Just started insulin, feeling scared. Please help.

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Chloe007

Chloe007

Member Since 2019
Hey everyone, after looking around online for as much info as I could find I found this forum and you all seem incredibly knowledgeable, I could use some help right now.
My cat Oscar was just diagnosed with diabetes on Tuesday. The Vet said his blood glucose was 420, he had sugar in his urine and some electrolytes were off/possibly some slight organ dysfunction that should resolve once the diabetes is being treated.

We were asked to come in with Oscar on Thursday so the tech could explain our nexts steps to us. The tech immediately pulled out some saline solution and needles and told me he would be on 2u of ProZinc 2x per day, then immediately started showing us how to inject him. I had to keep slowing him down to ask questions, but left feeling like I had a good handle on things. One thing I did ask him was how I could test Oscar's blood sugar, like you would a human. And he told me I shouldn't do that, it will be traumatic for him and lower his quality of life. So I dropped it, figured he must know best.
Me and my boyfriend did Oscar's first injection on Saturday night 9:00pm, after he ate (probably more than usual) his meal. He immediately seemed...alert. Almost irritable, he did a quick run around and kept jumping on his sister. Then he started meowing a lot, as if he were hungry again. I fed him a small amount because the tech never really mentioned what to do in this situation, except to keep his diet the same for now. His eyes also seemed a little glassy, and then he seemed to want to be left alone. Over time things went back to normal.
After what happened this time prior, I decided this morning to only give him 1u. The tech told me to ONLY do this if he doesn't eat and not to skip a dose, but I had a gut feeling that 2u was too high for him (if I hadn't been told testing=torture I wouldn't have had to rely on my gut feeling, ugh). So I give him only 1u this time after another large meal. This time everything went really well and I felt good about it, I thought maybe his dose was just too high. This mornings injection went off without a hitch.

So this brings us to tonight, and why I need your help. (Thank you if you made it this far). At his scheduled time he ate a big meal, and I injected him with 1u of ProZinc. Immediately, he seems a little anxious/irritable again. Then he starts meowing for more food, I give him a little more and he gobbled it down SO fast. He then started to seem a little...odd. Walking a bit slower than usual, kind of staring into space a bit, eyes a little glassy. But he's alert, he's acting happy, I think maybe I'm just being paranoid or looking too hard but just in case he's too low, I put his bowl of dry food he normally has but we took away because the vet said no grazing, back down. And he eats, eats and eats. He's clearly very very hungry. I get nervous and call an emergency vet.
I explain the situation, and they tell me basically to keep a watch out for symptoms of hypo. I ask if I should be allowing him to eat as much as he wants and she says no, you don't want his blood sugar to get too high. I tell her I can't tell the vet said not to get a monitor (I have one coming tomorrow anyways but that doesn't help me right now), but I'm worried it's too low. If he's showing symptoms of hypo shouldn't I be allowing him to eat? She says 1u is a small dose and he should be okay, given this was the dose my vet prescribed based on his weight/glucose number/blood glucose curve.....

I say, what do you based on a curve, what is that? She explains what a curve is and I tell her the vet never did that. She tells me that's concerning, and then changes her mind about him eating, tells me to let him eat as much as he feels for the night and call my vet in the morning before doing another shot.

I am not going to give him another shot! Not until they do a curve, or at least until I can check his numbers. I'm really upset right now, I feel like my vet sent me into this with no information, and now I feel like an awful mom because I'm basically just shooting my cat with insulin completely blindly. And now he's showing mild symptoms of hypo and I'm not sure what to do. The ER vet told me they can't get me in, the vet has back to back procedures. It's the only one around, plus I'm not sure if this warrants an ER visit. If he was okay the first and second time, he'll probably be okay this time... right? I'm so glad I only gave him half the amount. As of right now (11:00) he's acting better. But I'm still nervous, should I allow him to keep eating? Should I encourage it?
 
From what you have described, yes, let him eat as much as he wants to. Without being able to test his blood sugar levels, if he is hungry and wanting to eat, then I'd not worry about him going too high. We have a saying here, better a day too high than an hour too low. It may be coincidental, he may not be having symptoms of hypo, but since you can't see what his levels are, better to be safe.
 
