Introducing Squiggy and Jean!

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Jean and Squiggy

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This is Jen from Jennifer and Spunky who hid for 2 years in the high dose group...if you don't recognize us. My Best friend Jean's cat just got diagnosed with diabetes. I'm getting her set up with this login she is a little overwhelmed right now!

Squiggy: 20 year old male orinch tabby
Declining health, may have had two strokes in the last few months (after vet saw weird problems with his eyes). Jean noticed very swollen legs right side only, persisted about 5 days and DB said ok to take to vet (his cat). They thought he was going to need to cross the bridge soon. Vet did CBC, said all kidney and liver values were normal, but he was diabetic. I don't know the level of BG the vet had.

Appearance: classic pot belly, sway back, and greasy fur. Has cataracts. He has bad teeth..I'm sure...they are unlikely to be able to do a dental. Sweet natured big buddy! He looks like he could have acromegaly features...but I'm biased :roll: (doubt it)

Given PZI..in a weird bottle like it was hand dispensed...can't see writing underneath the label..all I know is it is not idexx! Dose 1 unit every 12 hours. The vet wants her to bring in Squiggy 6 days later to get just a +8 nadir reading (not a curve).

I've got her hometesting! Yea Jean!!!! Yea Squiggy for being such an easy loaf to test!
8/14pm 1 unit
8/15am: 1 unit +4 269 (first test)
+6.5 220
PMPS +12 282 = 1 unit
8/16 AMPS +12 73 = NO shot
PMPS +12 309 = 1 unit

She will be able to do a curve on Saturday, she is going to ask the vet if he can stay home and do home testing....a pretty rural vet so keep your paws crossed! Using Spunky's freestyle lite meter.
Any advice for dosing?...I'm used to high dose sliding scale...so I've told her not to dose under 150 til we know more. Haven't gotten into subject of u100 syringes yet....looks like we may be heading that way.

Food: had access to kibble high carb but has not been eating lately because of teeth (missing many). Was eating relatively low carb wet food already. Vet wants DM but he is currently on carb 6 or less from janet and binkys chart and no dry. I've suggested a can and half of fancy feast size a day.

I'm truly amazed he has no kidney issues!!!! He is a very old 20....cute as an elderly cat can get!

Thanks!

Jen and Jean
 
Welcome to FDMB - this is THE place for info about feline diabetes treatment though you are in great hands with Jen.

Congrats on starting to home test -- that is the best way to start helping your kitty to feel better.

phoebe
 
Hi Jen, great job helping out your friend & orinch boy! :) The #s really aren't too bad, hopefully the lower carb will really help him out. I'd be cautious on the dose - with that one PS too low to shoot, could be he doesn't need a dose this high, or could be if he ate unusually low carb that day that's why. If it were me, I'd probably try a lower dose, maybe 0.5 or 0.75 and see how the #s look. I agree also with your 150 no-shoot. Often we recommend to newbies to start at 200, gather data to support lowering the no-shoot to 180, and then with more data to 150. It's a lot of personal preference and comfort level, but til she has some more data she might want to be a little more cautious with the dose on a lower PS if she does shoot.
 
Hi Jen and Hi Jean,
So glad to meet you Jean. You have a most wonderful helper - Jen is well known and loved in our hi dose group! :) Ok I'm her "beloved" stepmom too! :shock: and she's my "red headed step child" :-D

Guess the only thing I can recommend is to start getting as many spot checks as you can right now. It wouldn't hurt. Just wondering - did you double check that 73 - I'm sure you did but just had to ask. A great number for sure -

As YOU know Jen - as you get more numbers Jean - we'll be seeing more how Squiggy reacts to the insulin. It's interesting how his +6 was still in the 200's that one cycle but then that AMPS was only 73. But time and more spot checks will tell us more.

Jen if you like - you can still always call me - I'll keep checking back for you Jean.
 
