New cat on the block

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LaurieL

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Hi, I'm Laurie and since last Sunday I've had a crash course in feline diabetes. On Friday, April 8, I took my cat Gracie (age 7) to have her teeth cleaned and by early Sunday morning she had become very sick. The vet at the emergency animal hospital gave us the bad news...diabetes. Her glucose was 322 and because she also had ketones the vet said that she wasn't just stressed from the dental cleaning/anesthesia. Gracie stayed there so she could get an IV with insulin and things like potassium to improve her electrolytes. On Wednesday evening they taught me how to give her the shots and we were able to bring her home. Since then, I've been reading all about how to care for her, and this website has been very helpful! The vet didn't tell me to check her blood glucose, but after reading about hometesting here I went out yesterday and got a glucometer. I even surprised myself when I was able to do a successful first test without upsetting Gracie too much. (I think the warm rice sock helped a lot!)
Gracie's numbers while in the animal hospital were stable in the low 200's. The first hometest yesterday was 206. Right now she's getting 1 unit of Lantus twice a day. I have been feeding my cats canned food and a little dry food at night (one of my 3 cats is crazy about his "dry crunchies". ) But now I'm only buying the low carb brands recommended for diabetic cats, and the dry feedings are gone except for burying some in the fussy guy's wet food while he learns to eat only wet food. Gracie's definitely feeling better and has been eating better than she was before her teeth cleaning. (I had thought her recent change in appetite may have been because of tooth problems, and in fact she did have a fractured tooth that was pulled during the cleaning .) This Wednesday she's returning to the animal hospital for the day so that the vet who had been caring for her can do a curve. The people who work there have been so good to Gracie and very helpful to me. I'm so thankful that they saved Gracie's life, and I'm also thankful for everything I've learned here already!
 
Hi Laurie and Gracie,

It sounds you have got it together. Fantastic that you are testing at home. The diet sounds good. Lantus is a good, mild insulin. There is a very successful protocol here that works to get cats to regulation and remission. Check out all the starred stickies on this Lantus support group page: viewforum.php?f=9

The other piece is a spreadsheet. We have this great tool to keep track of doses, patterns and history. It helps you to see what is happening, and helps us when you need dose info. We have been having some trouble with it on some computers. Be sure to ask for help if you need it.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18207

If money is an issue, you can do the curve at home instead of at the vet. We maintain home numbers are more valid, as cats can get stressed at the vet, and stress raises bg levels.
 
You also want to keep track of her ketones, using ketone strips are a good way or they have ketone monitors on the market. How high were her ketones? you want to watch those .... hopefully the dental was messing but ketones can be extremely dangerous once a cat starts to throw them off. Just be aware, especially watch that she eats well. Congrats on home testing!
Nancy and Payne
 
I am so glad that you are hometesting. I wonder about the 206 reading. I think the recommendation for newbies is not to give insulin if the BG is 200 or below. If she is already at 206 at home and was running in the 200s at the vet (which is usually higher there), I wonder if she really is a diabetic. My new vet said that if there is some kind of infection, it may show up in the blood work as being diabetic when they really may not be. Was there something else going on at the time? If the diet was changed to wet high protein low carb, she may be diet controlled. I would certainly be prepared in the event of a hypo now since the numbers are lower. Hang in there.
 
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
The other piece is a spreadsheet. We have this great tool to keep track of doses, patterns and history. It helps you to see what is happening, and helps us when you need dose info. We have been having some trouble with it on some computers. Be sure to ask for help if you need it.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18207

.

This will be a challenge for me since I'm not very good with computers. I've been keeping a log book to show the vet but I can see how helpful having the spreadsheet here would be. More to learn, I guess.
 
Nancy and Payne said:
You also want to keep track of her ketones, using ketone strips are a good way or they have ketone monitors on the market. How high were her ketones? you want to watch those .... hopefully the dental was messing but ketones can be extremely dangerous once a cat starts to throw them off. Just be aware, especially watch that she eats well. Congrats on home testing!
Nancy and Payne
I don't know an actual number for ketones but I'll ask. Thanks.
 
Larry and Kitties said:
You are doing a good job. I am just wondering if a blood panel was done before the dental.
No blood panel, and I'm kicking myself for not doing it. Our regular vet had offered to do lab work when I told her I was worried about the anesthesia but I didn't do it.
 
underdawg said:
I am so glad that you are hometesting. I wonder about the 206 reading. I think the recommendation for newbies is not to give insulin if the BG is 200 or below. If she is already at 206 at home and was running in the 200s at the vet (which is usually higher there), I wonder if she really is a diabetic. My new vet said that if there is some kind of infection, it may show up in the blood work as being diabetic when they really may not be. Was there something else going on at the time? If the diet was changed to wet high protein low carb, she may be diet controlled. I would certainly be prepared in the event of a hypo now since the numbers are lower. Hang in there.

Yesterday I bought the glucometer and the first/practice reading (when it measured 206) was about 5 hours after her morning shot. Tonight she tested at 304 right before her meal and 8pm shot.
 
Laurie it sounds like your in the middle of a food switch for the kitties too which will dramatically lower the bg's. i would be testing quite often and perhaps even lowering the dose and your numbers are already not really high.
once the pain and infection from the dental wears off you may see decreased numbers from that as well.
do you have so high carb canned food, honey or karo, the stuff you might need suddenly if your kitties numbers go low?
And WELCOME! :-D
 
lori and tom said:
Laurie it sounds like your in the middle of a food switch for the kitties too which will dramatically lower the bg's. i would be testing quite often and perhaps even lowering the dose and your numbers are already not really high.
once the pain and infection from the dental wears off you may see decreased numbers from that as well.
do you have so high carb canned food, honey or karo, the stuff you might need suddenly if your kitties numbers go low?
And WELCOME! :-D
Thanks, Lori. Yes, I've got Karo.
Last night Gracie's bg was 304, and this morning before feeding/shot it was 310. I still have a lot to learn about these bg curves.
Our regular vet gave Gracie an antibiotic shot sometime during the dental visit and since it's supposed to last for 2 weeks she should still be covered.
 
Hi! Just wanted to say welcome, Laurie and Gracie. So good that she has gotten her dental taken care of. And, you're doing amazingly well by already home testing. Good for you for being so proactive. Not all vets are "on board" with home testing. I had to change vets because of it. Hopefully, yours will work with you. The rice sock definitely helps a lot, as does rubbing their ear.

Good luck. You're in a great place!
 
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