Newly diagnosed...

[JoeyK22]

Hi all!
My name is Joanna and my kitty Apollo was diagnosed with diabetes in Nov.
We started him on insulin (Vetsulin) on Nov. 24th. He went in for an all day check maybe
a month after that and based on that the vet raised his insulin. Since then Apollo has peed
4 times outside of his litter box. He has NEVER done that before. (He's 6 years old) He's due to go in all day again, tomorrow.

In an effort to make it easier to give him his shots, I gave him wet food (fancy feast) to distract him while I gave him the shot. I have still left his dry food out for him and he has been eating it. From the little bit I've read this morning, I should stop with the dry food altogether. I'm thinking I will opt to feed him once more during the day with the wet food if I take the dry food away.

I'm concerned this isn't working. It took me awhile to take him into the vet because I thought his losing weight had to do with stress. My son was having treatment for cancer and needed to be hospitalized once a month for five days. This went on for 3 months, so I just chalked up the weight loss to stress. But it wasn't getting any better so I finally took him in.

My plan is to go get a meter and try to get this more under control myself. I'm concerned the vet never mentioned I should take his dry food away.

I just wanted to introduce myself and the biggest question I had was what should the number be, on the meter? I know I need to make my spreadsheet and I'll hopefully get to that later today.

Nice to "meet" everyone and thanks in advance. I've already learned so much just from reading for a couple of hours this morning!

 

[JanetNJ]

Welcome!

Good call cutting out the dry food. Keep in mind that can significantly lower the bg. Fancy feast classic is a good choice. Most of us feed several times a day. I feed in the morning, lunch, dinner, and before bed. Just no food 2 hours prior to the preshot test.

My son was having treatment for cancer and needed to be hospitalized once a month for five days. This went on for 3 months, so I just chalked up the weight loss to stress. But it wasn't getting any better so I finally took him in.

How incredibly stressful and scary!! I'm so sorry! And to have the cat sick on top of it, I can't imagine!! We can help you with your cat anyway.

My plan is to go get a meter and try to get this more under control myself. I'm concerned the vet never mentioned I should take his dry food away.

Perfect plan. I have a video in my signature showing how I test my cat CC at home. It's tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it, testing takes just a minute to do.

You will want a meter that takes a small sample (0.3-0.5). Many here use Walmart Relion Prime. I use a pet meter called Alphatrak. If cost is a factor do for the prime. Shopping list.

1. Meter
2. Box of 100 extra test strips
3. Box of 100 26 to 28 gauge lancets
4. Cotton cosmetic rounds
5. Neosporin ointment with pain relief
6. A treat for you because you are awesome

 

[JoeyK22]

Awww! Thank you!! My family has been through it the last few years. We lost my husband of 26 years to cancer in Oct. 2018. Then my husband's twin sister, who is basically my sister too, we are very close, lost her husband to covid in July of this year. Her husband had really stepped up to be there for me and my kids since my husband left. It has been a devastating blow to my sister-in-law and us (and a million other people, he is an incredible man) and in the midst of him being hospitalized and battling covid is when my son was diagnosed. Last year was a really rough, rough year for us. I know it's rough for everyone...but we got dealt some really crappy cards. But we are a strong, tough family and we pull together and we will be okay. But I swear to all that's holy, NOBODY else is freakin' dying so I am going to do every single thing I can to keep my cat okay. lol. Aside from how much I love him. He's a super affectionate cat and lives draped over my shoulder, practically. Okay...blah, blah, blah...enough of the sob story! I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate the kind words...we sure need them!!! lol Thankfully my son's cancer is super curable and as of right now he is officially "cured" and we are on surveillance for two years!!! He just needs one more surgery to get his port out and we are DONE with hospital visits!!! Okay, FOR REAL done with my life story....lol.

So I went out and bought the one from Walmart.....should I just start doing it at any time or should I wait to begin tomorrow am? Well actually not tomorrow because Apollo goes for his all day monitoring tomorrow. But you know what I mean. lol
There is soo much information, I am so overwhelmed. I am good at researching and I'm happy to do it (this is such an incredible resource!) but a little help to put me in the right direction would be amazing and so appreciated. And any thoughts on him peeing outside of the box? Am I right in thinking it could be due to them increasing his insulin?

Thanks again!!!!

 

[JanetNJ]

But I swear to all that's holy, NOBODY else is freakin' dying so I am going to do every single thing I can to keep my cat okay.

I just want to assure you that diabetes is not a death sentence and they can live long healthy lives with it. My cat was diagnosed with it 4.5 years ago, and there are people here with cats that have lived far longer than that with it.

Thankfully my son's cancer is super curable and as of right now he is officially "cured" and we are on surveillance for two years!!!

