new here and angry at vet!

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papertreehouse

Member Since 2012
so I'll give you a bit of back story.
Leo is 14 yrs old, and he's always been a healthy cat. Well we have remodeling the house and we had a birds nest that fell out of the ceiling of one of the bedrooms and we think thats how he got fleas. So in sept. he was started on a reg. of flea meds. not a big deal and he was healthy when he went in. Well in nov. I started to notice that he started to get thin. So I brought him in yesterday. He's always been on dry food and 1 5.5 oz can of wet food every other day. And he was peeing alot.

so the last two days (before i went to see the vet) I did alot of research, this how I ended up here. So I read here that cats need wet food and about everything. So I was prepared going into the vets.

so I go and see the vet. First, leo needed an exam (53 dollars) all the vet did was look at his bum. Didn't listen to his heart, nothing, not his mouth or anything. All he said was that leo is thin. I was mad about this.
then the vet tells me that he needs to have some blood work, a cbc, a urine and blood glucose (I was a nurse in my prior life so I am aware of this) so I ask him how much--he says 340 dollars. I tell him, no that I can't spend that kind of money. So he says very snarky, well I guess we'll check his blood sugar for 130 dollars (remember I already suspected diabetes just needed proof)
so he comes back and tells me its diabetes. Fine, so I ask him what we should do (this gets me even more angrier) He gives me pills and tells me to give him one a day. I ask how much and he's pushing that I buy 100 at a time, aint happening so I want some for a month. So he's like "fine, its 30 dollars) and then tells me that if it doesn't work then he will have to go on insulin "but because you don't want to spend alot of money your best bet is to let your cat die" :evil: :shock: :cry:
so I ask him about food,and he tells me "to feed him whatever I'm feeding him now" umm really (I read this forum ahead of time) so as we are leaving he's asking me "how can you tell if you cat is doing better" I'm like what, I tell him I don't know. He's like, "well he won't be peeing alot" but he was so snarky, I was shocked by it.
so they told me nothing about the med, or the food or anything. I'm changing vets for sure.


so now I have questions
Leo weighs 9 pounds, how much food should I give him in the small cans (I forget what they are called, the ones you all use) or I can buy friskies too the 5.5 oz can. and how often. He needs to gain wieght.
can I leave a small bowl of dry cat food out for him or just forget about it.
can I put his pill in his food, he loves wet food and I tried it this morning and he ate it with no problems or do I have to give it too him

He's an active cat he brought me 4 mice last month.

oh I just notice that it looks like they shaved a bit under his neck to take some blood I'm assuming because he doesn't scratch himself and it looks like its cut, but they never said anything to me :evil:
 
OK I don't blame you for being mad at the vet I would have been to!!!!! First off what pill did the vet give you? Second save yourself the head ache of dealing with the vet and go buy yourself a BG meter and some strips and start testing Leo yourself so you can monitor his blood sugar. Definetly start doing this before giving insulin. Changing his diet could drop his blood sugar by around 100 so it's good to be testing. I don't know how much food you should be giving someone will be here to help you out with that soon right now my answer would be give him as much as he wants.
 
OK I'm not fimiliar with that but if you do a search for it on this page there are a few posts about it. I am sure others with more experience will be around shortly to help you out.

It will be OK Diabetes is managable and doesn't have to break the bank. You already made the best discovery and that is this board. The next step is to go get a meter and start testing to keep Leo safe.

Welcome to the Board
 
Is it glypicide? That is the only pill I have heard about and it is not popular here. It seems to put stress on the pancreas and puts off the healing time your kitty could be getting with insulin. This is an old thread but informative: http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/read.php?8,1497748 We urge new diabetics to start on a low dose of insulin and start testing at home immediately. The insulin types we like are Lantus, Levemir and ProZinc. They tend to be the most expensive part of the process but it is important that you start with one that has proven to do well in felines. The rest of the process is fairly cheap. You can get a free home testing kit from us. Click on the picture on the top of this page. You test at home so you only need to send your results to the vet for a second opinion - no expensive vet visits. The needles are best bought at the drug store; we can guide you on that.

