. If your interested in it, I can find it. I have it bookmarked on another computer. It was like $35 or something.

http://www.nesco.com/category_449f7...43/product_731487ccda21/session_5fd47d00b854/
 
Ah, I will look for the dried salmon, then! :) Thank you.

New Question: Is it OK to use natural lemongrass insect repellant around the floorboards of the rooms or does it do something to diabetics? :mrgreen:
 
The instructions that came with the Lantus vial seem contradictory to many things I've read here, including the Lantus stickies. These instructions (in microscopic type) say it can be stored at room temp, that injecting air into the vial is OK, and that squirting excess insulin back into the vial right after it is drawn is OK. Is this just because they want the Lantus to go cloudy and floaty so we have to buy more? (I don't trust pharmaceutical companies too much.) Just wondering. :roll:
 
catgirlinthesun said:
What were the low-carb treats y'all recommended again?
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I'm a big fan of shrimp. Bob thinks it was created to make him happy. I live about 3 miles from a dock and can buy a pound of large shrimp for about 8 bucks, and that might drop a bit since shrimp season started this week. They call them "large" but I'd call them mediums. I divide them into baggies of 4 shrimp each (I got 9 or 10 baggies from my last purchase I think). and freeze them. Every couple of days, I quick thaw and boil them and Bob has treats for 2 days. I've seen people suggest salad shrimp, which are just a lot smaller, but the large ones work well for me. I just cut them into small pieces after cooking. These are only costing me about 50c a day max.
Here's the nutritional value for fresh shrimp:
It says a 4oz serving, and at 36-40 count that's 9 or 10 of them.

Macronutrients and Calories
Four ounces of boiled or steamed shrimp contains just 112 calories. This serving provides nearly 24 g of protein and 1.2 g of fat--only 0.3 g of which is saturated. Shrimp contain no carbohydrates.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/26229 ... z1QixhiI3P
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Carl in SC
 
At Woo's checkup on Wednesday her BG was down to 250, yay! They left the dosage the same because they feared sending her into hypo. She does not have to go back for two more weeks; they want to see how the Rx hard food helps and that takes time.

Once we have her settled on a dose and I am at ease with the injections, then I will definitely want to learn about hometesting. :mrgreen:
 
My cat just threw up all the dinner she ate last night at 8.30pm (it's now 5.45am). I know throwing up is not out of the ordinary for ordinary cats, but what do I do about a diabetic cat who just lost a meal??? Help!
 
If you have Pepcid A/C on hand, give her that. Make sure it is A/C and not Complete. If it is 10mg tabs, give her 1/4.....if it is 20mg tabs, you give her 1/8th.....and best thing is to do it about an hour before she would normally be fed.

If you are not hometesting, now would be a good time to start. At least it was last night's dinner and not breakfast. She might just have a little upset tummy but I would keep an eye out for any more vomiting.
 
OK, who knows a site where I can get a free glucometer? I want to start hometesting at least on an every-few-days basis. Y'all have given me such courage, for which I thank you. :mrgreen:
 
you can get one from lori and tom here. she does ask that you cover shipping if you can as the post office just keeps raising the prices of shipping darn them :-) these kits usually come with everything you need to get started, meter, test strips, rice sock, toy perhaps, sometimes ketostix, etc.....whereas the store bought kits don't come with all the miscellaneous stuff
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=19541

you could also try this
https://www.onetouch.com/offers

answer as if you have the diabetes, not the cat :-)

i'm not sure if that one comes with any test strips though and if so, it's usually just 10 strips

and this one too although last time i did this one it gave me a coupon i could take to the pharmacy with a prescription for it and get the meter for free so fill it out and see what it gives you
http://www.contouroffer.com/ContourUpgr ... er=contour

i googled the one just above and it may be an expired offer. found this one instead for $5 off a Contour which cost about $18 at walmart i think
http://www.contouroffer.com/
 
If it's affordable for you right now, I would suggest Walmart. they sell the ReliOn meter, either the Confirm or the Micro. They are only $9 and the strips are the cheapest around. $20 for 50.
That's what ends up costing the most and why some companies offer a free meter. You have to use the strips that go with your meter and the free one's usually cost an arm and a leg.

As much as I dislike Walmart, I am grateful for this. :smile:
 
totallybeachin said:
If it's affordable for you right now, I would suggest Walmart. they sell the ReliOn meter, either the Confirm or the Micro. They are only $9 and the strips are the cheapest around. $20 for 50.
That's what ends up costing the most and why some companies offer a free meter. You have to use the strips that go with your meter and the free one's usually cost an arm and a leg.