Christie & Maverick said:
Additional info in the sub forum for Prozinc... here....

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...prozinc-pzi-insulin-for-diabetic-cats.164995/

I'm not familiar with it, but it seems 1u is probably the right starting dose. Not sure what time it is where you are, but many of us use a human glucometer for testing. If you are really concerned and have a pharmacy nearby, you can pick one up. Just a thought.
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Thank you very much. I waited to go grab one because I have a pet meter coming from Amazon in the morning (I didn't know you could use a human meter), but I'm going to go pick up a human one at the store right now to put my mind at ease. I can't get to the Vet right now, so that seems like my next best option. He's still doing okay, he's now relaxing in his usual spot and responding to me when I peak my head in. I have his dry food out, and I'm thinking I'm going to open another can of wet. I'm hoping there's not too much danger, it is (from what I understand) a small dose, and he is a diabetic cat. I think it's super irresponsible the vet never did a blood glucose curve and they fought against the use of a monitor, but I don't think 1u should hurt a cat that more than likely has high blood sugar, right? Idk I'm going back and forth in my mind, it's driving me crazy. I'm going to go try to pick up a monitor.
 
Welcome to FDMB.

Generally, cats on Prozinc are started at a dose between 0.5 and 1.0u. You've. probably figured out we're big fans of home testing and good for you for asking about it. Your cat will not hate your for home testing. Most of our cats begin to realize that they get treats when we test AND as a result of our testing and giving them an insulin shot, they feel better. Lots of cats will come running to their testing spot and sit and purr. (It puts a whole new spin on, "Will work for food/treats.")

There are links to information on home testing in the Beginners Guide to Prozinc that Christy linked. You can also find videos on YouTube (which is how I learned to test).

One other consideration is that many kitties are very stressed when at the vet's office. As a result, their blood glucose (BG) numbers are higher than what they are at home. This is called stress hyperglycemia. It's much better to rely on the data you get at home. We've seen many vets base dosing on what the cat's numbers are at their office and the kitty gets back home and the average numbers are considerably lower. When this happens, it's easy for your cat's dose to be in excess of what's needed..

Please don't assume 1.0u is a "small" dose. Whether the dose is right for your cat depends on how much insulin your cat needs. The 1.0u may be fine for one cat and cause hypoglycemia in another cat. This is why home testing is so important.

You will also want to keep Oscar on a low carbohydrate, canned food diet once. you have test data. At the top of the forum, there's a link to Dr. Lisa's food charts. Low carb is considered below 10% carb. Most people feed their cat around 5% carb.
 
I think he's fine, usually with dry food in the mix, it stays in their system longer and is by nature higher carb. Since he enjoys the wet food, let him have a snack of that too. Onset with Prozinc is usually around 2-3 hours which means that's when the insulin kicks in.

You are welcome. I'm sorry this is so scary, it is hard enough just to get the diagnosis and process things, I remember all too well. It sounds like he is doing fine, how long ago was the shot?
 
Sienne and Gabby (GA) said:
Welcome to FDMB.

Generally, cats on Prozinc are started at a dose between 0.5 and 1.0u. You've. probably figured out we're big fans of home testing and good for you for asking about it. Your cat will not hate your for home testing. Most of our cats begin to realize that they get treats when we test AND as a result of our testing and giving them an insulin shot, they feel better. Lots of cats will come running to their testing spot and sit and purr. (It puts a whole new spin on, "Will work for food/treats.")

There are links to information on home testing in the Beginners Guide to Prozinc that Christy linked. You can also find videos on YouTube (which is how I learned to test).

One other consideration is that many kitties are very stressed when at the vet's office. As a result, their blood glucose (BG) numbers are higher than what they are at home. This is called stress hyperglycemia. It's much better to rely on the data you get at home. We've seen many vets base dosing on what the cat's numbers are at their office and the kitty gets back home and the average numbers are considerably lower. When this happens, it's easy for your cat's dose to be in excess of what's needed..

Please don't assume 1.0u is a "small" dose. Whether the dose is right for your cat depends on how much insulin your cat needs. The 1.0u may be fine for one cat and cause hypoglycemia in another cat. This is why home testing is so important.

