How do get started? I am brand new to the forum.
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Sue and Oliver (GA)
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Welcome to the place where no one wants to be! There is lots of info and help for you here.
The protocol for ProZinc we put together is in blue in my signature.
The two things that made a big difference for us were using big enough lancets (25-27 gauge may work better at first than the 30-31 gauge lancets humans use) and heating the ear warm enough. (We used a rice sack made out of a thin sock filled with raw rice, heated in the microwave until very warm)
The protocol for ProZinc we put together is in blue in my signature.
The two things that made a big difference for us were using big enough lancets (25-27 gauge may work better at first than the 30-31 gauge lancets humans use) and heating the ear warm enough. (We used a rice sack made out of a thin sock filled with raw rice, heated in the microwave until very warm)
We are having a very hard time since our cat Snow Cone was diagnosed with diabetes two weeks ago. She had been a normal cat with normal glucose readings on her trips to to vet and was given Tresaderm to put in her ears for ear infection. She took it for 10 days as prescribed and felt terrible the whole time and lost over two pounds. The vet said it had nothing to do with the drops, even though they contained prednisone. Took her back to the same vet about two months later and blood work came back with glucose as 460. They contacted me and told me to put her on insulin (prozinc). Went to another vet who is only a cat vet the next day and they tested her and said glucose w 320 and put her on one unit twice a day of prozinc. She seemed pretty good and was eating well and moving a around more. Went back ten days later to vet to check glucose level after four hour of giving insulin and the reading was 315, so they told me to increase the dose to 2 units twice a day. She was not on any insulin from the first vet and darted prozinc with the cat vet. Started the new dose of two units twice a day on this past Wednesday and tonight she became horrible ravenous and could not get enough to eat. Her eyes looked so strange that I thought maybe she was blind. She ate on and off for about an an hour and an half, and even ate some hard food which she doesn't normally like, She is on canned food Fancy Feast mainly and I am really afraid for her. She is due her insulin in about two hours and I am not going to give her two units but I guess I should give her one. She has settled down now and we have not done home testing but have bought the kit and want to start tomorrow. Do you think maybe I should give her no insulin tonight. Any help you can give me would be so wonderful. Jane
BJM
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You've just had a cat with probable hypoglycemia! Do you have Karo syrup? That can bring up the glucose quickly, although it doesn't last long.
I would not shoot any insulin tonight, as she may be even more sensitive to it due to the hypo and you could overdose her. Better too high for a day, than too low for a moment.
Instructions for How To Handle A Hypo
We strongly advocate home glucose testing to keep your cat safe. Practice on a grape or apple to get a feel for it, or even your own arm so you can get down the timing of the process, and please test her ASAP to make sure she is OK. If she is below 50 mg/dL on a human meter, give her a few drops of Karo syrup.
I would not shoot any insulin tonight, as she may be even more sensitive to it due to the hypo and you could overdose her. Better too high for a day, than too low for a moment.
Instructions for How To Handle A Hypo
We strongly advocate home glucose testing to keep your cat safe. Practice on a grape or apple to get a feel for it, or even your own arm so you can get down the timing of the process, and please test her ASAP to make sure she is OK. If she is below 50 mg/dL on a human meter, give her a few drops of Karo syrup.
Sue and Oliver (GA)
Very Active Member
It could be a hypo from too much insulin, but you can't be sure without knowing the blood levels. The acting blind and wanting to eat so much does sound like low levels. I just don't know - you are only guessing. One unit could be too much or too little.
Do you have the lancets and meter? Could you try to get a number tonight? If you try it, be sure to warm the ear. If you have the smaller gauge lancets (30-31 gauge) you might need to double poke. At first 25-27 gauge may work better.
If you can't get a number, either skip or reduce, I guess. But the sooner you can get numbers, the better.
Do you have the lancets and meter? Could you try to get a number tonight? If you try it, be sure to warm the ear. If you have the smaller gauge lancets (30-31 gauge) you might need to double poke. At first 25-27 gauge may work better.
If you can't get a number, either skip or reduce, I guess. But the sooner you can get numbers, the better.
Mitzelplik's Mom
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Offering treats or a favorite food will help make the testing process more tolerable too. Best of luck and let us know how Snowcone is doing today.
Thanks to all of you for the wonderful replies about Snow Cone. I did not give her the insulin last night and gave her a one unit shot this morning at ten A.M.
she was still wanting to eat more than usual but not as frantic last night. Will try to do the ear blood test today - I can see how it is totally necessary. Thanks again for all the help. We gave her 100 ml of fluid subq. last night as she seemed dehydrated and she went crazy at the end, and scratched Charlie quite a bit on the arm. The vet had said originally to do that twice a week, but don't think we will b e able to handle that. When she saw Charlie this morning she ran and hid. Will let you know how the ear blood test goes. Jane Annde
she was still wanting to eat more than usual but not as frantic last night. Will try to do the ear blood test today - I can see how it is totally necessary. Thanks again for all the help. We gave her 100 ml of fluid subq. last night as she seemed dehydrated and she went crazy at the end, and scratched Charlie quite a bit on the arm. The vet had said originally to do that twice a week, but don't think we will b e able to handle that. When she saw Charlie this morning she ran and hid. Will let you know how the ear blood test goes. Jane Annde
Hooray, we got a sample reading today! After much practicing on my husband, Snowcone allowed us to work on her and the reading was 176. We were concerned about the clicking of the lancet device, so he did it free hand.
Thanks again so much for all your advice. The reading of 176 at home was so much better than the 300 reading at the vet. We are feeling much better about things now.
Thanks again so much for all your advice. The reading of 176 at home was so much better than the 300 reading at the vet. We are feeling much better about things now.
Sue and Oliver (GA)
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Congratulations on getting a number! Welcome to the vampire club.
For reference, we consider a cat well regulated if they are in the 200s at pre shot and in double digits at nadir (but not below 50 which is approaching hypo territory.)
Once if you get in those regulated ranges, then you fine tune the dose to get the numbers lower. We say a cat is in remission if they range from 40-120, off insulin, for two weeks. The other number to watch is the pre shot. We urge new diabetics not to shoot under 200, until they have enough data to know how their cat will react. Instead, stall by waiting 20 minutes, without feeding and retest. If the number is sure risings and near 200, then you might shoot a tiny bit less than your previous shot (as that dose gave you an unshootable pre shot). The goal is to have two preshot a every day that you can safely shoot.
For reference, we consider a cat well regulated if they are in the 200s at pre shot and in double digits at nadir (but not below 50 which is approaching hypo territory.)Once if you get in those regulated ranges, then you fine tune the dose to get the numbers lower. We say a cat is in remission if they range from 40-120, off insulin, for two weeks. The other number to watch is the pre shot. We urge new diabetics not to shoot under 200, until they have enough data to know how their cat will react. Instead, stall by waiting 20 minutes, without feeding and retest. If the number is sure risings and near 200, then you might shoot a tiny bit less than your previous shot (as that dose gave you an unshootable pre shot). The goal is to have two preshot a every day that you can safely shoot.
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