New to this forum and have a few questions

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Hi everyone,

I have managed to make a spreadsheet.

So after the possible failed attempt of 2u of insulin at 7.30, I tried to do a BG test at 9.30. Unfortunately, not enough blood went on the bit which sucks it up so I got an 'E-4' on my machine. I decided I'll test her again at what is the general nadir (although of course, it's different for all cats). I tested her at 12.10 and after trying the first time, not enough blood came out, so I had to try again. I tried straight away and got 22.3. I'm unsure if she had the insulin though. She's been sleeping or sitting down quite a lot today. She is liking Bozita, but hasn't eaten that much of it. Put Little Big Paws out again today and she gave it a couple of licks. My other cat is not eating either and has been hissing, stressed and dry heaving in the middle of the night and I'm worried they are both stressed out. They are usually fine together but Patch (my other cat), keeps hissing every time she passes her. I'm also worried that I'm going to make Tinkerbell's ears sore with these failed tests because it's not a very large area between the vein and rim.

Tinkerbell seems really off and I'm not sure if she just feels ill or she resents me testing her (which I will still continue to do).
 
Fiona1 said:
I have managed to make a spreadsheet.
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Yay! Well done, Fiona! :bighug::bighug::bighug:

Fiona1 said:
My other cat ...... keeps hissing every time she passes her.
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It might take a while for both kitties to adjust to Tinkerbell being home from the vet. Tinkerbell may smell different. Also, your other kitty will be used to having you all to herself...
Do your kitties like to be brushed? Maybe some grooming sessions (and perhaps both kitties with the same brush) will help them to get re-aquainted..?
Or maybe a Feliway plug-in might help..?

Fiona1 said:
I'm also worried that I'm going to make Tinkerbell's ears sore with these failed tests because it's not a very large area between the vein and rim.
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Quite a few folks worry about this at first. (((Hugs))) But the ears soon seem to get used to testing. Also, in quite a short while they begin to bleed more easily. The ear produces more blood vessels in response to those tiny 'injuries' we're inflicting.
It's often the case that one ear will bleed more easily than the other.

Here's some things that have helped me with testing. Some of them may be helpful for you also:

1. Warm ears. Ears bleed so much more easily if they've warm. If they don't feel warm to the touch then briefly massaging can stimulate blood flow. Or you can hold something warm (ie a pill bottle filled with warm water) against the inside of the ear.
2. Resistance. The lancet needs something to 'resist' otherwise it can push the ear away rather than prick through it. Some folks hold a little bit of cotton wool or folded tissue against the underside of the ear, opposite to where they're pricking. I usually use a finger tip, but sometimes get blood from myself that way too..)
3. Two ear pricks can be better than one. Two ear pricks close together can often produce enough blood for a test where one ear prick might not.
4. Massaging below the ear prick with fingers and thumb can 'milk' more blood out. I almost always do this unless the ear is especially warm.
5. Vaseline: A teensy weensy smear of vaseline on the outer edge of the ear can help the blood to 'bead up' rather than disappear into the fur. I found it so much easier to see the blood droplet because of it 'sitting on top' of the vaseline. I did this for the first few weeks when I was learning to test.
6. Get comfortable. I find it much easier to test if I pop Bertie up onto my desk or a counter top. I find it easier to see what I'm doing, and I'm physically more comfortable. And my desk lamp is a good source of local light. ..Some people prefer to put their kitty on their lap, or are happy to test if the kitty is sitting alongside them. Find out what works best for you.
7. Remember to breathe... The more relaxed you are about the process the more relaxed your kitty is likely to be. Take deep breaths. Approach the situation in a 'matter of fact' kind of way if you can.
8. Rewards. Always reward the kitty for every attempted test, whether successful or not.
9. Reward yourself too!

Do be patient with yourself, Fiona. This is something of a steep learning curve. But you are doing incredibly well. Honestly!
.
 
Fiona1 said:
Tinkerbell seems really off and I'm not sure if she just feels ill or she resents me testing her
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Another thought...
Are you testing Tinkerbell's pee for ketones?
The test just involves dipping the end of a ketone test strip (Ketostix or Ketodiastix) into a drop of pee. Crumpling clingfilm over the litter tray is often a good way to catch a sample. The pee collects in the creases.

