Hello my sweet boy Shadow (aka Pnut or Doo) is really sick. He has been suffering on & off with a bacterial infection that comes out in the form of skin bumps. While dealing with this issue, the vet has run into some obstacles. He is really sensitive to antibiotics. So every time we start him on some & he gets sick from it, we stop them. Then the bumps get resistant to that antibiotic. I give him supplements & he is currently taking probiotics to help support his immune system. He was put on a steroid. He recently developed a new symptom. He is drinking & urinating a lot. More than usual. They did blood work on him & said his glucose levels are 584. This is very dangerous. I am taking him back in the morning. Sometimes the steroid will produce similar symptoms. But with his blood sugar so high, it's a really bad sign that it's diabetes. Now, since this came on so suddenly, is it possible he will recover & go back to normal? Or will he have to be on insulin for the rest of his life? I can't afford that. I also don't feel comfortable giving him injections. He is 10 years old & otherwise very healthy. He just hasn't been himself lately because of this problem. The bumps have crept onto his face & he is now ripping himself up. I was told to give him the steroid to stop inflammation. They gave him an injection of an antibiotic that his bumps are resistant to. So that was a waste of money. I have no idea how much it is going to cost me tomorrow. They want me to bring a urine sample. I am really scared what they are going to find. I am also bummed because he isn't able to see his regular doctor. He is my best friend. He is only 10 years old. It is not his time! I don't want to lose my sweet Doo. Any advice is appreciated.
My cat may have diabetes
- Thread starter DooMama
- Start date
- Status
Elizabeth and Bertie
Member Since 2010
Hello to you and Shadow, and welcome to FDMB.
It sounds like you've both been going through a tough time lately...
So, first off, take a slow deep breath... And now another one...
Feline diabetes is treatable!
And a cat who has a committed caregiver can live a normal life span in good health. :smile:
A diagnosis of feline diabetes can sound pretty overwhelming at first. But you've found the best forum on the planet to help you manage this condition. And everyone here has been where you are right now. You are among friends here. :YMHUG:
If Shadow is diabetic then it is likely that it has been steroid-induced. Cats with steroid-induced diabetes are much more likely to go into remission after a short time on insulin. ('Remission' means that the diabetes can be controlled by diet alone.)
Is Shadow still on steroids? Or has the treatment stopped?
Shadow will need to have insulin injections twice a day. This will NOT hurt Shadow at all. Honestly. And you will soon get comfortable with handling syringes.
If you are in the US then recommended insulins are long lasting types like Prozinc, Lantus and Levemir.
Most of us here test our cats' blood glucose at home using ordinary glucose meters made for human diabetics. If you are willing to learn to 'hometest' then you will find management of the diabetes much easier - and cheaper.
As with giving the shots, hometesting should NOT hurt your cat. And many cats actually come to look forward to the process because they enjoy the extra 'cuddle time' and maybe also the treat (reward) that follows each test.
Given that Shadow is not yet on insulin you could use this time to switch him over to a low carb wet/canned diet (if he is not already eating that). Dry food can elevate blood glucose levels significantly.
But if Shadow is put on insulin today then it is important that you only switch his diet IF you are hometesting.
Given Shadow's high blood glucose levels I strongly recommend that you start testing his urine for 'ketones' as a precautionary measure. You can get a tub of 'Ketostix' or 'Ketodiastix' from a pharmacy for this. They are not expensive. (The test only requires that you dip the test strip into fresh pee. The trickier bit may be catching the pee in the first place. ;-) )
I don't want to overwhelm you with too much information, so I'll leave it at that for now.
Do let us know what happens at the vet visit.
Will be thinking of you.
Eliz
It sounds like you've both been going through a tough time lately...
So, first off, take a slow deep breath... And now another one...
Feline diabetes is treatable!
And a cat who has a committed caregiver can live a normal life span in good health. :smile:
A diagnosis of feline diabetes can sound pretty overwhelming at first. But you've found the best forum on the planet to help you manage this condition. And everyone here has been where you are right now. You are among friends here. :YMHUG:
If Shadow is diabetic then it is likely that it has been steroid-induced. Cats with steroid-induced diabetes are much more likely to go into remission after a short time on insulin. ('Remission' means that the diabetes can be controlled by diet alone.)
