new member 1st dose Lantus BG 234 please help walk through!

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Jazmin

Jazmin

Member Since 2015
Hi! Im planning on doing Io's first shot at 6am. It was kind of a struggle to do his BG test this morning, but I got 234 on a human meter. The vet said to do two units once/day but I think Im going to do one unit 2x/day? Is that good? I know I should mies en place and get everything ready to go. Should I try to get another BG test or I just feed him and give him his insulin?
 
Great that you were able to get the BG test. Yes 1u is a good starting dose. You can now feed and shoot. Try to get another test at +2 or 3
 
Sharon14 said:
Great that you were able to get the BG test. Yes 1u is a good starting dose. You can now feed and shoot. Try to get another test at +2 or 3
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Im having a really hard time getting him to eat anything. He'll only eat if I take his pate and rip it into small chunks and put it in my hand, and I usually have to (gently) forcefully put some in his mouth. Im not sure how much he should be eating at insulin times. Also I really struggled getting enough blood for the BG test. I had to poke him so many times and then one time I accidentally poked myself :facepalm:
 
Is that normal for him to not want to eat? Have you tried warming the food a bit and stirring it good? That helps release aromas to help entice him to eat. Also you may want to look into getting some Forti Flora. A sprinkle on top of the food gets my kibble addict to eat his pate.
 
Sharon14 said:
Is that normal for him to not want to eat? Have you tried warming the food a bit and stirring it good? That helps release aromas to help entice him to eat. Also you may want to look into getting some Forti Flora. A sprinkle on top of the food gets my kibble addict to eat his pate.
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Very abnormal for him to not eat. Though since monday his appetite greatly decreased. Last night he ate the most he has in days but that was doing the whole hand thing. He'll make really low weird noises too while eating that I've never heard from him before. I'll look into the forti flora though and try microwaving thank you!
 
Are you testing for ketones? That’s always a wise thing to do, especially if they are off their feed.
 
Ok, I just read your previous post and see that the vet found ketones in the last few days. It is very important that you get a ketone test in, especially if he’s not eating well. If you can’t get one, please call your vet and take him in to let them test him. Not enough food and water can make ketones go up quickly. If he’s not peeing normally it may point to a UTI and he would then also need some antibiotics.
 
Sharon14 said:
Ok, I just read your previous post and see that the vet found ketones in the last few days. It is very important that you get a ketone test in, especially if he’s not eating well. If you can’t get one, please call your vet and take him in to let them test him. Not enough food and water can make ketones go up quickly. If he’s not peeing normally it may point to a UTI and he would then also need some antibiotics.
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Does the urine need to be fresh for this? I was going to try putting down some plastic wrap in his litter box do collect the urine
 
Try adding water to the Pate and mush it up with your fingers, maybe try raising his dish put it on something for him to make it closer for him. you are doing great
 
Sharon14 said:
Yes. You can feed throughout the day. Just not 2 hours before the PM Preshot test.
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I got him to eat a fair bit but hes still making like odd low meow noises while eating which is so bizarre he is usually high pitched a squeaky. I mashed up his pate with some water and slightly warmed it and put it in my hand again and he ate for maybe three minutes? I gotta go back to work now but I hope he eats some more (though I doubt it)
 
Jazmin, I'm just jumping it to say that you rocked your first testing and injection! And bonus for getting the urine sample too! So happy his ketone level has fallen.

When my Billy was diagnosed, he was pretty sick. He didn't eat for two days. Keep encouraging Io, and hopefully his appetite will return soon. If it doesn't, you might ask your vet if he might need a nausea med. Stinky, fishy food might help trigger his appetite as well. Since his appetite isn't good, I'm really glad you decided to go with the one unit twice a day. It's safer with a kitty not eating his usual.
 
