Panzer running low on test strips

I have not been able to test Panzer as much as I need to because I am low on test strips.I don't know if anyone else is having trouble with bad strips. I've had at least 10 in each 50pk. We use the alpha trak pet meter. I do have a Relion premier meter if I need to use it. What is the difference # wise with the human meter? Also should I try giving him 3.5units of insulin with his pm shot? He is eating only fancy feast pate now. I didn't give him any pain meds because he doesn't act like he's hurting. I was told what they gave me was bad for his kidneys. Metacam 1.5mg oral prefilled syringes 7 of them?

 

Hi Christina
On a human meter, 50 is your “take action” number compared to 68 on the AT2. Healthy BG ranges on a human meter are 50-120.
Sorry I can't help you with dosing , I'm glad he doesn't seem to be in pain

 

I will tag

@JanetNJ

@FrostD

@tiffmaxee

@Chris & China (GA)

@Sienne and Gabby (GA)

@Wendy&Neko



Thanks ladies

Previous threads
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/help.254481/#post-2867595

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/dental-surgery.254456/#post-2867542
He had 15 teeth pulled yesterday

 

Metacam is not good for the kidneys. It has a black box warning in the US. If you need pain medication ask for buprenex.

Try the Relion and see if you don’t waste strips. Even if you do the strips are so much cheaper. I’d say most people here use human meters for that reason. I never used Prozinc so can’t advise on dosing but I know enough to know that you aren’t close to the take charge number of 68 on the AT.

 

What numbers will he read on a human meter? Today he's reading in the 300s to low 400s on the alpha tracker.

 

Metacam must be given with food and not on an empty tummy. Don’t give if vomiting or diarrhoea.

 

Cats don't always show when they are hurting, even when the pain is very bad. It's hard to imagine that he could not be having pain after getting all those teeth removed.
If the vet prescribed a certain frequency of pain medication, I think you should comply with that to be sure that he's feeling okay.

If you don't like the pain medication he has, it's a good idea to reach out to the vet to see about getting a different prescription, but he shouldn't be going without.

 

How much does you cat weigh? Metacam dosage is based on weight. It is very important not to give more than necessary.

 

On a human meter, normal BG is 50-120.....on a pet meter, it's 68-150....so at low numbers, they're pretty close. As the numbers get higher, there's more of a difference, but it really doesn't matter if it's 350 or 500..."too high" is too high!

 

I'm glad you're here! I told her Metacam had the black box warning (which is where she heard it) but I also told her that at least her vet seemed to know how to use it. It's supposed to be giving IM and then no more than 3 days orally but that's when it's given at the correct dosage. In the UK and Australia, they know how to use Metacam safely. It's at a different strength or dose and only usually used for a short time.

 

I didn't know that but I gave it to him 10mins a after having food.

 

He weighs 17lbs

 

The first dose doesn’t have to be IM. It can be oral but a larger dose then down to a smaller dose. I am concerned the dose she has been given is too much. It looks like the dogs strength. I am not home at the moment and only have my phone but when I get home I’ll check it all out. I haven’t used metacam now for several years.

 

He weighs 17lbs

 

17lbs

 

OMG please let me know!

 

@Chrispooky12 when I get home I’ll check it all out and get back to you. You are only giving it once daily … correct?

 

Ok I gave it to him 10mins after feeding.

 

Yes every 24hrs

 

That’s good. Always on a full tummy

 

Thank you I'm writing this down because I'm eventually going to change over to the human meter. I got an email saying the strips were on there way.

 

Any dosing advice after last night's & todays #s?

 

Any dosing advice after last night & today's #s 25mins until shot time?

 

Thank you for tagging everyone. I'm not sure if I'm posting in the wrong place or what.

 

You're welcome and yes you're posting in the right place
@JanetNJ
Is a prozinc user hopefully she'll be on soon about the dose
Previous threads
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/help.254481/#post-2867595

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/dental-surgery.254456/#post-2867542
He had 15 teeth pulled yesterday
@JanetNJ

 

He's at 504!

 

He could be bouncing from the stretch of blue numbers yesterday. Hopefully @JanetNJ will be along soon. I’m not a Prozinc user.

 

I just msged her,hopefully she replys soon it's time. 504 before shot.

 

I wonder if he's in pain and it's raising his BG. I saw you gave him the pain meds I hope they help

 

I never thought of that, I guess it could be a possibility but I didn't give it to him until almost 4pm.

 

My vet will not give metacam to any cat ever. It dues have a black box warning in the United States but not in Canada. Is it different in Australia Bron? @Bron and Sheba (GA)

 

I like that 4u dose. Might try that a few days and see what happens. Interesting numbers.

 

Thank you that's what I gave him ❤

 

Glad you came along Janet
Poor kitty had 15 teeth pulled

 

It probably is the pain meds wearing off. I hope he feels better soon.

 

My cat had 6 removed once and that was bad enough. Poor thing is probably feeling so sore…. But a week from now it will be a lot better.

 

I hope so too

 

Hi Elise
In Australia we have a metacam which is just for cats and is a different strength.
Cat metacam is 0.5mg/ ml. I gave it to Sheba for a few years and it honestly made a huge difference to her quality of life.
It is often given after surgery for a few days.

Dog metacam is 1.5mg/ml so it 3 times the strength of cat metacam. . This is where all the problems were in the US with the metacam…….they were giving cats the dog strength of the metacam which is dangerous.
Christina, I would ring the vet and ask him what strength metacam he has given you……dog or cat metacam.
If Panzer weighs17lbs (7.7kg) he should be getting 0.7ml (using a 1 ml syringe) and the cat strength metacam which is 1/3 the strength of the dog metacam.
Can you take a photo of the syringe please so we can see it?
The maintenance dose for a cat (using the 0.5mg/ml cat suspension) is 0.05mg/kgbodyweight which works out at 0.1ml/ body weight. So Sheba was 6 kg so she got 0.6ml per day of the cat metacam strength.

 

Here is a photo of the cat metacam with a dosing 1 ml syringe.

 

It won't let me send a pic give me a minute

 

Try to copy and paste the photo

 

It won't work but by looking at it & taking a picture, he is only taking 0.2ml

 

Can you copy a photo from your album and paste it in? That is how I do it. The ‘upload a file’ link is not working

 

I've been trying just not good with this stuff I can send it to you on FB msger possibly?

 

I’ve sent you a message on FB messenger

 

This is the photo Christina sent me of the syringe of metacam. It is the dogs strength (1.25mg/ml ) but the vet has prescribed the correct amount for a cat. ie 1/3 the dose for a dog.
So she is getting 0.2 ml each 24 hours which is the correct dose.

 

This is what we use in the UK, it's called Loxicom but same as meloxicam or metacam and specifically for cats.
Ours come with a syringe with kg markings on it, 1 unit per kg of cat.
We got this when Duke was struggling with his arthritis but never used it because of it's reputation and the fear of kidney damage, although the vet reduced his dose by half.

 

How is Panzer doing today

 

He's doing great. I finally got my test strips just in time. I just used my last one for his preshot test. His numbers haven't been as high as they were yesterday, so that's good!

 

I'm glad he's going great, he's one tough kitty