New Parent Here

[firefeme]

I am the proud owner of a stray who adopted me...he lived in our yard all summer and it took an awful lot of coaxing but we got him to come to us. My hubby moved him indoors when the weather got cold. Long story short he has diabetes. I am a paramedic and in nursing school so injections and the physiologic information I understand. We have been on Lantus injections 2x a day for about 2 weeks. We began with 1/u 2x a day, but we are up to 3/u 2x a day. I keep to the same time with no change in his urine glucose. I see many people do blood glucose, is that better? This has been quite the expensive process for a stray, but I fell in love with him. The vet wants to check for a UTI, another cost :shock: does it really effect his blood sugar that much? Just worried..he is doing fine, much perkier since we began the insulin, no incidences of hypoglycemia. His polyuria and polydypsia have stopped. The insulin and vet visits are pricey so I am trying to do right by the cat, but avoid any costs I don't have to do. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[squeem3]

I am the proud owner of a stray who adopted me...he lived in our yard all summer and it took an awful lot of coaxing but we got him to come to us. My hubby moved him indoors when the weather got cold. Long story short he has diabetes. I am a paramedic and in nursing school so injections and the physiologic information I understand.

Welcome It's great that you have a medical background and understand diabetes :thumbup Cats tend to get diabetes the same way as Humans do.

We have been on Lantus injections 2x a day for about 2 weeks. We began with 1/u 2x a day, but we are up to 3/u 2x a day.

Great that your cat is on Lantus :thumbup It's a good insulin to use. When you get a chance, check out the Lantus board: viewforum.php?f=9 There are a few stickies at the top of the board that has a lot of into on how Lantus works in cats and how to handle and use the insulin.

I keep to the same time with no change in his urine glucose. I see many people do blood glucose, is that better?

Yes, blood glucose testing is better than urine glucose testing. A blood glucose test tells you what the leve is right at that moment. Gluocse in urine is a couple hours "old" so it doesn't tell you what the glucose level currently is.

Do test the urine for ketones, though. Ketones can build up into diabetic ketoacidosis and needs to be treated ASAP.

The vet wants to check for a UTI, another cost :shock: does it really effect his blood sugar that much?

Any infection can raise blood glucose levels. Diabetics have so much sugar in their urine that they are prone to urinary tract issues. Ask the vet to do a cystocensis urine test instead of a free catch test. A cystocensis gets urine sterile uring from from the bladder (needle inserted into bladder) while a free catch test may end up with bacteria which can alter the results. "UTI" is not always an infection. Sometimes it's more of an inflammation and that is treated differently.

The insulin and vet visits are pricey so I am trying to do right by the cat, but avoid any costs I don't have to do. Any advice would be appreciated.

One of the Lantus stickies has info on how to purcahse Lanatus. Instead of the 10 ml bottle, which "goes bad" after a month or so (and you barely even use a tiny amount, too), buy the SoloStar pens or the OptiClick cartridges. Your prescription has to specify on of these. The pens and cartridgse come in a box of 5 and the box can last you at least 5 months. You use one pen or cartridge per month, sometimtes you can get a little longer use out of a pen or cartridge.

You don't need to take your cat to the vet for blood glucose testing if you learn how to do it yourself at home. Few diabetic cats need vet visits other than a yearly check up and maybe one or two other visits for other non-doabetic related health issues that may occur.

What kind of food is your cat eating? Like Human diabetics, a diabetic cat needs to eat the right food. For cats, that is low carb canned food and/or raw food. Many commerical brands of food are good: Fancy Feast, Friskies, Wellness, etc. http://www.catinfo.org has more on cat nutrition.

The canned food charts are here: http://binkyspage.tripod.com/canfood.html Feed foods that have a number 10 or less in the carb column.

Here are tips on how to save money: http://binkyspage.tripod.com/frugal.html

 

[judy and squamee(GA)]

Welcome! can we help you learn how to get BG levels from blood tests? Ask whatever questions you wish. Looking forward to hearing more from you!

 

[Lori in Ohio]

It is recommended to do blood testing before each injection and at least once inbetween shots.

Most people record the readings on a spreadsheet and post the link in their signature so others can view it.
Here are the instructions: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18207

Walmart's Relion Confirm Meter, test strips and lancets are the most reasonable cost.
(The cost of the test stips and lancets are what are more expensive with so many other meters)
Its a human meter. You do not need a pet meter. Blood is blood as my vet told me.

Fancy Feast Classics are all low carb, what my cats always liked and are reasonably priced.

 

[Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin]

We have been on Lantus injections 2x a day for about 2 weeks. We began with 1/u 2x a day, but we are up to 3/u 2x a day. I keep to the same time with no change in his urine glucose.

The dose change from 1U to 3U BID happened within 2 weeks? That is too fast and too large of an increase, especially without hometesting data. And if you change his diet from dry food to canned, low carb food, hometesting is even more crucial.

Best information on how to raise dose with Lantus insulin is the Tilly Protocol.

http://www.tillydiabetes.net/en_6_protocol2.htm

It has been used by many members here with great results.