new to this board--hi everyone!--questions
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Denise & Honey
Member Since 2012
Yes - its great!
My diabetic cat who is now diet-controlled has tested from 48 to 80 since going off insulin.
1 of my other cats usually tests in 40s and 50s.
66 is a nice, healing number - the more time Midnight is under 150, the more likely her pancreas is to heal and start doing its job all by itself!
If you had 66 early in the cycle, eg. +2 or +3 it may have been cause for concern and you may have had to test more and possibly take charge of the cycle using food.
eg. If she dropped below 50, you would give her some high carb food (just a little) to bring her numbers back up and then she'd get a dose reduction
My diabetic cat who is now diet-controlled has tested from 48 to 80 since going off insulin.
1 of my other cats usually tests in 40s and 50s.
66 is a nice, healing number - the more time Midnight is under 150, the more likely her pancreas is to heal and start doing its job all by itself!
If you had 66 early in the cycle, eg. +2 or +3 it may have been cause for concern and you may have had to test more and possibly take charge of the cycle using food.
eg. If she dropped below 50, you would give her some high carb food (just a little) to bring her numbers back up and then she'd get a dose reduction
Denise & Honey
Member Since 2012
Sorry, I'm not a dosing expert - just a comment when I see a really nice number.
If you post over on Tight Regulation, you will get a response.
If you post over on Tight Regulation, you will get a response.
TMR said:
Hi...I am new here, but love your post and totally agree. My kitty has yet to come home from the vets after just being diagnosed yesterday. I am overwhelmed with all of this. Right now, the vet has said nothing to me about home testing except that she will send me home with some crystals I can put in the litter box that will turn color if there is a problem. Doesn't constant testing make the cats ears hurt and also make them run and hide from you knowing what is coming? I have a real hard time doing anything that causes pain even when I know it is for their own good. I have yet to give a shot or do any of this. I also have another cat at home and it will be a challenge with all the food changes. They are used to having constant access to food, but I will be getting rid of the dry food container and only giving them the wet. Now to get them to like the lower carb varieties instead of the gravy ones. :roll: I know all of this will take time, but it's just so sad and my prayer will be that my kitty (Rocky) will be one of the "lucky" ones who will go into remission fairly quickly. His "mommy" is a wimp! nailbite_smile
I can appreciate your comments. After going through this for about 6 or 7 weeks, here is what I have decided:
1. If you can switch to wet, low carb, high protein food, do it. I agree that it is healthier for the cat and might help regulate the blood sugar (ideally decreasing or eliminating the insulin requirement).
2. If you cannot or choose not to switch to wet food, try to get the lowest carb dry food possible. The next best thing to wet food.
3. You can do it. A tiny little shot of insulin once or twice a day is manageable. It really isn't a big deal after a while.
4. I agree with home testing, in general. I have chosen at this point not to test before every insulin shot. In a human being I would definitely do that. I would not give insulin without knowing the person's blood sugar first. But it is a cat. Although I am going to a lot of time/money/effort to take care of my cat, I am doing it my way. I am testing periodically, not daily. It is not hard to use the home meter. You put a little strip in the machine, the machine automatically turns on, and you put the tiniest little drop of blood on the strip. It takes a few seconds to get the result. It really is easy. And the supplies (meter, lancets,and test strips) are very cheap at Walmart. The only challenging part of it for me is getting the tiny drop of blood. Warming Midnight's ear first helps. Sometimes I have to poke more than once to get the blood. They say cat's ears don't have many nerve endings so it shouldn't hurt them much. I see it as a part of taking care of my cat. Not as hurting her.
5. You can do it. You can do it. You can do it. Even if it takes some time to process everything. I think I would recommend looking at this website and message boards for information, and no where else. You could spend days on the internet (like I did at first) researching this but it will just make you crazy. These people are going through the same thing and give sound advice.
1. If you can switch to wet, low carb, high protein food, do it. I agree that it is healthier for the cat and might help regulate the blood sugar (ideally decreasing or eliminating the insulin requirement).
2. If you cannot or choose not to switch to wet food, try to get the lowest carb dry food possible. The next best thing to wet food.
3. You can do it. A tiny little shot of insulin once or twice a day is manageable. It really isn't a big deal after a while.
4. I agree with home testing, in general. I have chosen at this point not to test before every insulin shot. In a human being I would definitely do that. I would not give insulin without knowing the person's blood sugar first. But it is a cat. Although I am going to a lot of time/money/effort to take care of my cat, I am doing it my way. I am testing periodically, not daily. It is not hard to use the home meter. You put a little strip in the machine, the machine automatically turns on, and you put the tiniest little drop of blood on the strip. It takes a few seconds to get the result. It really is easy. And the supplies (meter, lancets,and test strips) are very cheap at Walmart. The only challenging part of it for me is getting the tiny drop of blood. Warming Midnight's ear first helps. Sometimes I have to poke more than once to get the blood. They say cat's ears don't have many nerve endings so it shouldn't hurt them much. I see it as a part of taking care of my cat. Not as hurting her.