Is Shadow still on steroids? Or has the treatment stopped?
Shadow will need to have insulin injections twice a day. This will NOT hurt Shadow at all. Honestly. And you will soon get comfortable with handling syringes.
If you are in the US then recommended insulins are long lasting types like Prozinc, Lantus and Levemir.
Most of us here test our cats' blood glucose at home using ordinary glucose meters made for human diabetics. If you are willing to learn to 'hometest' then you will find management of the diabetes much easier - and cheaper.
As with giving the shots, hometesting should NOT hurt your cat. And many cats actually come to look forward to the process because they enjoy the extra 'cuddle time' and maybe also the treat (reward) that follows each test.
Given that Shadow is not yet on insulin you could use this time to switch him over to a low carb wet/canned diet (if he is not already eating that). Dry food can elevate blood glucose levels significantly.
But if Shadow is put on insulin today then it is important that you only switch his diet IF you are hometesting.
Given Shadow's high blood glucose levels I strongly recommend that you start testing his urine for 'ketones' as a precautionary measure. You can get a tub of 'Ketostix' or 'Ketodiastix' from a pharmacy for this. They are not expensive. (The test only requires that you dip the test strip into fresh pee. The trickier bit may be catching the pee in the first place. ;-) )
I don't want to overwhelm you with too much information, so I'll leave it at that for now.
Do let us know what happens at the vet visit.
Will be thinking of you.
Eliz
Lisa and Witn (GA)
Member Since 2009
Good morning and welcome to FDMB.
Like Eliz said, feline diabetes is easy to treat and is manageable. We can also help you learn how to do it very economically.
There are several things going on that could be contributing to the high numbers. First, diet. Changing your cat's diet to a canned or raw high protein/low carb diet can significantly drop a cat's glucose levels. You also do not need to feed prescription food either. Many of us feed our cats Friskies, Fancy Feast or Walmart's Special Kitty canned foods. Look for pate flavors instead of flavors containing gravy. Get rid of the dry food.
Also, if your cat has an infection, that also can increase the glucose levels. You may also want to start giving your cat l-lysine. This is a vitamin supplement that helps to build the immune system. You can find it in the vitamin section. Just use a pill crusher to crush the pills in to the food. You can also find the capsules and powder forms at health food stores.
Caring for a diabetic cat is not difficult and can be done economically. Your cat still can have many more years loving you.
Like Eliz said, feline diabetes is easy to treat and is manageable. We can also help you learn how to do it very economically.
There are several things going on that could be contributing to the high numbers. First, diet. Changing your cat's diet to a canned or raw high protein/low carb diet can significantly drop a cat's glucose levels. You also do not need to feed prescription food either. Many of us feed our cats Friskies, Fancy Feast or Walmart's Special Kitty canned foods. Look for pate flavors instead of flavors containing gravy. Get rid of the dry food.
Also, if your cat has an infection, that also can increase the glucose levels. You may also want to start giving your cat l-lysine. This is a vitamin supplement that helps to build the immune system. You can find it in the vitamin section. Just use a pill crusher to crush the pills in to the food. You can also find the capsules and powder forms at health food stores.
Caring for a diabetic cat is not difficult and can be done economically. Your cat still can have many more years loving you.