But it does sound like your vet is not up to date on FD. Yes, wet low carb food is best. You might share the webite by Dr. Lisa with him: www.catinfo.org Truthfully, IMHO, if I were you, I would discontinue the pill, start hometesting to see what his numbers are like at home, stressfree, and give him all wet food. You also need to test for ketones if you experiment: ketones Within a day or two, you should be able to see if his numbers are really high or whether the diet change is working. Sometimes the blood glucose numbers go down a lot with the diet change. Our Oliver went down 100 points overnight. Meanwhile, if you want to, give us your city and state. Maybe we have a FD vet near you that a member could suggest.

Here is an easy way to figure out how much food to feed: 20-30 calories per pound of ideal body weight, per day. That will keep a healthy cat at its ideal weight. The range of calories is dependent upon a few factors, one of which would be level of activity.
 
Maybe you should find a different vet. Mine is a little expensive, but they always do several cost estimates for me so I can base my level of treatment on what I can afford. It stinks to have to cut corners on my sweeties, but if the money isn't there, the money isn't there... This site does have blood glucose testing kits available for a small donation (there's a little ad at the right hand side of the ads).
Yeah. I'd find a different vet. I'm paying too much for that kind of crappy bedside attitude...And your cat deserves someone who's actually going to look at him and give him the best care you can afford. If he's diabetic, it's even more important to find a GOOD vet.
 
Welcome to the boards! I'm so sorry you've had such an awful experience with that vet cat(2)_steam Where are you located? There might be someone in your area who can recommend a new one who understands FD.

From what I understand, cats don't respond well to the pills. You'd be better off getting one of the longer lasting insulins like Lantus, Levimir or ProZinc. We have plenty of people with solid experience using those insulins and we can definitely help get Leo back on track!

It's best if you can pull all dry food. Sounds like Leo won't have trouble transitioning to just wet food. You should also try to feed smaller meals throughout the day as it's easier on the pancreas. Some people use auto feeders and/or add some water to canned food and freeze small portions. You can then leave them out to thaw so kitty gets a treat a few hours after you leave (in theory).
 
Welcome to the FDMB Family!

First off Yes you can just buy Friskies but it needs to be the Pate style, nothing in gravy, so bits and shreds are out. I have 14 cats but only 2 are diabetic, everyone here eats exactly what my diabetics do. And on just a diet of Friskies pate style canned cat food one of my diabetics has gone off insulin altogether and remained insulin free now for 2 years and my second has been dropping in dose as well and I have every hope that she will also one day leave the insulin behind her.

Second..Find a new vet! Usually I try to give vets a little slack because they have to know about so many different species of animals and all that can go wrong with them so they can't possibly keep up with all the latest treatments for all those different kinds of creatures...to say "just let your cat die from diabetes is cruel and irresponsible, that would be allowing your cat to slowly starve to death with full bowl of food." My Autumn I adopted as a diabetic from someone that allowed her diabetes to go untreated for over 10 months! She is a large framed cat and when I got her she weighed under 6lbs, today 7 months later, in my care and being treated correctly she is a lean, mean 14lbs right where she should be had she never developed diabetes.

When you do find a new vet the insulins you are looking for them to prescribe would be Lantus, Levemir or ProZinc, do not allow them to give you NPH (Humulin). NPH is a short duration insulin and can cause steep drops and wears off far too quickly in a cat that metabolizes insulin twice as fast as either a human or a dog.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
 
Glyburide is sometimes prescribed for cats. Are you in Canada? However, as the other says it very sedom works. I would find another vet and get human blood glucose meter to test your cat yourself.
 
I agree about finding a new vet. Where do you live (general location)? There are members from all over the US and world here. Someone may be able to recommend a good vet.

The pills don't work so I would not bother with them. Not only that, but pilling a cat is stressful and, if not done correctly, may result in throat damage :shock: (http://catinfo.org/?link=pillingcats for how to give pills safely and avoid throat damage)

Insulin is the best choice for your cat. Lantus, Levemir, and Prozinc are the preferred choices that work well for cats. PZI can also be used. Humulin N is too short acting for cats so don't use it. If a vet prescribes Humulin R, run away from that vet as fast as you can. R is dangerous to use for cats on it's own.


papertreehouse said:
Leo weighs 9 pounds, how much food should I give him in the small cans (I forget what they are called, the ones you all use) or I can buy friskies too the 5.5 oz can. and how often. He needs to gain wieght.
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You can free feed the canned food. Some unregulated cats eat up to five 3oz cans (any brand) a day.

There are lots of brands of canned food you can feed besides Fancy Feast. Those little 3 oz cans add up in cost over time. Many people choose a brand that is available in larger sized cans, such as Friskies and Wellness and Nature's Variety Instinct.