Jazmin said:
I got him to eat a fair bit but hes still making like odd low meow noises while eating which is so bizarre he is usually high pitched a squeaky. I mashed up his pate with some water and slightly warmed it and put it in my hand again and he ate for maybe three minutes? I gotta go back to work now but I hope he eats some more (though I doubt it)
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if you can, get a video of the sounds he’s making. I have one cat that used to make a kinda growl sound when eating if I or another cat came by. Now that he’s been here awhile and knows No one will take the food from him he’s stopped the noise
 
Juls and Billy said:
Jazmin, I'm just jumping it to say that you rocked your first testing and injection! And bonus for getting the urine sample too! So happy his ketone level has fallen.

When my Billy was diagnosed, he was pretty sick. He didn't eat for two days. Keep encouraging Io, and hopefully his appetite will return soon. If it doesn't, you might ask your vet if he might need a nausea med. Stinky, fishy food might help trigger his appetite as well. Since his appetite isn't good, I'm really glad you decided to go with the one unit twice a day. It's safer with a kitty not eating his usual.
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Ha I just responded to you on the other thread! Thank you for your words of encouragement! Is it safe to feed him some like canned tuna or salmon? I don't eat meat personally so Im not really sure how to go about buying it especially for my little guy.
 
Sharon14 said:
if you can, get a video of the sounds he’s making. I have one cat that used to make a kinda growl sound when eating if I or another cat came by. Now that he’s been here awhile and knows No one will take the food from him he’s stopped the noise
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I do have a video, is there a way for me to share it?
 
Jazmin said:
Ha I just responded to you on the other thread! Thank you for your words of encouragement! Is it safe to feed him some like canned tuna or salmon? I don't eat meat personally so Im not really sure how to go about buying it especially for my little guy.
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Even a fish flavor of pate can help. You could try a little canned tuna or salmon just to get him eating again, or sprinkle a little of it over his normal food. It's the stinky factor that helps. The smell can help kick start the appetite.
 
Were you able to get ketone test strips? If not, can you please get some?

I may be overly concerned but whenever I hear about a kitty that had ketones at the vet, isn't eating well, and seems lethargic, I worry. Ketones can go from something to not be overly worried about to life threatening levels is a surprisingly short period of time -- just hours. The triky part with the strips that are at pharmacies is that you have to catch your cat urinating to get a reading. There are blood ketone meters but you may need to call around to see if where you can find one (other than online). Strips for the ketone meters are expensive but it's less of an ordeal to get a reading.
 
Sienne and Gabby (GA) said:
Were you able to get ketone test strips? If not, can you please get some?

I may be overly concerned but whenever I hear about a kitty that had ketones at the vet, isn't eating well, and seems lethargic, I worry. Ketones can go from something to not be overly worried about to life threatening levels is a surprisingly short period of time -- just hours. The triky part with the strips that are at pharmacies is that you have to catch your cat urinating to get a reading. There are blood ketone meters but you may need to call around to see if where you can find one (other than online). Strips for the ketone meters are expensive but it's less of an ordeal to get a reading.
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I do have ketone test strips! Can I use his BG meter with the ketone test strip or is that a whole other meter. He's like mildly active and moving around a bit here and there.
 
LOL, My cats all came to attention and started looking around for Io when I played the video! That’s similar to the sound my cat made when he first came here. Did the vet check his teeth?
 
There are urinary ketone test strips (Ketostix). There are some meters that will test blood for both glucose and ketones. For example, the NovaMax Plus meter tests for both glucose and ketones as does the Precision Xtra meter. I don't know what kind of ketone strips you have so I can't really give you accurate information.

If Io's behavior is normal, except for the eating, I'm a bit less concerned. Just keep in mind, there's a basic "recipe" for how ketones develop -- not enough insulin + not enough calories + an infection or inflammation = ketones.
 
Sienne and Gabby (GA) said:
There are urinary ketone test strips (Ketostix). There are some meters that will test blood for both glucose and ketones. For example, the NovaMax Plus meter tests for both glucose and ketones as does the Precision Xtra meter. I don't know what kind of ketone strips you have so I can't really give you accurate information.