The test strips don't register all kinds of ketones, so also be aware of how Tinkerbell's breath smells. It should smell like 'normal kitty breath' (!). If it smells sweet like acetone that can also indicate ketones.
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Thank you for all the tips. Yeah that was the last test 22.3. Going to do pmps in just over an hour. Hopefully i can make a better go of the curve tomorrow.

I bought a massive play pen to test ketones due to both cats using both litter trays. Put her in the pen with blankets, food, water, litter tray with cling film and very tiny amount of litter. Within 10 minutes of going in, she urinated! I got the result as traces. I bought the play pen purely for that reason as im renting and didnt want the cats to damage carpets if separated, which they did when we lived at my mums. Let her straight back out. This was just before i posted this message.
 
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Great comments from Elizabeth above, Fiona, ref testing. You're doing incredibly well so don't lose heart, keep going, this is a learning curve! If I were you I'd put today down to experience and start afresh tomorrow with the aim of giving insulin after testing... Tinkerbell may well feel better if her bg isn't too high.

As for "traces" ketones readings - that's a bit concerning... do you know if she was tested for ketones at the vet's (sorry, can't remember)?
 
H
Diana&Tom said:
Great comments from Elizabeth above, Fiona, ref testing. You're doing incredibly well so don't lose heart, keep going, this is a learning curve! If I were you I'd put today down to experience and start afresh tomorrow with the aim of giving insulin after testing... Tinkerbell may well feel better if her bg isn't too high.

As for "traces" ketones readings - that's a bit concerning... do you know if she was tested for ketones at the vet's (sorry, can't remember)?
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he said there were no ketones in the vets. Shall i still test her tonight before this shot? Shall i stick at 2 given that there are traces?
 
Fiona1 said:
H

he said there were no ketones in the vets. Shall i still test her tonight before this shot? Shall i stick at 2 given that there are traces?
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Yes definitely test before ANY shot, Fiona, ALWAYS. She will probably be in the 20s still but we need to have that info anyway. I would probably stick to 2u, yes, because that's still a reasonable dose for many kitties and - sorry to sound like a broken record - we need more data to see how she is utilising the insulin before we can definitely suggest an increase. For all we know, 3u upwards may be too much, drop her too low and send her skyrocketing again... it really is trial and error but remember to always err on the side of safety.
Trace ketones need monitoring so check again tomorrow and meanwhile do try to get her to eat. She needs to stay hydrated so add a little water to her food if she'll accept that. Give her whatever she likes to eat - you seem to be trying various things which is great but maybe she's getting confused! Maybe you could add just a little of the Hills to the Sheba if it means she'll eat something.
 
Diana&Tom said:
Yes definitely test before ANY shot, Fiona, ALWAYS. She will probably be in the 20s still but we need to have that info anyway. I would probably stick to 2u, yes, because that's still a reasonable dose for many kitties and - sorry to sound like a broken record - we need more data to see how she is utilising the insulin before we can definitely suggest an increase. For all we know, 3u upwards may be too much, drop her too low and send her skyrocketing again... it really is trial and error but remember to always err on the side of safety.
Trace ketones need monitoring so check again tomorrow and meanwhile do try to get her to eat. She needs to stay hydrated so add a little water to her food if she'll accept that. Give her whatever she likes to eat - you seem to be trying various things which is great but maybe she's getting confused! Maybe you could add just a little of the Hills to the Sheba if it means she'll eat something.
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Will definitely test for ketones.
Just tested her at 18.3
Just given her bozita and shes eating. She only seems to eat when i take it to her
 
Fiona1 said:
Will definitely test for ketones.
Just tested her at 18.3
Just given her bozita and shes eating. She only seems to eat when i take it to her
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I expect she got used to waitress service at the vet's!
18.3 isn't too bad. If she's eating a decent amount now, good, then take it away and test again at about 9pm with a view to shooting.
 
Diana&Tom said:
I expect she got used to waitress service at the vet's!
18.3 isn't too bad. If she's eating a decent amount now, good, then take it away and test again at about 9pm with a view to shooting.
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Oh, PS to the above - you said that 18.3 was the pre shot number so you're going to shoot now-ish? That should be ok as long as she hadn't had a massive amount to eat recently - from what you say, she hasn't.
 