Unfortunately, my boy doesn't like wet food. He is already on a high fiber dry diet that is a prescription. I had to switch him to this because he had chronic diarrhea. His stool became firm again & I was so happy. He also really loves his food. I cannot switch it. He won't eat. In fact, he has an older brother (no relation) that loves wet food. When Doo sees his brother's wet food, he tries to bury it like poop. He won't eat human food either. I can't tell you how difficult it was trying to get him to eat chicken & rice back when I was trying to combat the diarrhea. Yesterday, he had a bowel movement & it was almost diarrhea again. The last steroid pill I gave him was 4 days ago. He started urinating excessively before I ever gave him that pill. He even peed on me in bed. I know he didn't mean to do that. I thought it was pretty funny at first. Then I noticed the litter box & how full of urine it was. I have two cats & they hardly dirty the litter box in a 24 hour period. I couldn't believe how much pee there was. Yesterday, I gave Doo some Smart Water because it has electrolytes in it. But then I read that it is bad because the electrolytes are more geared for humans than cats. He also lost one pound since October. Doo is an active, loving 10 year old kitty. Other than upper respiratory that he has had since he was born & the infectious bumps (had since 8 yr. old), he is a healthy boy. I sure hope this is just steroid induced. I just got my fresh urine sample. He was too stressed out to pee at the vet. I am going really soon here. He knows what is about to happen. I love him so much! Pray for my sweet Doo!
P.S. I already use lysine & a vitamin supplement.
P.S. I already use lysine & a vitamin supplement.
Becky and Toby
Member Since 2013
DooMama said:
He sure sounds like a fussy little man. Is he very specific about which food he eats, or is he just adamant that it has to be dry?
Best of luck at the vets. Even if he does need insulin, you'll be fine. Almost every single one of us was driving ourselves mad at diagnosis, but it gets so much easier. My cat was already 15 when he was diagnosed, and he's doing great
Elizabeth and Bertie
Member Since 2010
Hi,
How did the vet visit go..?
Eliz
How did the vet visit go..?
Eliz
UPDATE
I had to leave him at the vet. He is receiving insulin & being monitored. It's not cheap, but they need him there in order to regulate his glucose levels which are extremely high. I just hope nothing happens to him while he is there. Am I going to be bringing him home alive? I am so upset. I can't stop crying. Really worried. But they said without treatment he could go into a diabetic coma & die. I can't even think about that. He has to be okay! :sad:
I had to leave him at the vet. He is receiving insulin & being monitored. It's not cheap, but they need him there in order to regulate his glucose levels which are extremely high. I just hope nothing happens to him while he is there. Am I going to be bringing him home alive? I am so upset. I can't stop crying. Really worried. But they said without treatment he could go into a diabetic coma & die. I can't even think about that. He has to be okay! :sad:
Sue and Oliver (GA)
Member Since 2009
So sorry your kitty had to stay at the vet. Did they say he had DKA? If so, it is the best place for him. You might take an unwashed tshirt with you the next time you visit, so he'll have the comforting smell of home.
Hello, and welcome.
I too have just recently had a cat diagnosed as diabetic, and I was in the same boat. I thought I could never give Freya her insulin shot (I have a fear of needles). I was also freaked out, and crying when it all first started.
Freya (my beautiful little kitty) had to stay at the vet 3 days for blood glucose, and insulin injections. I was worried, but also knew if anything bad happened that she was in the best hands. They had to keep her to figure out what was the best dose level of insulin for Freya. It was difficult, and expensive (thankfully my vet takes payments), but we came through it without major issues.
I have not started to home test yet, I have been dropping into the vet for in office testing occasionally, its a quick poke and we get to go home. So far everything has been good. Were aware her blood glucose levels are a little high because of stress.
Its been just over a month now, and I have actually been able to adapt and am now able to give Insulin on my own. I was scared, and thought I was going to hurt Freya, but she just lies there, and lets it happen. She is a real trooper. I think you will discover the same with your cat. Do you have anyone that can help you give the insulin at home? I have a roomate who was able to help me for the first few days.
You will be fine, its scary, a bit overwellming, but you will get through this.
I too have just recently had a cat diagnosed as diabetic, and I was in the same boat. I thought I could never give Freya her insulin shot (I have a fear of needles). I was also freaked out, and crying when it all first started.
Freya (my beautiful little kitty) had to stay at the vet 3 days for blood glucose, and insulin injections. I was worried, but also knew if anything bad happened that she was in the best hands. They had to keep her to figure out what was the best dose level of insulin for Freya. It was difficult, and expensive (thankfully my vet takes payments), but we came through it without major issues.
I have not started to home test yet, I have been dropping into the vet for in office testing occasionally, its a quick poke and we get to go home. So far everything has been good. Were aware her blood glucose levels are a little high because of stress.
