Newly diagnosed feline

[cookiesmom]

Hello! MY 7.5 year old cat Cookie was just diagnosed with diabetes. She is now on Lantus insulin, and was already eating Fancy Feast. She quit eating regularly several months ago, lost 3.5 lbs in the same time frame, but acted normal. The second time we took her to the vet they found her sugar was 533. We only started Lantus on Friday 11/26, but she is already eating quite a bit more than before, and is even meowing and acting more normal again. Even though she's better, she still acts very strangely right after I give her the shot - she starts licking like crazy, her eyes dilate, and she goes to her hiding place. She's getting 1 cc twice a day. An hour or less after the shot she returns to normal, but right after the injection (with and without food) she goes and hides for a little bit, and eventually comes out and finishes eating. This has me worried. I've never had a diabetic animal before, and this is all very new. I have had a chance to look around this site and love the information so far, but would appreciate any advice on her after shot reaction. Thanks!

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

You are already doing some great things for Cookie. The diet sounds good-do stick with the non gravy kinds of Fancy Feast. And one unit of Lantus is a good starting dose. (Not one cc - that would be a huge amount of insulin.)

The only thing missing is to test her blood glucose at home, just like human diabetics do. It is possible that she is getting too much insulin and that is causing her reaction to the shot. The only way to know is to test. Can we help you learn how?

 

[BJM]

... She's getting 1 cc twice a day. ...

Please read the syringe VERY CAREFULLY. Not doing so is how my cat was overdosed this past week by a friend!!!

It should indicate the size - often 3/10 cc (aka .3 cc) or 1/2 (aka .5 cc), and the number of units it can hold. Lantus is formulated to have 100 units per cc (a cc is also 1 mL) A 3/10 cc can hold 30 units of Lantus; a .5 cc can hold 50 units of Lantus.

You are probably giving 1 unit of Lantus, a very small amount in the syringe. If this is not the case, you could be giving too much.

Again - make sure you read the syringe CAREFULLY!!!

 

[cookiesmom]

Sorry, you're both correct - it's only 1 unit twice daily. She just had her second check at the vet (its only been a week) on Lantus and her blood sugar was still 500. I haven't started testing at home yet but I've been researching it. I'm very nervous - we're still adjusting to the fact that I have to giver her a shot twice a day. I used to work with animals for a living (vet clinic and humane society) but since this is my cat - my baby - it's a lot harder to handle. I'll take any help I can get.I'm watching the kits for cats site to see if they get any more kits this. This kind of blindsided us at a really bad time.

Since the original post she hasn't had the same reaction but Sunday had a brief episode of hypoglycemia. The vet said it could take a few weeks for her to really regulate. My vet happens to be diabetic, so she was a great help. She also suggested home testing.

Thanks for your input - I look forward to reading more and will definitely be posting for more help!!

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

If you want to post your city and state, maybe we have a member who lives nearby who could come help you learn to hometest. If Cookie is swinging between the 500s and hypo, you need to get a clear picture of her bg levels to keep her safe.

What are you feeding? A wet lo carb diet can make a huge difference. But DON'T change the food until you are hometesting. Oliver's bg levels went down 100points overnight when we changed from dry to wet.

 

[Just-As-Appy]

Fear not! In short order it will become quite routine. It is really important to begin home testing as soon as you can. The bg number at the vet clinic would likely not be that high at home. It also saves a lot of $$ because then you don't have to take her in for a blood glucose test - or leave her there for a curve which can run up a big bill. If you are in the US, WalMart has a metre and strips that are quite economical and many people on this board seem to like the metre.

 

[cookiesmom]

I live in Columbiana, AL, USA. Kind of in the middle of nowhere. I haven't been able to find anyone locally who has a diabetic cat, so I'm hoping the vet will show me what to do to home test. Cookie's currently eating any type of turkey flavored Fancy Feast. She won't eat anything else. I switched her to wet food a few months before she was diagnosed because she quit eating, and she won't even look at the dry food when it's out for my other cats.

I'll take a look at WalMart to see what they have available. She hasn't had a hypo episdose since that one time, and she even started acting normal again last night, doing things she hasn't done in months. But I definitely want to home test, just to make sure its really working.

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

Good for you to be willing to start hometesting. We have taught hundreds of people over the internet and you can learn that way too.

Here is a good beginning site: Newbie hometesting site and a video: Video for hometesting

Here is a list of things you will need:

A human glucometer. Any one that sips and takes a tiny sample is fine. The meters are often free at drug stores; it’s the strips that are expensive. You can, however, buy them on ebay at less than half the price of stores. Lots of people here also like the ReliOn from Walmart. It is an inexpensive meter and its strips are the cheapest around.

Lancets and a lancet device. Usually, until the ears “learn” to bleed, a 25-26 gauge is good. Any type will work.