Fiona1 said:
Lol at the waitress service.
Yeah she hasnt eaten too much. Going to shoot 2u at 7.30pm. Been practicing another syringe on a satsuma today.
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Great stuff! Paws crossed you'll get the needle in this time! Then try to test again a couple of times this evening if poss.
 
And sorry, one more thing... do I remember correctly that Tinkerbell has already been treated for ketones? If so, keep a specially close eye on her and call the vet if you get readings that show higher levels... this is really important. But good news that she is eating, and if you can get insulin into her that's good too.
 
Fiona1 said:
Yep ill test her for ketones tomorrow, she has had Dka.
I did it! It definitely went in! Felt different from earlier :)
So shaky now, but confident i can do it.
Ill set an alarm for 4.5 hours from now unless im awake. Shall i also test her in 2 hours?
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Excellent! This will certainly give you confidence.
Ref the testing - it's up to you and what you and Tinkerbell can manage... as we've said, it's good to get as much data as possible, but don't bust a gut attempting too-frequent tests if it's distressing either of you.
 
Fiona1 said:
Within 10 minutes of going in, she urinated! I got the result as traces.
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Gosh, well done on getting a quick ketone test!
Anything above 'traces' is a reason to contact a vet ASAP (because ketones can quickly escalate and then develop into DKA, so it's important to get vet advice in that situation.)
The classic 'recipe' for DKA is high blood glucose, plus insufficient insulin, not enough food intake, and maybe also an infection or illness of some sort. Although some cats will develop DKA without everything in that list.

Given that Tinkerbell has had DKA it's really important to keep on top of this. She may be prone to ketones. Some kitties are.
Ketones can be produced when fat breaks down. And most often that means body fat. So it's really important to get sufficient food into the kitty. That means tempting her with yummy food whenever an opportunity presents itself. She needs to eat enough food to meet her calorific requirements so that she doesn't start to break down more body fat.
How is Tinkerbell's weight? Is she normal weight, overweight, underweight..?

And well done for getting that insulin shot in.
It really WILL get easier. :cat:
.
 
Diana&Tom said:
Excellent! This will certainly give you confidence.
Ref the testing - it's up to you and what you and Tinkerbell can manage... as we've said, it's good to get as much data as possible, but don't bust a gut attempting too-frequent tests if it's distressing either of you.
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Im not working til tuesday so this weekend is all about tinkerbell :) i just really hope that tomorrow is a better day of testing so she is ok to leave come tuesday. Just gonna try and get a bit of sleep in the day tomorrow, between shots
 
Elizabeth and Bertie said:
Gosh, well done on getting a quick ketone test!
Anything above 'traces' is a reason to contact a vet ASAP (because ketones can quickly escalate and then develop into DKA, so it's important to get vet advice in that situation.)
The classic 'recipe' for DKA is high blood glucose, plus insufficient insulin, not enough food intake, and maybe also an infection or illness of some sort. Although some cats will develop DKA without everything in that list.

Given that Tinkerbell has had DKA it's really important to keep on top of this. She may be prone to ketones. Some kitties are.
Ketones can be produced when fat breaks down. And most often that means body fat. So it's really important to get sufficient food into the kitty. That means tempting her with yummy food whenever an opportunity presents itself. She needs to eat enough food to meet her calorific requirements so that she doesn't start to break down more body fat.
How is Tinkerbell's weight? Is she normal weight, overweight, underweight..?

And well done for getting that insulin shot in.
It really WILL get easier. :cat:
.
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She was slightly overweight before she got dka. Shes now 4k and looks a normal weight.
Shes got some leonardo down now, as well as bozita. I gave her this because the bozita had a lot of meat left with no jelly. She has gone back, without me taking it to her, to 3 more small helpings of leonardo and is walking around quite a lot now, rather than sleeping. Going to test her now, then update my SS.
 
Fiona1 said:
PMPS +2 14.9 reading. Eating again also. Seems to eat very little, but often.
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This is looking good, Fiona. The pmps wasn't too bad and the successful 2u shot has produced a gentle drop... keep an eye (I know you are of course) and get another test or two tonight if you can.
Very well done - am very impressed with how quickly you're taking everything on board.
 
