Newly diagnosed - Jynxy

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Jynxycat

Jynxycat

Member Since 2014
I just got the news that Jynxy had diabetes on Wednesday. The vet showed me how to give the injection. It looked easy enough. I went and filled his prescription Lantus, and got some syringes 29 g relion. Thursday morning I confidently grabbed Jynxy and pulled up the skin the way the dr showed me and gave him the injection. Jynxy was NOT happy. I thought maybe I had done it wrong. I went onto You tube to watch a couple different people give the injections. Their cats just sat peacefully while they gave their injections.

Now it is only a few days later and Jynxy runs whenever he sees me. I have been giving him his shot but he acts as though it is hurting him. I don't know if he is scared or what. It is more he yelps when I push the insulin in. Maybe it is still too cold? I don't know. The saddest part of all this is that I am a nurse. I give people shots all the time. I don't understand why this is so hard. is he ever going to get used to the shots??

The vet said his diabetes could be controlled with food. Just like the humans I deal with, Jynxy is non compliant. he doesn't want the special Hills diet crud.. he wants his Shredded Friskies with gravy. Or Fancy feast with gravy.

I am so stressed out. I feel like my husband is blaming me for Jynxy being hurt when I give him the injection. I don't know what it is that I'm doing wrong.. is he is just super sensitive?

I'm headed back to the vets on Friday .. she said she would go over giving the injection again.. and do some blood glucose tests after he has eaten etc. to make sure that he is on the right dosage. All I can do is keep trying to get the insulin in him.

I read elsewhere that after two weeks they get used to injections.. I'm thinking thats probably not true. I read to give it while he is eating.. again .. when I get near him he scoots away from me.

I'm feeling really deflated and worried.



Susan
 
Welcome to FDMB, Susan.

Since you are using Lantus, which is a U-100 insulin - 100 units per mL - you can use a higher gauge - thinner needle such as the 3/10 mL, 30 or 31 gauge U-100 syringes.

What dose are you giving? Lantus is a bit acidic and may sting in larger quantities.

When you push in the needle, you want to do so in a smooth, rather than jabbing motion. Sort of a careful choreograph to pull up a roll of skin and fur, push in the needle, push in the plunger, pull out the needle. It can help to practice on an apple to litterally get a feel for the flow of the steps and help you feel more confident.

Are you home testing the blood glucose? Its a great way to keep your cat safe and let you know how he is doing. There are some other assessments you can make in my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools.
 
Hello Susan and Jynxy, and welcome to FDMB!

The insulin shot shouldn't be hurting the kitty, so maybe it's just a wee matter of tweaking your technique...?

A common method for giving shots is the 'tenting' method. With this you are pulling up the loose skin (skin only, no muscle) into a 'tent' and then give the shot, almost parallel to the spine, as if you are shooting 'through the door' of the tent. You are aiming to deposit the insulin into that hollow you've made.
I do it slightly differently. I pull up a good handful of skin in my non-dominant hand, holding it between thumb and fingers, and then give the shot almost directly downwards into the skin that I'm holding.
This link has some good pics and info about giving insulin shots:
http://www.sugarpet.net/injecting.html

Sometimes it's not the shot itself, but the circumstances in which the shot is given that can disturb the kitty.
If we are handling the kitty in ways that they are not accustomed to then this itself can be an initial cause for anxiety.
If we are relaxed about the process (or appear relaxed!) our kitty is more likely to be relaxed.
Talking in a soft reassuring voice can help.
Many of us give our cats their shots while they are eating and distracted by food. (Or you can reward the kitty afterward by giving a treat).

Jynxycat said:
It is more he yelps when I push the insulin in. Maybe it is still too cold? I don't know.
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Cold insulin can sting (and Lantus is also acidic). Rolling the filled syringe gently between thumb and fingers can take the chill off the insulin. How much insulin are you giving?

Jynxycat said:
...is he ever going to get used to the shots??
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Yes!

Jynxycat said:
The vet said his diabetes could be controlled with food... he doesn't want the special Hills diet crud.. he wants his Shredded Friskies with gravy. Or Fancy feast with gravy....
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If your vet thinks the diabetes can be controlled with food then maybe Jynxy's blood glucose levels aren't very high? Do you recall any blood test results? Did Jynxy have a fructosamine test...?

