Newbie on PZI

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Another question: someone on the boards said that when you home test that you could give a little food to him first just to settle him down because he is so hungry at that time before you test him? Is this true?
 
If you can test before it digests, sure. And since it can take a minimum of 15-30 minutes before anything starts to hit the blood stream (ex karo, honey are faster than food), you have a small window of time to get an accurate test. Plus, there may be less squirming.
 
Great! I was hoping so because he is all about food in the morning. He yells at me non stop until he is fed...that meowing could drive a sane person nuts let alone me :lol:

Kolbie was just given a little house.. An inflatable dog house actually that was meant for the dogs and he loved playing in there. So I'm hoping he will continue to like it...I put his toys in there... Bag and string...equals toys.
 
Watch out for string - swallowed, it can tangle in the intestines and cut through them.
 
Hope Kolbie does good today at the vet! :smile: It might be worthwhile to ask if the vet has any ideas on how you can restrain Kolbie without aggravating your back or arm (so you can have success every time with his insulin shot). She is familiar with working with him and might have a tried and true method that she can share.
 
Kolbie went to the vet And I need to change a few things. It has been a rough week. I am going to come back this afternoon and share with you guys. I have to run for now but wanted to check in to let you know where we are at. I will be starting the home testing.
 
Ok...I will start a new thread. I know I have not been online. I have not felt well all week long so it has been rough. Kolbie had to go to the VET and I almost passed out waiting for them to tell me I was all set to leave. I knew I was all set since I saw my VET but the check out people did not talk to the other people so I was standing there for 15 more minutes in a very hot room when already not feeling well. So the rest of the week I have still not felt well to be able to post here.

Kolbies weight seems to be stabling out which is good. His BG was good when during a curve. There is a concern due to the amount he is vomiting. This could be a much bigger problem due to his mast cell Tumors so I am very, very worried. I cannot lose him.... He is my world.
 
Bonito flakes are dried fish flakes. You may find them at a large-ish pet store or at an Asian grocery.

1/4 of a Pepcid AC regular 10mg, given 10-15 minutes before eating, may help reduce upset/acid stomach. You mentioned that his breath smells horrible - does it smell like urine at all? That may be a sign of renal disease starting up as could be a more acid stomach.
 
No, not like urine. I think It may be me just feeling sick from the fish smell from his food. He had a good check up. I am note feeling well at all right now so we are a little behind schedule. I have some sort of bug and cannot shake it. I am literally on the couch all day and then in bed at 7 PM. I really want and need to help my baby ASAP. I am hoping to feel better real soon. This is pulling at my heart strings.
 
I'm so sorry you are feeling bad, Ali. Good that he got a good check up. He has been okay doing what you are doing so he should continue. Dry food and a higher dose is not ideal by any means but may keep him out of hypo numbers till you can work with testing and diet change. Just monitor his behavior carefully.
 
Hi Ali,

I'm sorry you are not feeling well, get better soon.

I'm glad to hear that you are going to start home testing. You will be amazed at how much more in control you will feel in Kolbie's treatment by knowing what his bg's are any time you want to. Especially if something seems off, a test will tell you if he's high or low and you will be able to deal with it.

Robin
 
Ok...so I made some attempts at testing him today. I didn't do a great job but I did get some numbers. Should I start a new thread? And I am not sure how to post them yet....I haven't tried.
 
Great news, Ali. Do you still have acess to your spreadsheet? Put them on there and then, if you want, send me a pm with your password to this site. I'll put them in your signature.
 
Yay!!!! Welcome to the Vampire Club!!!! Let Sue help you link the spreadsheet to your signiture If it wern't for the help from Sue & Michele I wouldn't have a spreadsheet or a picture of my Harley. ohmygod_smile
 
Sue, I have fallen ill again so I am so sorry I have not gotten you the information. This is so hard when I am sick and doing Kolbie too. I have also been so overwhelmed because I have found at least 5 more cancerous Mast Cell Tumors on him. I am so full of worry. He has never ever had this many and they seem to just be multiplying all over him.

I am keeping track of his numbers.

Today he was... 280 pre shot 4 units given
 
Sorry you have been under the weather, Ali. Congrats on getting a test! Welcome to the Vampire club!

We normally tell new diabetics not to shoot under 200. A regulated cat is in the mid 200s at preshot. 280 a good number and normally would be a low number for 4 units. You are still feeding dry, right? In that case, the dry might keep the insulin from taking him too low, but if you can, please try to get a test midcycle.
 
