Hi, reading and learning.

[Ferndoc]

Hi Ferndoc has been diagnosed for about 3 weeks, we are following the slow but steady route. So far I with the vet have only just bumped his prozinc up to 2 units yesterday from 1.5 units previously. I might have done this last week but I was using a BG monitor the first week that did not work well (read really low) which resulted in 36 hours of not giving insulin because according to my vets instructions not to give under 250 he was too low. Luckily I had picked up another meter that was cheaper then my original that I had compared to my first one and wanted to believe it was wrong being so high. We are seeing a slow but steady overall trend from the 450s to dipping more and more under 400. We are using an Onsync similar to Target's up and up brand.

Additionally, I added some stress due to timing. I am visiting family for Christmas and my pet sitter is willing to give insulin but not BG test so I had to come up with a Plan B of what to do. While his two fur brothers GreyStone and Sunny are sitting at home, Fern got shoved in a carry-on and Flew/Drove from Michigan to FL. We were suppose to fly all the way but got diverted on our first flight and I made what ended up being the right decision to grab a rental car and drive the rest of the way. Both of use were more comfy for 7 hours and I got to my destination 3 hours before my checked bag. this again made me take a slower approach to moving up the meds because he was under a lot of stress that day and took a few to recover.

Currently while he's by himself he's been eating only wet food and we are exploring options he likes for introducing to the rest of the family. The three cats total use to get 6 ounces of Natures Balance pouches along with a cup of Blue Buffalo kibble daily. I ordered so YA to supplement at least a bit but plan on moving everyone to as close to all wet as I can get along the way. They all eat together and I know I wouldn't be able to get them not to cross eat. So far he really likes wellness we'll see if when I get home if Sunny, the picky one, will be willing to make the switch.

As you can see from Fern's photo, I've gotten myself a cat bag to help with testing and medication. Overall he's pretty good with it but I know without the aide he and I would be a lot more stressed. We've gotten to the point where purring occurs while suffering the indignity of the cat bag. I want to say a big thank you to whoever mentioned "cupping and blowing on the ear" to make the blood flow more. That made us both happier as it seems to work pretty good for the BG. I haven't done a full curve yet but plan to once we get home from Fern's excellent adventure to the beach. I have taken a few intermediate readings and just got a 172 + 5.5 hours and previously had gotten a 208 at about the same time.

The last thing we learned to both of our disappointment; freeze dried chicken as a treat is a no go. It does not agree with us and we don't enjoy puking it up.

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

Welcome! It sounds like you have made great strides - a good insulin, testing and diet change. We put together a protocol for ProZinc which is in my signature in blue. If you haven't seen this site developed by a vet on diet, it is very helpful. She has a food chart which gives the carb values of lots of food. We try to stay under the 8-10% range.

Www.catinfo.org


You might try Bonito flakes; they are a popular treat at our house.

 

[Critter Mom]

Great picture in your avatar! The poor wee thing ...

Welcome to you both.


Mogs
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[BJM]

Freeze dried shrimp work for some, too.

When you have a moment, could you add a few tidbits to your signature? It will help us give you feedback.

Editing your Signature

In the upper right corner of the screen, within the dark blue bar, you will see ID, Inbox, and Alerts

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This is where you paste the link for your spreadsheet, once it is set up.
Add any other text, such as your name | cat's name | date of Dx (diagnosis) | insulin | meter general location (city and state/province) any other pertinent issues like if there are any food issues, history of DKA, hepatic lipidosis, pancreatitis, allergies, IBD, etc.

Click the Save Changes button at the bottom.

Always click the Save Changes button at the bottom when you have changed anything.

 

[Merlin]

Welcome to FDMB! Ferndoc is adorable. You have come to the right place for support. There are a lot of caring and experience folks here. You will be given a whole lot of information and at first, it will seem very overwhelming however in a couple of weeks, things will start falling into place. Below are some helpful information; some of it, it sounds like you already know. Just holler if you have any questions.

Good Reading: This is a must read. It is an excellent 18 page informative document that covers feline health and nutrition. Don't take short cuts and read it all. www.catinfo.org Also read other postings and their spreadsheets. You will learn a lot more from others.

