Overwhelmed Newbie

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Tyger&George

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Hi. My 14y/o cat female George was diagnosed last November. She was prescribed 2 unit sid Lantus. (Sorry if I get the terminology wrong) She refused to eat the w/d wet, so I was feeding her the dry. She stopped liking that and we went back to Purina Pro Plan sensitive skin and stomach formula. Late January, she showed signs of being hypo (thanks to the checklist!) and I gave her some honey. When I took her into the doc they said her BG was still high, but then switched her to 1 bid. She still was vomiting every day, and I was supposed to take her back to get a curve done. She stopped eating the Pro Plan, and the whole family has been eating Hills Ideal Balance Mature. This past Wednesday when I was out of town she went into a hypo seizure. My bf took her to the ER and they stabilized her. I took her to her 'regular vet' (the vet I normally saw sold her practice), and her BG was 300 and the vet said to go back to the 1 bid until I can get a curve and more blood work. She's now eating a/d. But I'm scared to give her the insulin. I did give her 1 unit after she ate, but I just don't know what to do.

The reason I'm overwhelmed is because her brother Tyger has fluid on his lungs. He's had the fluid removed twice now, but due to costs I haven't be able to get blood/urine work done to rule out cancer. (He had an ultrasound to rule out heart disease). I know that is urgent that they both get the blood work/urine analysis, but the money is gone. So I'm posting for help on what kind of wet food to give a dry addict, home testing, suggestions (other than IMOM) for funding help, and just general support. Lots of people say my cats are old and should just be put out of their misery, but I know that at least in George's case diabetes shouldn't be a death sentence. They are my children and I'm not ready to say good bye.
 

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I'm not sure how feisty she is but it's much cheaper to test blood sugars at home and is relatively easy to do. You'd havd to buy a glucometer and done test strips (thd Walmart Relion brand ones are good value) used for humans and there is good info on how to test cats in the insulin forums introductory threads. You'll feel much more confident about what's going on once you are able to test st home and you can review the results with your vet and FDMB members for advice on any readings that don't make sense to you. There's also a thread on free meters which I confess I haven't checked out. The thing to remember is that the meters are pretty cheap ($20 or so) but the strips are fairly expensive (50 cents a strip or more) so check the prices of the strips before you get a meter. Once you get thd hang of home testing you can do a curve or a weeks worth of routine test for just a few dollars so it's definitely worth trying it out.

Good luck with your cats and the testing
 
Thanks, Mooch. I've already sent in a request for the free test, so I'm hopeful to get that ball rolling. She's less wiggly than her brother, so once I get the hang of it I'll be able to start my own curve.
 
Hi,
DCIN might be able to help with George.
http://fdmb-cin.blogspot.com/
And they might be able to steer you to someone who can help out with Tyger too.

This info might help getting the dry addict hooked on canned instead:
http://catinfo.org/#Transitioning_Dry_Food_Addicts_to_Canned_Food_
When trying to transition George to canned low carb, you should be home testing first. The change is likely to lower her BG, perhaps significantly and quickly, and her insulin needs would drop as a result. Knowing what her BG is would be very important in case it drops too far too soon.

Lots of people say my cats are old and should just be put out of their misery,
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, we hear that a lot...
but I know that at least in George's case diabetes shouldn't be a death sentence. They are my children and I'm not ready to say good bye.
Click to expand...
...but we love hearing that a lot. You are absolutely right, and everyone here would agree with you!

Carl
 
Just to chip in my 2 cents re. food, I'm finding that the really low-carb Friskies seem to be pretty economical when you buy the big can (10 oz. I think). I check the Janet and Binky's list for the ones with the most protein and least carbs.
 
Thanks, Carl. I posted a message on DCIN's Facebook page and will follow up with an email.

I think the hardest part of the food transition is the not leaving food out 24/7 for them. Especially now that I can hear their little tummy's rumble. I used to complain they were too fat - Tyger was 22 lbs and George was 17lbs. But now the are 10 and 8lbs!

Grapey - Thanks for your input. I'm not sure how I'm going to transition George off of the a/d, but now that she's eating wet, I hope it will be easier. Both cats are picky eaters, though Tyger has been a fan of Weruva (not listed) at times.