Have you see the food charts? We use them to find low carb (under 10%) foods:
Dr. Lisa's new food chart http://www.catinfo.org/docs/Food Chart Public 9-22-12.pdf
Binky's canned food charts
Pet Food Nutritional Values list
Hobo's Guide To Nutritional Values
Dr. Lynne's Wet Food list
List of low carb gluten free Fancy Feast


can I leave a small bowl of dry cat food out for him or just forget about it.
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No, dry food is one reason why so many cats end up diabetic in the first place. It's like candy and chocolate and potato chips - junk that keeps blood glucose levels too high just like in Human diabetics.

You can leave canned food out all day. Many people here use a programmable timed feeder to do this.

can I put his pill in his food, he loves wet food and I tried it this morning and he ate it with no problems or do I have to give it too him
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See the link above for how to give pills safely. Pill Pocket treats are good. Use the duck allergy formula for dogs (yes dogs). It is diabetic-friendly. You dont need the entire Pill Pocket. Just break the Pill Pocket apart and smush the pieces around the pill t completley cover it.

Did the vet say why he prescribed pills instead of insulin?

He's an active cat he brought me 4 mice last month.
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Does your cat kill/eat the mice or does he just brings them to you as presents? You can feed your cat a raw food diet besides or in addition to canned food. There are commercial brands you can feed (look for grain-free) or you can make your own using a recipe (the one at Catinfo.org is popular here).
 
thanks guys.

first, I live in ontario, windsor area--but out in the county.

the vet gave him pills because he said the insulin was to expensive for me to afford.

He didn't tell me how much the insulin was, he just assumed I wouldn't pay for them.

I also think I caught it early because in 2 days since taking him off the dry food he looks better, also he doesn't seem dehydrated. He did pee so far once in his box and it wasn't a huge puddle.

I told dh that I'm getting a new vet, he said fine because of the way he treated us.

I think I'm going to have to give him friskies because he inhales the ff in one gulp (can you tell he loves it) so I don't think its filling him up.

funny how after 14 yrs I'm learning all this stuff about my cat. Oh I should mention, he's our mascot for my home daycare. The kids adore him and he loves them too. He lets the kids hug him and pet him, but the last month he was miserable, but now it makes sense and today he was back to his self.
 
Ah a Canadian...well you are luckier than we are in the States as I believe you don't need a script for insulin at least not for either Levemir or Lantus as those are both human insulins. If I remember correctly you can just walk into any pharmacy and get what you want. :-D

We have a bunch of Canadians around here so might want to edit your post to add that you are in Canada and need a vet recommendation and insulin advice. Or just start a new thread with something like that in the title.

A trick to fill kitty up more is to add warm water to his food, I add about half a can of water to a can of food for my bunch. Helps fill them up more, keeps them hydrated and gets the food fresher longer.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
 
papertreehouse said:
thanks guys.

first, I live in ontario, windsor area--but out in the county.

the vet gave him pills because he said the insulin was to expensive for me to afford.

He didn't tell me how much the insulin was, he just assumed I wouldn't pay for them.

I also think I caught it early because in 2 days since taking him off the dry food he looks better, also he doesn't seem dehydrated. He did pee so far once in his box and it wasn't a huge puddle.

I told dh that I'm getting a new vet, he said fine because of the way he treated us.

I think I'm going to have to give him friskies because he inhales the ff in one gulp (can you tell he loves it) so I don't think its filling him up.

funny how after 14 yrs I'm learning all this stuff about my cat. Oh I should mention, he's our mascot for my home daycare. The kids adore him and he loves them too. He lets the kids hug him and pet him, but the last month he was miserable, but now it makes sense and today he was back to his self.
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Hey, another Canadian! Boy, are you ever LUCKY!!

OK, you don't need a vet to get insulin or any supplies at all for diabetes! How lucky are we!!
Just pick up a BG meter, Shoppers Drug Mart or some place, the test strips, and lancets for that meter's device, and a container of KETOSTIX.
My favorite meter is the Bayer Contour, but my backup is the OneTouch mini. The guys in the US can use the Relion meter which is the most economical, but they are sold only in the US. Just stay clear of the Tru2Go meters which have given weird readings, and the FreeStyle meters with the butterfly technology strips which have misled many cat owners with readings too low.