You will also want to keep Oscar on a low carbohydrate, canned food diet once. you have test data. At the top of the forum, there's a link to Dr. Lisa's food charts. Low carb is considered below 10% carb. Most people feed their cat around 5% carb.
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Thank you very much for your help, I'm obviously still new to all of this. The reason I called 1u a small dose is mostly because he was actually prescribed 2u 2x daily, that's what the vet decided he needed I guess. So 1u is only half of that, and why I would assume that would be a small dose for him, but after everything I've been reading and how these past two days have gone, I'm really starting to doubt my vet. I was told to give him 1u if he doesn't eat anything at all, and after how he reacted to 1u after he ate a huge meal, I can't imagine where we would be right now if I gave him that on an empty stomach. Anyways, thank you for the info. I'll definitely watch the videos for home testing. He seems to be doing quite better, I'm not sure if the symptoms were real or just my imagination but I think we're in the clear. I'm leaving food out just in case.
 
Christie & Maverick said:
I think he's fine, usually with dry food in the mix, it stays in their system longer and is by nature higher carb. Since he enjoys the wet food, let him have a snack of that too. Onset with Prozinc is usually around 2-3 hours which means that's when the insulin kicks in.

You are welcome. I'm sorry this is so scary, it is hard enough just to get the diagnosis and process things, I remember all too well. It sounds like he is doing fine, how long ago was the shot?
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Onset is 2-3 hours?! I was told it was 15-20 minutes, geeze. The shot was 3 hours ago now, but when he started showing symptoms it was pretty immediate, like first half hour. So the insulin wasn't even kicked in yet when I thought I was seeing symptoms? Well we're three hours in now and he's doing well. I got him to come out of his spot to make sure he was acting/walking normally and gave him a wet food snack. Right now he's over by his dry food and water bowl. He's still very hungry. But it seems like the more he eats, the better he appears. But now I'm questioning whether his symptoms were real or my very worried imagination was getting the best of me. I swear he didn't seem right though. I guess maybe he was just stressed by the shot? Idk, either way I think we're in the clear here, he seems much better. Thank you very much for your advice, I'm glad I found this community.
 
This is a good link: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

And if you are going shopping and have a Walmart, the Relion Prime ( https://www.walmart.com/ip/ReliOn-Prime-Blood-Glucose-Monitoring-System-Red/20752267 ) is a good choice. But DO make sure to get a box of test strips (not included with the meter) and you'll need bigger lancets than the few that I think come with it. Look for a 26-28 gauge lancet (it might be marked for "alternate site testing" like these https://www.walmart.com/ip/ReliOn-Thin-Lancets-100-count/34088206 ). You could also get some cotton rounds, but I just use two sheets of folded over toilet paper to hold in back of the cat's ear -- your choice.

Also look at the two links from here that talk about what you should buy for your Hypo Toolkit: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hypo-links-be-prepared-just-in-case.48385/
 
You are doing a great job. Once you start home testing you can also start transitioning him to a canned food only diet. You want to test before every shot, preferably before feeding. The reason I said to wait until you are testing is removing the dry food can considerably drop glucose levels. Testing before every shot will let you know if it is safe to give the dose. Usually for new members we recommended either skipping or delaying the dose if it is below 200. Once you understand how the dose affects him you can begin to lower that number
 
Thank you! Last night was pretty scary, but we're +16 hours since his last dose now and he seems completely back to normal. I didn't do his insulin shot this morning, I wanted to wait until we got his monitor (which I just received today). So I'm going to start with the monitoring tonight before his next dose (assuming he's not under 200). I'm still a little worried the vet doesn't seem concerned about doing a blood glucose curve, which the ER vet made seem like it was very important. Should I try to do that myself? Check his levels every two hours after his next dose?
 
Hi Chloe? I'm so sorry you have had a scare, but you are on the right track and have found a wonderful resource here on FDMB.

Since you are new to testing, you may not be able to get a successful test every two hours. Don't stress about that. Even if you can get a couple of tests in today between the scheduled 12 hourly shot times, that's good information still. All data is good data and sometimes at the beginning of testing, you may not get a good blood drop each time.

