? injecting too deep and other newbie questions?

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jikin

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Hello all. I'm a complete newbie to all of this injecting and sugar monitoring stuff. There is so much to read everywhere, and I am trying!, but I figure it best to just ask. There's just so much to wrap my head around at the moment!

So my girl Ivanna is on 1 unit of Prozinc twice a day, as long a her glucose is at least at 180 at normal injection time. It's been less than a week.
I realized this morning after her injection, that I think I may have been going too deep with the needle. I will, obviously, start tying to get this right under the skin. I read that the insulin will be absorbed faster if it is deeper. How much will her glucose readings be effected by going too deep?

Other questions:
Previously she was eating Friskies pates. Seeing that their carb numbers were ranging 8-11, her food has been changed to 9 lives, which ranges 3-5. Will there be a dramatic difference from this small of a change, or will it be only slight? How long will it take to show a difference in her numbers?

It's believed that the high blood sugar may have been brought on by a chronic, undiagnosed ear infection. The ear was cleaned out and polyps that were causing it were removed last Tuesday. Does anyone have a clue for how long it might take for high numbers caused by infection to drop?

I think I'll limit the questions to those three for now.
 
Welcome! It looks like you have done your homework. Unfortunately, the answer to all your questions is our chronic refrain: Every Cat is Different. (ECID). Some cats react to a tiny difference in carbs, some don't. Sometimes a cleared infection means a big change in levels; sometimes just a little. The best way to find out how Ivanna will react is to get a pre shot test every time (to see if the pre shot is lower than usual) and a nadir (5-7 hours after the shot)

About your shot, I am not sure what you mean. I made a tent, pulling up his skin and shot downward a little into the tent. Not across because it could come out the other side. This might help:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/injections.htm
 
I do what Sue said when injecting: I pull the loose skin up tight to form a tent, feel with a finger for the open "tent door" (a slight depression) and shoot into that with a slight downward aim. You don't want to go too deep into muscle and, chances are, kitty would squawk.

You're doing really well!
 
Okay, that link is helpful!
The vet had me using the nape of the neck. They also showed me to pull up the skin to make a hollow point underneath and use that point and then pinch off from that hollow point... but I had been forgetting to pinch off. I don't remember why they told me to use the hollow underneath...

Anyways, the link looks a bit less complicated and I feel less confused. Also, less chance of going too deep.
 
jikin said:
Okay, that link is helpful!
The vet had me using the nape of the neck. They also showed me to pull up the skin to make a hollow point underneath and use that point and then pinch off from that hollow point... but I had been forgetting to pinch off. I don't remember why they told me to use the hollow underneath...

Anyways, the link looks a bit less complicated and I feel less confused. Also, less chance of going too deep.
Click to expand...

Using the hollow means the insulin will end up under the skin where it needs to go, not into the skin or muscle, etc. beneath. They always start by teaching you to use the scruff of the neck but over time you can experiment with other loose skin areas. Varying the site is best. However, some kitties will not tolerate that. My guy is one of those. Then your goal is just to get the insulin in under the skin where you can.
 
I part the fur so I can see where i'm shooting, pull up the skin just a little and inject, pausing a second after injecting to make sure all insulin is injected.

I started with the scruff but I now I do the shoulders.
 
Hi, and welcome with Ivanna!
You've got some great comments already from other members! Hope you are ready to step on to that 'sugar' train ;)
If you have other questions, please feel free to ask! We are all here too help eachother!
 
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