That's fantastic news! My 8 yo started loosing his vision at six years old. I was so so worried it was a brain tumor. I had a 2nd grade student that went blind from a brain tumor (I am still in touch with him... He recently graduated college.), so that was my first thought. Thank God it wasn't that but instead a retinal disease.... And while going blind totally sucks, it's not life threatening thank goodness. You are a warrior. I hope for woderful POSITIVE things for your family. You've earned them.

There is soo much information, I am so overwhelmed. I am good at researching and I'm happy to do it (this is such an incredible resource!) but a little help to put me in the right direction would be amazing and so appreciated.

You can start practicing to test at any time. The first couple weeks are tricky until the capillaries grow in. Don't give up I promise it gets easier. It takes me more time to find my cat than it does to test her. Lolol. I have a video in my signature showing how I test my cat CC at home.

 

[JanetNJ]

And any thoughts on him peeing outside of the box? Am I right in thinking it could be due to them increasing his insulin?

Forgot to comment on this. I'm assuming there's no uti? If not it's probably him just not feeling well because he's unregulated. It's not the increase in insulin, it's the high bg numbers. Is he walking funny at all? Some cats get diabetic neuropathy when they are unregulated... That's hind leg weakness making getting into the box hard.

 

[JoeyK22]

Thank you so much!!! I'm so sorry about your son....I couldn't imagine that. It is good it's not life threatening but still a rough diagnosis, nonetheless. That is amazing you are still in touch with your student! How rewarding to see them graduate college!
My daughter wants to be a 3rd grade teacher. She is in her second year of college, now.

No, no walking funny at all. I believe there is no UTI, but I will mention the peeing to the vet tomorrow and maybe they will check.
Literally the only clue I had that something was wrong was his weight. He is a big cat and the weight loss was alarming. His personality, mannerisms, everything else was literally normal.

Is there a certain number I should be looking for with the test? Or is every cat's normal different? What would be alarming?

 

[JanetNJ]

Thank you so much!!! I'm so sorry about your son....I couldn't imagine that. It is good it's not life threatening but still a rough diagnosis, nonetheless. That is amazing you are still in touch with your student! How rewarding to see them graduate college!
My daughter wants to be a 3rd grade teacher. She is in her second year of college, now.

No, no walking funny at all. I believe there is no UTI, but I will mention the peeing to the vet tomorrow and maybe they will check.
Literally the only clue I had that something was wrong was his weight. He is a big cat and the weight loss was alarming. His personality, mannerisms, everything else was literally normal.

Is there a certain number I should be looking for with the test? Or is every cat's normal different? What would be alarming?

Normal on a human meter is 50-120 and on a pet meter it's 68-150. I would expect it to be higher in a newly diagnosed cat, but the goal is to get him down into normal range for as much of the day as possible. It can take time.

I'm an art teacher. so I get all the kids 1-6 grade. Been virtual since March though.

 

[Critter Mom]

Hi Joey,

As Janet cautions above, the dry food is likely to be too high in carbs, and when you reduce the carb load in the diet the insulin dose may also need to be reduced at the same time. For safety, please don't remove the dry food from Apollo's diet until you're able to reliably home test his BG. More information about safe diet transitions here.

I'm sorry for the losses and the tough times you and your family have been through. I sincerely hope that things get better for you all.

On the inappropriate urination, it's possible that there may be an element of neuropathy behind it. Better regulation and oral supplementation with the methylcobalamin form of vitamin B12 can help with that. In the interim, judiciously deployed pee pads might help minimise soiling.

Apollo is a beautiful cat. Lovely avatar pic.


Mogs
.

 

[JoeyK22]

Hi Joey,

As Janet cautions above, the dry food is likely to be too high in carbs, and when you reduce the carb load in the diet the insulin dose may also need to be reduced at the same time. For safety, please don't remove the dry food from Apollo's diet until you're able to reliably home test his BG. More information about safe diet transitions here.

I'm sorry for the losses and the tough times you and your family have been through. I sincerely hope that things get better for you all.

On the inappropriate urination, it's possible that there may be an element of neuropathy behind it. Better regulation and oral supplementation with the methylcobalamin form of vitamin B12 can help with that. In the interim, judiciously deployed pee pads might help minimise soiling.

Apollo is a beautiful cat. Lovely avatar pic.


Mogs
.

Thank you so much for the advice and tips and kind words. I do think he's such a handsome boy..that is an exceptionally good picture though, to be fair. LOL

 

[Pookie (GA)]

Hi! Just a quick note to welcome you, and to mention a tip that I found invaluable:

A thin smear of Vaseline/petroleum jelly over the testing site helps the blood droplet pool and prevents it diffusing into the fur. Just be sure you use a thin smear and not so much that it interferes with the testing strip.

Enid

 

[JoeyK22]

Hi! Just a quick note to welcome you, and to mention a tip that I found invaluable:

A thin smear of Vaseline/petroleum jelly over the testing site helps the blood droplet pool and prevents it diffusing into the fur. Just be sure you use a thin smear and not so much that it interferes with the testing strip.

Enid

Thank you!!!