One more little thing, Fiona... most of us posting on your thread are fellow UKers so we are in the same time zone as you and can get back to you in "real time" but this is an international board and there are people from the US and elsewhere online during our night. So if you need help late at night and we don't see your post (I for one will be off to bed soon) you can either start a new thread with a specific query in the title, or tag people in this thread who have been following you, such as @Kris & Teasel who is in Canada.

In between testing, shooting and feeding this weekend lol you might want to spend a few minutes reading other threads here and acquainting yourself with how to use the board to max advantage. You're already doing so well though!
 
Diana&Tom said:
One more little thing, Fiona... most of us posting on your thread are fellow UKers so we are in the same time zone as you and can get back to you in "real time" but this is an international board and there are people from the US and elsewhere online during our night. So if you need help late at night and we don't see your post (I for one will be off to bed soon) you can either start a new thread with a specific query in the title, or tag people in this thread who have been following you, such as @Kris & Teasel who is in Canada.

In between testing, shooting and feeding this weekend lol you might want to spend a few minutes reading other threads here and acquainting yourself with how to use the board to max advantage. You're already doing so well though!
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Yeah i completely agree with this, will start reading up some other threads.
 
Fiona1 said:
PM shot +4 is 8.8
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First of all I didn’t get any ‘new posts’ notifications today for some reason so I completely missed this whole second page of your posts and just caught up with it all, sorry!
+4 8.8 is a great number, once again well done for managing so well trying to stay on top of things!
Brilliant job with injecting as well.
As for kitty’s poor battered ear you can get a tube of Aloe Vera gel in Boots, Holland and Barrett or in a supermarket keep it in the fridge so it’s nice and cool when you apply on her ears after testing. It’s soothing, healing and anti-bacterial as well. Or just get Savlon, also very good
 
Will get the aloe vera gel. Is there any specific type? Do any have bad ingredients like tea tree, for example.

AMPS 7.5 - not giving a shot. Shall I still test every 2 hours today?

Put her in the play pen to get urine again. Mixed some water with her food which she is eating. She tends to eat more in the play pen.
 
Fiona1 said:
Will get the aloe vera gel. Is there any specific type? Do any have bad ingredients like tea tree, for example.

AMPS 7.5 - not giving a shot. Shall I still test every 2 hours today?

Put her in the play pen to get urine again. Mixed some water with her food which she is eating. She tends to eat more in the play pen.
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Lovely amps number, Fiona - that 2u seems to be very effective. So no, no shot. The problem is of course that she may well start rising again and need insulin at least by pmps time... this is where it gets tricky. If you still get trace ketones today (or higher, but let's hope not) she should really get some insulin, but if you start giving small doses before normal shot times you're starting to muddy the waters and it all gets more difficult. I'd rather we got comments on this from someone with dka experience... @Kris & Teasel @Elizabeth and Bertie do you know yourselves or can you suggest anyone to tag? Or perhaps Fiona needs to start a new thread asking for dosing advice post-dka?

In any case, I don't think you can do much at the moment, Fiona. It's good that Tinkerbell is eating, good that you're adding water, and best of all good that her bg is a nice 7.5 this morning. So yes, you do need to keep testing when you can to identify when and how fast the bg starts rising... assuming that it does. In some cases, once numbers start to get lower -and you're getting much better numbers than when she was at the vet's - numbers settle in a certain range and you may not (paws crossed) see those super-high numbers again. Time will tell.

So for now I'd say let's see if anyone else can comment on your dosing strategy today... I'll be out for a few hours in the middle part of the day and will look in when I can, but I don't think I'll have a lot to add to what you already know and are doing very well. The general picture is looking good, it's just the ketones we need to keep in check so bear that in mind and when in doubt, ring the vet.

Hope it's a great day for you and Tinkerbell!
 
Morning Fiona,
7.5 amps is a beautiful number.
Definitely not shootable so good call holding it off.
I have no experience with ketones so cannot comment on that part.
I would test a few times throughout the day and check for ketones as well but not sure if there’s anything else you can do at this point.
I’m still thinking maybe going down to 1u instead of 2u and start from scratch might be a good idea... to see how she responds and whether you get more balanced overall readings..
 
