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Eliza&Giuseppe

Eliza&Giuseppe

Member Since 2014
Hello everyone!

I wanted to introduce myself and tell you a little bit about whats happening in mine and my very newly diagnosed sugar kitties life. Well two days ago my 6 yr old baby boy was diagnosed with diabetes, nearly destroying my heart. It was such a shock, he went from being a healthy (or seemingly so) playful sweet little man weighing in at 12lbs to 5lbs in a matter of about 5 weeks. He got into a little fight outside and had a laceration on his cheek that wouldn't heal for about two weeks, I am trained in cleaning wounds so I've always had no problems getting them healed up quickly. All the while he began rapidly losing weight and I started to notice the most insanely large pee balls in the litter box and having to fill his purified waterfall bowl once a day if not more so I began to start thinking something more serous was happening than just weight loss from an infection on his cheek wound so I made a vet appointment asap. Well on that fateful day all my suspicions were confirmed, my boy is now a insulin dependent diabetic. :sad: I went from my vets office to the pharmacy as fast as i could all to find out they had to order his insulin (humolin N) and it was going to cost $200!! So freaked out and scared not knowing a thing about diabetes I went straight to my mothers office, who happens to be a nurse practitioner for advice on what to do and how to do and basically everything. Thankfully she had samples of all different kinds of insulin but not the Humolin N that my vet had prescribed me so I call the vet back but got no answer. At this point i'm in full panic mode wondering what to do, I get on the internet and find the Facebook page Feline Diabetes and start talking to some people. Well oh my gosh I have never felt so relieved in my life, I found the most kind, welcoming people I have ever had the pleasure of talking to. I got the best advice on Diet, feeding instructions, types of insulin that work best for cats, how to test, when to test, ect!!!! Then they tell me about the FDMB and now i'm here.. I honestly don't know what I would have done had I not found this community. I still have so much to learn and everyone is so helpful. I just wanted to introduce myself,I'm Eliza and my sugar baby is Giuseppe. So thank you to everyone for making such a welcoming community for people like myself that are/were feeling so lost and unhopeful.

Yesterday was Giuseppe's first day of insulin he is taking Levemir 1U BID and I have him on a diet of Wellness canned cat food. Also I am testing as often as I can but he is a very sassy cat. The first two times of testing he didn't mind at all but now he is starting to really put up a fight and I'm not sure what to do… I didn't get to test him this morning or any today because he turned into a demon cat biting and scratching at me. I've always gotten blood on the first stick and I rub him and tell him what a good boy he's being (even though he's totally not :lol: ) but nothing seems to be working to calm him down. I know testing is very important but what can I do if I don't have help?? Any suggestions would be wonderful.

Yesterday there seemed to be no change in his BG the first test before his shot and food was 304 then +2 after shot was 314
I haven't been able to test him again but he's acting like he feels a whole lot better so I guess that a plus.
 
Hi Eliza and Giuseppe and welcome to FDMB.

So far you have received wonderful advice and you are off to a great start. One trick to help Giuseppe to learn to accept testing is to reward him with a low carb treat every time you test. Even if you are not successful, he still gets a treat. Freeze dried chicken is a great low carb treat to give him. Soon he will associate testing with getting treats and may start reminding you when it is time to test. Don't be surprised, we have had several cats do just that. :mrgreen:
 
Hi Eliza,

I'm so sorry that you have to be here - I never wish for any kitty to develop diabetes. But....I'm so glad you found this site! Testing can be difficult sometimes, but those tests are really important for keeping our cats safe. Lisa gave you some great tips for testing. Here's a link to lots of tips/tricks for testing: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=287. Hopefully some of this information will help you.

I'm not familiar with Levemir, but it is one of the best insulins for cats. I actually started out with Humulin and then switched to Lantus. Humulin was way too scary to use - there were too many fast drops, and I found myself having to skip shots a lot because of it.

We do use a spreadsheet here to record the blood sugar numbers. That way, everyone can see what the numbers are like, and they can help us figure out if we're at the right dose. (You can see my spreadsheet down in my "signature" at the bottom of this post.) Would you like instructions for how to set one up?

Just take a deep breath. You can handle this!
Shelly
 
Hi Eliza and sugardude Guiseppe and welcome to the message board.

You've found the best place you never expected to be to help your boy.

Do you have any questions for us?
 
Thank you for the tips guys, hopefully I will be successful in getting him to love the testing. I will get those treats asap and start brainwashing him to love it lol Unfortunately I was unsuccessful in getting any test done today :cry: He can be a really testy guy when pushed but usually very very sweet. Did anyone else have trouble at first?

Shelly, I would love info on how to do a spreadsheet. It seems like a great way to track all the info. I have been writing everything down in a book so far.

