Overwhelmed Newbie!

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Button & Jenny

Member Since 2021
Hi guys!!! My name is Jenny. I am from PEI Canada
Thank you so much for the ad to this group. My 14yr old kitty was just diagnosed this past weekend. It's been very overwhelming as well as confusing! My saving grace is that I used to work in a Veterinary Clinic so this is not all foreign to me! His is having PU/PD, neuropathy and was previously diagnosed Early Renal Failure and also newly diagnosed heart murmur
They have put him on 1/2 unit twice a day dosing with Lantus. I am currently feeding very wrong food lol (Iams Senior) I will be switching to fancy feast pate as suggested. I am looking for a recommendation for dry food though as he will steal the dogs food if I don't have hard kibble for him to graze on during the day.
I am also looking into a glucometer. I was previously told I couldn't use the Human Meters.

I just wanted to introduce us and thank you very much for the add!!!
 
Hi Jenny and welcome to FDMB. You have found a great forum to join and we are glad to help you learn how to care for your sugar kitty.

Your insulin and dose are great choices to start with. You can use a human glucose meter to test with. Many of us use these meters and have been using them long before someone got the idea to slap a "Pet meter" label on them and charge more. There is a slight difference between the readings between the two types of meters, but as long as you use the same meter, either one works. The human meters and strips are less expensive to use and the strips are available at your local pharmacies. I don't know if they have Walmart in Canada, but if they do, the Relion brand meters are inexpensive but work great.

Young Again is a low carb dry cat food. With any food, you want to look for foods that are less than 10% carbs. Hopefully you will be able to gradually change your cat over to canned or raw food only, but this will help until then. Also a good low carb treat are freeze dried chicken. Look where the dog food treats are in your pet store. They come in a bigger bag and is cheaper than the ones in the cat section. Your dog will also enjoy the treats. Every time you test, reward your kitty with a treat, even if you are not successful. This will help him associate testing with something good. Who knows, he may start reminding you when it is time to test just so he can get his treat. :D

Ask any questions you may have. We are here to help you.
 
I can relate to your feeling overwhelmed and confused. As a Newbie, I am struggling less than I was in June.
Once you get some knowledge, and the wisdom here will impress you, your confidence will grow.
There is a steep learning curve. Read all the Sticky sheets. WRITE stuff down. Start a journal.
On the dog's food, I would feed them at set times and then remove the food so your cat does not have access.
A controlled diet will play a major part in getting the diabetes under control.
My dry food junkie gets a little YA Zero and Dr. Elsey's Protein, both. For now.
Good luck and hugs,
 
Thank you!!!! Waking up and finding this forum was a huge stress relief. I have been driving myself mad since the weekend and frustrated because I couldn't find definative answers to ANYTHING. Even the vet couldn't answer my questions about meters and the food they recommended in clearly not appropriate. I will definitely look into that food! Looks like I will be getting a Contour machine/strips. My cousin, god love her, works at a pharmacy and is getting me one.
When I get the meter, when and how often do I need to test? How do I decided if I should/shouldn't give insulin? His fructosamine test showed his BS was mid 500's. She told me this actually not that bad. But I don't know lol
 
Jenny Bishop said:
When I get the meter, when and how often do I need to test? How do I decided if I should/shouldn't give insulin? His fructosamine test showed his BS was mid 500's. She told me this actually not that bad. But I don't know lol
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I am just a Newbie but mid 500's does not sound "not that bad" to ME. My Sister was 471 at the vet when diagnosed. High enough that she was experiencing neuropathy.
I believe you start home testing with the AM preshot test and PM preshot test, at least. That's what I did and then within a day or so added a mid-day test.
Others here will give you the best advice on that.
I would provide links to those "shoot or not shoot" articles, but I have not mastered that.
 
I agree! I didn't think it sounded "not that bad" when she told me normal was around 300. Button is experiencing extreme Neuropathy. I honestly though I was going to have to Euthanize him when I took him to the Vet.
 
Jenny Bishop said:
Button is experiencing extreme Neuropathy..
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When Sister began to struggle to control her back legs, I thought she jumped off the bed too hard and was injured. Glad I checked it out fast.
I started her on Zobaline for the neuropathy which is Vitamin B12 Methylcobalamin. (It is NOT your regular B12. It is formulated for cats and not flavored). Crush the tablet into a dab of wet food. No taste.
Mine is the expensive stuff. VitaCost and others have a bottle for way way less. Members can link you up with that.
 
I am actually already seeing improvement with the Neuropathy just since Saturday! A little improvement is better then no improvement.
Is the One touch Vario or ultra a good choice for a meter?
 