And you don't need to feed the "special Hill's diet crud". Most of us here feed our cats ordinary low carb wet food, including Friskies and Fancy Feast.
The 'with gravy' varieties tend to much higher in carbs than the other types. However, it is important that you don't change the food unless/until you are monitoring your kitty's blood glucose at at home. That's because lowering the carb content of the diet can lower the blood glucose, and the insulin dose may need to be reduced.

Some cats do go into remission after a short time on insulin. ('Remission' means that the diabetes can be diet-contolled.) Rarely, a cat can have it's blood glucose brought into normal range by diet change alone...

Jynxycat said:
...I'm feeling really deflated and worried.
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(((Susan)))
A diagnosis of feline diabetes can come as a bit of a shock. And there seems to be a lot to take in at first. Everyone here has been where you are now and understands exactly how you feel.
But the good news is that diabetes is treatable. And, with care, a diabetic cat can live as long and healthy a life as a non-diabetic cat.

I've a feeling you're going to do just fine!

Eliz
 
Welcome to FDMB! BJ and Eliz already gave you great info. I have nothing to add but some encouragement and hugs! Don't doubt yourself. I'm sure that giving injections to humans and cats is different. It took time for Gypsy to get used to injections but eventually she didn't even notice them! You will do great.

Big hugs to you! Let us know if we can help! We are here for you!
 
Thank you for all the advice. I think I am just jumpy when I'm trying to give Jynxy his insulin and I'm sure it doesn't instill confidence in him. He receives 3 units of Lantus every 12 hours. I have not been checking his blood glucose. I am nervous enough about the injections. I think maybe when I get more used to the injections I could probably do the blood glucose.

His initial blood glucose when the vet checked him was over 400. However, he did just eat immediately before the trip to the vets.

This Friday they are going to keep him there at the vets and see what his blood glucose is throughout the day.

My neighbor came over tonight to help me give the injection. She has had experience in giving injections to horses and dogs, etc. So I hope shed would be able to do it without a problem. It did go okay. He was a little fussy but I held his head so that he didn't jerky away from Jynxy.

I'm just going to keep giving him the injections with either my neighbor or my husband. I hope that he gets used to it.
 
Jynxycat said:
..I'm just going to keep giving him the injections with either my neighbor or my husband. I hope that he gets used to it.
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Hi Susan,

I'm glad the shot seemed to go better. But I'm still wondering why Jynxy is having an issue with them. And if we could work out the reason for that (and could resolve it) then that could make life a whole lot easier for you (especially if neighbour or husband couldn't be around to help out when needed).

Whereabouts are you?
I'm just wondering if there is an FDMB member who lives near you and could help you...?

Eliz
 
hi susan and jynxy! i can sympathize and relate because my larry jumps at shots also. i know its stressful and frustrating. they have offered me suggestions over in relaxed lantus. when u feel comfy on an ISG board :) all over the board u will find kind helpful people, however, so take heart. i think what worries me is ur not testing u said? 3U of lantus is a lot and with no test how do u know if its safe? he/she could easily hypo, and u do not want that. hypo is very, very dangerous. please do home testing. lots of great folks here to help u out. we want jynxy to do well. :)
if need be, start a new thread saying u want to learn home BG testing. LOTS of ppl will help. we have all been where u r.
good luck! :)
 
Welcome Susan and Jynxy

3u is a pretty hefty dose for a kitty especially without testing before hand. I have two here that I'm caring for which were only monitored by their respective vets before coming into my care. Cali was up to 7u bid and now with home testing she is on barely a quarter unit. Cassanova was on 11u bid and now is on less than 1u bid. Both were being shot blind and on prescription food before I adopted Cassanova and fostered Cali.

I also have 17 cats in total and not a single one of them will eat that Hills prescription crud. Everyone here eats exactly what my diabetics do just good old fashioned Friskies Pate Style canned catfood. And besides Cassanova and Cali who are still works in progress I have two other diabetic cats Autumn and Maxwell...Autumn is a lifer on insulin but is well regulated on .75u bid and Maxwell will celebrate 4 years insulin free this November 1st. Neither would have been possible without testing at home.

As a nurse I'm sure you would never give insulin to one of your patients without a glucose reading first especially a child. Please don't let it be different because Jynx is a cat.

