New to group need advice

[Tiffany Wallace]

Hi
My senior kitty has been on insulin for over a year. The vet never said a word about home testing or even vet retesting of his levels. It was like he was writing my cat off bc he is 22 years old. I see now that I need to be monitoring at home. I have so many questions. Where can I get the supplies? Do I need a prescription for them? How do I read the and dicifer the results to know how adjust his insulin amount? I would appreciate any help I can get since clearly the insulin amount is not right for him anymore. He’s very skinny, eating a ton, drinking a ton and urinate ton.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Hi Tiffany and welcome! You are definitely doing a lot of things right if your kitty is 22. A couple questions from me first, then I can direct you better were to find supplies. First, which insulin is kitty on, and what dose? Also, which country are you in? We have people from all around the world posting here, and our suggestions vary from country to country.

Depending on the insulin you are using, we have dosing methods which tell you how to adjust the insulin dose based on what sort of blood sugar readings you see. We make changes by tiny amounts, so syringes with 1/2 unit markings are good to have. As for testing supplies, no, you don't need a prescription. People here buy either at human pharmacies or online diabetic supply stores. You do want a blood glucose meter that needs just a small blood drop, which will make it easier for both you and your kitty.

When you've got the time, a couple posts for you to read:
New? How You Can Help Us Help You!
and
INDEX: Health Links/FAQs

The second one contains links to all sorts of topics, including some tips and videos on blood testing.

 

[Lisa and Witn (GA)]

As Wendy said you do not need a prescription for a glucose meter. You have the option of using a human glucose meter or a pet glucose meter. They both work the same way. However the pet meter and strips are more expensive and generally have to order them online. Most of our members use human glucose meters. If you live in the US the Walmart Relion brand meters are very good and inexpensive to use. One advantage of a human meter is when you get low on strips you can buy more at your local pharmacy. In addition to the meter and strips, you will also need lancets.