Can you create a signature for Oscar please.
Setting up your signature (light grey text under a post). Here's how:
click on your name in the upper right corner of this page
click on "signature" in the menu that drops down
type the following in the box that opens: kitty's name/age/date of diabetes diagnosis/insulin you're using/glucose meter you're using/what (s)he eats/any other meds or health issues he has. You can add your name, and a geographic location (sometimes the country/time zone matters) Be sure to SAVE when you are finished.

Then set up the spreadsheet so that you can enter the testing data you will be getting and further insulin dosing as you go forward.
The instructions for setting up the spreadsheet are HERE. Understanding and using the SS is explained in THIS DOC.

You can begin the dating on Thursday, and enter the insulin dose in the "U" column for both the AM and the PM doses. Repeat that for each time you injected insulin on Friday, Sat or Sunday. If you skipped the shot at any of the "scheduled" 12 hour times you can put NS for No Shot. You can use the comments section to the far right to note what happened with Oscar after the injections so the information is all right there, and people don't have to backtrack through previous posts for the history.

Thank goodness you are going to be testing, but be patient with yourself and Oscar as you both learn the process.

Here are some tips that Chris & China (GA) has shared with others, and I grabbed them to pass along too:

Here's something I wrote up for others for testing...maybe it'll help you too!

It can be really helpful to establish a routine with testing. Pick one spot that you want your "testing spot" to be (I like the kitchen counter because it's got good light and it's at a good height....it also already blocked 2 escape routes due to the wall and the backsplash) It can be anywhere though...a rug on the floor, a table, a particular spot on the couch...wherever is good for you.

Take him there as many times a day as you can and just give his ears a quick rub and then he gets a yummy (low carb) treat. Most cats aren't objecting so much with the poking..it's the fooling with their ears they don't like, but once they're desensitized to it and learn to associate a certain place with the treats, they usually start to come when they're called! Or even when they hear us opening the test kit!

You also have to remember...you're not poking him to hurt him...you're testing him to keep him safe and understand what's going on inside his body. There's just nothing better than truly understanding what's going on inside your kitty's body and with this disease, the more knowledge you have, the more power you have against it. The edges of the ears have very few pain receptors, so it really doesn't hurt them. Also, if you're nervous and tense, it's going to make your kitty nervous and tense too. As silly as it might seem, try singing! It forces you to use a different part of your brain!

It's also important to make sure his ear is warm. A small sock filled with a little rice and microwaved or a small pill bottle filled with warm water (check temp against your wrist like you would a baby bottle) works well

For new kitties, using a heavier gauge lancet is also really helpful. A 25-28 gauge lancet pokes a bigger "hole" than a 31-33 gauge lancet does, so look for "Alternate Site testing" lancets that are usually a lower number

Finding the right "treat" will be a great help too! Freeze dried chicken, bonito flakes, little pieces of baked chicken...whatever low carb treat you can find that he really enjoys will help him to associate the testing with the treat! China's Achilles heel was baked chicken, so I'd bake a piece, chop it into bite sized pieces, put some in the refrigerator and freeze the rest to use as needed. It didn't take long for her to come any time I picked up the meter!
*************
Best wishes as you move forward in this new journey. :cat:
 
Thank you so much for all of this info! I just got my monitor today (Advocate PetTest) and I decided to try and test him to get a baseline going, I expected to not be able to get a sample but he was really good and we got it on our first try (thank you YouTube)! He missed his injection this morning after last night's scare, I didn't want to inject him blindly after that. So when I just tested him it had been about +16 hours from his last injection. Poor boy's blood sugar is at 426 :(. I also tested my other non diabetic cat (with a clean needle and after sterilizing of course) to make sure the meter was working right, and it is, hers was normal.

So I'm guessing he didn't go hypo last night considering he obviously has high blood sugar and this test wasn't after a meal, so I'm not sure what to make of the symptoms he presented. I'm glad I can do this now though with ease of mind knowing what his numbers are.

If you're still online I did want to ask one thing. I tested him about an hour ago +16 hours since last injection and +8 from his last meal, which is when I got the 426 reading. Do you think I'm safe to just go ahead and give him his 1u shot after he eats tonight? Or should I test him again, just to be sure? Either way I plan on doing my own kind of BGC tonight after he gets his shot, I'm going to test him every 2 hours to get an idea of what 1u of ProZinc is actually doing and how much it's affecting his levels.