Its been just over a month now, and I have actually been able to adapt and am now able to give Insulin on my own. I was scared, and thought I was going to hurt Freya, but she just lies there, and lets it happen. She is a real trooper. I think you will discover the same with your cat. Do you have anyone that can help you give the insulin at home? I have a roomate who was able to help me for the first few days.
You will be fine, its scary, a bit overwellming, but you will get through this.
Becky and Toby
Member Since 2013
DooMama said:
DKA is a build up of ketones in the blood, and is the main concern when a cat has very high blood glucose levels. Ketones show up in the urine of cats with DKA, so it's very good news that Shadow doesn't have them. He's still diabetic, sure, but it sounds like he's not suffering from any serious complications and is being kept in to get started on lowering his blood glucose. You'll get through this, you're in the best place to learn everything you need to know :smile:
Hello!
Welcome! My daughter's cat got bumps all over her face when they visited us. Daughter & cat live high in the mountains of Utah, I live in So. California. Vet treated her with steroids each time. No bumps in Utah & cat no longer visits So. California since steroids can bring on diabetes. There is also a spray for wound & skin care, called Vetericyn. Perhaps, that would help some? You may wish to ask your vet. Some people swear by Vetericyn, it can be purchased via internet & no prescription is needed.
You'll get through this tough time with the help of the wonderful members on this forum. Just as we all did. The trick is to ask all questions that occur to you, even many times over, if anything is not clear to you.
Best wishes,
Sophie
Welcome! My daughter's cat got bumps all over her face when they visited us. Daughter & cat live high in the mountains of Utah, I live in So. California. Vet treated her with steroids each time. No bumps in Utah & cat no longer visits So. California since steroids can bring on diabetes. There is also a spray for wound & skin care, called Vetericyn. Perhaps, that would help some? You may wish to ask your vet. Some people swear by Vetericyn, it can be purchased via internet & no prescription is needed.
You'll get through this tough time with the help of the wonderful members on this forum. Just as we all did. The trick is to ask all questions that occur to you, even many times over, if anything is not clear to you.
Best wishes,
Sophie
Wendy&Tiggy(GA)
Member Since 2011
Welcome to the board
What kind of dry food is it? Maybe we can recommend a lower carb one.
Also the steroid could well have been the trigger and he may recover if he stops getting steroids. But the dry food probably didn't help either.
Anyway he should be fine at the vet. They will be monitoring him closely. Try not to worry.
Now is the time to start researching all you can to ensure you have all the information you need to keep him safe and happy. Start by reading this primer https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Rd6sMfsrNB41yQVEqpyjlHrJsDIbGEhbRIWR4QAwu3c/pub and ask us lots of questions!
Wendy
What kind of dry food is it? Maybe we can recommend a lower carb one.
Also the steroid could well have been the trigger and he may recover if he stops getting steroids. But the dry food probably didn't help either.
Anyway he should be fine at the vet. They will be monitoring him closely. Try not to worry.
Now is the time to start researching all you can to ensure you have all the information you need to keep him safe and happy. Start by reading this primer https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Rd6sMfsrNB41yQVEqpyjlHrJsDIbGEhbRIWR4QAwu3c/pub and ask us lots of questions!
Wendy
UPDATE --> SINCE VET VISIT
:cry:
Well, Doo has come home & pretty much right before we gave him the insulin injection, he vomited. This caused me considerable stress. He was even running around crying. The diabetes was confirmed brought on by the steroids. No doubt, the vet played dumb & pretended they never heard of this. But they had to admit it did happen in our case. So, they showed us how to give the injection. My boyfriend did it while I held the skin in place later at home. I have to do it in the morning. I am so nervous that I am going to screw it up. He gets a different type of insulin tomorrow. He is on Humilin N. I don't know anything about it. However, it's a really low dose. The food he is on is a dry food, but it's what they would prescribe a diabetic cat anyway. I am nervous about having to give him the injection & then leaving for work. I have a weird schedule, so it's going to be so hard to be home to make sure he gets the shot. I am hoping he goes into remission & no longer needs insulin. I love him so much & I have been crying nonstop. I have been on autopilot. I didn't eat for 17 hours. I got less than 4 hours of sleep. I feel lousy. Right now, he is sleeping really hard. I nudge him & he won't move. It stresses me out. Also, he was obsessed with his hind quarters when we first got home. He wouldn't stop licking there. I only saw his hind leg had been shaven on the inside. Not sure what for. His regular doctor returns tomorrow. So lame she was not around for this. I can't wait to speak with her. I am glad he is home, but I don't want to leave him to go to work. I have to go. BTW, if anyone is curious...I work with dogs.