Jenny Bishop said:
I am actually already seeing improvement with the Neuropathy just since Saturday! A little improvement is better then no improvement.
Is the One touch Vario or ultra a good choice for a meter?
Click to expand...
I only use the Walmart ReliOn Premier Classic. Sorry I cannot advise you on the Verio. You could Goggle it?
 
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Jenny Bishop said:
I am actually already seeing improvement with the Neuropathy just since Saturday! A little improvement is better then no improvement.
Is the One touch Vario or ultra a good choice for a meter?
Click to expand...


I use the One Touch Verio Flex and haven’t had any problems with it... I am still a newbie too!
I would recommend for you to look at test strips and prices. I probably would have used the Walmart relion brand (as a lot of members here use) from the beginning due to the cost of strips but I was following what my vet recommended.
 
ittybitty said:
I use the One Touch Verio Flex and haven’t had any problems with it... I am still a newbie too!
I would recommend for you to look at test strips and prices. I probably would have used the Walmart relion brand (as a lot of members here use) from the beginning due to the cost of strips but I was following what my vet recommended.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, my local Walmart said they don't have those ones.
 
Lau.Teddy.2021 said:
Hello all. My name is Laura and my 12 year old cat Teddy was diagnosed with diabetes two weeks and two days ago. He was hospitalized for two weeks and has been at home with me for two days. I read the tittle of this thread: Overwhelmed Newbie and I was like: YES, DEFINITELY ME. I've been a cat rescuer for 12 years because of Teddy and, even when I know a lot about cats, I knew nothing about diabetes. So you can imagine the frustration. His values were at 431 when he was diagnosed and had a UTI. The later is now under control but the diabetes is not. He takes two units of vetsulin twice a day and I read his levels with the Freestyle Libre 2 which is a sensor that the vet put on him, lasts 14 days and has a reader. Both things cost me $100 but is honestly a lifesaver since I had no idea how to monitor his glucose levels. At this point I try to check his levels four times a day (one 5am, one at mid-day 12m, one at 5pm, one at 9pm). With the sensor no blood extraction is necessary. Food has also been a struggle since he is very picky and not interested in many things. I have settled for Tuna or Tiki Cats wet food and some Meow Mix dry kibble (I know is not a great choice but I need him not to starve to death). I loved reading your messages and I appreciate whoever reads mine. Only health for you and your beloved furry babies, Laura
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Hi Laura,
Could I encourage you to start your own post to get more responses to the questions you may have now? I was feeding Sister Royal Canin, Blue Buffalo and after diagnosis, Purina ProPlan DM which was prescribed by the new vet. The old vet wanted Sister on 7% wet immediately with no transition time. Not happening. She is instead getting Young Again Zero which is very low carb and Dr. Elsey's Protein dry, also low carb. Every change you make counts. I am also in cat rescue. Been fostering since 2002 and trapping for TNR since 2006.
 
Jenny Bishop said:
Unfortunately, my local Walmart said they don't have those ones.
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The meter and strips may be available online through Walmart depending on how quick you need them. The only thing I dislike about my meter is the price of strips and in an emergency or hypo you use a lot of strips. The cheapest I’ve found was $45 for 100 strips for my one touch verio.
 
Okay so I got my meter. Did my first preshot check. It was 17.9. Do I still feed then give insulin (as instructed by the vet) then recheck in 2 hours?
 
You want to always test before every shot to make sure it is safe to give the dose. You should also test a couple times between doses so you can tell how well the dose is working.
 
Lisa and Witn (GA) said:
You want to always test before every shot to make sure it is safe to give the dose. You should also test a couple times between doses so you can tell how well the dose is working.
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I always want to test before to make sure he isn't hypo, Right? But if his number is already high do I need to worry a ton about him eating a full meal before I give the injection? What should I do if anything if I retest in 2 hours and he is still high?
 
Yes you need to make sure he eats before giving insulin. Every cat can respond differently to the same dose. A good example was my cat Witn. She was on 2 units of Lantus. Almost every day her glucose readings were very close to each other. However every few days she would throw me a glucose reading that was too low to shoot. It happened enough that it was a pattern - but never the same number of days that I could predict when it would happen. She also always ate a full meal before she got her insulin. You never know how your cat's body will respond to each shot. That is why you also test between shots. This will tell you how low the glucose levels generally drop but also helps you to prevent hypoglycemia if it is dropping to fast or to low.
 
Button & Jenny said:
Okay so I got my meter. Did my first preshot check. It was 17.9. Do I still feed then give insulin (as instructed by the vet) then recheck in 2 hours?
Click to expand...
Since your kitty is on Lantus, it is a good idea to also post dosing questions on the Lantus Forum. The insulin experts hang out there.
 
Welcome – waving from Ontario.

The Walmart meter mentioned above is not available in Canada.

There are only 2 low carb dry foods available in Canada – Dr. Elsey's Clean Protein and Wysong Epipen 90.
 
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