New to the forum with a kitty that's not doing great

Status
Not open for further replies.
We got a good amount of blood and the meter is showing an E-3 error which is meant to indicate that the strips are expired, the strips are not expired (they say 2022). We're at a loss here. It doesn't look like we can afford another trip to the vet. I will look into Care aid and talk to my dad about it. Not looking too great here guys, but I truly appreciate all the info and love you guys are sending. She's relaxed in the living room which is good.
 
You do occasionally get a duff strip in an otherwise good pack, Ashley. Also, sometimes if you get too much blood on a test strip it can throw up an error code.

Tip:

  1. Get the meter set up ready to do another test. Set out a few extra test strips.

  2. Make sure your hands are really clean.

  3. Warm Yuki's ear really well then do the prick to draw the blood sample.

  4. Massage the edge of the ear slightly to produce a slightly larger blood droplet.

  5. Collect the blood sample on the back of your fingernail and test it from there. Keep the blood droplet on your fingernail.

  6. If you have any problems with another test strip, you only need to load a fresh strip into the meter and do a second test on the 'fingernail sample' again - no need for another ear prick.

Mogs
.
 
Last edited:
Ashley N said:
It doesn't look like we can afford another trip to the vet.
Click to expand...

:bighug::bighug::bighug:

Do the best you can with fluids. Try the water flavoured with tuna water or poaching broth. Don't add too much of the flavouring liquid (especially if using tuna water), just enough to give it a light scent. (Think about how we humans can't face strong-smelling stuff when we feel really queasy: it tends to be off-putting, or it can make us want to heave). Try warming the flavoured water just a little so that it is tepid to the touch. It will help release the aroma and should make it more comfortable for Yuki to swallow.

If you can get somewhere with the fluids - slowly syringing them if necessary - it might help Yuki get to the stage where she starts to feel better enough to start drinking a little more under her own steam. With more fluids, supportive meds stand a better chance of working (but I think it pretty much a certainty you'll need to get a vet to prescribe more of them for home use - urgently). Each positive step achieved can make the next step easier. The idea is to try to set up a virtuous circle, which will become self-reinforcing.


Mogs
.
 
Aleluia Grugru & Minnie said:
Do you know what gauge lancets you’re using? The smaller the number the easier it is to get a good amount of blood like 28 or 26
Click to expand...
Not sure, looking for it
Critter Mom said:
:bighug::bighug::bighug:

Do the best you can with fluids. Try the water flavoured with tuna water or poaching broth. Don't add too much of the flavouring liquid (especially if using tuna water), just enough to give it a light scent. (Think about how we humans can't face strong-smelling stuff when we feel really queasy: it tends to be off-putting, or it can make us want to heave). Try warming the flavoured water just a little so that it is tepid to the touch. It will help release the aroma and should make it more comfortable for Yuki to swallow.

If you can get somewhere with the fluids - slowly syringing them if necessary - it might help Yuki get to the stage where she starts to feel better enough to start drinking a little more under her own steam. With more fluids, supportive meds stand a better chance of working (but I think it pretty much a certainty you'll need to get a vet to prescribe more of them for home use - urgently). Each positive step achieved can make the next step easier. The idea is to try to set up a virtuous circle, which will become self-reinforcing.


Mogs
.
Click to expand...

Good news Mogs, Yuki went to her bowl and had a very good amount of water on her own! She getting some sleep in now. She actually looks pretty good as of now. Just continuing praying that she'll make it out of this. I will try testing her BG after some rest, I don't want to disrupt her peace.
 
You need to test her BG as soon as possible.
Her life depends on it.
Insulin is a dangerous drug, too much is fatal so is too little.

We never recommend changing the diet without close monitoring of BG levels, so please keep testing :bighug:
 
No luck with the BG testing. In the light, I can very clearly see we're hitting the 'sweet spot' but nothing substantial enough for measurement is coming out. I've warmed them as well. Should I try with just a lancet? Also, the more I'm looking into it, the less I think the monitor we got is going to give us an accurate reading :/
 
Are you using a pen then not a lancet? You need a lancet that is 26 or 28 gauge as a beginner since the needles are bigger and will make a larger hole so you can get enough blood out. I’m not familiar with the meter you got. Walmart’s ReliOn would be my suggestion. It’s 9.99 and you get 100 strips for about $17. I‘ve always ever used the lancet myself
 
If you can get to the shops, suggested shopping list:

To try to encourage Yuki to eat:

* Plain meat and broth baby food - no onions or garlic (see link below for suitable products). Many members have found that their cat will have a little of this even though they turn down pretty much everything else. (Wish we could get similar in the UK. :rolleyes: )

* Cat "soups" - as close to plain chicken as possible (assuming Yuki has no issues with chicken).