:cry:
Well, Doo has come home & pretty much right before we gave him the insulin injection, he vomited. This caused me considerable stress. He was even running around crying. The diabetes was confirmed brought on by the steroids. No doubt, the vet played dumb & pretended they never heard of this. But they had to admit it did happen in our case. So, they showed us how to give the injection. My boyfriend did it while I held the skin in place later at home. I have to do it in the morning. I am so nervous that I am going to screw it up. He gets a different type of insulin tomorrow. He is on Humilin N. I don't know anything about it. However, it's a really low dose. The food he is on is a dry food, but it's what they would prescribe a diabetic cat anyway. I am nervous about having to give him the injection & then leaving for work. I have a weird schedule, so it's going to be so hard to be home to make sure he gets the shot. I am hoping he goes into remission & no longer needs insulin. I love him so much & I have been crying nonstop. I have been on autopilot. I didn't eat for 17 hours. I got less than 4 hours of sleep. I feel lousy. Right now, he is sleeping really hard. I nudge him & he won't move. It stresses me out. Also, he was obsessed with his hind quarters when we first got home. He wouldn't stop licking there. I only saw his hind leg had been shaven on the inside. Not sure what for. His regular doctor returns tomorrow. So lame she was not around for this. I can't wait to speak with her. I am glad he is home, but I don't want to leave him to go to work. I have to go. BTW, if anyone is curious...I work with dogs.
I cannot believe this! The damn insulin that they sent us home with is expired. I can't go back there in the morning & get the fresh stuff. I am so upset. Do I still give him the injection of the expired insulin? Should I call my vet in the morning & ask them? We already gave him an injection from that same vial. I think it might even be the same stuff they gave him that day during his hospital stay. And I kind of recall the lady saying something about the shelf life. I am definitely calling them in the morning before I give him that injection. It's exactly a year passed the expiration date. Let me know what to do. Thanks
Hello,
please answer a few questions so we can better help you:
1. Where are you located? country, state, city? There could be a member nearby who could help you. We're from all over the world, so location is important.
2. Exactly, what insulin will your kitty be using in the morning? Exact name & dosage each of the two times per day.
3. How many injections of the "N" insulin did your kitty have? How many hours have elapsed since the last injection?
4. As said before, best insulin for cats: Lantus, Levemir, or ProZinc. I know that in some countries those can be difficult to obtain.
5. Since Doo started getting the bumps two years ago --- could it be allergies rather than skin infections? Did you change anything in her environment, for example, did you move, buy new furniture, etc.? Allergy to food? Litter? Plants? How did your vet decide that it was an infection? My daughter's cat, Bella, would also tear up her face since the bumps itched so much. We never figured out what she was allergic to.
Personally, I would not inject a one-year expired insulin. What would be the use? I would give the vet office hell!!! I'm off to bed. It's nearing on 2:00 am where I live. I hope you ate well & are now sleeping.
Best wishes,
Sophie
please answer a few questions so we can better help you:
1. Where are you located? country, state, city? There could be a member nearby who could help you. We're from all over the world, so location is important.
2. Exactly, what insulin will your kitty be using in the morning? Exact name & dosage each of the two times per day.
3. How many injections of the "N" insulin did your kitty have? How many hours have elapsed since the last injection?
4. As said before, best insulin for cats: Lantus, Levemir, or ProZinc. I know that in some countries those can be difficult to obtain.