I was actually prescribed to give him 2u but didn't feel comfortable doing that after I seen some symptoms and reading up on here. So I'm thinking if I don't see a big enough drop down to normal through the next +12 hours after his shot, I'm going to start with the actual prescribed dose of 2u.

I followed your advice and created a signature and start on the spreadsheet. Thank you so much, everything I've been learning on here and the information I've received has been invaluable.
 
Chloe007 said:
Thank you so much for all of this info! I just got my monitor today (Advocate PetTest) and I decided to try and test him to get a baseline going, I expected to not be able to get a sample but he was really good and we got it on our first try (thank you YouTube)! He missed his injection this morning after last night's scare, I didn't want to inject him blindly after that. So when I just tested him it had been about +16 hours from his last injection. Poor boy's blood sugar is at 426 :(. I also tested my other non diabetic cat (with a clean needle and after sterilizing of course) to make sure the meter was working right, and it is, hers was normal.

So I'm guessing he didn't go hypo last night considering he obviously has high blood sugar and this test wasn't after a meal, so I'm not sure what to make of the symptoms he presented. I'm glad I can do this now though with ease of mind knowing what his numbers are.

If you're still online I did want to ask one thing. I tested him about an hour ago +16 hours since last injection and +8 from his last meal, which is when I got the 426 reading. Do you think I'm safe to just go ahead and give him his 1u shot after he eats tonight? Or should I test him again, just to be sure? Either way I plan on doing my own kind of BGC tonight after he gets his shot, I'm going to test him every 2 hours to get an idea of what 1u of ProZinc is actually doing and how much it's affecting his levels.

I was actually prescribed to give him 2u but didn't feel comfortable doing that after I seen some symptoms and reading up on here. So I'm thinking if I don't see a big enough drop down to normal through the next +12 hours after his shot, I'm going to start with the actual prescribed dose of 2u.

I followed your advice and created a signature and start on the spreadsheet. Thank you so much, everything I've been learning on here and the information I've received has been invaluable.
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  • Prozinc is an “in and out” insulin. This means that the insulin does not build up in the system and stay there. “Onset” is when the insulin starts working, usually between 2 to 3 hours after the shot is given (depending on your cat’s own unique metabolism). ProZinc generally lasts 12 hours (“duration”) resulting in a “curve” of BG numbers, downward around mid-cycle, then back upward toward the end of each 12-hour cycle. For this reason, it’s dosed twice a day.
  • Prozinc does provide a cat with an excellent chance of getting well-regulated and going into remission. We’ve had many different cats go into remission using this insulin.
  • Prozinc dosing can change more often than other insulins, since it is ‘in and out’. But generally - especially at the start of treatment - it’s advisable to stick with a dose for at least 3 cycles; changes can be made after that, as needed.
  • We recommend starting low: 1 unit is a good starting dose for most cats. Then insulin changes can be made by .25 or .5 units @Chloe007
 
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There's a flaw in your observation. Granted that we don't have test data other than the one test you've gotten (congratulations!!), when most cats drop into low numbers (or drop into numbers they aren't used to or simply drop fast), their numbers may spike upward in response. We refer to this as a bounce. This is your cat's liver and pancreas overreacting to low numbers and is a protective mechanism. Thus, there's no way to really know what happened yesterday.

If you take a look at the Beginner's Guide to Prozinc, it's recommended that your starting dose is between 0.5 - 1.0u. It's much easier on our nerves to start at what may end up being too low of a dose and work your way up versus giving too much insulin and being up all night (or all day) testing and feeding your cat high carb food to prevent him from having a symptomatic hypoglycemic event.

Whenever you choose to shoot, please remember that the next shot is due in 12 hours.

Once you have your spreadsheet started, you may want to post over on the Prozinc insulin support group.
 
Thanks for posting that again about the starting doses, I posted the same thing for Chloe above yours. When I read what she said which I copied from her post which is below

I'm thinking if I don't see a big enough drop down to normal through the next +12 hours after his shot, I'm going to start with the actual prescribed dose of 2u.