Monica Lewis said:
Morning Fiona,
7.5 amps is a beautiful number.
Definitely not shootable so good call holding it off.
I have no experience with ketones so cannot comment on that part.
I would test a few times throughout the day and check for ketones as well but not sure if there’s anything else you can do at this point.
I’m still thinking maybe going down to 1u instead of 2u and start from scratch might be a good idea... to see how she responds and whether you get more balanced overall readings..
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Monica makes a valid point about possibly reducing the dose... we don't know if the first/only 2u you've injected dropped her a little lower than we'd like overnight... hopefully not, and she has just "surfed" in nice single numbers for the second half of the cycle. But we had to start somewhere and 2u was a decent guess and has ensured that she had necessary insulin to hopefully keep ketones in check.
As time goes on and you get the needle in at each dose, and test during the cycle, we will more easily be able to see what the dose is doing so we can think about adjustments - up or down - when you next get a shootable number at shot time. There may be a big difference in results between 1u and 2u but you could always try 1.5u, or even 1.25u or 1.75u... there may be a "magic" dose for Tinkerbell, we will have to see!
 
Yeah 1u could be a good idea later. Got a reading of 14.2 just now which was disappointing. However she was a bit stressed in the pen, so let her out after half hour.
The syringes from the vet only have whole numbers.
 
Fiona1 said:
Yeah 1u could be a good idea later. Got a reading of 14.2 just now which was disappointing. However she was a bit stressed in the pen, so let her out after half hour.
The syringes from the vet only have whole numbers.
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Yes thought she would be going up now... maybe it will be good to reduce the dose a bit so it doesn't last quite as long and you can shoot at usual times.
Have to go now but good luck for the rest of the day.
 
Diana&Tom said:
Yes thought she would be going up now... maybe it will be good to reduce the dose a bit so it doesn't last quite as long and you can shoot at usual times.
Have to go now but good luck for the rest of the day.
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Yeah that sounds like a good idea. Thank you. Have a good day!
 
Fiona1 said:
AMPS 7.5 - not giving a shot
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Ooh, lovely number! Very nice to see......
Given that Caninsulin has a fairly short duration it would seem that Tinkerbell was able to hold her blood glucose down on her own; so her pancreas was putting in a little bit of work there.

And if no shot given, it's just a morning BG rather than a morning PS, so it's AMBG instead of AMPS. (Sorry about all the jargon... :oops:)

Fiona1 said:
Got a reading of 14.2 just now which was disappointing
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No need to be disappointed. That's not bad at all. Especially given that her +4 wasn't significantly higher, only 15.4.
These are very early days in Tinkerbell's diabetes story and these numbers are pretty good so far.

As to suggestions of reducing the dose, those numbers are looking fine so far. But Tinkerbell's blood glucose does seem to be coming down over all, and it may be that a reduction becomes necessary.
The situation is complicated somewhat by Tinkerbell having had DKA, especially since she was showing 'trace' ketones yesterday. More than ever there's a balance to strike between the need for the body to have insulin, and the need for the blood glucose not to drop too low.

How is Tinkerbell's appetite today?
And if you could get another ketone test at some point that would be great. I do understand that it's stressful for her to be in the crate.... ....Are you able to keep an eye on which kitty uses the litter tray at all...?

Eliz
 
Fiona1 said:
Yeah 1u could be a good idea later. Got a reading of 14.2 just now which was disappointing. However she was a bit stressed in the pen, so let her out after half hour.
The syringes from the vet only have whole numbers.
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Fiona I know it’s not easy but try not to be disappointed over the readings as at this point anything can happen.
Best not to have expectations as these kitties tend to surprise us by responding totally different to what we expect!
Just have an open mind and be prepared for anything taking each day as they come. Like I said before this attitude helped me to keep my sanity!:)
Again considering she had no insulin this morning her BG readings actually been pretty good and lowish steady so far.
How is Tinkerbell otherwise?
Eating drinking playing, purring..?
At the beginning I was so busy with all the stress of testing monitoring and trying to get everything right that I forgot that Josie was still a loving affectionate little companion who needed attention and TLC and not just a project with numbers...
You two are doing so incredibly well, make sure you both get some rewards for your hard work!:cat:
 