***If any Southern California people are looking at this posting and you have a vet you love, please recommend. George is being seeing at Value Vet on Pico, and Tyger at The Cat Practice. I love the fact there are no dogs at TCP, but their visits are too expensive($85). And as I mentioned, the vet I was seeing at Value Vet sold her practice to another group and I'm not sure I want to stay with them.
 
I couldn't help responding to your post even though I'm a newbie (been a sugar cat Mom for 4 months). The big thing is the home testing - a human wouldn't give themselves insulin unless they tested their blood sugar so why should it be any different for a cat? Once you get some numbers you'll feel much better about giving insulin when you know its safe. I'm glad you feel that you should do the right thing for your cats no matter what their age. My cat, Sitka, was just diagnosed and she is 19 years old - and I'm certainly not giving up on her. Actually a vet once told me "Sitka is probably going to live to be 21" and I laughed and said "she better live that long - I've spent a lot of money on her". Jan
 
Back in November when I first found this site (and didn't subscribe :?: ) I mentioned home testing to some people and they were like you are making it too complicated. Just do what the vet says and she'll be fine. Sticking to my guns and will def. home test her once I get a kit.

I do not understand how to read or use the spread sheet, but I think once I get the kit it and look at other people's charts it will make more sense.

I love that Sitka is 19! There is no reason for my 14 y/o babies to not live that long. I got them as babies from an ostrich farm in the desert, so they must come from hearty parents!
 
You CAN leave food out between shots!!! And until you are hometesting, that may be safer, as the cat can eat if starting to go low. Plus, until regulated, all the food eaten can't actually be used without the right balance of insulin, so the cat is very hungry and may need to eat some extra.

If you are concerned about spoilage, take half and freeze it. When you put out both, the frozen will thaw slowly and the cats will be able to snack on it slowly.
 
Carl & Bob in SC said:
Hi,
DCIN might be able to help with George.
http://fdmb-cin.blogspot.com/
And they might be able to steer you to someone who can help out with Tyger too.

Carl
Click to expand...

Thanks again, Carl. I contacted Venita and DCIN is going to help with George. :) This is probably the best news I've heard all week.

You'll be hearing a lot more from us. :-D
 
That's awesome to hear!
Looking forward to seeing your posts,
Carl
 
Got my home testing kit today and I am feeling quite challenged. Thankfully my cats are used to me rubbing their ears, so George wasn't wiggly. But I can't draw blood. Her ears are pale so I can very easily see her veins, and I know I poked through her ear because I heard the rice move. I think my mistake was pricking myself to see how it felt. I'm afraid I'm hurting her. Will try with Vaseline tomorrow and something harder than a rice sock to brace against her ear.

Blog has pics re: transitioning
 
Tori
What gauge are the lancets? Most meters come with 33g which are really tiny.
If so, you can try a 28g and might have better luck. That is what I had to do at first.
carl
 
Oh, your fingertip is more sensitive to pain than her ears are. I don't think it hurts them as much as we fear it does.
carl
 
It doesn't hurt their ears nearly as much as it hurts our fingers, because there are very few nerve endings in a cat's ear as oppose to our fingers that have lots of nerve endings in them, since finger are meant to be able feel different textures etc. Kind of the reason the blind can use their finger tips to read braille.

Also you may have still not poked the ear even if you heard the rice shift, it could have moved just from the pressure of the lancing device...and no beating yourself up, it is very rare that someone gets blood on the first couple of tries. :-D it is a skill that takes awhile to master but once you find your groove you will look back and wonder what all the fuss was about I promise.

I've gotten to the point that I can roll over in bed, test Musette and be right back asleep in about 10 minutes start to finish and about half the time I don't even wake her up.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 
Do you recommend using the lancet device or just poking by hand?

I'm not sure of the lancet size, but I'm guessing he lovelies at DCIN would send me the most popular size.
 
i personally use the device, never could get it down freehand. Yep if they came from DCIN they are the right size. Did you get his ear nice and warm? Sometimes one ear will bleed better than the other, also I have found with Maxwell if I go lower on the ear, just right above that double flap of skin near his head it works better, while with Musette the tip of her ear bleeds better. it is just kind of a trial and error kind of thing.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 
I used a rice sock, so between that and me massaging her ear, it was quite toasty. I tried both with the device and free hand.