I do have a couple questions about feeding. I am feeding Wellness can food. He is very skinny and acts hungry all of the time. I'm still not 100% on when and how much I should be feeding him.

Another question is about testing for keytones? My vet told me nothing about this..
 
Hi Eliza,

Testing was difficult for us at first. I'll admit that there were a few times when I was in tears. One day, in desperation to get a test, I tried her paw and immediately got blood. That's not the preferred method for testing here, but it's the one that ended up working for us. Hang in there - you'll find the "trick" that works for you. Two things that really helped me - and I believe they apply to ear testing, too - were to heat the paw first with rice sock and to use a little Neosporin ointment prior to the prick to help the blood bead up.

It's hard to say exactly how much and when to feed. The people here recommended that I feed multiple small meals throughout the day since smaller meals are less likely to overwhelm the pancreas. I fed Jersey anywhere from 6 to 8 times a day on most days. When a cat's blood sugar is high, it's body can't properly process the energy it's taking in, which means the cat may need to eat a lot more than a "normal" cat would. As you get the blood sugar levels under control, you'll find that Guiseppe's appetite will get back to normal.

One of our members, Chris (and China) wrote this about ketones in response to another member's post a while back. I thought I would include it because it gives a nice summary of what ketones are:

Ketones are produced when the body starts to break down fat to use as fuel. This occurs when there is too little insulin for the amount of glucose in the body....the body is supposed to use glucose for energy, but without enough insulin, the glucose stays in the bloodstream instead of "feeding" the cells, so the body finds a way to "feed" itself.

As fat continues to be used, ketones continue to rise and can result in a condition called Diabetic Ketoacidosis, or DKA. DKA is very serious and very expensive to treat (and not always successfully), so it's best to catch ketones early, when it's still possible to flush them from the body and get them under control.

The recipe for DKA is "too little insulin+infection/inflammation+not enough food"
Click to expand...

You can buy ketone test strips at Wal-Mart (in the diabetic supplies section) or at any pharmacy. You just hold the strip under your cat's urine stream and then compare the color on the strip to the color chart printed on the bottle. If there is a trace or more of ketones, post here and ask for help (or contact your vet).

Here are the instructions for the spreadsheet:

1. First of all, you’ll need to set up a Google account if you don’t have one already. Here’s the link for it: https://accounts.google.com/SignUp?continue=https://accounts.google.com/ManageAccount

2. Once you set up your account, make sure you are signed in to it. Then click on this link: https://drive.google.com/previewtem...U5BVEdyU1dGZmx5bnRvdG10OWc&mode=public&pli=1#

3. This will bring up the template that you can use. In the upper, left-hand corner of the page, it says “Use this template.” Click on that.

4. Now you have your own copy of the template. At the top, left-hand corner of the page, click on “File” and then choose “Rename.” You can now change the name of your spreadsheet (e.g., "Guiseppe's Chart").

5. Once you finish entering the date, numbers, etc., you will need to publish your spreadsheet. Click on “File” again and then click on “publish to the web.” A little pop-up box will appear. You will want to make sure that the box that says “automatically republish when changes are made” has a check mark next to it. Then click on “start publishing.”

6. Now, you need to make sure other people can see your spreadsheet. Click on the blue “share” button on the upper right-hand corner of the page. A pop-up box will appear. Where it says “private,” change that to “anyone with the link can see” and click save at the bottom of the box.

7. Now we have to add the spreadsheet to your FDMB account. First copy the web address that appears in the address bar on your spreadsheet. Come back to FDMB and click on “User Control Panel” at the top left-hand side of the page. Then click on the tab that says “Profile” Next, click on the tab that says “Edit Signature.” There’s a little “url” button at the top of the box where you write. Click on it. This is what will show up in the box:



Click in between the middle brackets and paste the web address for the spreadsheet that you created.

In the end, it will look something like this: https://www.docs.google.com/spreads...at all of the different columns mean. Shelly
 
Welcome Eliza you are well on your way to doing everything for your little sugarkitty. This is the most awesome place in 2 months 4 years ago they helped me (fear of needles) get into doing all I needed to get my sugar guy off insulin in 2 months....he just had a set back but I feel sure with the help of these great sugarkitty angels he will be able to get back on track. Just an idea on ear poking I wrap my trey in a big towel and use a tiny warmed up bean bad(kids sock with 1/2 rice) and hold under where you will pick. Then treat and hugs You are well on your way Hugs and tons of healing green light to you both for a quick recovery and on your way to the Falls(no insulin) Kath & Trey

Also you can check videos on You tube ear testing!!!!!
 
Hi Eliza and Guiseppe!