I apologize for taking so long to get back here - sidelined by other things. I suggest dropping the dose tonight to 1 unit. Get a before bed test to see what's happening. The low number this morning could have been a result of the 2 u being too much insulin. That can increase the dose's duration so that it's still doing its thing at the 12 hour mark - not typical of Caninsulin. If you haven't had a chance to read through the excellent Caninsulin user's guide, I'd recommend that. (http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/beginners-guide-to-caninsulin-vetsulin.186099/)Meanwhile, here's the section on handling lower pre shots:

Q. Is my cat’s BG high enough for insulin?
For those NEW to treating feline diabetes, and/or those who don’t have much data about how their cat responds to insulin, we generally recommend that a shot isn’t given if the pre-shot BG, is below 200 mg/dL [11 mmol/L] on a human meter.
If you use a pet meter, such as AlphaTrak2, you may want to raise the initial ‘no shoot’ threshold. This gives an added margin of safety when using a pet meter. (If in doubt seek advice from your vet.)


Q. It’s time for my cat’s shot, but the BG is a little too low. What now?
  • If your cat’s BG is a bit below 200 mg/dL [11 mmol/L] on a human meter, consider ‘stalling’.
  • Stalling is waiting - without feeding your cat - for 20+minutes, then retesting to see if the BG has risen to a suitable level.
  • If using a pet meter, such as Alphatrak2, you may want to raise number above 200 mg/dL. (If in doubt seek advice from your vet.)
  • You are looking for a number that is rising, not falling, and is high enough to give insulin.
  • Note: As you gain experience with home testing, and have gathered data to show how your cat responds to insulin, you might consider it safe to reduce the ‘no shoot’ threshold, and to give insulin at lower pre-shot numbers.
  • If you have time, you can repeat the stalling process to see if the cat’s BG reaches a number you can shoot. If in doubt, skip the shot.However if your cat has history of ketones or DKA, or other health issues, or you are concerned, DO post on the Main Health forum for further advice.
  • Ask for help on the forum before giving insulin if you are unsure, as you can never ‘un-shoot’ insulin.
 
Excellent comments from the others here, Fiona! You two are doing so well, we're proud of you! I know you have to go back to work in a couple of days but it would be very optimistic to get any kind of solution to this in just a weekend... but you are nevertheless making amazing progress, I hope you're giving yourself credit!
 
Thanks @Elizabeth and Bertie I had a look at that diagram. I kept the litter tray in whichever room I went into, to keep an eye on the cats but unfortunately she hasn't urinated yet. Just done AMBG + 6 and got 17.1. She ate equivalent to half a pouch this morning and since then, has had small amounts, mixed with water.

Thanks @Monica Lewis She hasn't been purring since this morning when I woke up. She's been sleeping quite a lot. She did go and sit in the sun at the window for a while though. She's not an extemely playful cat with toys. I put my hand under a cover and she tried to get it a couple of times. She's washing. She's not playing with my other cat, Patch, but I don't know whether that's because she doesn't feel like it or Patch is still nervous. Patch was hissing again this morning.

Thanks @Kris & Teasel I was thinking of 1u myself because I really want to be able to do a proper curve tomorrow and I can only do this if I give her insulin in the morning. I'm working on Tuesday so would not be able to do another one until next Saturday.
I'm going to try to buy some syringes which aren't just whole numbers but I'm a bit unsure of where to buy them and if they are sterile, for example, and that can be trusted. I understand they have to be U40, with caninsulin, but I'm not really sure what that means.

Thanks @Diana&Tom I am dreading leaving her but I only have 4 more days of work until I move on 23/05 so hopefully I can make some progress before that point.

I did smell both cats breaths and they smelt the same. I pulled their skin up and my other cat's skin went back quicker than Tinkerbell's. Looking for potential DKA signs or symptoms. I haven't seen her drink water today, she has only had it mixed with food. That's not to say she wasn't drinking in the night. I even took her a glass of water seeing as I've seen her try to get mine on the table before when she has her own out! lol But she still wasn't interested.
Is an overnight curve as beneficial? Or is it best to just wait to do a curve, with insulin, tomorrow?
Can I buy a blood testing ketone machine? I've seen there are some, via this forum, but I didn't know if they are in the UK.
 
