INJECTED WRONG CAT -HELP!!

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poke the ear area. along the outer ridge of ear...warm the ear and massage first.
 
We poke in the ear. Have you done that?

But really -- as others have said -- this is an emergency. It is time for the emergency vet.
 
Fantastic. Poke along the edge of his ear - if you look with a flashlight behind his ear, you will see a vein running down the edge of the ear. I would go ahead and aim for the vein. If you don't get a drop, double poke. It isn't what you usually do, but we need a reading fast. If he moves away, get the blood on your fingernail.

Try the meter out on yourself so you know how it works.
 
Lily, I just wanted to let you know that I have almost given one of my healthy cats insulin before too. I have one diabetic kitty and once I caught myself about to give my other cat an injection. I thought what am I doing? Mistakes happen.

Not to change the subject--but does anyone know if cats can be given a human glucagon injection from a glucagon kit? My daughter is diabetic and when she was younger I had to give her one of these during a hypo. Just curious if they can be given to a cat?
 
I know everyone is trying to help, but honestly this cat is super alert and acting fine...I couldnt get blood. I dont really know what you mean by poking the ear. All I managed to do is make him grumpy and hyper and wake him up. Its been 4 hours. Should I wait for 6?
 
Here is a video that will show you how it is done: Video for hometesting

I am glad he is not showing symptoms. We have no way of knowing how insulin will impact a non diabetic cat, but we are all concerned that it could be deadly. If you can get a reading, that will reassure you and us about what we are actually looking at in terms of blood glucose levels.
 
Lily, I would try again. You need a baseline, to see if the BG is dropping.

It's normal not to get blood at first. If you can use something to warm the ear -- we usually put rice in a sock and heat the sock for 20 seconds -- that helps the blood flow.
 
Lily look on the upper left corner for your private messages and see if you have a message.
 
The insulin can peak anywhere from around +4 to around +8, later under some circumstances, and often around +6 for a lot of cats. If you can't get to the ER, I would keep giving him something higher carb every 30 minutes or so for a few more hours. I would not wait until you are able to get a blood test to give him something. If he acts hungry, I would let him eat as much as he wants. All of that is based though on a diabetic cat - I would still recommend the ER, I would hate to see things go badly tonight.

I am glad to hear he is acting well. That can change suddenly though, you just don't know.
 
The problem is your kitty has a functioning pancreas so food will just kick his pancreas in to action to control and bring down blood glucose to a normal level. Now, you gave him insulin which will also work to bring down blood glucose numbers. Trouble is we do not know how low that insulin will take him nor do we know when it may start to work in him. Functioning pancreas + insulin can be a deadly combo and the unknow nis when it may happen. Six hours, 8 hrs.-----we don't know.....but when it hits it may show no signs of a hypo. Not every cat does. They just start seizuring and foaming. A full blown hypo is not always reversible. Cats that do survive from a damaging hypo may not only be permanently blind but also brain damaged.
 
I think she is gone....I'll let you know if I hear from her. If she can just get a test in it will be such a relief for all.
 
Lily please try to get a blood sample. This is the only way you have of knowing what your cats blood glucose level is. Just my opinion, but if you have to make several sticks to get it, then do it. Have someone hold the cat and a flashlight under the ear. This will allow you to see the main blood vessel, which is close to the edge of the ear. I usually stick between the vessel and the edge, on the outer ear about 1/3 down from the tip. Hold ear firmly but gently, and make a firm but quick stick. Hope this helps.
 
I got an error saying it was a used test strip and then I got a reading of 28 >_> then i tried again, got the same error and a reading of 30....but he is acting absolutely fine ...I mean really guys, mega fine. Is this the machine or is this bad news?
 
That is a dangerously low #, right on the border of hypo. They can register a number like that with no symptoms, but be very close to hypo. Really given that the insulin has not peaked yet, I would go to the ER immediately.
 
Lily...what can i say...you are on the verge of a hypo.
what can i say.
i sent you my phone number in your pm's.
private messsages.
 
So the readings were on the same strip that said error? If so, they are not necessarily accurate. But usually, you do not get any reading on a bad strip.