I am no expert by no means but I didn't think that was the correct thing to do, just looking out for her kitty.
By the way I saw Gizmos picture, he is so gorgeous @Sienne and Gabby (GA)
 
Sandi & Whisper said:
This is a good link: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

And if you are going shopping and have a Walmart, the Relion Prime ( https://www.walmart.com/ip/ReliOn-Prime-Blood-Glucose-Monitoring-System-Red/20752267 ) is a good choice. But DO make sure to get a box of test strips (not included with the meter) and you'll need bigger lancets than the few that I think come with it. Look for a 26-28 gauge lancet (it might be marked for "alternate site testing" like these https://www.walmart.com/ip/ReliOn-Thin-Lancets-100-count/34088206 ). You could also get some cotton rounds, but I just use two sheets of folded over toilet paper to hold in back of the cat's ear -- your choice.

Also look at the two links from here that talk about what you should buy for your Hypo Toolkit: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hypo-links-be-prepared-just-in-case.48385/
Click to expand...

I have a question. Oscar is VERY hungry lately (I know that's typical for a diabetic cat) but I'm wondering if I should keep all food away while he's in between doses, even if he's being very vocal about it? I work for a couple hours each day as a bartender, and I have his shots set for times I know I'll be home..but sometimes I have to leave for my shift immediately after testing and shooting him. In this instance, should I leave a bowl of food out just in case he drops low and I'm not home to test him? He's never left alone for very long, but it still makes me nervous to leave his completely without food. But I realize he'll probably keep eating it if I don't take it away, he's been so so hungry lately.
 
@Diane Tyler's Mom - Thank you on behalf of Gizmo. He's a big, lovable, goofball!

Most of us give our cats multiple, small meals. Getting a timed feeder will help if you can't be home. I work full time and did so throughout Gabby's life. The feeder helps to both spread out food and make sure food is available if numbers should drop. The feeder also means he won't snarf down everything in the bowl.
 
@Chloe007 also please read the posts above from me and Sienne about dosing and that you are thinking about you going back to the original dose your vet suggested
which you said was 2 units. Please read the Beginners Guide to Prozinc again.
We all want to help you keep Oscar safe
It's #14 and #15
 
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
@Chloe007 also please read the posts above from me and Sienne about dosing and that you are thinking about you going back to the original dose your vet suggested
which you said was 2 units. Please read the Beginners Guide to Prozinc again.
We all want to help you keep Oscar safe
It's #14 and #15
Click to expand...

Yes I seen that. I will keep him on 1u for now then, I think I read something about keeping the same for 3 cycles...does that mean 3 months? I was only going to go up to 2u because that's what the vet prescribed, and I was worried I was doing my kitty wrong by only giving him half his dose. But I'd rather be safe than sorry, I don't want a hypo kitty on my hands. I wonder why my vet would prescribe 2u when the ProZinc info actually says to start at 1u...it really makes me mad.
 
Chloe, unfortunately a lot of vets aren't very knowledgeable or experienced with Feline Diabetes.
The sad truth is that vets only get 5 hours of diabetes education in school and that covers all types of animals. Once they've graduated and are in practice, they don't have time to stay up to date on the latest treatments for every disease in every type of animal they see. That's why message boards like this are so valuable. Not only do the people here have the time to research for new treatments, they have the day in/day out experience in their own cats so they know what works....and what doesn't!
I guess the information filters down to the techs, like the one that advised against testing. Don't waste time and energy by being mad, perhaps along the road you can do some educating? Who knows?

The important thing is you are going to test, you are going to work to keep Oscar safe by being aware of dosing and the effects the doses have on the BG numbers you will get.

Getting the spreadsheet set up and the data entered is a giant first step, reading and understanding the information in the stickies in the Prozinc forum is another way to keep Oscar safe and going in the right direction. If something isn't clear to you, ask questions. You are not out there all alone.

Please read this document: New? How you can help us help you.
If you can, print out the Hypo instructions so you have hard copy to refer to in case of an event.
Prepare a Hypo toolbox..you may never need it, but if you do it's there, waiting and ready.