Lantus is a great insulin, but I prefer Levemir because one of my two cats was tense and had more erratic BG numbers on Lantus, but she was fine on Levemir. You can pick up a pack of 5 cartridges at any pharmacy, and also a box of U100 syringes, I mostly saw just the BD brand in Toronto.

You can hometest your own cat, switch to any of the low carb wet foods listed on Dr. Lisa Pierson's site..... catinfo.org .... most people just stick with fancy feast, friskies, 9Lives, or the wet pate with no gravies or grilled or marinated flavors.

The people on this site will be able to help you every step along the way. Feline diabetes is easily managed at home with no mandatory expensive tests or curves by the vet. Before any insulin is started, you could get a fructosamine test done if you wanted as it's just an average of your cat's BG over the last few weeks, but it's really not needed.

I would STOP those pills because they sound just too much like glipizide and that's just a harmful med that will force your pancreas to work harder and all the while it's overworked as it is. These pills cause more harm than good.

See if you can find a real vet. I know that others have said it nicer, but there no way to see a value in the vet you described.

As has been suggested, change the subject in your first post from 'new here and angry at vet' to something like 'New here in Windsor ON need new vet'
 
papertreehouse said:
thanks guys.

first, I live in ontario, windsor area--but out in the county.

the vet gave him pills because he said the insulin was to expensive for me to afford.

He didn't tell me how much the insulin was, he just assumed I wouldn't pay for them.
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I don't know why a vet would just assume what your finances may be :?

Insulin cost varies. I don't know about Canada pricing but in the US a box of five Lantus SoloStar pens are rougly $250, similar price for a box of Levemir FlexPens, ProZinc (available only from the vet or from online vet pharmacy) is around $120 (likely marked up even more at the vet's), the 10 ml bottle of Lantus and the 10 ml bottle of Levemir is around $115.

I told dh that I'm getting a new vet, he said fine because of the way he treated us.
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Good :smile:

There are Ontario members here. if you edit the subject of your first post to include Ontario, members who live there will respond.

I found a post from a member who lives in your general area but that person has not been to this board since January of this year. So that's not much help.
 
It's been a yr for me but I just bought my supplies at Shoppers because I used their Optimum card for points and a couple times a yr, I had enough points to get a free pack of 5 cartridges of Levemir!
I was paying around $150 or so for the insulin 5-pack.... I have not seen any pens in Toronto, but I guess they may be available.
 
If you are a Costco member I found that was the cheapest place to get all supplies including the insulin. We used Lantus with Boomer. Also go to any drugstore and get yourself a free sharps container you are going to need it once you start testing, ours lasted about a year and a half, then you just take it back for another one. We used BD brand needles and as I said got them from Costco or Pharmasave in between trips to Costco. We bought a 5 pack of vials of Lantus it was the cheapest way mind you it was about a years supply (maybe you can find someone in your area that is willing to split a supply)
 
just to clarify.....

the 5-pack contains five cartridges of 3ml in each cartridge.

the mention of vials are little bottles that contain 10ml of insulin.

Vials, 10ml bottles, of Levemir are not available for sale in Canada, but vials of Lantus are available.

I would suggest that you do NOT get the vials because at low doses, the 3ml cartridges are much better. If you were to drop that vial, or leave it out of the frig, you may have a bigger loss than if it were just a small cartridge.
 
I am sorry that your vet isn't being helpful. Unfortunately many vets are not up to date in feline diabetes treatment. Hopefully, you will find another vet that is more on board and willing to listen to your opinions on treatment.

Was Leo diagnosed ONLY by that single blood glucose test, or was it confirmed with a urinalysis? Because stress can elevate blood glucose at the vet (Bandit can go up as much as 300 points depending on how upset he is), you need to confirm what his numbers are like at home. So you need to run out and get a glucometer (you'll need this for dosing anyway). Any human glucometer that takes a small sample .3-.6 microliters is good. You'll also need lancets (26-28g), and something to warm his ear up if you don't already have something (a rice sock, a heating pad, a warm washcloth in a plastic baggie, etc.). You can also confirm the diagnosis with a urine test (they sell urine test strips (diastix) in drug stores), but since he's likely diabetic you'll want to start home testing with a blood glucose meter asap anyway.

papertreehouse said:
Leo weighs 9 pounds, how much food should I give him in the small cans (I forget what they are called, the ones you all use) or I can buy friskies too the 5.5 oz can. and how often. He needs to gain wieght.
Click to expand...