If Io's behavior is normal, except for the eating, I'm a bit less concerned. Just keep in mind, there's a basic "recipe" for how ketones develop -- not enough insulin + not enough calories + an infection or inflammation = ketones.
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They sent off his urine for like a culture test to see if there was an infection but said I probably wouldnt hear anything till tomorrow. I have Ketostix Reagent strips for urinalysis. Im also using a true metrix meter for his BG testing. He's not as active as he was but more so than he was monday or tuesday.
 
Sharon14 said:
LOL, My cats all came to attention and started looking around for Io when I played the video! That’s similar to the sound my cat made when he first came here. Did the vet check his teeth?
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They did, he said they would need to be cleaned eventually but thats not a main concern right now
 
If Io had any kind of inflammation in his mouth, it is a concern. It can contribute to the infection/inflammation part of why ketones develop.

Your meter only tests for glucose. If you can stalk Io to the litter box and get a urine sample on the Ketostix that's great. If your kitty is shy about you're being around at litter box time, you're best served to get a meter.
 
Sienne and Gabby (GA) said:
If Io had any kind of inflammation in his mouth, it is a concern. It can contribute to the infection/inflammation part of why ketones develop.

Your meter only tests for glucose. If you can stalk Io to the litter box and get a urine sample on the Ketostix that's great. If your kitty is shy about you're being around at litter box time, you're best served to get a meter.
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Does the urine have to be fresh for the test to work or can I do the plastic wrap trick?
 
I looked up about freshness of urine for testing, and everything said dip strip into fresh urine. Hopefully Sienne will know more.
 
Freshly voided urine is best for urine testing of ketones.

There is also the 'breath test' to check for a sweet, sort of fruity smell. Always smelled like overripe bananas to me. You need a good sense of smell and a cooperative cat. Some people compare the smell of ketones to acetone, same ingredient as in nail polish remover.

Other ideas for Testing and Catching Urine are in this document.

Cats that have muscle damage in their hind quarters are sometimes unable to express their bladders. They need manual help a couple of times a day to void their bladder so it does not burst. NOT to be done without experience. I never learned how, but there were other people at my local shelter who knew how, and they were willing to teach any potential adopters how to express a cat's bladder.

With male cats, it is sometimes possible to press very, very gently on their urethra to get some urine. Again, NOT something to be done without experience and a very cooperative cat.

p.s Sorry, was not around this AM. Emergency dental visit. Another one tomorrow. Might not be around much the next few days. I know personally what not wanting to eat because of dental/mouth pain feels like.

Thank you to everyone for pitching in this morning and throughout the day. Emergencies happen.
 
Deb & Wink said:
Freshly voided urine is best for urine testing of ketones.

There is also the 'breath test' to check for a sweet, sort of fruity smell. Always smelled like overripe bananas to me. You need a good sense of smell and a cooperative cat. Some people compare the smell of ketones to acetone, same ingredient as in nail polish remover.

Other ideas for Testing and Catching Urine are in this document.

Cats that have muscle damage in their hind quarters are sometimes unable to express their bladders. They need manual help a couple of times a day to void their bladder so it does not burst. NOT to be done without experience. I never learned how, but there were other people at my local shelter who knew how, and they were willing to teach any potential adopters how to express a cat's bladder.

With male cats, it is sometimes possible to press very, very gently on their urethra to get some urine. Again, NOT something to be done without experience and a very cooperative cat.

p.s Sorry, was not around this AM. Emergency dental visit. Another one tomorrow. Might not be around much the next few days. I know personally what not wanting to eat because of dental/mouth pain feels like.

Thank you to everyone for pitching in this morning and throughout the day. Emergencies happen.
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Oh no! I hope everything is okay, dental issues are such a pain.

Ive noticed today too Io is particularly sneezey? Should I call my vet about that?
 
Deb & Wink said:
Freshly voided urine is best for urine testing of ketones.