Yes, I had great difficulties when I first started testing Michelangelo. It took me an entire week before I was even able to get one successful test in! :o He was a feral rescue kitten and was only 6 months old when he was diagnosed so he was squirmy, stubborn, fearful, and angry, all wrapped up in this teeny-tiny little ball of energy (only 4.5 pounds when diagnosed). Here's something I wrote up for creating a conducive ear testing environment that you might find helpful.
 
Welcome Eliza and Guiseppe (love that name)

So glad to see another white haired boy here. My Alska is 10 - how old is Guiseppe?

The Wellness canned pate foods are very good. I like the Wellness Core, Grain Free, Turkey, Chicken and Liver food. It is a bit different than the Wellness food out of Whole Foods. My sugar loves it and I saturate it with water so he digests both water and food at the same time which is very healthy for digestion.

We tend to see good results with feeding several small meals a day. In the beginning Alska was getting five little meals a day until he started to get fat again and now he gets three meals (one before bed) with my civvies. The three meals per day started when I removed all dry food from my house.

You are doing all the right things - good insulin, testing (you'll figure it out) and low-carb food. You are way ahead in treating this very manageable disease.
 
Thank you everyone I finally got a test in today he is still high at 366 but its only the second full day of insulin so idk if thats normal or not. I use all the methods you all gave me i.e treats every time I attempt a test and putting him in a comfortable room in my house away from all my other K9 and feline children. He didn't put up a fight as much this time. I jumped for joy when he let me stick him and the blood came out!! It was for sure one of the happiest moments since his DX lol :-D

I will devote tomorrow to making his SS I have been writing down in a note book all his stuff. I am devoted to the new life and trying to get him OTJ as quickly as possible. I do believe it is possible with all of the help I have received from you guys. I truly am grateful

Thanks Robin I will be sure to tell Giuseppe you like his name! He is my handsome Italian man lol Theres just something so majestic about the white haired ones.. Don't get me wrong I love all cats I have three and they all are just as beautiful. So you feed the Wellness Core dry food and wet it? I was wondering if I could do that or not… I am lucky that he isn't picky and will eat anything but he truly loves the Wellness

All in all today was a better day. Its been so hard and i'm sure ill have more not so great days but i'm trying to stay positive and not let him see me down. I feel like I owe it to him to be strong
 
Oh yeah and I forgot to answer his age question to you Robin!! He is 6 years old and still such a little baby. He likes me to hold him like a baby 24/7, he stands up on his hind legs and stretches all the way up on his tippy toes and meows till I pick him up. Also his preferred method of sleeping is laying on my chest with his head snuggled in my neck. He is my snuggly little boy. Is your whitey as snuggly?
 
Hi Eliza just reading your post....I have a baby Mikey he is 2 years old this month also a feral only 5 months when I got him he has some orange markings but mostly white...he is my snuggie. You are doing an awesome job so far ahead of the game.Just want to send tons of healing green light to your sugar boy he sounds like one handsome dude!!!!!! I don`t know what I would do without the sugarcat angels and this place Hugs have a awesome day..... :razz: cat(2)_steam ~O) :YMSIGH: Kath
 
Just checking back in to see how you're doing, Eliza! Yep - the testing will get easier the more you do it, and it will tell us a tremendous amount about how the insulin is working. It's hard to know what that 366 means right now. Once you get your spreadsheet set up, we'll be able to see the "whole picture" and figure out patterns.

Wellness Core dry food is still considered too high in carbs for our kitties. Wellness makes two lines of canned food, though - regular "Wellness" and "Wellness Core." I think Robin just meant that she was using the Wellness Core canned food, not dry. I'm sure she'll correct me if I'm wrong.

By the way, I have a white cat, too. He's definitely a cuddly cat! :-D

Have a great day!
Shelly
 
Well got the spreadsheet up and running (I think) and its a bit disappointing. I really hope he starts loving the treats he gets after testing or an attempt to test because I would like to get more results in to better see how the Levemir is working. I have faith though cause I can already tell he is starting to calm down when I rub his ears and stick him. If anyone would like to take a look and see if I am entering the info correctly, I would greatly appreciate it. He is starting to gain some weight back and acting like he is feeling better, he was outside sunbathing while I was messing around in the garden today. He hasn't wanted to do that in quite some time, it was for sure a happy moment to see a little sign my baby is starting to feel better and more motivation to get more tests in and get him in remission quickly. Thanks guys for all your help and checking back in, I've found that I am quite obsessed with researching and gathering all the info I possibly can about how to help him. My birthday is in a few days and I'm freaking out about the thought of having to leave him alone for over 6hrs. Any tips for what I should leave with him while out? Like food or no food?
 
The pre-shots don't tell you how effective the insulin is. It is the mid-cycle tests around the nadir, or expected lowest glucose that determine how the insulin is working in the cat.
Nadir typically happens somewhere between +5 to +7 hours after the shot of insulin.
ETA: for Lantus, the nadir is +5 to +7; Levemir has a later nadir.


