New to this - again

[csmcvay]

Hello everyone - its been a few years since the first time my cat Cleo was diagnosed as having diabetes. As it turns out, she was not, it was the fear she experienced at the vet as I was able to to check her numbers at home and they were always normal -thank goodness. Not so lucky this time - she is now 12 yrs old and has been on an inhaler for asthma for some time now and we think that the earlier use of oral steroids when she was young and the daily inhaled steroids have caused her to turn diabetic yet again . I have pretty much managed to teach myself alot with the help of the internet and You-Tube and daily contact with my wonderful my vet - but I thank God this message board exists.

My question today is - for the last several days I haven't had any problem with injecting her Lantus insulin (once a day) after she eats in the evening and after she gets her inhaler (high maintenance child - but last night when I tried to insert the needle she tried to bite me and even the 2nd time she tried to bite me (but - i think - I managed to get the insulin in her) but stop trying after that, don't want to freak her out. Was I doing something wrong or is she perhaps tired of being pricked by that time (I'm going to stop giving the injection right after the inhaler - don't want her to associate the 2 together)? I have been checking her numbers every night as well (that I can do very well - thank goodness . Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Connie
Cleo - 12 yrs old - female - asthmatic since age 4 - on inhaled steroids for about 5 yrs now (before that oral prednisone) and re-confirmed as diabetic for about 6 days now (I noticed it myself with her increased drinking of water).

 

[Phoebe_TiggyGA_NortonGA]

Hi and welcome back,

What type of syringes are you using? The gauge number indicates how thick the needle is -- most of us use 30ga or 31ga and kitties barely even notice the shots.

How long is the needle you're using? They basically come in two lengths ~1/2" and ~1/4". I like the 1/4" ones.

Also - are you lifting the skin away from muscle tissue before putting the needle in? This is called tenting - like making a pup-tent - so the needle goes through the skin but NOT into the muscle. The insulin is quite affective when injected into this space under the skin.

Poking into the muscle is very painful and will cause flinching or jerking away - and possibly biting.

Some people lift the skin of the scruff or around the shoulders. I inject Tiggy on the sides of his shoulders.

 

[hmjohnston]

Sneakers will object to the needle if I don't tent enough. I do believe it goes into her muscle (we do it on her side between her front and back legs) and she will start to move around. If I don't find another place she will turn and hiss at me.

 

[csmcvay]

Hi Phoebe - thanks much. yes I have been tenting the skin, but miss Cleo is so skinny it can be a bit difficult at times. I didn't know the needles come in a shorter length - I will go home and check tonight to see what I am using - but I think they are 30ga - I like the idea of a shorter needle, for her i think it would be a perfect idea. I think you are right, I might have been hitting the muscle. I know this is going to be a learning curve for sure, but I thought I'd never get her to use an inhaler and she took to it right away . Thanks so much for the support and quick response!

Connie