5. Since Doo started getting the bumps two years ago --- could it be allergies rather than skin infections? Did you change anything in her environment, for example, did you move, buy new furniture, etc.? Allergy to food? Litter? Plants? How did your vet decide that it was an infection? My daughter's cat, Bella, would also tear up her face since the bumps itched so much. We never figured out what she was allergic to.
Personally, I would not inject a one-year expired insulin. What would be the use? I would give the vet office hell!!! I'm off to bed. It's nearing on 2:00 am where I live. I hope you ate well & are now sleeping.
Best wishes,
Sophie
Sue and Oliver (GA)
Member Since 2009
It is possible that we have a member who lives near you and might know a Fd friendly vet and could help, if you want.
I recently adopted a cat with bumps, itchies, diabetes from receiving a Depo-Medrol (steroid) shot every month for 6 years straight and was fed FF fish & shrimp and that's all for 2 years. The cat was a mess from itching that long. I took him to a dermatologist. We treated him with a three-prong protocol:
1. Needed to get him off steroid which can take 3 months to get out of the body. Instead gave him a low dose prednisolone treats for 2 weeks then no more. Prednisolone is also a steroid but was a low dose.
Vet wanted to see his reaction from no steroids after that 2 weeks period.
2. Did skin scrapings. Found he had a yeast infection in his ears and on his face. Treated his ears with a med and ear washings.
3. Gave him Advantage multi flea treatment. 1 dose every 2 weeks for 3 doses. Advantage is multi-purpose. Treats heartworm, fleas, and skin infections (parasites).
If those 3 things didn't help him then we'd have to do food allergy tests. Lucky for him those 3 things worked.
Also, you will need to treat the diabetes, but please hometest as you don't know when the steroid shot will be eliminated from his body and the glucose will go down to normal again. One of my diabetic cats who had stomatitis received quite a few steroid shots that elevated her glucose. Took 4 months to eliminate the steroid and not need anymore shots.
As others have asked, please let us know where you're located so maybe a member can be of help to you in person.
And the shot that the vet gave that was an antibiotic was probably called "Convenia". Around here we really don't like it but I personally have had to give a shot to a fracetious cat before. But I wouldn't give her another shot of it.
Wishing you the best.
1. Needed to get him off steroid which can take 3 months to get out of the body. Instead gave him a low dose prednisolone treats for 2 weeks then no more. Prednisolone is also a steroid but was a low dose.
Vet wanted to see his reaction from no steroids after that 2 weeks period.
2. Did skin scrapings. Found he had a yeast infection in his ears and on his face. Treated his ears with a med and ear washings.
3. Gave him Advantage multi flea treatment. 1 dose every 2 weeks for 3 doses. Advantage is multi-purpose. Treats heartworm, fleas, and skin infections (parasites).
If those 3 things didn't help him then we'd have to do food allergy tests. Lucky for him those 3 things worked.
Also, you will need to treat the diabetes, but please hometest as you don't know when the steroid shot will be eliminated from his body and the glucose will go down to normal again. One of my diabetic cats who had stomatitis received quite a few steroid shots that elevated her glucose. Took 4 months to eliminate the steroid and not need anymore shots.
As others have asked, please let us know where you're located so maybe a member can be of help to you in person.
And the shot that the vet gave that was an antibiotic was probably called "Convenia". Around here we really don't like it but I personally have had to give a shot to a fracetious cat before. But I wouldn't give her another shot of it.
Wishing you the best.
Becky and Toby
Member Since 2013
DooMama said:
I'm not sure if you know, so I just wanted to say that this is perfectly normal. Alarming, definitely, but lots of cats do it. Looking around, I can't find a link between this and diabetes, but the two definitely seem to be linked for my cat... maybe it's more of an exhaustion thing? Either way, I've managed to pick him up to no reaction before :shock: They do like to scare us.
