New to this! Need help

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

ash11056

Member Since 2012
This is my first time on this board. My cat Clinton was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He is 7 years old and usually very mild mannered. I have been using Lantus and at this time I give him 1 unit two times a day. I also test his bg before giving insulin. He did very well with the testing at first but now he had gotten very difficult. He will no longer sit still while I try to test and he has started biting at my hand when I approach him. I am getting very frustrated because I know this beginning time is when it is important to get readings consitantly to know how much insulin he needs to be on. I am also scared to give him any insulin without a reading. This morning I did not get a reading at all. I was working on it for almost an hour. I gave him breaks in between and tried to just sit with him and pet him but he kept biting at my hand any time I get near him.

I am also worried that I am not getting good readings because I have been feeding before I test and by the time I get a usable blood sample, I'm afraid the numbers are already affected. The problem is in the mornings he is used to me feeding him right away. He gets almost frantic to be feed and I have not figured out a way to get him to sit still without feeding him first. Any suggestions would be welcome. I know this takes time to get used to but it seems like its getting worse instead of getting better.
 
Hi Ash & Clinton,

first step is to Breath!

Now go post on Lantus, more experienced people will be there to help you. they have helped me & junior, they are awesome!

They will ask lots of questions, so be ready...and good luck, it takes time, but is worth it!

(((((hug)))))
 
An often repeated phrase- Just BREATHE!

A few things- Clinton is probably still hungry and wants his food NOW! Most cats do, whether FD or no :lol: . Until he gets regulated Clinton will be literally starving- so make sure you feed him a lot. Leave food out during the day and make sure it is low-carbed wet food. A few questions:

One, what size lancet are you using? If it is a higher number- 30 or 31, it could be too small. Until the capillaries get into the area you need the smaller numbered- 26, 28, with the larger boles.

Two, how much are you warming his ears up before poking? I massage the ear for a full minute before attempting to poke. Others warm up a rice sock or have a pill bottle with warm water to place next to the ear. And set a limit- three tries and that is it. Both of you get frustrated and his BG will rise from stress.

Three, are you giving a low-carb treat when you test? Usually freeze-dried something or other- shrimp, chicken, turkey, beef. That holds them off for a minute or two if you do that. And if it is pure freeze-dried protein you don't have to worry about a spike in BG.

Four, what are you feeding? We have a few lists that gives carb counts. A popular- and cheaper- option is Fancy Feast Classics. Stay away from gravy, grilled, marinated, and the new souffles.

Five, what meter do you have? Some are good for FD and some aren't.

Six, do you use a device or do you free-hand the lancet. Pro's and con's to both.

It is okay, you two are just starting out. You know his ears have blood- you've gotten it before, but he's getting a little antsy. He just needs to learn- and time will do this- that he gets food AFTER tests. Clinton is a cat- they don't like change. He will understand once you two get into a routine, start to expect it, and then wonder when you change that routine.

Before each test calm yourself. play with his ears and warm them up. When they are warm, poke- not before. Yes, he wants his food- give him a treat. Give him the rest after you test.
 
Bandit fought me tooth and nail the first two weeks of testing to the point of putting me in tears, and now he runs to me and purrs when I pull out the meter. It does get easier, I promise!

So some suggestions to help you out.

1. What size lancet are you using? One of the biggest problems newbies have in getting blood is that they use too small a lancet (30-33g). You want to use a thicker lancet (26-28g) so that you can get a big enough drop of blood quickly. Cats have very few nerve endings in their ears (less than people have in their fingertips), so it's not the pain from poking they hate. It's having their person do something new to them, being restrained, and sensing their person is nervous and afraid. Once you relax, so does the cat. :smile: Warming the ear with a rice sock or other warm compress helps get the blood flowing as well.

2. Make sure you're giving a low carb treat after every test--this is key in getting the cat to accept them! I use Beefeaters freeze dried Salmon and Chicken treats from the cat treat section at petsmart, but there are many other options.

3. Make sure you're applying pressure at the poke spot for 20 seconds after the test, and dab a little neosporin + pain relief on the spot afterwards to prevent bruising.

4. If your cat is still giving you problems, try the burrito technique until he starts to accept the testing. I had to do this with Bandit. You wrap him up in a small blanket or towel so that only his head is sticking out so that he can't bite or scratch you while you're testing. I also put Bandit in a basket to restrict his wiggling attempts.
 
ash11056 said:
This is my first time on this board. My cat Clinton was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He is 7 years old and usually very mild mannered. I have been using Lantus and at this time I give him 1 unit two times a day. I also test his bg before giving insulin. He did very well with the testing at first but now he had gotten very difficult. He will no longer sit still while I try to test and he has started biting at my hand when I approach him. I am getting very frustrated because I know this beginning time is when it is important to get readings consitantly to know how much insulin he needs to be on. I am also scared to give him any insulin without a reading. This morning I did not get a reading at all. I was working on it for almost an hour. I gave him breaks in between and tried to just sit with him and pet him but he kept biting at my hand any time I get near him.