There is also the 'breath test' to check for a sweet, sort of fruity smell. Always smelled like overripe bananas to me. You need a good sense of smell and a cooperative cat. Some people compare the smell of ketones to acetone, same ingredient as in nail polish remover.

Other ideas for Testing and Catching Urine are in this document.

Cats that have muscle damage in their hind quarters are sometimes unable to express their bladders. They need manual help a couple of times a day to void their bladder so it does not burst. NOT to be done without experience. I never learned how, but there were other people at my local shelter who knew how, and they were willing to teach any potential adopters how to express a cat's bladder.

With male cats, it is sometimes possible to press very, very gently on their urethra to get some urine. Again, NOT something to be done without experience and a very cooperative cat.

p.s Sorry, was not around this AM. Emergency dental visit. Another one tomorrow. Might not be around much the next few days. I know personally what not wanting to eat because of dental/mouth pain feels like.

Thank you to everyone for pitching in this morning and throughout the day. Emergencies happen.
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Here’s his urine results I found from yesterday. Not sure if helpful
 

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I really can't read ther image. What is the fourth from the bottom in the upper part that is for the urine dipstick values. is it KET 180....?
 
You can place some plastic into the litter box to catch the urine to test for ketones. If you tested for ketones and got a trace to small amount of ketones a couple of hours ago I would try and get another test in soon as you can. As Sienne said, ketones can increase quickly and need to be monitored closely.
I would leave fresh plastic in the LB at all times at the moment to catch urine samples.

Try and get Io to eat as much as you can as food is really important if ketones are present. Also add some fluids if he will allow it.
 
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I would call your vet about the results on the lab test. I can't imagine that a vet would send a cat home with large ketones.

Yes, you need fresh urine.

@Deb & Wink - if you can smell ketones on a cat's breath, run, do not walk to the emergency vet. In all likelihood, a cat is in full blown DKA and not just developing ketones if you can smell acetone on your kitty's breath.
 
Sienne and Gabby (GA) said:
I would call your vet about the results on the lab test. I can't imagine that a vet would send a cat home with large ketones.

Yes, you need fresh urine.

@Deb & Wink - if you can smell ketones on a cat's breath, run, do not walk to the emergency vet. In all likelihood, a cat is in full blown DKA and not just developing ketones if you can smell acetone on your kitty's breath.
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I did a urine test this morning and came back negative! Also last night after our +3 BG test and eating more food he Was the most like himself he’s been in days!!! I cried! This morning he even did his usual of asking to be picked up. I really hope this continues
 
Great news with negative ketones!!. Can to pop the result in the remarks column of the SS please, so it can be seen when we open the SS? Thanks
Keep up with extra food if you can, that is very important.
And keep testing for ketones daily.
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
Great news with negative ketones!!. Can to pop the result in the remarks column of the SS please, so it can be seen when we open the SS? Thanks
Keep up with extra food if you can, that is very important.
And keep testing for ketones daily.
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Will do! I’ve been continuing the add water to his pate as well. I think he has a kitty cold that maybe he picked up from the vet. I feel so bad, like he can’t catch a break.
 
Io is doing awesome so far, it just takes time. It took Billy a good week for us to really see him acting more himself. And even then, you don't get a steady rate of them feeling better every day. Bill's been off the insulin 11 days now, and he still has days when he's mostly sitting around and sleeping. And then Brian and I worry, but he's fine. We're just used to watching his every tiny reaction now!

I hope Io didn't pick up a cold, but even if he did, I think you are taking great care of him and I think he's going to start feeling better and better.
 
What's with your vet? Kitties are supposed to get lantus twice a day, as I see above that you figured out, rah for you. I mention this as it may be a warning sign of a misinformed vet. Feline diabetes is a small area of veterinary medicine, so misinformed vets are out there. M'row has finally figured out eating (fancy feast pate, sometimes with a little water mixed in) (or a bit of juice from tuna canned in water mixed in), but in the early days sometimes I'd dump one or two tablespoons of catnip on top; he likes this too.
 
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