Home Testing: Here, we all home test. It is mandatory to understand how your kitty is reacting to the insulin and the dose. You will want to test before each shot and some additional test in between the 12 hour cycle. Another reason to home test is to keep your kitty safe. Find a place in your home where you will always perform the test and give lots of hugs before and after testing. There are many videos showing you how to test. Hometesting Links and TipsHere is a picture of where you test on your kitty. http://s106.photobucket.com/user/chupie_2006/media/testingear/sweetspot.jpg.html

Here is another good link on Home Testing:http://www.felinediabetes.com/bg-home-test.htm

Meters: There are many meters. There is a pet meter called the Alpha Trak2 and human meters. Some use the pet meter because it is what the vets use so the numbers will match up. The meter and strips are expensive though. Most use human meters that can be purchased at any pharmacy. It typically reads a little lower than the pet meter but we have ways of compensating those lower numbers. Many use Walmart's brand, Relion Micro, Relion Prime or Relion Confirm. The Micro and Confirm only needs a tiny drop of blood but the strips are a little more expensive than the Prime. The Relion Prime meter needs a little more blood than Micro and Confirm. They cost around $15 and the strips are around 35 cents each.

Lancets: These are used to poke the ear to get blood. There are many different sizes (gauges). It is recommended when you are first starting out to use a 26-28 gauge. Also, it would be a good idea to pick up Neosporin WITH pain reliever to apply on the edge of the ears and don't forget to alternate ears.

Spreadsheets: Our spreadsheet instructions are here. If you look at the signatures of the members here, you will see a link to their kitty’s spreadsheets. We keep track of all our tests. This is basically a place to collect data and help you to determine patterns, doses, etc. It also aids those that may be helping you to better understand your kitty.

Food: There are many reasons why we are here but one is due to feeding dry cat food which is high in carbs. You will want to consider changing your food to wet, low carb food. It is recommended to feed food that is under 10% carbs. Here is a list of cat food to choose from food chart you will note that the food with fish are lower in carbs however it is recommended that you only give fish once a week due to its mercury content. Many use Fancy Feast, 9 Lives, Friskies, etc. This list can also be found in www.catinfo.org If you are already giving insulin and you have not transitioned to wet, low carb cat food, be sure to test while you are transitioning. This is because by changing to low carb food, it could decrease your kitty’s number by 100 points or more. One last thing, many of us add water to the wet food so your kitty is getting plenty of water to flush out the toxins and to keep them hydrated.

Hypo Kit: Always good to be prepared for possible hypo events which means that your cat has reached dangerously low numbers. It can be fatal, hence, the importance of home testing and collecting data in a spreadsheet. In each of the Insulin Forums are stickie’s labeled Hypo Links. Here is one: How to Handle a Hypo. Please print and post on your refrigerator so everyone in your household is aware of hypo symptoms. You will want to create your hypo kit that would include and not limited to; extra testing strips, honey/karo/maple syrup, high carb food, medium carb food, vet information, etc.

Ketones: Diabetic cats are susceptible to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). It is best to buy testing strips that will measure (if any) ketones in the urine. One brand is Ketostix which can be found at Walmart or any pharmacy. You will want to test periodically unless you continue to get high numbers, then it is suggested to test more frequently. Ketostix typically costs around $10.

Treats: It is always nice to have treats available for your kitty especially when testing or when they decide not to eat. I like using Pure Bites. I have found it at Petsmart and other pet stores. It is freeze dried and the only ingredient is the meat i.e. chicken, duck, etc. If your cat likes it, then I would go to the dog section where it is cheaper than the cat package. It is bigger chunks but no problem in breaking it up. Another option is to use Bonita Flakes. There is a link here somewhere that has a list of low carb treats but I don't have it right now.

Injections: Most folks here use one of these main insulins; Lantus, Levemir and Prozinc. Two hours prior to your insulin shot, you will not want your kitty to eat. Then you will test and then feed. It is best for your kitty to eat a little before your shoot. I shoot while he is eating. The reason why you do not want your kitty to eat two hours prior to your test is because food elevates BG numbers. So you do not want to dose based on a food influenced number. Here is a link on how to give injections.http://www.felinediabetes.com/injections.htm