As much as I dislike Walmart, I am grateful for this. :smile:
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ahhhhh, i see why all the free meters then! tyvm for the info!
 
catgirlinthesun said:
i got my lantus vial on june 18. should i throw it out now and get new? it appears fine.
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How do your kitty's numbers look? Are you noticing any decrease in potency (such as #s creeping up)? If it seems to be working fine, and looks fine, it probably is ok. If its kept cool and handled gently, new needle every poke into the vial, it does seem to last quite a while.
 
Many people get longer than the 28 day the mfg. recommends from a vial of Lantus. Keep watching for cloudiness or floaties. Another sign is BG numbers creeping up, but you haven't started testing yet? In any case I'd be sure to have a refill rx on hand. Try to get one for the pens. A lot of vets don't understand that we use them like mini vials w/ syringes. Don't let the pharmacist sell you the needles that normally go w/ them, the pharmacists don't understand either. The pens cost more initially, but you are getting at least a 5 month supply as opposed to perhaps only one month with the vial. You are also getting 15 ml, not just 10.

BTW I have never needed a rx to order syringes from ADW, by that can vary by your state law. I use the same ones that Amy does. The newbie kit will get you started, but in the long run you may want to buy another meter w/ less expensive strips. ADW had several meters that have inexpensive strips and they have very good quantity discounts. The Arkray is actually the maker of the Relion meters and has interchangeable strips w/ them. I use the Maxima which is being phased out, but the maker said they will continue to make the strips. You can still get it at ADW and the strips are only $16 or $17 for 50. If you sign up w/ MrRebates you will get an 8% rebate as well and there are often discount coupons available. There is also an inexpensive house brand meter at Target, strips are about the same price as the Relion at Walmart. I don't know of anyone who has tried it though, so not sure about accuracy. By law meters only have to be within +/- 20%. Most of us like to fin the ones that read lower. :lol:
 
Just-As-Appy said:
catgirlinthesun said:
i got my lantus vial on june 18. should i throw it out now and get new? it appears fine.
Click to expand...

How do your kitty's numbers look? Are you noticing any decrease in potency (such as #s creeping up)? If it seems to be working fine, and looks fine, it probably is ok. If its kept cool and handled gently, new needle every poke into the vial, it does seem to last quite a while.
Click to expand...

Her numbers have crept up a bit but she has been ill with an infected anal gland so I figured that was why. The antibiotics for it made her throw up. I do use a brand new syringe and needle each time, I'm just paranoid that way.

When Lantus goes bad, how do you know? Cloudiness, I know, but what exactly do floaties look like?
 
Hi there!!! I live in Las Vegas so if you need any help at all with anything, such as hometesting, knowing where you can buy the cheapest insulin, which pharmacy will sell you one pen instead of all five (I've only found one pharmacy that will do this), or just want some advice on how to follow the protocol, send me a PM. I'll be glad to give you my phone number if you'd like. Take a look at Champ's SS (in my signature block) so you can see how we started and where we are now!! You'll also notice I follow the protocol very tightly with a lot of testing, but I work at home which makes this very feasible for me. Just let me know if I can be of any help!!!
 
I just now saw your last post. I'm pretty positive your insulin is fine. My first vial lasted over 80 days and was still good. I started a new pen just to see if Champ's numbers improved and they didn't which tells me the original vial was still good. And I was told to roll it (which I did for the first two weeks) and no one told me not to store if in the door of the refrigerator (which I did for two weeks), and I even injected air into it once because I read you were supposed to. None of that hurt my vial and I'm sure yours is fine, too. Lantus is not nearly as fragile as was first thought. On the Lantus board here at FDMB, there is a sticky on how to handle and store insulin. It reads, in part:
Opened Lantus and Levemir vials, cartridges, and pens can last longer than many FDMB members seem to think. Some caregivers of diabetic cats have used Lantus/Levemir down to the last drop. Lantus users from the German Katzen Forum have reported using opened Lantus for up to six months and Levemir up to four months if kept refrigerated and handled properly. Lantus is NOT as fragile as we once thought.

