I finally had the courage..

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Dad of Marcus&Stinky(RIP)

Dad of Marcus&Stinky(RIP)

Member Since 2016
I am way past due, for a number of reasons (many of them not good) but I started to test Stinky this morning.

Mostly I think I was scared. What if I do it wrong? What if I scare the crap out of an already skittish cat that likes to "hide" under my futon? What if I hurt him? What if the results suck? All of this despite him getting to be pretty good with the shots

Anyhow, test #1 is done. I gave him his shot and tested. 382. I know that's high and I think when I call these in, I'll be told to up his dose (and he is peeing bad spots still on occasion).

I'll check again in ~2 hours. It was 11 hours after his previous shot (I got knocked off schedule a little yesterday)

And I'll update my spreadsheet too.
 
Tom Mehs said:
Anyhow, test #1 is done.
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Yay!!!
images
 
Great job! It was awkward at first for my & my Wynken. But I tried to make it positive for him every time... With a dehydrated meat treat when we were done, or scratching his chin (he loves that!). Whatever your kitty loves, do that, and they soon come to associate test time with "favorite time of day". :) Hard to believe now, but you can build this association. :cat: Keep going!!
 
Nice job Tom. Those first few tests are always the hardest. I always give a reward after the test, and a small rubdown before and after. The BG=382 is pretty high. I don't know the dosage, but it's good you are helping your kitty.
 
My Callie got numbers up in the 400s. Then they shot up higher when she got a UTI. It took 3 antibiotics before she started to get better. It gets better in time. Just get a schedule to test before feeding and shots and somewhere in the middle if you can work it into your day. The test in between tells you when the BG is at its lowest point.

Just take your time and don't worry. There is lots of help here.
 
GREAT JOB!!!
I work with animals and I was so afraid when I started--
Luckily my guy loves attention even if it is a poke!
I have found that a slave lessens the poke and you may have seen this but it is a great picture of the sweet spot which is the less sensitive area.
laur_danny_famoussweetspot.jpg
 
The testing really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. he didn't like it, but let me do it.

All readings were higher than I'd like. I assume the vet will tell me to go from 2 to 3 units of insulin. Especially with the wetting
 
The hardest part is that he is so dark. even his skin is. I can't see anything

I tried updating the sheet - not sure it worked. the readings ranged from 319-445.

So i think the dosage is still too low....
 
On your spreadsheet....the test results you get go horizontally across....that's what the + cells are....so if you shoot at 9am and you get a test at 11am, that test result goes in the +2 cell.....if you get another test at 2pm, that test result goes in the +7 cell.....the "+" cells correspond to the number of hours since the last shot

After +11, it's time for the PM cycle, so the PMPS starts the second half of the spreadsheet

In the "U" column, you put how much you're giving in units.

Take a look at our spreadsheet to see some examples of how it goes.

We don't ever increase the dose in whole units, so if your vet suggests you go from 2units to 3, please don't do it! Even a drop too much insulin can be too much.

We do increases in .25 unit increments so we don't go past what might be a "perfect" dose, so if you do increase, you should only go up to 2.25
 
Tom Mehs said:
The hardest part is that he is so dark. even his skin is. I can't see anything
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Hi Tom, I also have a black cat, and in the early weeks I found it really helpful to put a teensy weensy smear of vaseline on the outer edge of his ear. It helps the blood to 'bead up' rather than disappear into the fur, and makes the blood droplet much easier to see.
cat.gif


Eliz
 
Elizabeth and Bertie said:
Hi Tom, I also have a black cat, and in the early weeks I found it really helpful to put a teensy weensy smear of vaseline on the outer edge of his ear. It helps the blood to 'bead up' rather than disappear into the fur, and makes the blood droplet much easier to see.
cat.gif


Eliz
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I never thought about this much... I am SO LUCKY that Wynken is white. Never hard to see the blood, or where to poke his ear... I might have to do thinks differently for a dark colored diabetic.

He's also ponderously contemplative, comfortable in who he is, trusting and laid back. Love him SO much. All of these things lend toward him being a *stellar* Sugar-cat! :joyful:

It's amazing the bond that forms with a diabetic kitty. :cat:
 
I poke from the inside as well. I'm glad you started testing. I promise it will get easier. When Max was diagnosed I swore I wouldn't test. I even wrote that in my first post. I was going to the vet a few times a week around 6-7 hours after he got his insulin. Then one day my vet handed me the needle. Now look at his ss and see how much I test. I hate to think what would have happened had I not tested, especially at night. Max, like many cats, drops lowest at night a lot of the time. Give a treat of something special after each test and watch how well he does. Now that I have to give fluids it helped stop him from hiding after that too. He gets a special treat for that one!
 
Now I think he might be "angry"

I have noticed the last few days more places he is wetting - including (this morning) on my futon. There is also a corner of the living room that he loves to use and there a a few other spots in the living room that I have found small wet spots.

I know the readings were still high and I have put a litter box in the living room but any other ideas? This has been an off and on thing with him, so I am not thinking UTI.

I expect the vet to call today or tomorrow anyway since I called in my reading results yesterday.

This is so frustrating. He's been "hiding" more too. I can see he is scared and confused.

Part of the problem is that I am usually gone for at least 11 hours a day for work, gym, etc so he is alone with my other two cats and I think he gets lonely. He still loves to come out and be petted, but as soon as I stand up he goes into the guest room and gets under the futon.
 
I would guess if not a UTI that it's due to his high numbers. Are you only shooting once a day? How much? Your ss doesn't say. He could be dropping some at night. You aren't able to get daytime nadirs due to your schedule so it really would help if you would get a +3 and tge one other test between +5-7 at least some nights if your +3 is a lot lower. My sister had a diabetic cat that peed in the house. Now from my experience I think she was never regulated.
 
I shoot twice a day (on occasion I am not home at night for the second shot).

I tested all day Sunday (every two hours) and the numbers ranged from 319-445, so I know he is still high. Waiting to hear back from the vet on my next step.
 
When you gave a chance would you update your ss please? That's why I asked. How much insulin are you giving?
 
Hi Tom,

I agree with Elise (@tiffmaxee). I've seen several cats here since I joined who had peeing issues that improved when they became better regulated.

Stress can be a huge factor with UTIs, as can proper hydration. Feliway Original and Feliway Friends diffusers can help a great deal with stress/fear issues. Be sure to keep a check on hydration and add a couple of teaspoons of water to each wet food meal if it's not what it should be.


Mogs
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I'll try to update the sheet tonight.

2 shots of Lantus a day. 2 units each shot.

He drinks a lot of water still. That's another reason why I suspect the Doc will up the dose again (I started with 1 unit)
 
We only up the dose here by .25 so we don't miss a good dose. Have you read the two protocols, the SLGS and TR stickies? They helped e a lot when Max was diagnosed.

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...the-basics-new-to-the-group-start-here.18139/

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/lantus-levemir-what-is-the-insulin-depot.150/

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/lantus-levemir-start-low-go-slow-method-slgs.129446/

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/lantus-levemir-tight-regulation-protocol-tr.1581/

I know it's a lot of information but it really helped me to understand. My sister and friend that had diabetic cats just shot and brought their cats in for curves. Both peed thought the house. I doubt they were regulated at all.

Keep posting and asking questions. You will get all the help you need here.
 
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