Fiona1 said:
Thanks @Elizabeth and Bertie I had a look at that diagram. I kept the litter tray in whichever room I went into, to keep an eye on the cats but unfortunately she hasn't urinated yet. Just done AMBG + 6 and got 17.1. She ate equivalent to half a pouch this morning and since then, has had small amounts, mixed with water.

Thanks @Monica Lewis She hasn't been purring since this morning when I woke up. She's been sleeping quite a lot. She did go and sit in the sun at the window for a while though. She's not an extemely playful cat with toys. I put my hand under a cover and she tried to get it a couple of times. She's washing. She's not playing with my other cat, Patch, but I don't know whether that's because she doesn't feel like it or Patch is still nervous. Patch was hissing again this morning.

Thanks @Kris & Teasel I was thinking of 1u myself because I really want to be able to do a proper curve tomorrow and I can only do this if I give her insulin in the morning. I'm working on Tuesday so would not be able to do another one until next Saturday.
I'm going to try to buy some syringes which aren't just whole numbers but I'm a bit unsure of where to buy them and if they are sterile, for example, and that can be trusted. I understand they have to be U40, with caninsulin, but I'm not really sure what that means.

Thanks @Diana&Tom I am dreading leaving her but I only have 4 more days of work until I move on 23/05 so hopefully I can make some progress before that point.

I did smell both cats breaths and they smelt the same. I pulled their skin up and my other cat's skin went back quicker than Tinkerbell's. Looking for potential DKA signs or symptoms. I haven't seen her drink water today, she has only had it mixed with food. That's not to say she wasn't drinking in the night. I even took her a glass of water seeing as I've seen her try to get mine on the table before when she has her own out! lol But she still wasn't interested.
Is an overnight curve as beneficial? Or is it best to just wait to do a curve, with insulin, tomorrow?
Can I buy a blood testing ketone machine? I've seen there are some, via this forum, but I didn't know if they are in the UK.
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An overnight curve would be great if you can tolerate the interrupted sleep.
 
Fiona1 said:
I'm going to try to buy some syringes which aren't just whole numbers but I'm a bit unsure of where to buy them and if they are sterile, for example, and that can be trusted. I understand they have to be U40, with caninsulin, but I'm not really sure what that means.
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Fiona, you can get half-unit syringes for U40 insulin at VetUK here:
https://www.vetuk.co.uk/veterinary-...nsulin-syringe-with-needle-box-of-100-p-11335

'U40' just means there's 40 units of insulin per ml of liquid. Caninsulin and Prozinc are both U40.
Most other insulins are U100, or 100 units insulin per ml.

Incidentally, if it happens that Tinkerbell starts to need small doses you may find it helpful to switch to U1oo syringes as these make measuring small doses of U40 insulin much easier. However the U100's have to be used with a conversion chart when using U40 insulin so that you get the right dose.
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Kris & Teasel said:
An overnight curve would be great if you can tolerate the interrupted sleep.
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You're a hard taskmaster, Kris, haha! :p :D
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Do you think her ears will be ok with an overnight curve seeing as I've done it every 2 hours today so far?
 
She has been quite sleepy today, not drunk water except what was in her food, not urinated as far as ive seen and has made a snotty sound with her nose a few times.
 
Fiona1 said:
She has been quite sleepy today, not drunk water except what was in her food
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My kitties have been flaked out all day, and aren't that interested in food. The heat is getting to them a bit, I think. They'll probably perk up once the sun goes down.
Could it just be the heat that's affecting Tinkerbell also...? (That doesn't account for the snotty-sounding nose though, admittedly...)
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Elizabeth and Bertie said:
My kitties have been flaked out all day, and aren't that interested in food. The heat is getting to them a bit, I think. They'll probably perk up once the sun goes down.
Could it just be the heat that's affecting Tinkerbell also...? (That doesn't account for the snotty-sounding nose though, admittedly...)
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Yeah it could be as shes gone to lay down in a cooler room.
 
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