It's time for Punkin and I to say hi

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Punkincat

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Hi everyone, Punkin and I are new members and both want to thank everyone for all their help so far. The diagnosis overwhelmed use like it does everyone. We're not the real talkative sorts but I felt after a week it was time to introduce ourselves. Punkin is an 11 year old Calico from the Wal Mart angel tree. I adopted her when she was less than a year. Being a long hair, on her tag her Christmas present request was for a tube of hair ball grease. I bought her the grease then some toys then some treats and then decided we needed each other and that's about the end of that story. She's always been a healthy cat kept indoors and pampered. Wellness checks at the vets routine. She has however always had an allergy problem every spring. Constant dusting, food changes, litter brand and box changes, a whole house air purification system, nothing worked. So every spring she would get her depo medrol shot. (Oh the hindsite) A week ago she started drinking way too much. She always liked water, but this just wasn't right. That morning I bought some of the test pieces for the litter box and by that afternoon she was at the vets. An overnight stay concluded the diabetes with a bg of 300. So we started on our road with the Lantus at 1 unit twice a day. She weighs 13.8 This morning was our 11th dose and her vet appointment is in the morning. I realize that everyone here is numbers driven but I just got my test kit yesterday afternoon so I'll start the testing now. I would like to add that she was a wet and dry food cat, she is now a low carb wet food cat with feedings through out the day. She does still have her dry out as to not extract too many carbs from her diet too fast, but she will be weaned off that soon. She still eats great but not like she was starving. She still drinks good but nothing like before. Both her eating and drinking appeared to normalize within just a few days. I watch her after her shots, who I'm I kidding, I watch her constantly. She takes her shots well and hasn't seemed to have had any problems so far. I've read a lot and I understand the Lantus protocol. The timing is exact at 12 hour intervals.

I understand the affects and signs of hypo and have my emergency kit ready. I also keep a close nose on her breath for a acetone smell and all seems good there too. She really is amused by that. She's seldom left alone.

So, yeppers it was overwhelming, but we're doing better. I'll try to post her pic and get some numbers going and posted. Again thanks so very, very much to all of you. Getting a little teary so I'd better stop

Jerry and Punkin
 

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She is beautiful - I would have taken her home too!

Sounds like you are a quick study, and doing well by your girl. The only comment I have is to hold off on an increase in dose if the vet recommends it until you have your testing kit and some data, and have eliminated all the dry. The test numbers at the vets are often higher than at home due to stress and so it is really better to make dose changes based on home testing numbers.

We'll all be waiting for your data when you start testing. If you need help getting supplies or tricks to get blood, just ask.
 
She is simply stunning!!! I can see why you just had to take her home. You both sound like you have come a long ways in just a week, and once you get home testing, things will get easier and easier. Yes, it can be over-whelming in the beginning, but you have approached it the right way, baby-steps. As much as we love our sugarcats and want to make them better "right now". They didn't become diabetic over night, so we can't "fix it" over night either.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang.
 
It gets easier, it really does and as weird as it sounds their ears "learn" to bleed. The biggest key to success is TREATS, for Musette that is bites of turkey, which she absolutely loves. I adopted her on June 25 she is already coming to me for her tests when she see me getting out the test kit, because she has figured out that for a small poke to the ear she is rewarded with bites of her favorite food...Now with Maxwell all it took was a good brushing, he loves to be brushed so we would start out with a good brushing, followed b the test then follwed up with another brushing session. Whatever is Punkin's favorite thing then use that at test time, and she gets her reward whether you get blood or not, simply for sitting still to let you try.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 
We haven't given up by any stretch, I'm thinking of using a new syringe needle to make the poke each time because it's so tiny, I think my lancets are too large. I'm trying to do it manually, which might be my problem. But I'm afraid the noise of the spring loaded lancet device would scare her. But if it's any consolation, and we both needed a laugh, I took mine. Although I'm a little on the high side too.
 
Jerry, what you can do is take a lancing device and practice at clicking it around her head and ears to get her used to the clicking sound. I have always used a device, much quicker than I could ever be, and I started with clicking it around the head for several days. Your Punkin is absolutly gorgeous!
 
Hope + (((Baby)))GA said:
Jerry, what you can do is take a lancing device and practice at clicking it around her head and ears to get her used to the clicking sound. I have always used a device, much quicker than I could ever be, and I started with clicking it around the head for several days. Your Punkin is absolutly gorgeous!
Click to expand...

That's what I've been doing ever since you suggested it. She thinks it's a game, took the fear factor away for both of us.
Thanks so much for the tip, that tip is what broke the ice and made us both members of the vampire club.

Thank you so very much,
Jerry
 
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