I found a box, labeled it and had it where I could find it easily at need...after I happened to randomly test Idjit one day and he was under the "take action" number for a pet meter. :eek: We were very new so you can imagine my panic! The members here walked me through steps to intervene and he was fine, it was not a critical event. But, being prepared is half the battle.

A cycle is the 12 hours from one shot to another, so from your AM shot to your PM shot is a cycle, then from the PM shot to the next AM shot is the second cycle, then the third cycle is the AM shot to the PM shot. One and a half days. Chloe, that isn't written in stone, it may take more than 3 cycles for a dose to be held, or less. We have a saying here "every cat is different" ECID, and never has anything been more true. When in doubt, ask. Test consistently, keep your spreadsheet updated and you will be on the right path.
 
I can't thank you enough. I gave him his shot 9pm (EST) and now about 2 1/2 hours later I decided to test him and see where he is. It was 353...so 2 hours in at least it's going down? This time around testing didn't go so well, there was some struggle and I had to force it. He wasn't happy. I gave him a treat, and he's still acting sweet but wants to be alone, I don't blame him. He's also doing a weird purr I don't normally hear from him, it sounds like a chirp while he's purring, hard to explain. But I think it means he's not happy.

Do I need to test every single time? Is there anyone here who doesn't? I'm totally for testing him, but I feel like he's going to hate me if I do it again in the morning before his next dose. I was thinking about waiting until tomorrow night, his blood sugars been consistently high so I'm not super worried about him going too low. But I'm obviously still new to this so I'm open to all advice.
 
You should always test before every injection, at least try. This is to be sure the BG is high enough to shoot. You are going to do the best you can with testing..it does get easier, but sometimes at first it can be difficult. Try the "conditioning" tips from Chris & China (GA) that I posted above, they might help. Treats before and after can really have a nice effect on a kitty mood and testing reception. Remember, this is all new to him too and it can be a bit upsetting. Extra lovies, petting, brushing..whatever you can do to ease the situation and have his confidence and cooperation.

Is there anyone else there in the home that can hold Oscar while you do the actual test? My hubby holds Idjit for me, freeing both my hands and although it took us awhile to have a smooth operation, most of the time it works well.

I don't know the carb % of the Crave Chicken pate, it's not in the Food Chart, but if/when you begin transitioning to an all low carb diet, it's going to be even more important to test..a low carb diet can significantly lower the BG.

If you would like more input on getting more successful tests, you can start a new thread here on the Health forum asking for advice. So many members have faced this challenge and will be willing to share tips,tricks and stories. I would share about the first time DH and I tried to test Idjit, but I fear you would hurt yourself laughing and you don't need to end up at the Dr. because of me!
 
Many cats here have been known to surprise their caregivers. We had one person over on the Lantus forum wake up to a test of 42 this morning, in spite of going to sleep when numbers were much higher. Imagine what would have happened had she not done that test before shooting.:eek: So yes, we test before every shot. Over time Oscars ears will learn to bleed better, and you will get better too. Soon enough he will look forward to testing, and the treat that comes with it.
 
Idjit's mom said:
You should always test before every injection, at least try. This is to be sure the BG is high enough to shoot. You are going to do the best you can with testing..it does get easier, but sometimes at first it can be difficult. Try the "conditioning" tips from Chris & China (GA) that I posted above, they might help. Treats before and after can really have a nice effect on a kitty mood and testing reception. Remember, this is all new to him too and it can be a bit upsetting. Extra lovies, petting, brushing..whatever you can do to ease the situation and have his confidence and cooperation.

Is there anyone else there in the home that can hold Oscar while you do the actual test? My hubby holds Idjit for me, freeing both my hands and although it took us awhile to have a smooth operation, most of the time it works well.

I don't know the carb % of the Crave Chicken pate, it's not in the Food Chart, but if/when you begin transitioning to an all low carb diet, it's going to be even more important to test..a low carb diet can significantly lower the BG.

If you would like more input on getting more successful tests, you can start a new thread here on the Health forum asking for advice. So many members have faced this challenge and will be willing to share tips,tricks and stories. I would share about the first time DH and I tried to test Idjit, but I fear you would hurt yourself laughing and you don't need to end up at the Dr. because of me!
Click to expand...