DOO UPDATE
Well, now I am even more stressed out. He is on Vesculin (2 units/2x a day). I messed up giving him the injection twice. I kept accidently plunging before the needle was all the way in. So, most of the insulin would pool up outside of his skin. I just gave him 1 unit because I wasn't sure if maybe some of the first injection made it in. The second attempt was successful, but I think I hurt him. I didn't have it angled right. What does that mean? Can it really hurt him if I give the injection wrong? I am so upset. Apparently as far as the vet is concerned, expired insulin is better than no insulin. That was all they had in stock. So, they gave it to us for free. Oh, I forgot to mention, the needle is longer now. That's what intimidated me. I got nervous that I was going to hurt him & I ended up wasting an injection. I have no idea if he got the right amount. Well, of course I have nobody helping me with this. I am figuring it out as I go...So lame...
I live in San Diego, California. If there is someone in my area that knows about this, please help me. I am freaking out! :sad:
Well, now I am even more stressed out. He is on Vesculin (2 units/2x a day). I messed up giving him the injection twice. I kept accidently plunging before the needle was all the way in. So, most of the insulin would pool up outside of his skin. I just gave him 1 unit because I wasn't sure if maybe some of the first injection made it in. The second attempt was successful, but I think I hurt him. I didn't have it angled right. What does that mean? Can it really hurt him if I give the injection wrong? I am so upset. Apparently as far as the vet is concerned, expired insulin is better than no insulin. That was all they had in stock. So, they gave it to us for free. Oh, I forgot to mention, the needle is longer now. That's what intimidated me. I got nervous that I was going to hurt him & I ended up wasting an injection. I have no idea if he got the right amount. Well, of course I have nobody helping me with this. I am figuring it out as I go...So lame...
I live in San Diego, California. If there is someone in my area that knows about this, please help me. I am freaking out! :sad:
I just watched a youtube video on how to give a proper injection. The lady said if you mess up, don't give another injection. I did though. I did see the medication on top of his skin so I know it didn't all go in. And I did only give him one unit on the next injection. I am only going to do it once from now on & hope I do it right. Where is the best injection site? I was using the scruff of the neck, but his fur is black & hard to part. Not to mention that I can't really hold the pinch of skin. What is the angle you are suppose to hold the needle at? Help me please. I have to give another injection with this longer needle tomorrow. Also where can I buy a sharps container? I don't have any way of disposing of the used syringes.
If you gave your cat a second shot, it is possible to overdose. Make sure you read the note on how to watch for and treat hypos. If you ever mess up an injection, just wait 12 hours until the next scheduled injection. For alternative injection sites, take a look at this diagram. Your vet should have trained you how to give the shot. Sharps containers can be purchased at most pharmacies. Some people just use old laundry detergent containers.
If you want to find someone in the San Diego area, it's best to go to your first post and edit the Subject Line to include something like - need help in San Diego. That way people scanning the board might see it. I know there are people here from there.
It sounds like your vet now has you giving Vetsulin. That is also called Caninsulin, and what we were on at first. It's very important to make sure your cat has eaten his meal before giving Vetsulin. If he vomits, make sure he eats and keeps it down before injecting. I agree that those needles are larger. I was so glad when we went to Lantus and the smaller needles you can use. Lantus or Levemir are insulins available from human pharmacies, but the vet has to write a prescription for them.
And don't forget to breathe. We've all felt the same as you at the beginning. It does get better.
If you want to find someone in the San Diego area, it's best to go to your first post and edit the Subject Line to include something like - need help in San Diego. That way people scanning the board might see it. I know there are people here from there.
It sounds like your vet now has you giving Vetsulin. That is also called Caninsulin, and what we were on at first. It's very important to make sure your cat has eaten his meal before giving Vetsulin. If he vomits, make sure he eats and keeps it down before injecting. I agree that those needles are larger. I was so glad when we went to Lantus and the smaller needles you can use. Lantus or Levemir are insulins available from human pharmacies, but the vet has to write a prescription for them.
And don't forget to breathe. We've all felt the same as you at the beginning. It does get better.
Wendy&Tiggy(GA)
Member Since 2011
Ask your local pharmacy or vet about a sharps container.
So did the vet change his food? What did he eat before and what is he on now?
Wendy
So did the vet change his food? What did he eat before and what is he on now?
Wendy
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