5. You can do it. You can do it. You can do it. Even if it takes some time to process everything. I think I would recommend looking at this website and message boards for information, and no where else. You could spend days on the internet (like I did at first) researching this but it will just make you crazy. These people are going through the same thing and give sound advice.
KPassa
Member Since 2012
pteacher said:
Hi Rocky's Mommy! Don't worry; you've found the best place you wish you never were. :lol:
Ear testing does not hurt the cat; their ears are less sensitive than our own fingertips and they are simply inconvenienced by it.
I suggest you perhaps start your own post and give us a little more information about yourself and about Rocky (i.e. what kind of insulin has the vet prescribed, what made you suspect something was wrong, how much he weighs, does he have any other medical issues, etc...).
We're here to help in whatever capacity you need it. :YMHUG:
MommaOfMuse
Member Since 2010
Welcome Rocky and His Mom
FIrst off you might want to start your own post with an introduction so everyone knows you are here and can help you out.
Now to address a couple of things that you mentioned in your post. I have 14 cats...yes 14, two of which are diabetics everyone here eats what my two diabetics eat, with a slight variation that one of my diabetics eats Fancy Feast, because she is highly allergic to all grains, while my other diabetic (who is in remission) and the other 12 non-diabetic cats eat Friskies and 9-lives Pates. With only a couple of cats you should have no problem switching everyone's diet to the same as Rocky's. As he really isn't going to require anything special other than it needs to be low carb canned...the prescription stuff is unnecessary and doesn't contain anything ingredients wise that can't be found in regular commerical canned catfood.
As far as testing hurting them and making them run and hide..NOT AT ALL!! In fact both of my diabetics were adopted as diabetics when their previous owners either couldn't or wouldn't treat them and elected to have them euthanized instead. Yet right now one of them is laying on my lap purring his head off and making me type one handed, while the other one is asleep about 2 ft away on the couch. But I can tell you right now I could turn on Autumn meter and not only would she not run from me, she would run TO me. Cats are very smart and it doesn't take them long to figure out that the shots make them feel better and that testing gets them a tasty treat before and after. In fact even after being in remission for over 2 years now Maxwell still comes running when he hears the meter beeps on
Because they were adopted as diabetics I started testing within minutes of meeting them, so if I was doing anything that hurt them, they would have absolutely nothing to do with me afterall they didn't know me from Eve when I started sticking them with needles or poking them in the ear. Yet both are just as affectionate and loving as any of my other cats, and sleep with my husband and I every night, snuggle with us on the couch and follow me around the house during the day. In fact Autumn has her little routine every morning where she comes running when our alarm clock goes off so she can give us kisses before she goes and jumps up on her testing spot to wait for her morning test and then goes to the kitchen to await breakfast with the rest of the kitties.
Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
FIrst off you might want to start your own post with an introduction so everyone knows you are here and can help you out.
Now to address a couple of things that you mentioned in your post. I have 14 cats...yes 14, two of which are diabetics everyone here eats what my two diabetics eat, with a slight variation that one of my diabetics eats Fancy Feast, because she is highly allergic to all grains, while my other diabetic (who is in remission) and the other 12 non-diabetic cats eat Friskies and 9-lives Pates. With only a couple of cats you should have no problem switching everyone's diet to the same as Rocky's. As he really isn't going to require anything special other than it needs to be low carb canned...the prescription stuff is unnecessary and doesn't contain anything ingredients wise that can't be found in regular commerical canned catfood.
As far as testing hurting them and making them run and hide..NOT AT ALL!! In fact both of my diabetics were adopted as diabetics when their previous owners either couldn't or wouldn't treat them and elected to have them euthanized instead. Yet right now one of them is laying on my lap purring his head off and making me type one handed, while the other one is asleep about 2 ft away on the couch. But I can tell you right now I could turn on Autumn meter and not only would she not run from me, she would run TO me. Cats are very smart and it doesn't take them long to figure out that the shots make them feel better and that testing gets them a tasty treat before and after. In fact even after being in remission for over 2 years now Maxwell still comes running when he hears the meter beeps on
Because they were adopted as diabetics I started testing within minutes of meeting them, so if I was doing anything that hurt them, they would have absolutely nothing to do with me afterall they didn't know me from Eve when I started sticking them with needles or poking them in the ear. Yet both are just as affectionate and loving as any of my other cats, and sleep with my husband and I every night, snuggle with us on the couch and follow me around the house during the day. In fact Autumn has her little routine every morning where she comes running when our alarm clock goes off so she can give us kisses before she goes and jumps up on her testing spot to wait for her morning test and then goes to the kitchen to await breakfast with the rest of the kitties.
Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
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