If the numbers are 28-30, they are dangerously low. If he were my cat, I would go to the ER.
 
was error and number on the same reading or seperate tests.
 
If poking the ear is a problem I believe the paw pads are an alternative spot that you can poke for blood.
 
I hope you don't mind that I did this, but I sent a text message to one of my co-workers (a licensed technician for many years) and told her what happened, and she said you absolutely 100% need to go to an emergency vet PRONTO. She echoed what everyone has already said, about his functioning pancreas making a difference, and said he is going to need to be monitored very closely by a doctor or tech to make sure he gets through the night. Good luck! I hope everything works out.
 
Lily i run 'newbie kits' for new members. i am getting offers of donations to help you with the cost. we don't fool around. we mean it . i will start raising funds.
 
what ever $ i raise would have to be paypaled to your er vet...or i would need their phone number to send it to you.
will anyone here want to pledge any amount....pm me. i will be certain to get confirmation from the vet hospital.
 
Lily, we understand the financial issue, but I think it's clear that this is an emergency like a car accident. There isn't really an option to treat this at home, with that 30 on your test.
 
Donations are coming in....where is Lily. let's pray she is at the er.
she has my phone number is she can open her pm's.
i'm going to bed.
thanks everyone for all the beautiful offers to help.
 
I'm really sorry I didn't see this last night. Has anyone heard from her since that last post? Very concerned ...
 
KarenRamboConan said:
I'm really sorry I didn't see this last night. Has anyone heard from her since that last post? Very concerned ...
Click to expand...

Ditto, darling Karen, ditto...

Much love and countless hopeful hugs for Lily and Nano.
Deb and Nikki -- and, Giz, forever dancing in my heart...
 
I have'nt heard anything....was hopeing I would wake up to some news.
 
Was hoping to see an update as well..keeping fingers toes and paws crossed that everything turned out okay...still very worried.

Mel, Max & The Fur Gang
 
Im sorry for the lack of news everyone. Honestly the panic and the stress of the situation was so high, I just really needed to just step away.

Nano is 100% fine. He went through the whole night without a single hypo sign. I did not go to the ER, I'm pretty convinced that the test strip or the glucose reader was just faulty, I tested it on my other cat and it was reading just as low. I spoke to my vet in the morning. He thinks Nano should be 100% fine. The only little hiccup was that he did throw up at around 9am (due to my panicky overfeeding Im sure) and the vet suggested skipping a meal or two. But Nano is acting 100% normal, being playful and cuddly.

I want to thank everyone who stayed up with me. I did think of you guys in the morning, but with so little sleep and I had to go to work and to the vet, I really didn't have time to update. I am shocked to hear that you were collecting donations. That is the nicest thing I have ever seen and will truly always remember it. Please donate that money to an adoption or animal shelter, or we can keep it as a rainy day fund for the next emergency :-D

That being said, I did learn the importance of a good glucose reader, and do want to invest in getting one. Any suggestions?
 
I am glad that Nano is OK. Just what meter did you purchase, it may be OK. Other caretakers make similar errors. I have injected msome of my cats with the wrong dose/wrong insulin. I have gotten my filled syringes mixed up. The syringes look the same.
 
I am so glad to hear he is okay. What wonderful news!

Any meter will work, as long as it sips and takes a tiny sample. It isn't the meters that are expensive; it is the strips. The cheapest strips are for the ReliOn meter from Walmart. The meter itself is also inexpensive. It is popular here. If you decide on one of the brand name meters (sometimes they are free) you can buy strips on ebay for less than half the price of drug stores.
 
Lily, I am so thrilled to hear that Nano is fine!! Thanks for letting us know. We have been hoping for news.

Every now and then we are reminded that we are only human. (In other words, not as good as cats. :-D ) Mistakes happen. It's the beauty of FDMB that people are here to try to help each other through, as best as we can.

And now, you can test your diabetic kitty! Post the name of the meter you bought. I guarantee you'll get some good feedback! :lol: And if you need help learning to perfect your testing technique under less stressful conditions, you'll get good suggestions for that, too.

Please feel free to become part of the family for your diabetic kitty, and to give us updates on Nano.
 