Will try both methods tomorrow when I'm not so cranky.

Do you put the Vaseline on before or after you the ear?
 
If you get neosporin ointment (not cream) with pain relief, the base is petroleum jelly.
Put a dab on a few minutes before testing.
Wipe off. The residual ointment will help it bead up for testing.
Optionally, warm the ear with a rice sock or something else warm like a warm washcloth in baggie, for example.
Brace the ear and test.
If so inclined, you can clean any residue off with a mild cleansr, but its pretty minimal.

If you absolutely have to get blood, aim for the vein. Just be prepared to test quickly and apply direct pressure, because if you hit it, it can bleed profusely - which is why you don't normally want to do that. And do it where clean up is easy - it never fails that a large droplet on the ear provokes a head shake, flinging said droplet all over!
 
Well, I got blood twice(I used Vaseline and that helped it bead up nicely!), but the meter said too little blood! And I looked at her ear and could see where I poked her last night. :( Will get some Neosporin down the line if that helps with healing.

It was a lot of blood - droplets looked like the size on one of the videos and the strip seemed to sip it all. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR :evil:

I will keep trying, but right now I can not see the forest for the trees. I made her some chicken this am, so I now have treats for after. Will try again when I get home from work. :oops:
 
Patience grasshopper it will come. :-D

We call this a dance for a reason, like learning any new dance, in the beginning you trip over your own feet, you step on your partner's toes, your steps don't match the beat of the music but the more you practice the easier it gets, then one day the music starts and you realize you are gliding across the floor with ease, it becomes as if you no longer need to think about the steps, you just hear the music and your body responds. It will get easier I promise.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 
Oh how well I remember those days of having a dance kick my hiney and ego all over the studio...I'm an ex-dancer which is why I know so well what it is like to try to learn a new dance..lol

Are you sure that the meter was saying to little blood? Sometimes I will get an error message if I have too much blood as well. Also how did you sip up the blood? Did you have the strip all the way in the meter before getting the blood on it. BTW Musette is also a DCIN cat so I know we have the same meter. :-D One helpful thing I learned about the Contour is that you have just about forever once you insert the strip to turn it on to get that blood drop. I have even put the strip in, had Musette jump down, go to her food dish, go get her and come back and still have plenty of time to do the poke. So no need to rush, you've got time.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 
Did you, by any cahnce, get some of the Vaseline in ths strip? That would block the blood uptake.

With a large enough droplet, if you have washed your hands first, you can scoop up the drop on a fingernail and test the drop from there.

1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 2, 3...
 
MommaOfMuse said:
Oh how well I remember those days of having a dance kick my hiney and ego all over the studio...I'm an ex-dancer which is why I know so well what it is like to try to learn a new dance..lol

Are you sure that the meter was saying to little blood? Sometimes I will get an error message if I have too much blood as well. Also how did you sip up the blood? Did you have the strip all the way in the meter before getting the blood on it. BTW Musette is also a DCIN cat so I know we have the same meter. :-D One helpful thing I learned about the Contour is that you have just about forever once you insert the strip to turn it on to get that blood drop. I have even put the strip in, had Musette jump down, go to her food dish, go get her and come back and still have plenty of time to do the poke. So no need to rush, you've got time.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
Click to expand...

Last night I must have taken an eternity because the device shut off twice!

I think I had the strip all the way in - will it still turn on if it isn't fully lodged in there?

The message said too little blood, but from what I saw it looked like too much. I sipped it by placing the strip in the middle of the droplet.

I don't think I got the Vaseline on strip, but this am she was extra wiggly so it is possible that happened even though I thought I wiped it off.
 
Ahhh there is the problem...when you sip it up you want to just barely touch the edge of the strip to the edge of the blood droplet. By putting it in the center, you probably got most of it on the strip and in her fur rather than in the strip...got to let the strip do all the work...I did that a few times myself.

Another trick is if you get an error on the first try, simply take that strip out, put a new one in, gently push up towards the hole until a new drop forms and test that new drop. That might be a little bit of an advanced technique right now but pretty soon you can do it one handed while talking on the phone.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 
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