Welcome to the best place for your DC here is lots of green healing light to help Squiggy have a speedy recovery .Wow 20 years old, no teeth and good kidneys . Welcome Mr. Squiggy you are the man.....Trey & Kath
 
Thanks for all the advice and warm welcomes! Jen is the best, don't know what I would have done with out her! I have yet to get a true+8 reading, I am going to do that this evening or should I say early (4am). I have noticed that his left eye "brow" is slightly drooping at times. And (this is why I took him to vet) his front right and hind right paws were swollen almost 2x the normal size. Vet really didn't have a comment on it other than possible stroke. They had since gone down, but noticed last night they were swollen again. Sorry for all the babbling, just overwhelmed and trying to absorb everything, any advice would be greatly welcome!!!

Thanks again for everyones support!
 
You are doing great Jean. It's so hard to absorb everything at once. It becomes so overwhelming - and especially when you are so worried too!

You might just want to watch/keep track of how well Squiggy is eating, peeing, drinking, breathing,and moving around. Maybe if you can keep note of when the swelling comes/goes in her paws. Try not to hover and try to remember to take deep breaths. nailbite_smile Sometimes chocolate and wine come in handy here! for the mom that is! :smile:

Please - I don't want you to worry at all but Squiggy being a fine gentleman of a cat - did the vet listen to his heart very well. I mean as we all get older - we all need a little help now and then - just wondering if he maybe he needs just a touch of meds to help his heart that might help with that swelling in his extremities. I'm thinking wayyyyy outside the box here - and jen will tell you I'm a nurse so I'm always thinking wayyyy toooo much.

So sending you lots of warm thoughts and hugs!!!!! and some to Squiggy too!
 
Thanks Patti! He's paws are still a bit swollen this evening, but I figured out what the deal was with his "eye brow". He sleeps on his left side and he tends to tuck his chin into his chest. I am sure it is a sign of dehydration, because it takes the skin to "go back in place" abit. He was 246 before his 7pm dose... I am going to get up at 3am to get his +8 reading. Keep fingers crossed for good numbers.
With you and Jen, and the support of others, i know i can do this. Yes, very overwhelmed right now, more stressed about my conversation I will be having with the vet in the morning. nailbite_smile I was told by tech this afternoon what Jen had schooled me on and what I have been doing and I go "well, he doesn't trust the home (human) glucose meters, but we'll see what he says..."
No chocolate, but I do have some wine... :-D
 
That is a great number so far into the cycle! How encouraging! Be sure to come on for advice at +12 before you shoot. (In general, those new to insulin have 200 as a no shoot number.)

Edited to add: Now I see that post was at midnight. Wondering what you got at +12. And this morning?
 
+12 205 she shot (it's Jen)

I made sure she got a good meal into him before she shot. I can't WAIT for a curve! Wonder what the nadir was today? :razz:
 
Yes Jen... I always make sure Squigs has a good snacky-snack before shooting! :razz: You have taught me well so far!!!
205 this morning and 219 this evening. Squigs is starting to show signs of his "old" and I mean old self! YAY!!!!! Tried to eat a tried leaf that got carried in the house by on my shoe... begging for "illegal" snacks (he was and still is a, excuse me, a food *****!) Seems to be walking better. He looked like Otis from the Andy Griffith Show walking into his cell! (LMAO)

If ya'll don't mind, i would like to share my history with Squiggy. I started dating DB (and whats really funny his actual initials are DB) in Feb of 2008, and soon to find out Squiggy too. It had just been the 2 of them for several years until I came along... DB of course, didn't mind my company, but Squiggy was not so pleased. I would be sitting on the couch, whould get up for wahtever reason, come back and Squigs would be there looking at me like= "so what are you gonna do about it?" CAT-A-TUDE!!! And most certainly was NOT please when I moved in. I would dare to get up in the middle of the night to go pee because I knew what would be waiting in my spot when I got back.... SQUIGGY! With that same look. having a cat myself, Fuskers, i gave respect where respect was due and would go and sleep on the couch. Not to mention other passive-aggressive traits, this went on for a while. He finally accepted I was not leaving, and we have become the best of buds. That being said, tonight while I was out on the deck, he saundered over to the sliding glass door and was looking at me with his big orange eyes ( the clearest I have seen for a long time!) and had this look of "thank you"
 
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