Thank you for this. I'll definitely keep trying and make sure I get some result before I give him insulin. One more question that I've been meaning to ask...

So I know it's important to give the shots 12 hours apart. And I fully intend to keep it 12 hours apart, but if for some reason I run late by say 30 minutes, is that okay as long I test and make sure he's good before I give him his injection? Is being late by 30 minutes a big enough deal to possibly skip a shot? I'm just not sure how strict that number is, whether there's a little wiggle room for 15-30 minutes before or after. Sorry if this sounds stupid, like I said, I intend to be on time every single time, but just for reference.
 
Absolutely not a stupid question. You can change shot times by 15 minutes each shot per day, or one shot by 1/2 hour per day, and still be on schedule. I had a monthly evening meeting that meant I had to leave home at +11. So a few days before hand, I would start gradually moving my shot time up so we were on time that day of the meeting. Here is a post with more details and an example. http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/getting-back-on-a-12-12-shot-schedule.101059/
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Many cats here have been known to surprise their caregivers. We had one person over on the Lantus forum wake up to a test of 42 this morning, in spite of going to sleep when numbers were much higher. Imagine what would have happened had she not done that test before shooting.:eek: So yes, we test before every shot. Over time Oscars ears will learn to bleed better, and you will get better too. Soon enough he will look forward to testing, and the treat that comes with it.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I'll definitely keep trying with the tests. If I come across a time where I really can not get it, should I skip the dose?
 
If you have a problem getting the test, post here, maybe someone can help you.

Skipping a dose may not be a good idea, especially if a cat is showing ketones. Did the vet mention anything about DKA or ketones? The electrolytes being off has me wondering. If you haven’t already, pick up some urine ketone testing strips.
 
No ketones, he was tested at the vet. There was glucose in his urine but no ketones. But I'll buy some strips and keep them around to test him every now and again. It's just if I get into a situation where I couldn't get a sample, have no more time left and I need to make a decision to shoot or skip, I'm worried I'll make the wrong decision.
 
Idjit's mom said:
You should always test before every injection, at least try. This is to be sure the BG is high enough to shoot. You are going to do the best you can with testing..it does get easier, but sometimes at first it can be difficult. Try the "conditioning" tips from Chris & China (GA) that I posted above, they might help. Treats before and after can really have a nice effect on a kitty mood and testing reception. Remember, this is all new to him too and it can be a bit upsetting. Extra lovies, petting, brushing..whatever you can do to ease the situation and have his confidence and cooperation.

Is there anyone else there in the home that can hold Oscar while you do the actual test? My hubby holds Idjit for me, freeing both my hands and although it took us awhile to have a smooth operation, most of the time it works well.

I don't know the carb % of the Crave Chicken pate, it's not in the Food Chart, but if/when you begin transitioning to an all low carb diet, it's going to be even more important to test..a low carb diet can significantly lower the BG.

If you would like more input on getting more successful tests, you can start a new thread here on the Health forum asking for advice. So many members have faced this challenge and will be willing to share tips,tricks and stories. I would share about the first time DH and I tried to test Idjit, but I fear you would hurt yourself laughing and you don't need to end up at the Dr. because of me!
Click to expand...
Hey Lou I was curious about the food Chloe was feeding Oscar and the carb content
I found this on Chewy site
Perfectly Portioned Patés
Premium patés are a break, peel and serve away! These easy-to-open wet cat foods are crafted with 12% premium protein to help your cat thrive and to fulfill their desire for a meaty meal. One tray equals two servings of a delicious, unforgettable meal. These satisfying wet foods also have added vitamins, minerals and other valuable nutrients.

crave-cat-portioned.jpg

crave-cat-ingrident.jpg

Animal Protein Is the 1st Ingredient
Cats instinctually desire protein rich diets, because that's how their ancestors ate in the wild. Crave cat recipes deliver high quality animal protein as the first ingredient to help them maintain lean bodies and help provide cats with the energy to chase.

About Crave
All cats share a connection with their cat ancestors. Crave cat food helps you cater to your feline friend's instinctual needs with the protein-rich diet they are hardwired to eat. That's why Crave recipes are grain-free and always crafted with real, high-quality animal protein that's just plain delicious!

Shop Crave

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