Thanks for updating us and I'm so happy that Nano is fine.

And I guess our secret is out we are a bunch of crazy sugarcat lovers that worry about every cat that steps a paw on this board like they are one of our own. It is not uncommon for a bunch of us to just throw another pot of coffee on and stay up all night to talk someone through a hypo or just a really rotten day.

So now that the panic is over...Welcome to the FDMB family, you have been officially adopted by some of the craziest and most wonderful kitty moms and dads on the web!

Mel, Max & The Fur Gang
 
Hi Lily!
I am new to the forum too, and didn't get to read your posts til this morning. I am so happy Nano is ok!

We use the ReliOn Micro meter from Walmart with much success. We have found it isn't the meter that is costly, it is the strips. The ReliOn meter is economical, the strips are affordable, the sample of blood needed is very small, and it kinda "sucks" the blood in making it very easy to do. It does tend to read BG as a little lower than what it actually is, but personally, I would rather it read low than high until my kitty is closer to being regulated (at that point we would probably try to find a more accurate meter and keep the ReliOn as a backup). This way, I don't think its OK to give him a shot he really shouldn't have it.

I also like this meter because we have a 24hr Walmart (I know most are, but I have been in an area where they are not) so if for some reason, we ran out of strips during an emergency one of us could run out to pick them up. We usually keep an extra box of testing strips in our hypo emergency box, but I like to be over prepared. :lol:

I believe the meter was around $15 and the strips are $36 for a 2 pack (100 strips total). We try to test at least twice a day (before each meal/shot).

Many others may have a better suggestion for you, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to share what we use in my house.

(hugs)
Stephanie & Willy
 
I am so darn happy to see your post and know that Nano is okay :mrgreen: One lucky kitty that it didn't harm him. Now you know you can test your 16 yr old before every shot too and do curves at home to see how well the insulin is working. Welcome to FDMB and let us know more about your diabetic kitty.
 
Well, Kinny has been diabetic for almost three years now. He started on Vetsulin and recently made the switch to ProZinc. He never really went too low on Vetsulin to be honest, I think he stayed in the high 200s low 300s, but his symptoms were well-managed. The transition has been more of a financial burden than anything since ProZinc is more expensive, but in the initial tests he did stay within the 200 range. He receives two units twice a day (so four) and that has kept him pretty decent. We (my vet and I) considered bumping it up to three units twice a day (so six), but Kinny has been pretty good on this much. I never got a tester because testing him is such a problem, we prefer to let the vet do it, but boy would a tester be useful >_>
 
Now that you can test, get some midcycle tests in - like +3 and +6. That will show you how well the insulin is really working - how low it takes him. We suggest increasing by .25 instead of a full unit so you don't go over a good dose. Have you seen the PZI document: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=32799 It is a great resource. And check out the PZI forum - you can read through the threads of other users and look at their spreadsheets. viewforum.php?f=24

Another thing that is very helpful is our color coded spreadsheet. It helps you see at a glance how the insulin is working, identify trends and patterns: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18207 Be patient; it is slow to load. And a little complicated. If you need help, just ask.
 
Very very relieved to hear Nano is fine. I agree that this is the perfect opportunity to become an expert at home testing!!!
 
Dear Lily, and, of course, you too, not sweet Nano -- and, Kinny, who is sweet,

YAY!!!!!!!!!

Love and happy ending kind of hugs,
Deb and Nikki -- and, Giz, forever dancing in my heart...


PS: Long ago and far away, there was a dad of a sugar cat named Noel, I think... One morning dad shot Noel straight through his scruff and into his finger. Dad, who wasn't diabetic, had no clue how much insulin might have gotten into Noel or how much insulin might have gotten into him. So he posted right here on the FDMB that he was going to pack a bottle of Karo Syrup in his briefcase -- just in case... Apparently most, if not all, of the insulin got into Noel... We love happy endings!
 
So happy this went well. What a happy Relief!
So everyone knows...No money was recieved....2 very kind souls here pledged money. Amazingly before I ever even thought of raising money.
They know who they are.
Beautiful generous beans.
Thank you both and if a Newbie Kit is needed here please contact me at the link below.
 
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