If he needs to gain weight, you free feed, or feed him whenever he is hungry. Feed him as much as he wants. Any pate food is fine to feed as long as when you read the ingredient label there is no corn, wheat, soy, rice, or large amounts of vegetables. Fancy Feast pates are really popular here, as are the pate Friskies. You want to avoid foods with gravy.

papertreehouse said:
can I leave a small bowl of dry cat food out for him or just forget about it.
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You want to get rid of ALL the dry food. Any dry food can complicate the diabetes and keep him from getting better.

papertreehouse said:
can I put his pill in his food, he loves wet food and I tried it this morning and he ate it with no problems or do I have to give it too him
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The pills you're giving (glipizide, or generally called oral hypoglycemic drugs) are NOT recommended for use in cats. The American Animal Hospital Association guidelines only recommends them if the owner refuses insulin treatment and is considering euthanizing the cat. That's because glipizide is ineffective in most cats, and have been known to damage the pancreas even further, greatly increasing the chance that the cat will need insulin permanently, rather than go into remission.

84% of diabetic cats go into remission (meaning they are diet controlled and no longer need insulin), IF they start insulin therapy as soon as possible and the following conditions are followed:
1. A slow acting insulin is used (Lantus or Levemir)
2. You feed a low carb, canned diet only (no dry at all)
3. You adjust the dose of the insulin in .25u-.5u increments based off daily home testing numbers (testing at least 3 times a day)

I would discontinue the pills immediately and start insulin therapy as soon as you are able to get the insulin. Get a pack of the pens, or cartridges because while they are a little more expensive up front, they are way more economical in the long run. I'm not sure what prices in Canada are like (I'm assuming they're cheaper since US drug prices are out of control), but in the states a pack of 5 pens is $245 ($220 with the coupon here: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=36964). The pens are guaranteed last you at least 6 months, but more likely 12-18 months if you handle them correctly. That's only $12-$17 a month for insulin. Compare that to what you're paying per month for the pills, or a cheaper vial of insulin like caninsulin that's not so good for cats, and Lantus or Levemir end up working out to alot cheaper over time. Most importantly, they are proven to work and even cause remission in most cats, where the other treatments are mostly ineffective and will lead to further progression of the disease.
 
papertreehouse said:
Leo weighs 9 pounds, how much food should I give him in the small cans (I forget what they are called, the ones you all use) or I can buy friskies too the 5.5 oz can. and how often. He needs to gain wieght.
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Hi and welcome! :smile:

For the amount to feed, here is some information from catinfo.org:
The average cat should eat 4-6 ounces of canned food per day split between 3-4 meals/day (or just free-fed if they are not overweight) but this is just a general guideline. When determining how much you should be feeding your cat once transitioned to canned food, keep it simple. Too fat? Feed less. Too thin? Feed more.
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And also from catinfo.org:
Second method:

Since most people free-feed dry food, the amount of calories consumed in a day is not known. In this case, figure out what you think your cat *should* weigh and plug that number into this formula:

Required calories per day = [13.6 X optimal lean body weight in pounds] + 70

Most female cats should weigh a nice, lean 10 -11 pounds. Most male cats should fall into the 11 -13 pound range.

Using an optimal body weight of 12 pounds as an example, we come up with 233 calories/day as a starting point.

[13.6 X 12 pounds] + 70 = 233

This formula provides a very generous starting point (usually far too generous) so be aware that some (most) cats will not lose weight when eating the number of calories generated by this formula. I would suggest feeding according to this formula for 2 weeks and then re-evaluating the caloric needs based on the cat's weight loss, or lack thereof. Of course, if during that period of time your cat is losing weight too rapidly, you will need to increase his calorie intake immediately.
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In the example above, your cat's "ideal weight" will obviously be higher than his current weight since you're wanting Leo to gain weight and not lose it. Hope this helps!
 
Another way to help Leo gain some weight is to feed him kitten food (usually higher calories and more protein). I just recently shared a Kitten Food List of low carb options, if that helps.
 
I'll add that unregulated diabetics don't process their food correctly, so they are always hungry. Until your cat's BG's are lower, just feed him as much as he wants. He's literally starving right now.
 
Welcome to FDMB!

I'm across the river in Metro Detroit area, and have come to Windsor before to demonstrate how to test blood sugar for a newly diagnosed diabetic kitty named Roy.