Personally I would try changing his diet to Fancy Feast Classics since he already likes Fancy Feast just swap the gravy and shredded stuff for the pate classics. Drop his dose to 1u bid while changing diet and getting into the groove with testing. I'd feel better if he ran high for awhile longer than to hypo on you. Especially knowing all to well the ungodly long hours you nurses can be called on to work at times.

Mel and The Fur Gang
 
oh, just one more thought. dont mean to overwhelm u...but......29 gauge is a little bigger on needles. u might want to try the 31 gauge needles :) i have tried 3 brands so far, and of 3, relion is best. with larry being a jumper, i prefer the 31 gauge. every little bit helps :)
oh, and also the short needles. :) u probably got those, being a nurse, and all. just trying to help.
have a great day. lots of good advice here for u. i know it must be a lot to take in.
 
Thank you all. I do feel better knowing that I am not alone in all of this!

Elizabeth - I'm in California.. in Riverside County. I don't know if anyone is near me or not. I am going to ask for the smaller needles. I think he is probably freaked out about all of this.

Mel - I am going to buy the Fancy Feast Pate and see how he does. I didn't know 3u was high to be giving a cat.. but yes it would be good to give a little less if he isn't eating as much. The good thing is he is not peeing as much as he was before. I did notice that I'm not scooping the litter boxes twice a day.

"IloveLarry" - Thank you. Its good to know my cat isn't the only one who is jumping when we try to stick them. I definitely plan on getting smaller needles for him. He is already so nervous and jumpy I don't want to compound having to stick him for blood sugars. I will definitely lower the insulin when I start giving him the other food. I am sure once I am more comfortable with all of this I will be much more receptive to testing.

I will let you all know how it goes over the next couple of days. :)
 
I'm out in Orange County, but I know there are a few members who are in your direction. I just PM'd one of them to check out your thread to see if she might be able to help. :thumbup

With the shots, Michelangelo never got used to them after a year and a half. It wasn't till I switched him to Levemir that we no longer had problems with shots. He's an extreme case, but if you're still finding yourself having problems with the shots after about a month or so, I would definitely suggest looking into switching him to Levemir (which doesn't have the "sting" of Lantus since it's pH neutral). The shorter needles might help. In our case, the reverse worked out better for us and the longer needles made things easier for Mikey. Little changes like that can make a big difference.
 
I feel for you my foster Cali was a nightmare with a capital N when I first got her. Thankfully she was front declawed but just to get insulin in her she would scream, fight and try to bite. I had to use a towel like a matador cape and wear heavy leather motorcycle riding gloves just to get near her. Even my vet who is the one I'm fostering her for swore that I'd never be able to test her even at preshots let alone the multiple times a day she knows I test my personal diabetics. But if you click on the link to her spreadsheet sheet you'll see she now gets tested as much as Autumn and Cassanova while she's still not pleased and will grumble at me (mostly because she doesn't get her food until after her test ) she does trot to her testing spot and waits for me to test. And its only been a couple months. Autumn on the other hand has been with me just over 2 years and she comes and gets me for testing. She knows when the alarm goes off on my phone and comes looking for me.

Now you have one advantage with Jynxy that I didn't have with any of mine. You see all of mine were adopted after they already diabetic. Jynx already knows and loves you. He trusts you whereas with mine I had to not only treat their diabetes I had to make friends and gain trust. Now if testing bothered them my 3 should avoid me like the plague, but right now Maxwell is curled up on my feet, Autumn is sleeping next to me and Cassanova just left to go have a snack but he was making me type one handed lol

Mel and The Fur Gang
 
Hey there, KPassa sent me a message as I live in Corona. Where are you in Riverside County? If I'm close enough I'm more than happy to help figure things out. I know another gal that lives in Riverside that is usually available to help too.

I work in Orange County thru the week so doing much thru the week is difficult unless you live real close and are up late :-) I typically don't get home til after 7 or 8 thru the week but my weekends are very flexible.

Hopefully you're super close and maybe I can give you some of the smaller syringes real quick so you can see if they make it easier on kitty.
 
sidenote...mel, u could/should be a writer. that tickled me about the motorcycle gear, and bull something...i forgot what its called, matador...?
very helpful, of course, just wanted to point that out. cute story.
 