From two of the leading researchers in the field of lantus use with feline diabetics, Jacquie S. Rand BVS, DVS and Rhett D.Marshall BVS (University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia):

"Glargine should be refrigerated because it has a shelf life of 4 weeks once opened and kept at room temperature. We have found that opened vials kept refrigerated can be used for more than 6 months. If using an insulin pen, the manufacturer recommends that once a vial of insulin is used, the pen be kept at room temperature because temperature changes associated with refrigeration alter the volume administered by the pen."
http://www.uq.edu.au/ccah/index.html?page=43599&pid=0

We use U100 syringes to draw Lantus from cartridges and pens. We do NOT use needle tips which can be attached to the pens to administer insulin. Therefore, refrigeration will not alter the volume administered by the pen apparatus. Refrigeration combined with the use of syringes to draw insulin (versus using the needle tip made for the pen) from the opened pen has been found to extend it's life well beyond the 28 days suggested by the manufacturer.


Unopened Lantus is good until the expiration date stamped on the box if refrigerated and handled properly.
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Thank you so much for the prompt and encouraging reply! When I am finally ready to try hometesting---I'm under a lot of stress now starting a home business so it might be a little while---I will definitely get in touch! Thank you specifically and all board members generally for making this such a great forum! :razz:
 
My kitty is playing, my kitty is playing! She hasn't played much in a year or so. I guess she is feeling better! Tomorrow, new toys!!! :mrgreen:
 
I would really suggest you star home testing as soon as possible. Things can change sudden in BG levels and you would have no idea that what was once a fine dose is now too much. Patty is there in LV and willing to help you. You are lucky to have someone so close. No parent would ever give a child insulin without testing. Our cats can't let us know when they start to feel bad from low BG. We can only know by testing that it is safe to give insulin. Even a few minutes of very low BG can be lethal. We have a saying "Better too high for days, than too low for a minute."

And one thing, you nearly gave me heart failure, we use the candle and rainbow icons for kitties who have passed away. So glad to hear that Woo is happy instead.
 
Woo seemed to have an episode of hypoglycemia today. She was shaking and stumbling. I gave her some wet cat food and some sugar water by mouth. Now she is not shaking but is very very tired. I am afraid she is dying. I have no money at atm, I can't afford a bg tester and i can't even afford her prescription hard food right now. that will be remedied soon i hope but it scares me to death... nailbite_smile
 
the problem is, woo will not tolerate her ears being touched at all by anyone, and i cannot see that she would agree to have her pawpads pricked. there should be a better way...
 
Contact Patty and Champ using a private message. (go back to her post and choose the pm button at the bottom of the page) She will be able to help you figure out hometesting and may even have some supplies you can use temporarily)

Contact Lori and Tom for a free meter and strips: viewtopic.php?f=28&t=19541

Very few of us feed prescription food. Most of us feed lo carb Fancy Feast and Friskies. See this food chart for choices under 10% carbs: http://binkyspage.tripod.com/CanFoodOld.html

BUT don't change foods until you have a handle on her numbers. Your episode today should be a wake up call that you need to be on top of your numbers before giving a dose.
 
yes i feed her iams pate canned food which is the only one she likes. she was a true devotee of hard food and really misses the rx hard food now that i am out, but it's $17.00 for 4 pounds...
 
The pate is much better for her than dry. Janet doesn't have a whole lot of the Iams flavors, but if you look at the chart, they run from a nice 9% to a high 26%. You might try a cheaper brand in the same flavor and mix them for awhile to see if she will eat it. Yes, the dry will keep her numbers higher than the wet lo carb so a change to no dry can mean a sudden drop in bg levels. Even dry treats can make a big difference in some cats.

But the bigger issue is getting a handle on her bg levels so she doesn't go too low. Can I suggest you start a new topic (this one is really long) and ask for hometesting tips. We have lots of difficult cats that people have been able to hometest and they have lots of tips that helped them. Also, having someone like Patty demo the technique first on her cat might be a big help for you.
 
How long since you gave insulin? Is she wobbly or acting funny? Describe how she is acting. It could be a hypo or it could be neuropathy, which is common in diabetic cats.
 
