New member - looking for guidance

[LisaIreneP]

Hello, came here via the FB group.
My guy Schmidt (17 lbs) is newly diagnosed. Vet took a catalyst test and BG showed 372. They also took his BG on the monitor and it showed 404 which is quite a difference. No ketones at diagnoses. I have been doing so much research that my head is spinning. He is an aggressive kitty at the vet and they always need to sedate him for any testing. He is angry taking any medicine at home to where we need to wrap him in a burrito and so I am very fearful for the daily readings that may be in my future.
My question, does anyone know how many kitties have been successful in getting sugar down with just a diet change? Vet told me I shouldn't try that route but the welcome message on FB said that if there were no ketones at diagnosis, then for me to try and just switch his kibble to wet food first before insulin treatment because some cats have been successful. I started that as well as freeze dried chicken treats. I also tried to prick him several times last night to get his first readings and was unsuccessful and extremely emotional feeling like I am failing my little guy and seeing him flinch with each prick.
I guess I am just looking for success stories where this route worked. I am not against giving insulin and have definitely researched it, but I know it will just be a bit more difficult with my angry guy. Wanted to try this route and if not successful, being the treatments. I also bought Metyhl b12 to help with the weakness in back limbs. How many times a day should I be feeding him?

Thank you.

 

[Hendrick Cuddleclaw]

Hi Lisa and Schmidt. Sorry to hear of his health trouble but you have found the right place.

I am very new to all this, my cat Hendrick was diagnosed on 1/5/22. I cannot offer much advice (nor should I) as I am still learning so much but I did want to just chime in, welcome you, and tell you there is hope. I have read many stories like yours and people were successful, with help they got here, in both doing regular home BG testing and getting their kitties healthy again either with diet or insulin or both.

I thought doing home BG testing with the ear pokes was going to be flat out impossible but here we are a couple months later and it is routine. I still can't believe it! But only way I got there was with all the help I got here.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

Vet took a catalyst test and BG showed 372. They also took his BG on the monitor and it showed 404 which is quite a difference.

The accuracy of the hand held BG meters is only +/- 15% to 20%. Thus there is not real difference between the 373 and 404. 404-minus 15% is 343

 

[Angela & Cleo]

Hello, came here via the FB group.
My guy Schmidt (17 lbs) is newly diagnosed. Vet took a catalyst test and BG showed 372. They also took his BG on the monitor and it showed 404 which is quite a difference. No ketones at diagnoses. I have been doing so much research that my head is spinning. He is an aggressive kitty at the vet and they always need to sedate him for any testing. He is angry taking any medicine at home to where we need to wrap him in a burrito and so I am very fearful for the daily readings that may be in my future.
My question, does anyone know how many kitties have been successful in getting sugar down with just a diet change? Vet told me I shouldn't try that route but the welcome message on FB said that if there were no ketones at diagnosis, then for me to try and just switch his kibble to wet food first before insulin treatment because some cats have been successful. I started that as well as freeze dried chicken treats. I also tried to prick him several times last night to get his first readings and was unsuccessful and extremely emotional feeling like I am failing my little guy and seeing him flinch with each prick.
I guess I am just looking for success stories where this route worked. I am not against giving insulin and have definitely researched it, but I know it will just be a bit more difficult with my angry guy. Wanted to try this route and if not successful, being the treatments. I also bought Metyhl b12 to help with the weakness in back limbs. How many times a day should I be feeding him?

Thank you.

Hi and welcome.
I don't know about remission rates from diet change alone. I also researched that after my Cleo was diagnosed hoping that it would be enough too. Cleo is the same - hates to be touched unless she initiates the touch. She has a three stroke maximum then swipes if you try to pet her a fourth time. Cleo's primary Vet doesn't require her to be sedated to handle her but several of the other vets and some of the staff in the same clinic won't come near her unless she is sedated. Her growls would scare a wolf.
I understand the anxiety and fear. I still can't consistently home test her - I've only been successful 4 times in over a month and opted to have the FreeStyle Libre in her so I wasn't shooting insulin blind. I haven't given up home testing just yet - still trying and this message board has a lot of tips, tricks and tutorials to get there. I'm not there yet but I will be (fingers crossed). I'm watching this video

- and some others which were posted throughout this message board, trying to acclimate Cleo to touch and eventually testing.
But the insulin injections are second nature now! My angry cat doesn't even notice the insulin injections - too distracted by being fed.

I'm new at this too so the only advice I feel comfortable to give is to breathe...slowly and often....and cry in the shower if you need to, but this place (FDMB) is so supportive and nurturing to us Humans that it makes it soooo much easier to take care of the furbaby!

 

[Veronica & Babu-chiri]

First of all welcome!!

And you are off to a very good start, regarding your question yes some cats can be controlled with just diet but most don't but you could try the food change for a few days, I think that what you could do is change the diet and keep him on a low carb high protein diet while you get hang of testing, and after a week or so when the new diet has kicked in if his numbers are still high then you can start giving insulin with this approach you can actually address both issues see if his numbers will come down just with diet and practice how to test and if his numbers are still high after a week or so then you start insulin

I think learning how to test is hard for everyone, and if the cat is aggressive is even harder but with patience ( A LOT OF PATIENCE) you will get the hang of it, testing while he's wrapped burrito style will probably be necessary plus a lot of other techniques (bribing him with some treat does help a lot) but keep trying. Babu as loving as he is, he can be tender and caring with me and even hugh me as we sleep he is not easy to handle even now old as he is he's a handful, at the vet it has to be me who handles him since no one else would dare (obviously is the mom who can not really say no who has to do it) and everyone there is just afraid of him, but after some time he now allows me to test him without any restraints and in a reasonable calm manner and the same happened with meds after years of pilling him he now accepts them ok, with the help of a pill popper( I mean he is not civil enough for me put my fingers inside his mouth that would be risking them)

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

Always aim for the sweet spot warm the ears up first, you can put rice in a sock and put it in the microwave, test it on the inside of your wrist to be sure it's not to hot, like you would test a babies bottle. You can fill a pill bottle with warm water and roll it on the ears also.Just keep rubbing the ears with your fingers to warm them up

6. As the ears get used to bleeding and grow more capilares, it gets easier to get the amount of blood you need on the first try. If he won’t stand still, you can get the blood onto a clean finger nail and test from there.
When you do get some blood you can try milking the ear.
Get you finger and gently push up toward the blood , more will appear
You will put the cotton round behind his ear in case you poke your finger, after you are done testing you will fold the cotton round over his ear to stop the bleeding , press gently for about 20 seconds until it stops
Get 26 or 28 gauge lancets
A lot of us use the lancets to test freehand
I find it better to see where I'm aiming
You can also put a thin layer of vaseline on the ear ,to help the blood bead up

Here is a video one of our members did
VIDEO: How to test your cat's blood sugar

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

. How many times a day should I be feeding him?

We feed our cats multiple times a day
If the diet change doesn't help and you have to start insulin we feed them their bigger meal in the AM when you test and give insulin and same goes for the PM
Then smaller meals during each 12 hour cycle

Just keep us updated and keep asking questions

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

If you are not giving insulin and the BG is above normal, I would recommend you test the urine for Ketones at least every second day.