I'm sorry it has been a few days! Okay so Jynxy is doing MUCH better. He isn't fussing as much as he was in the beginning. My neighbor and I have a routine. We try to give it as close to 6am and 6pm, providing on my work, as we can. I did go out and get the Fancy Feast pate which he really likes. Yay! I also got Purina One, Healthy Metabolism. It says it has 42% protein in it. That wasn't much less than the hills Prescription Diet. I think Jynxy mostly likes the wet food anyhow. he is looking and acting much better. He doesn't look so skinny and he is acting back to normal again.

I head to the vets today. She is doing the insulin curve on him to see what glucose metabolism is like with the 3 units of insulin. I am hoping that with the food that his insulin usage will be decreased. I guess it doesn't matter so much to him since he hates the needles anyway. But really, he has been very good with the injections. I am still going to ask for the smaller needles today. The problem is my neighbor is coming over every 12 hours so I'm sure she is getting sick of us LOL. But she thinks of us as family so its all good. I am thinking that probably by next week my husband and I can give him the shots and my neighbor will be able to sleep in in the morning.

I hope.
KPassa thank you! and LynnLee and Mousie, I live in Palm Springs, so yeah ... I'm out here. Thank you for your offers of help! Yay. I'm so glad there is someone nearby. Things seem to be going well now. yay!

So, I will check in later and let you all know how it goes!!!!
 
hey, its great to hear from u, and that jynxy is fine :) what a great blessing to have such a wonderful neighbor who will help u. plus u have a board member here willing to help. :) just amazing. sounds like jynxy is going to do well with all this help/love/support. good luck to u. keep us posted.
 
Susan

Please please let one of these fine ladies teach you to test him at home. Especially with the diet change and ditch the dry food altogether. Vet curves are basically useless because of vet stress which will elevate his numbers. And definitely not going to catch an early hypo. Hypo can kill very quickly.

With my first girl I was terrified to test her as well. Heck I shook like a leaf just doing shots and I had been giving vaccination for years to my horses and cats. I like you figured I'd get shots down then start testing. Well I learned the hard way. I gave my beautiful Muse her insulin watched her for several hours, she wasn't acting like anything was wrong so I went to bed. The next morning no Muse to greet me demanding her breakfast, no Muse sitting in the kitchen with the other kitties so I went looking for her. She was gone, she had hypoed overnight and died. I had in fact murdered my best friend trying to save her. I never want anyone to feel that kind of guilt again when it can so easily be avoided.

Mel and The Fur Gang
 
MommaOfMuse said:
She was gone, she had hypoed overnight and died.
Mel and The Fur Gang
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That is terrible :( I'm so sorry. I cant imagine how devastating that would be.

I'm working on learning what I can.

Thank you.
 
Re: Newly diagnosed - Jynxy-Update!!

Yes, it has been a while. I have just about mastered the injection now. Jynxy still tries to run now and again. His blood sugars have been in the 150's and 140's with 3 units of Lantus twice per day. He has gained weight back and he looks fabulous. I have to say I was really stressed out for a while. I would cry and cry because Jynxy would yelp when I gave him an injection, or because he looked so bad it broke my heart.

I just want other newbies (seems like there are a LOT) to know that I was a hot mess and I am a registered nurse. LOL. Giving Jynxy shots was torturous and I dreaded it. But now I'm like, suck it up brat, Mommy is keeping you alive.

Next step will be doing blood sugar testing myself. My sister's friend (also an RN :P) says its easy and she will show me how to do it. so Yay!

I am feeling optimistic about it!!

Thank you for all your kind words, advice and support.

Love,

Susan :)
 
Warming the eat, giving your kitty treats and being calm about the process are the keys. Take it in small steps. Get your cat used to having his ears touched. Then add the sound of the meter turning on, the lancet pen clicking by his ear, then add the poke and sip step.

It takes time to become proficient at home testing, but the ears do 'learn to bleed' and it gets easier to get that drop of blood.

What meter have you chosen for testing? Some of them need very small blood drops, like the Relion Confirm or Micro need 3 microliters. Other meters need more of blood drop, like the Relion Prime needs a 5 microliter blood drop.

Let us know how the testing goes. We can make suggestions if you are having problems.
 
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