I leave canned food down all day for the 15 cats in the house. They have an initial meal, then nibble on the remainder throughout the day or night.
 
Nadir with Levemir is actually usually later at around 8-10 hours. But as we like to say around here, ECID (Every Cat Is Different)! Spot checks throughout the cycle will help us get a better idea of where his nadir/low point might actually occur. Keep practicing with the testing and you'll both have it down in no time!
 
Thanks Shelley for clarifying on my behalf - YES, I meant the Wellness Core canned food. I do not allow any dry food in my house.
 
I would get him used to testing by rubbing his ears a few times each day, and give a treat. But no poking. Get him associating ear rubs with treats.

Also I usually recommend 3-4 tests a day

- always before the shot - this is mandatory as you don't want to shoot when too low. As a newbie this too low number is 200 but is reduced over time once you have the data to know if its safe.
- mid cycle depending on your schedule. This is to see how low the cat’s blood sugar is going. The low point "nadir" is what you base dose changes on since you don't want the cat dropping too low (under 50). With levemir this is 8-10 hours after the shot.
- before bed (2-3hours after Pm shot) to get an idea of what the cat's overnight plans are. If this number is less than the pre shot test number you may want to set the alarm for a test a few hours later as this implies an active cycle.


Wendy
 
Hey guys! Just giving an update here… I am becoming very discouraged about testing. I am getting the tests in but nearly every time I get an error msg then he won't let me stick him again. Its so frustrating because he's actually letting me do them without having someone hold him and I feel like I'm doing something wrong to mess it up. I am using the Bayer Contour, its super easy to use and only requires a tiny bit of blood so I'm not sure why i keep getting an error msg. He has been responding to the treats very well when I test. I was wondering if anyone can give me some brands of treats they use I am having a hard time finding them in the store that don't have sugar. Thank you guys for the support, I have been having major ups and down for the past week. I know it will get better and things will become normal soon. I have been on edge, every time I see him sneeze I freak out. :YMSIGH:
 
My white boy, Alska didn't like any of the freeze-dried treats I offered so his treat for a long time was a good brushing.
Then I found Orijen Original Cat Treats (freeze-dried, no additives) and now he comes willingly to the testing spot if he isn't there already waiting. He loves them. He gets one for showing up, one after test and one more after shot. He no longer moves during the shot because he is in wait for that last treat. All of my cats are nuts over these treats. I get them from Chewy.com.
 
Good treats to use are anything that are pure protein. I get the Pure Bites Freeze Dried Chicken, dog size bag, at my local Petco. They are kind of big for a cat so I break them up into smaller, corn kernel size pieces for my cats. Halo Liv-a-little freeze dried treats are good too. I get mine online at Chewy.com (they are on sale right now). Whole Life makes some nice treats too. I get those at my local specialty dog and cat shop, The Natural Dog. The freeze dried treats are expensive but they go a long way and last a long time if you break them up into small pieces.

You could cook up a bit of chicken or turkey and cut it up into tiny pieces. Or cook up some ground turkey or ground beef. Bits of cheese or lunch meat would work too as well as some fish or shrimp.

Perhaps you could explain more about what specific error code you are getting. We may be able to diagnosis the issue better if we have more clues.
 
Are you in the US? The bayer contour uses 0.6 microliter of blood but the Walmart relion and confirm use half that.. Makes it much easier!, And the strips are cheaper..
 
The WalMart house brand is ReliOn.
The ReliOn Confirm and ReliOn Confirm Micro use 0.3 microliter; the ReliOn Prime uses 0.6.
 
Yes I am in the US. I get free meters from my job so yesterday I got a couple others to try, Bayer Breeze2 and One Touch Verio IQ. I think I figured out what I was doing wrong with the Contour though, I was pushing the strip in and not waiting for it to ask me for the blood so it wasn't ready. I have been having better luck with it here lately. Also I watched a couple vids on youtube about how to test an angry cat and let me just say that was eye opening lol :lol: So I think I know what I'm doing more so now. Also he has been responding very well to the treats and he is LOVING his new diet of wet food only! The laceration on his face is starting to heal up and he only has a couple more days on his antibiotic. Ive noticed he is drinking less and his pee balls are smaller, also he is starting to gain some weight back and he's cleaning himself again! All in all I'm very happy, just need to get more tests in! Thank you guys y'all have been such a big help
 
Great but his numbers still look a little high.. From what I can tell. Be sure to always get a test before every shot.. You don't want to shoot him if he is too low and that can easily happen as he gets regulated. For now I wouldn't shoot under 200.

Also try and get some night time tests, later in the cycle. Many cats drop low at night.

Once you have a bit more data, and check he isn't going too low (under 50) then you may want to consider a dose change,

Wendy
 
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