New member - scared and overwhelmed

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Jenny Ellen said:
We had a rough night.

I had talked to the vet at 4:30 p.m.. She said she thought Comet would eat a lot of the DM for his evening meal and that I could give him a full unit; I wasn't so sure. She said to offer him chicken baby food if he didn't. Ran out to get some. She said the important thing was to get him to eat.

So offered him food at the regular time. He was not interested. Offered different food. Still not interested. Offered chicken baby food. Still not interested. Offered water. Sniffed but didn't drink.

He'd had a couple of stinky, pretty soft poops earlier in the afternoon (because of the DM/diet change?); I thought maybe his belly was upset and that's why he wasn't interested. Called the emergency nurse and confirmed that we had not done and should not do a shot. They said to keep trying on the food front, and that if he still didn't eat anything overnight to bring him in in the morning, and to call again if things got worse.

Well, at 10:50, he threw up. I was horrified. But... it was a hairball! A pretty considerable one. And then he drank some water, and ate a quarter of a can of FF, followed by more water. Had a small pee and poop around midnight. Put down a jar of chicken baby food around 4:00; he ate with interest but not all at once. When I checked around 6:00 it was gone; I put out a small pouch of salmon and tuna, which he ate with his brother -- he had several bites.

He seems so much better now.

Waiting for the clinic to open at 8:00 so I can call and work out a plan for the day and see if he should go in. I am not sure if he should get insulin at his regular morning time or a reduced dose or if timing and dose should be adjusted somehow or put off further. Feeling cautious. I just want what is best for him. Next shot would normally be at 10:00, but since he missed last night's, I would guess today's first shot timing would be more flexible?
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since you skipped last night, yes, just do the shot whenever is most convienent. Glad it was just a hairball bothering him. My cats are getting a lot of hairballs this time of year too.
 
Jenny Ellen said:
Well, at 10:50, he threw up. I was horrified. But... it was a hairball! A pretty considerable one. And then he drank some water, and ate a quarter of a can of FF, followed by more water. Had a small pee and poop around midnight. Put down a jar of chicken baby food around 4:00; he ate with interest but not all at once. When I checked around 6:00 it was gone; I put out a small pouch of salmon and tuna, which he ate with his brother -- he had several bites.
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OMG how many times has this happened to me!!! I'm sorry but that made me LOL told hubby and he did the same:p
 
So talked to nurse at clinic at 8:38. She said to feed him at 9:30 and call her at 10:00 and we would determine dose. So I put down a can of FF. He ate 1/4? Maybe 1/3? Was interested an happy to do it, but then came over to sit at the foot of the bed next to his brother. I am channeling "Go eat more!" thoughts at him. Maybe with what he has had since the hairball that would be enough for a dose? Or since he got the baby food at 4:00-something? I don't know.
 
Your testing equipment won't arrive until sometime today, correct?

One possibility is that he's in better numbers than he was before and feeling better, and his hunger is lessened so he doesn't feel like eating as much at one sitting. It's hard to say, though, until you can test.

It's a good sign that he's eating and happy to eat, even if he isn't eating as much as you'd like at one sitting. Also, Lantus doesn't really kick in until a couple hours post-shot, so he has time to finish his meal before then.
 
Nan & Amber (GA) said:
Your testing equipment won't arrive until sometime today, correct?

One possibility is that he's in better numbers than he was before and feeling better, and his hunger is lessened so he doesn't feel like eating as much at one sitting. It's hard to say, though, until you can test.

It's a good sign that he's eating and happy to eat, even if he isn't eating as much as you'd like at one sitting. Also, Lantus doesn't really kick in until a couple hours post-shot, so he has time to finish his meal before then.
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Yes, it is supposed to arrive today.

He ate a few bites more and then peed right before I had to call the nurse again. Ketones negative, glucose brown. She talked with the vet and they said to give the full unit and monitor him. I told them I was worried about him going hypo with a full unit and she said he would be fine, that he had gotten enough in earlier combined with what he had eaten now. I was to take away what was left of his food and feed him something small later/mid-day. The vet he saw yesterday will call me at two once she gets in.

I hate this time of day now. He and his brother are usually napping. Now I am always worried, "Is it really a nap? Is he dropping too low?" So I go over and check on him, or call his name or make a noise to see if how alertly he reacts. Hardly restful for him.
 
If it were me, I would leave food down for Comet all day, except for the two hours before he's due his next dose (assuming your meter arrives and you will be able to check his preshot BG level this evening). Even during those two hours I'd watch him like a hawk and if he sought food I'd give it to him straight away.

Jenny Ellen said:
He and his brother are usually napping. Now I am always worried, "Is it really a nap? Is he dropping too low?" So I go over and check on him, or call his name or make a noise to see if how alertly he reacts. Hardly restful for him.
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I have done exactly the same thing. :D He'll forgive you for interrupting his beauty sleep. ;)

In case you haven't yet seen these in the FAQs:

Home Testing Links and Tips

Testing and Injection Tips (good diagram of where to test on the ear in this one)

Also, here is the information you'll need to get Comet's spreadsheet going:

FDMB Spreadsheet Instructions

Understanding the Spreadsheet Grid

If you need help setting up the spreadsheet give a shout and we'll find someone to help you.


Mogs
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Critter Mom said:
If it were me, I would leave food down for Comet all day, except for the two hours before he's due his next dose (assuming your meter arrives and you will be able to check his preshot BG level this evening). Even during those two hours I'd watch him like a hawk and if he sought food I'd give it to him straight away.
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I just put a small pouch of food down and he ate about a third of it. Hoping he'll eat more.

Critter Mom said:
In case you haven't yet seen these in the FAQs:

Home Testing Links and Tips

Testing and Injection Tips (good diagram of where to test on the ear in this one)

Also, here is the information you'll need to get Comet's spreadsheet going:

FDMB Spreadsheet Instructions

Understanding the Spreadsheet Grid

If you need help setting up the spreadsheet give a shout and we'll find someone to help you.
Click to expand...

Thank you for reposting these. I feel like I watched/look at some of these when I first got here but have not retained anything because stress brain. Keeping my fingers crossed that testing materials get here soon!
 
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