She had her wet food and her one unit of Lantus at 9am this morning Pacific time. About 4pmPST i noticed she was shivering and wobbly on her legs. i assumed it was hypo and gave her sugarwater and some more wet food. now she is purring again and eating hard food, but her back legs still won't hold her up long and she does not like me to touch her back legs. god, i hope i did not kill her by trying to stop a hypo...
 
oh thank god! thank u for answering so quickly! u guys on this board have saved my sanity and most likely my cat, too.

does neuropathy make them shake and shiver? i thought that was primarily a sign of hypo. until now, all my life all i've known about diabetics is if they start shaking u give them sugar and food. so i went with that. better hyper for a bit than hypo, right? hypo kills quickly whereas neuropathy can be treated with methylB12. hope i did it right.

i will skip her lantus tonight---lantus is long-acting and i have read that more than one episode of hypo can occur due to its long-actingness. tonight i will be by my kitty's side and nowhere else. got the sugarwater, the wet food, will get some honey too. AND AS GOD IS MY WITNESS, I WILL LEARN TO TEST MY CAT'S BLOOD GLUCOSE!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:YMPEACE:
 
Here is the hypo info. viewtopic.php?f=28&t=15887. I copied it off and kept a sheet in my kitchen.

Start a new post and ask for difficult cat testing advice. I know we will be able to help. It will ease your mind so much to know what her numbers are instead of worrying about possible symptoms.
 
I got your PM and tried to reply and send you my phone number, but it says you've disabled receipt of messages so you'll have to fix that in order for me to PM you. If you can't figure out how to fix it (and I don't have a clue myself), just PM me your phone number and I'll call you and give you my number.

I have an extra glucometer that I can give you and I'll walk you through learning how to test your cat. The most important thing you can do is to learn how to home test. I'll even bring extra test strips to last you for a couple days so you'll have time to get to Walmart to get some. It's a ReliOn Confirm meter from Walmart and the test strips are the cheapest around. I've even found a place online to get them even cheaper.

Let me know what I can do to help. I'll be going out tonight at 8:00. If you PM before that, I'll call you tonight. Otherwise, I'll have to call tomorrow morning.
 
I got your PM, but decided to post here so everyone can see my reply. In the PM, you wrote:

sorry, i've enabled private msging now.
thank you for being so kind. i am not sure how soon i am ready to try this. i am shaken up and need to calm down, plus i have a ton of work this week. but i promise to take you up on it and learn soon. thank you again.
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I'm sorry you've declined my offer of help. I'm willing to give you a free meter and strips and to come to your home to show you how easy it is to home test and you decline. From what I've read in this extremely long condo, you've been scared your cat has been going very low, and showing symptoms, and yet you still don't think it's important for you to test your cat before you give him insulin. I sincerely do not understand that rationale. All I can say is that I wish you well. With all my heart, I hope your cat is okay!!!
 
Baji:

I hope you will please take up Patty on her offer....it is so very generous.

A hypo on lantus can last up to 16 hours; extremely low blood sugar can cause the brain cells to be depleted of needed sugar. It is so very important to test her before you give insulin and to check her and make sure her numbers are not going too low.

I can tell how very much you love Woo. If you had a child, would you give it insulin without first checking its blood sugar? I am sure you wouldn't and so Woo deserves the same. It could be that stopping the dry food (which has a lot of carbs) could have caused her numbers to come down. We also recommend caution when shooting insulin and withdrawing dry food. It's important to monitor and see what taking the dry food away does. Often, the amount of insulin will need to be decreased but if you aren't hometesting, it's hard to know or to help guide you on what would be an appropriate and safe dose for Woo.

There have been many others who had a difficult time at first with hometesting because the kitty was so unhappy. An experienced person like Patty can help you learn how to do it. The kitties eventually do get used to it.
I hope you will reconsider and let Patty come help you. I wish you and Woo the best.

PS...answering a question you had from a long time ago...incense and scented candles can be toxic to cats.
 
i am afraid of trying yet, ok. my cat never allows ANYONE to touch her ears; she suffered ear trauma in her kittenhood. she scratches and hisses and cries and bites when i just try to touch her ears to get her used to the idea.

i did not mean to upset anyone or be unkind. my whole family is in rather crap shape this month so i don't know when i can do it. there's no way to test a cat when the cat needs to be calm and your crazy nephew is screaming for hours all evening...

no offense or ingratitude was intended; if you wish i will leave the board.
 
Hi, Baji...I havent posted in your condo before...
but i don't think anyone wants you to leave the board.

we understand what it's like in the beginning...
scary, expensive, overwhelming.
Especially when you have other difficult things going on in your family.

The main concern on the FDMB is the health of your kitty...
and the episode you described is a scary one.

Hang in there...
and truly...i dont think anyone thinks you should leave the board.

you want to help your cat...and we want to help you do that.

celi & binks
 
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