I am also worried that I am not getting good readings because I have been feeding before I test and by the time I get a usable blood sample, I'm afraid the numbers are already affected. The problem is in the mornings he is used to me feeding him right away. He gets almost frantic to be feed and I have not figured out a way to get him to sit still without feeding him first. Any suggestions would be welcome. I know this takes time to get used to but it seems like its getting worse instead of getting better.
Click to expand...

What are some of the readings you have had so far? Testing before the shots are important but you also need to know how low is he going mid cycle. Those mid cycle numbers will let you know if the dose is working, and you may find that even the 1u is too high for Clinton, and it may be the reason he does not like the testing now?

What I found was that one of my cats became much hungrier after I started her insulin. I think she just felt crappy before her dx, but once we started her shots, she perked up and so did her appetite. If you can say how much food, what kind of food, and the feeding schedule, it would help others make suggestions. The only guideline most follow is to hold food for the 2hrs before shot time so that the reading you get will not be a food influenced number. Otherwise, I would say let that boy eat, and maybe you will have a cooperative fellow on your hands.

What do his ears look like where you are testing? Could it be that they are sore now? Are you using the lancet device or poking freehand? If you can say how you are testing, others may have some good ideas for you.. I do know that a reward treat is good after a successful test. If you are giving a treat after every attempt, when you are finally successful, he will have treat influenced numbers. No treats for the ps tests because he's getting his meal.

Do NOT give food until you get that test; it's important for him to have his insulin and you want to give to a safe number, so if you are feeding a big more during the cycles, he may feel better for tests, provided his ears are not sore now.
 
I was actually lucky because he was already on a mostly wet food diet and Fancy Feast classics are his favorite. So he did not have to adjust much with that. I also have been giving him boiled chicken after I test. So right now he gets a full small can of food in the morning at 6 with bites of chicken after testing. As of now I usually feed him the whole can and then test right away. I know I need to change that practice. Do you think I could switch it and give a few bites of chicken first in the morning and then feed him the can after? Would the chicken affect the test too much? To do the test I usually let him eat which I know I need to change now, then I put him on my bed and pet him a little bit and try to massage his ears for a little bit but that is usually only for a few seconds. The lancets I am using do not say the gauge on them. I got them from my mom because she is a diabetic and she said she had extras so I'm sure they are probably thinner. Where do you get the lancets from? I've been going to different drug stores to find thicker ones but I haven't been successful yet.

Another question is how often I should feed him. Right now I just feed him at 6am and 6pm, 3oz of wet food each time. Should I be splitting that up more that just twice a day? I haven't been taking his sugar in between the insulin just because its been such a struggle to get his numbers right before, I feel like it will be more tramatic for him and me if I do it even more than twice a day. Right now his number seem to be in the mid 350s twice which is his number after eating and then he will be in the 100s the third time. According to my vet he shouldn't get any insulin in this range so I wont give him anything and he shoots right back up to the 300s for the next reading.
 
Test, Feed, Shoot is the routine you want to follow. If you wake up for the morning test and he's starving, you can give him a few pieces of chicken to hold him off until after the test.

Larger lancets are usually labeled for alternate site testing. Bayer's Microlets are 25 gauge.

Yes, you can feed more than twice a day. Feeding less food more frequently helps support the pancreas and not overload it with food. 4 meals a day is fine, making sure to avoid giving food 2 hours before the shot.

The numbers bouncing around may be from too much insulin. We can't say because you aren't getting any mid cycle tests. Please try to get at least 1 test between 4-8 hours after the shot, every day. That way you will know how the insulin is working in Clinton and it will help keep him safe from hypo.

If he won't hold still for a test, try doing the kitty burrito... wrap him snugly in a blanket so only his head is exposed, and either kneel and place him between your legs to keep him still or squish him between you and the arm of the couch. He will catch on fast that being a nice boy is a lot less worse than the burrito!
 
And bear in mind if Clinton gets food more often he might not be absolutely starving when you test- he would have gone 12 hours without eating- how often do you do that?

Most people I know have 3 meals and then snacks. Spread out the food- and I would say maybe add at least one can as well unless he doesn't eat it all. And leave it out- add an ice cube to keep it fresh. Once his body starts getting the nutrients from his food he should slow down.

No idea on the lancets. The first one I bough was from ADW in our shop area (FBMD gets a small commission to help pay for the site if we start shopping through their link) and it was for pets. The next 2 boxes were given to me by a diabetic who was switched over to a new meter. It's almost time for me to buy again.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top