Ketone strips. (Ketostix) Just like human diabetics use. You will sometimes need to test urine if the numbers are high.

Rice sack. Make this out of thinnish sock, filled with raw rice or oatmeal and then knotted. You heat this in the microwave until very warm but not hot. Then heat the ears before poking.

Also nice to have. Flashlight: so you can look at the ears and find the little capillaries that come off the vein running down the ear. Vaseline: Put a tiny smear where you want to poke. It will help the blood bead up.

Give it a try. Only a few newbies get blood the very first time. We poked poor Oliver a whole weekend before we got a drop. If you have trouble, come back on and we will bombard you with all the tricks that have helped us.

This is the best thing you can do to keep Cookie safe and healthy.

 

[Blue]

OK here's a visual for you...
Take a tennis ball and bounce it hard onto the ground and you know how high it bounces up. I bet when the vet tests Cookie, it's at the top of that bounce.

Also, the vet office is very stressful for so many animals. I don't even like going to the dr, and I know my cats don't either! I have one cat whose BG is very high at the vets, but returns to the usual about 30min after we get home. I have another cat whose BG goes very LOW at the vet, so go figure!

Home testing is the way to go. If you ask any human diabetic if they give themselves insulin without testing their BG just before the shot, they would think you are insane! Of course they test themselves! So, we need to do the same for our cats. By home testing, you will know that Cookie's BG numbers are in real time, and not just a snap shot at the strange vet office under stressful conditions. AND you will save a big chunk of cash by NOT needing to go to the vet for all those testing visits. In the comfort of Cookie's home, all testing of BG can be done.

In the beginning, it's frustrating for many people and animals because you're neither used to it and it's something new to many, but in short order, you and Cookie will be fine with it all, it will be as natural as breathing. If you have any questions at all, or any difficulties with testing, just post here and there will be many people with helpful tips for you.

Watch the videos that the others have provided you, then ask any questions you have.

 

[cookiesmom]

Thanks everyone for the great information!! I will check out meters tonight. It does look like theres a ReliOn meter for around $9, and the strips are definitly cheap. I do have a few start up questions - 1. Is it possible to over-use an insulin injection site? There is only 1 place so far I can use where she won't fight me. 2. Can you over-use a blood testing site on their ear? 3. Is there a fear of infection either at the insulin injection site or on their ears?

 

[MommaOfMuse]

Hi and Welcome,

I'm kind of late to the party, but to answer your questions, to the best of my ability.

Can''t help too much with the injection site since my guy is diet controlled and I only gave him 2 shots, although I think a lot of folks use the scruff and just move around like am left side, pm right side.

As far as testing, Max only has one ear that bleeds well so that is the one I test, I just try to move up or down the ear.

And never have heard of anyone having a problem with infection at either site. I do use a little neosporin on Max's ears it helps his ears heal. Now he isn't tested as much as he would be if he was on insulin, but he does still get tested once a week..I'm a worry wart over him, so I probably test more than I really have too.

Mel & Max

 

[Blue]

Yes, you should circulate your shot locations - think of a clock, you can use 3, 6, 9 and 12.
There is a diagram of different locations you can try. What location is working for you?

You can alternate ears; many people do and you are not going to exactly the same spot, but just the general area. Again, try one side of an ear, the other side of the same ear, and also the other ear.

 

[cookiesmom]

Thanks again for all the great info!! Cookie is doing tremendously better already. It's only been 2 weeks. She's eating, gaining weight and playing with the other cats (instead of trying to kill them). I'm going to start the home testing this weekend. She still has really bad dandruff, and it seems to be getting worse. Is this a side effect of the Lantus or because she has been so stressed out?

Also, I've read a lot of confusing information about drawing the insulin.Is there a best way to do it to minimize bubbles, or are some bubbles ok? Does pulling insulin and then pushing it back in to the bottle really ruin the bottle? confused_cat I'm using the WalMart ReliOn short needle 3/10 ml/cc syringes. The package says they are non-toxic, non-pyrogenic sterile fluid path, latex free.

There is a diagram of different locations you can try. What location is working for you?

So far the only place I can use where she doesn't fight me is in the scruff right between her shoulder blades. If I'm even a fraction off she squirms and tries to get away from me.

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

It's wonderful that Cookie is feeling better. Oliver's coat looked terrible before he was regulated. He shed constantly and has awful dandruff. But the wet lo carb and getting regulated get it back to normal and better.

The Lantus site has good info on drawing up insulin: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=151

Glad you found a good place to shoot!

And it's wonderful you are going to start hometesting. Try the meter out on yourself first so you are confident about how it works. Be sure you know where to poke (maybe a spot of Vaseline after you find it) And don't get discouraged. We poked Oliver for a whole weekend before we got a drop. Come back on, tell us what is not working and we'll have lots of tips for you.