Using cat soups can be an extremely helpful way to get fluids into a cat. For rehydration, I add a ratio of 2 tsps of the soup liquid to at least 8 tsps of water and mix it through (make sure you can still smell the soup broth). Serve tepid to the touch. There are some US cat soups listed at the following link (you need to scroll down a little), plus further suggestions on how to encourage a cat to eat:

Persuading Your Cat to Eat

To help with insulin administration:

* Food with medium carbs, e.g. a food with gravy. (Could US members suggest something here, please? I'm a tad rusty. :oops: )

You may find you don't need to feed the higher carb food but it is much better to have some on hand at home to be on the safe side. When caring for a cat who is at risk of throwing ketones, having that slightly carbier food in the mix can make it easier to administer enough insulin to keep the ketones at bay.


Mogs
.
 
Aleluia Grugru & Minnie said:
Are you using a pen then not a lancet? You need a lancet that is 26 or 28 gauge as a beginner since the needles are bigger and will make a larger hole so you can get enough blood out. I’m not familiar with the meter you got. Walmart’s ReliOn would be my suggestion. It’s 9.99 and you get 100 strips for about $17. I‘ve always ever used the lancet myself
Click to expand...

I was using a pen. I was concerned that because it is intended for human use that the readings would be off, but that would be the same for the ReliOn as well? I have not contacted a vet, I'll have to wait for my dad to return home and see what he sats(shouldn't be long). Going to try with just lancet.
 
Ashley N said:
I was using a pen. I was concerned that because it is intended for human use that the readings would be off, but that would be the same for the ReliOn as well? I have not contacted a vet, I'll have to wait for my dad to return home and see what he sats(shouldn't be long). Going to try with just lancet.
Click to expand...
Human meters are fine. That’s what most of us use here but it still should give you a number. See in my signature I have both ReliOn and Freestyle and they’re both human meters. We wouldn’t have told you to get it if it didn’t t work don’t worry :p
 
Ashley N said:
I was using a pen. I was concerned that because it is intended for human use that the readings would be off, but that would be the same for the ReliOn as well? I have not contacted a vet, I'll have to wait for my dad to return home and see what he sats(shouldn't be long). Going to try with just lancet.
Click to expand...
The lancet works better for me because I can judge how much pressure to put on it to make the prick work. I can feel the needle going in. Also make sure you use a backing like cotton or a cotton ball so you can press the ear against it. If the needle goes through, don’t freak out it’s happened to all of us before just apply pressure to the spot to stop the bleeding and avoid bruising.
 
Ashley N said:
No luck with the BG testing. In the light, I can very clearly see we're hitting the 'sweet spot' but nothing substantial enough for measurement is coming out. I've warmed them as well. Should I try with just a lancet?
Click to expand...
Some Testing Tips:

  1. Fold a sheet of kitchen paper in four lengthwise and cut it up into 1" strips.

  2. Put a thin film of Vaseline (or Neosporin ointment) onto the edge of the ear to help the blood sample bead up instead of wicking into the fur.

  3. Make sure the ear is really, really warm (but not hot).

  4. Once you have the ear well warmed, wrap a strip of folded kitchen paper round your index finger then place finger under the ear you're testing.

  5. Use your thumb and middle finger to lightly grip the ear and paper strip in place so that the edge of the ear is taut but not overstretched; the little bit of tension will make it easier for the lancet to break the skin surface (and it helps to keep kitty's head from moving around too much).

  6. Hold the lancet with the bevelled edge of the point facing upwards. Try using the lancet freehand, at a slight angle to the ear, not perpendicular (easier to see where you're aiming and also makes skin prick easier).

  7. When it comes to the actual poke, think about how you'd quickly prick a balloon with the tip of a needle to make it pop. (Hope that makes sense. o_O )

  8. When using the glucometer, bring the test strip to where it j-u-s-t comes into contact with the blood droplet and hold it there. The strip should then 'sip up' the amount it needs to run a valid test. Most meters beep to let you know that enough blood has been collected on the strip.

  9. After the test, fold the paper strip over the edge of the ear and apply gentle pressure for about 10-15 seconds to minimise bruising.

Also, the more I'm looking into it, the less I think the monitor we got is going to give us an accurate reading :/
Click to expand...

