O.k. I`ve got the insulin shot down pat now and my cat doesn`t run from me any more....but getting blood is a whole different scenario. My cat is a very sweet cat but, DON`T YOU DARE TOUCH HER EARS OR HER FEET!!!!! cat(2)_steam So, testing has been an issue. But, I am steadily trying, sometimes I get it, other times only if HELL FREEZES OVER. With two people I can get her feet, with just me NO WAY HOSA!! But, recently I am getting better at it and I got a reading yesterday at about 4:30pm it was 4.4 (81) and today at 2:50pm it was 15.3(270)....how is that possible
Is this normal?
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Julia & Bandit (GA)
Member Since 2009
The first two weeks, I had to wrap Bandit up like a burrito in a blanket so just his head was showing, and I set him in a basket a little bigger than him. After the testing became routine and he accepted it (and he started figuring he was getting a low carb treat after every test), I no longer needed to wrap him in the blanket.
Another common problem when starting out is that most people too small lancets (because they come with the meter/device), so it takes forever to get a drop of blood. Make sure you're using 26-28g lancets, not the 30-33g lancets that come with the meters. The pokes don't hurt the cat (they have less nerve endings in their ears than people do in their fingers)--they just don't like being restrained, startled, and feeling their human being nervous or frustrated. So the quicker you can get that drop of blood, the better the cat will accept the testing.
Another common problem when starting out is that most people too small lancets (because they come with the meter/device), so it takes forever to get a drop of blood. Make sure you're using 26-28g lancets, not the 30-33g lancets that come with the meters. The pokes don't hurt the cat (they have less nerve endings in their ears than people do in their fingers)--they just don't like being restrained, startled, and feeling their human being nervous or frustrated. So the quicker you can get that drop of blood, the better the cat will accept the testing.
Tara & Buster
Member Since 2012
Congratulations on at least getting some testing in! Hopefully you can settle into a routine soon. As far as the numbers, it's hard to say without more data to analyze. The goal is to achieve some sort of consistency, but our kitties don't always agree. Could be a bounce from the cycle before. When kitties get into the lower numbers, the liver freaks out and produces glucogen to raise the sugar levels. This can last a cycle or maybe even 2. It's really hard to say.
The folks here use a handy spreadsheet to track readings so you can see what happens over time. We post a link to it in our signatures so it's always at the ready.
Here's the instructions on how to set it up: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18207 Let us know if you need help getting it going.
What type of insulin are you using? How many units per day? What food are you feeding?
Sue and Oliver (GA)
Member Since 2009
Another idea to try is the clothespin trick. The idea would be to use it until she is used to the idea and treats that come with it and then let it go. You put a few clothespins along the nape of her neck - in the same place that the mother cat picks up the kitten and immobilizes it to carry. Hopefully that will keep her still until you get the blood drop (definitely try the bigger gauge lancet also)
And the treats make this thing work. Find something she really, really likes and give it only when you test so it is special.
Don't give up. It can take weeks before you find the exact method that works for you both.
And the treats make this thing work. Find something she really, really likes and give it only when you test so it is special.
Don't give up. It can take weeks before you find the exact method that works for you both.
Sue and Oliver (GA)
Member Since 2009
It looks like you are using Lantus? What kind of food are you feeding?
If you have trouble with the spreadsheet, please send me a pm and I can set it up for you. (the PM button in the bottom left hand of my post) It would be so helpful for people to help with numbers if they can see your history of dosing at a glance.)
If you have trouble with the spreadsheet, please send me a pm and I can set it up for you. (the PM button in the bottom left hand of my post) It would be so helpful for people to help with numbers if they can see your history of dosing at a glance.)
Tara & Buster
Member Since 2012
I think meters can misread if you get the blood on top of the strip as opposed to letting it get sucked up like a straw. I suppose it could also be off if you didn't suck up quite enough blood, but it still had enough to read. However, it's been my experience that the meters are pretty steady. There is a known industry variance of 20% for any given meter, so if you tested the same blood multiple times you would get different numbers, but they shouldn't vary that much.
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