You can walk into any pharmacy in Ont and get Levemir -(my personal favorite) and last time I picked some up it was about $125 Canadian. (yes, I drive to Ontario to buy my insulin when timing works out)

A 5 pack of 3 ml cartridges may last you a year. We have been using Levemir since 2009, and can usually use the 3 ml cartridge to almost the last drop. Our kitty Tiggy only needs 0.5u BID. I generally end up sharing or splitting a 5 pack with others.

If you're interested, I could maybe come meet you and show you how to test.

phoebe
 
contact venita with dcin - she posted o facebook that there are three lantus pens available in canada

DCIN knows of 3 pens of Lantus, expiration 7/2013, available in Nova Scotia Canada. Much too cold to ship now, but if you are in the province and need it, perhaps you can pick it up. Let me know at Venita@dcin.info.

not sure if this is near you, but may be worth checking out....

and be sure to check out supply closet for insulin and other items too
 
I'm in Winnipeg, Manitoba. From the info I read on this board, I quickly realized I had to change vets between diagnosis and starting on insulin. The first vet was using an insulin that's good for dogs, not cats, and was really defensive and snarky when I asked any questions - especially about costs! The good part is, I found a great vet that uses Lantus, supports home testing, and is very reasonably priced - even closer to my home, too! So it pays to ask questions at a few vets until you hear answers that line up with what the experienced people here say about treating diabetes in cats. It makes so much difference to have a good relationship with a vet you trust.

I can get Lantus in 3 mL bottles, one at a time as needed, directly from my vet. So that may be an option for you from a different vet, too, since you're also in Canada.
 
here's an update.

so I stopped the pills. and I've been feeding him 3 cans of FF everyday since last monday I think. Now I havent' checked his levels yet because I've been really busy to hit a store (I have 4 kids and this has been a really long and sad week) but I will tell you this, leo was declawed 14 yrs ago, the last 6 months his one paw kept bleeding, it was like a nail was trying to regrow. The vet when I took him in sept. was no help (he was a jerk) but the last month it seemed to get worse. Well since I have been feeding him wet food suddenly his paw has started to heal up, and I mean there is a tiny little scab. So I do know that he's getting better. He also doesn't seem as dehydrated at all, he's not sucking up all the water out of toilet anymore, and he's not peeing large puddles in the litter box. Gee I wish the vet would have just told me all the benefits of wet food, none of this would have happened.
 
Hi I am in Oshawa. You can get 5 solostar lantus pens (3ml of lantus in each) for $99 in Costco. Depending on his dose,this could last you a long time... like 6 months or longer. FYI The 10ml lantus vial is about $75 but it can expire before you finish it.. pens last longer.

I get the BD short 3/10 syringes. Box of 100 for $30 in Walmart. Havent priced them out in Costco but its probably cheaper there too.
 
It's good to see that just the change to wet food has had some benefits! Cats are not thirst driven. They are designed to get their moisture from their food/prey and it seems you are able to see some of that at work right off the bat. It will be interesting to see what your numbers are once you get to hometesting. Sounds like you've had a rough week - hope it gets better for you! :YMHUG:
 
Here is a shopping list for hometesting:


A human glucometer. Any one that sips and takes a tiny sample is fine. Some members stay away from any meter with True in the name and the Freestyle meters. Some people think they are unreliable and read lower than other meters. The meters are often free at drug stores; it’s the strips that are expensive. You can, however, buy them on ebay at less than half the price of stores. Lots of people here also like the ReliOn from Walmart. It is an inexpensive meter and its strips are the cheapest around. Try the meter out on yourself or someone else before you try it on your cat. You want to be familiar with it before you poke the cat.

Lancets and a lancet device. Usually, until the ears “learn” to bleed, a 26-28 gauge is good. Any brand will work as long as the lancets match your device.

Ketone strips. (Ketostix) Just like human diabetics use. You will sometimes need to test urine if the numbers are high.

Rice sack. Make this out of thinnish sock, filled with raw rice or oatmeal and then knotted. You heat this in the microwave until very warm but not hot. Then heat the ears before poking. You can also use a prescription bottle filled with very warm water. It provides a good surface to poke against.

Also nice to have. Flashlight: so you can look at the ears and find the little capillaries that come off the vein running down the ear. Vaseline: Put a tiny smear where you want to poke. It will help the blood bead up.

And some lo carb treats to give your kitty, successful test or not Lo carb treats
 
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