Are any of your neighbours diabetic? If yes, perhaps they might have a spare meter and strips they'd be willing to let you borrow. (Presumably you'd have to 'borrow them back' any strips used! ;) )


Mogs
.
 
Last edited:
Does your lancet have a dial? It could be that the lancet is not poking deep enough.
On my FreeStyle lancet device, it was set on the dial to 3 or 4 for Rover (a big cat). I only needed to set the lancet device to 1 if I was poking my finger.

Cats are programmed to having their ears poked. In a cat fight, cats always go for the ears. You are not hurting the cat as much as you think you are.
 
Ashley N said:
We got blood again and ended up getting the same error reading. My dad tested it on himself and it worked fine on him, so the error does not seem to be on part of the meter.
We'll try again.
Click to expand...
Can you take a picture of the meter and strip and post it for us? We may have more tips if we can see what we’re dealing with. I’d try to get the blood on your nail next time and scoop with the strip from there. That way you know if you have enough. It still sounds to me like you’re not getting enough. Is it one of those that beeps to tell you it’s ready?
 
Strips time out if you don't use them fast enough. It was likely more faster when your father performed a test on himself.

The solution is: do not put the strip all the way into the meter.
1. Insert strip partway.
2. Poke the cat.
3. When you are sure you have a large enough drop of blood, insert the strip all the way and touch the strip to the blood drop.
Alternatively, put blood drop on your clean fingernail, then fully insert the strip.
 
Wow awesome. It looks fancy!

Something that happened to me the last time i got an error message is that I grabbed the blood with the strip too fast before I checked the meter to see if it was flashing indicating it was ready for the blood. Make sure the drop symbol is flashing on the meter before getting the blood onto the strip
 
We took out blood several times. Now we are getting the error code E-2, which suggests we aren't getting enough blood.
these have been the last several trials, none have been able to produce a number.
IMG_3296.JPG
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3296.JPG
    IMG_3296.JPG
    37 KB · Views: 174
  • IMG_3296.JPG
    IMG_3296.JPG
    37 KB · Views: 309
Hello everyone,

I'm Ashley's sister and I'm going to interject for her because she is quite upset at the moment. My dad and sister have tried and followed all instructions to get a reading on the glucose monitor and they keep getting an error reading. Yuki has rejected all food and has not had liquids since 12pm. We've tried to see if she will take chicken broth, but that didn't work either. Unfortunately, taking Yuki to the vet ER is not an option as she would have to be admitted and we were told keeping her in would cost thousands. It is not feasible to do that. I certainly don't want to give up on our beloved kitty, but I'm not sure how we can help her at this point. I want to do everything I can, but they are considering putting her down. Is it too soon to make this choice? We don't want to see her suffer
 
I don’t think any of us can answer that for you. My Minnie had very similar symptoms and she did have to stay 2 nights at MASH Animal Hospital. She had an ultrasound, endoscopy, biopsy and a feeding tube inserted then came home and recovered a amazingly well and is still here with me today happy as a clam. If she is in pain, which only you can tell being there with her, and you can’t afford to give her the care needed to get better then I’d say that ending her suffering is the most compassionate thing to do. That’s all I can offer and sending good thoughts to you and the family
 
Sighhhhh we dont want her to suffer either. Please hold on for more replies ok? I dont understand why that meter wont register for Yuki and it does for your dad. But I totally understand where you are coming from.
I'm guessing care credit isnt an option either. I am SO very sorry.
The strip must be timing out. meaning the blood wasnt applied soon enough. If you want to give it one last ditch try
Place the strip into the meter but NOT all the way. Do the poke once the blood comes up, push the strip all the way into the meter, then touch the strip to the blood. This is my best guess for Yuki.
PLEASE tell your sister its not her fault. Sometimes life just plain sucks.. My heart goes out to her and your family. Please be gentle and kind to yourselves.
I hope you can give it one more try.:(
 
Last edited:
It is important that Yuki eats and has lots of water on board. Plus the meds.
Don't let Yuki call the shots. It is not in her best interest.

Syringe feeding is needed. Add some water to the food so it is easier to syringe.

Below is a video on how to wrap a cat.
The alternative is a feeding tube at the vet.

Regarding blood drop. Try freehanding with the lancet. Take your time letting the strip soak up the blood.

 
Judging by the pic with the used strips they didn’t get filled all the way. You can see how little blood there is on some of them. But honestly, home testing is not the #1 priority right now. Drinking and eating is what’s going to keep her stable. It’s really hard to know what else to advise when we don’t know the cause of her condition :(
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top