KolbiesMommy said:
Sue, I have fallen ill again so I am so sorry I have not gotten you the information. This is so hard when I am sick and doing Kolbie too. I have also been so overwhelmed because I have found at least 5 more cancerous Mast Cell Tumors on him. I am so full of worry. He has never ever had this many and they seem to just be multiplying all over him. ...
Click to expand...


Hang in there! Just keep putting 1 foot in front of the other and you'll get there, though it may not be as fast as you'd like.

I just had my civvie Tux in to have another lesion removed from her tail; she's had a mast cell tumor excised twice on her left lower eyelid (it came back once) and I suspect the pathology on this will be the same. She's only 9.
 
GRRRRRR, I have had no Internet to be here! This has been so frustrating to be doing this alone on top of the already frustrations that I am feeling!!! Kolbie has not been taking his insulin well for me at all since I started home testing him so I am not sure what to do now. I need to talk to my VET because this is what happened last time I began home testing. Since he basically gets away from me no matter how I hold him, pin him down...practically tackle him...he is not getting the needed insulin. I am very scared right now. I am wondering if I should stop for a few days so he can regroup... He is not trusting me right now and it is breaking my heart.

Yes, he is still on dry. I am so sad right now and it has been so hard to do this without being online. I may lose my Internet again so I am not sure how long I will have it. But I needed to be here while I have it and share with you.

Any suggestions?
 
BJM,

I missed your comment about the Mast Cell Tumors. Does your kitty have cancerous ones too? If so, I would really love to talk to you further. Kolbie is only 8 and has already had about 4 or 5 surgeries removing about 20 or so. It is hard to keep up. I noticed his little bumps when he was a kitten. This has been going in for years but I have always had them taken off so they do not spread to his organs. I was originally told he could get one more or 100 more. Apparently he is in the 100 more category. I have found a clue more since I last posted. It is a financial issue right now and my heart is broken. I literally want his entire body shaved just to find ALL of these suckers because I know they are hiding under his very thick fur and his rather large beautiful body... OMG he is going to be 9 in June. My baby is going to be 9!
 
We're glad to see you back! Do you give him his shot while he is eating? That made all the difference for us. If you can't do it while he is having breakfast or dinner, you might give him a few treats to keep him busy while you give the shot?
 
I'm so sorry you and Kolbie aren't feeling well. I hope that you both get well soon.

The key to testing is to give him his favorite treats after every test attempt even if they are unsucessful. Soon he will associate the tests with treats, and most kitties will come running for their test to get the treat.

Have you tried wrapping him in a towel like a burrito with only his head sticking out? with lots of praises and petting and treats. I use this method for nail trimming the civies.

I hope your internet holds out for you.
 
Ugh, I have not had any Internet for a while. I have to check from a friends computer so it has been so hard to get here. Thank you for the advice on wrapping Kolbie in a towel. I did it once before and he growled louder than any dog I have ever heard. But it is helpful as long as I don't give into his nasty tone. Nice to be here again.
 
Sue,

I have been trying to give Kolbie his shot while he eats. He has figured it out now. He actually moves so his side is to me or looks back and walks to the side of the plate so I cannot get to him. He is too smart. When he sees the treats he associates them with a bad thing. Sometimes he gives me a real run for my money....and it is a mad chase to give it to him. Those nights are no fun. He is a very difficult cat to do all of this to.
 
I am still online for this moment so I am taking advantage of it. I just found out that Kolbies insulin expired a month ago!! Does anyone know the shelf life with the insulin we are using? Is it helping him at all? I am so worried now. I received this insulin a bit ago because I was allowed to get it for free on a one time basis only. I had no idea that it would be expired by now. I wish the VET held onto it and gave it to me when I ran out of the other bottle. If my VET knew what was occurring then I believe that is what she had done. But that whole day was a mess with major lack of communication and I just wanted to get Kolbie out of there after being there so long. UGH!

I am running on overload and feeling overwhelmed... Doing this on my own...meaning not being able to get online with you guys is so hard. Hopefully I will be able to be online again today. Thank you for all your help and kindness. It means so much!
 
I would think it would be ineffective. You could ask your vet to order PZI BCP. It's a compounded PZI and the first sample is usually free. I know money is tight for you.
 
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