Thank you, Linda. I didn't feel very good about myself. Cried a lot.So glad to see he's come up a bit but as Marje said you still need to be vigilant as he could drop again. You did well today catching that low number and dealing with it. The first time is always difficult and you handled it well.
But I just can't seem to get Chase to bleed... even using suggestions. So I'm literally torturing him to be able to test. I know it's more important to keep track of his numbers, and hurting his ears with a lancet won't kill him, like diabetes could... but still... it's heart wrenching.
That's what Marje said... about how they will learn to bleed. But my goodness... how long does that take?If you aren't getting blood don't roll the ear but rather massage it up from his head toward the puncture site. It may take a few passes but gentle massaging will prevent bruising and coax rather than force a blood bead. His ears will learn to bleed better the more you test so be patient. It will get easier.
I understand how much this testing hurts you because of the idea that you're hurting him. You'll get MUCH more proficient at it before long and he'll learn to accept it. I'm sorry that today has been so harrowing. I think the 1 u dose was still having an impact and that's why you got such a dip with 0.5 u today. Lantus has to be dosed very consistently because part of one dose sticks around to influence the next.Thank you, Linda. I didn't feel very good about myself. Cried a lot.
Re getting attention on your thread title: at the left end of the bar where you type in the title there's a little box that contains a small drop down menu if you put the cursor on the box. The menu has a blue "question mark", a red "911" or a "no icon" choice. Click on the blue question mark to add it to the thread title. If you're truly in a hypo panic, use the red 911.
It usually doesn't take that long but every cat is different. I find my girl, who has always been pretty easy to get blood from, is more difficult when her numbers are low for some reason but every cat is different. Chase will come to realize that what you are doing is making him feel better and he won't be upset with you. Cat's ears don't have that many nerve endings so they don't feel anything near what we feel if we poke our finger. We just have to be careful to get a clean poke, to massage not squeeze to get a blood bead and make sure to apply light pressure after testing to avoid any bruising. Warming the ear before testing can help too but I'm sure you have tried that.
And I guess tomorrow will have to be laundry day, as I have to go to the laundry mat. I won't leave him except for a few minutes, today. And I just really need to run to the store. I don't have anyone to help, so I'm it.
I did what you said... I massaged it from the base of the ear up. WOW... that makes so much more sense than what the vet said. It didn't bleed much, but it seemed to be less traumatic than what I had been doing. thank you.I understand how much this testing hurts you because of the idea that you're hurting him. You'll get MUCH more proficient at it before long and he'll learn to accept it. I'm sorry that today has been so harrowing. I think the 1 u dose was still having an impact and that's why you got such a dip with 0.5 u today. Lantus has to be dosed very consistently because part of one dose sticks around to influence the next.
We'll get you on the right track!
I think you can wait. When was his last snack?BG is now 132, so it's holding steady. It has been an hour since the last test. I hope I can wait 2 hours to test again, now, so that he and I can have a small break. I would really like to run down the street to the store.
His last snack was at around 9:45, soon after finding out that I needed to get his BG up. I only gave him a small bit of gravy... no real food. Chase usually eats once in the morning and once at night, because.... again... it's what the vet said I should do. Feed him before each time I shoot and nothing in between. Now I'm having to re-learn everything. I need to read up on everything here. It's been very difficult to get the chance. There is so much to learn. I had a follow up with that vet tomorrow, and I just canceled the appt. I will never go back there, again.
I like Marje's idea to give him a little regular low carb food. Give his ears a break though.
Here is the thread where I posted it, scroll down to post #13.Will do, Marje. I posted that "I need help". LOL. I thought that would do it. Can you tell me where that format is posted, again? I haven't had time to do much, today. I've had a migraine all along, while this thing with Chase happened. it really zaps your energy.
I can do that. He has NO problem eating. LOL. The only thing I will miss about the vet office is that I can't monitor his weight until I find a scale. And I don't know when that will be. The last time he was weighed was on 1.18.17... the last time he was at the vet office. His first weight was on 1.15.17, at 14015 lbs... the day I took him in and he was so sick... the day they did hos blood work up and found out he was diabetic. Three days later, he weighed 14.63. That was the last time he was weighed on a vet scale. I don't know what his weight is now, but he eats every bit of almost 11 oz of wet food, per day.
So I was trying to get attention. LOL
Let me give you an example....when you got the +2 and it was a lot lower than AMPS, it would have gotten you more help if you had edited the subject line like this:No offense taken... not at all. I made that my subject line because that's how I was told to make it. LOL. I started the new thread after I tested Chase 1st thing this morning and his BG was at 183, so the thread wasn't urgent. It was when I did his +2 test and saw that alarming number, when I freaked out and couldn't remember ANYTHING! My 2nd post has a question mark at the beginning of it but that's not what they mean when they said put a question mark at the beginning of your post.. I only found that out, today.
My fault for suggesting that wording, Sandi!No offense taken... not at all. I made that my subject line because that's how I was told to make it. LOL. I started the new thread after I tested Chase 1st thing this morning and his BG was at 183, so the thread wasn't urgent. It was when I did his +2 test and saw that alarming number, when I freaked out and couldn't remember ANYTHING! My 2nd post has a question mark at the beginning of it but that's not what they mean when they said put a question mark at the beginning of your post.. I only found that out, today.
Re weighing: I bought a digital baby scale too and it works really well for kitties. I monitor Teasel of course and also his brother who had to lose a little weight. Teasel goes on it no problem but his brother is very cautious - I had to teach him with treats that the scale wouldn't swallow him up!
Where did you get your baby scale?My fault for suggesting that wording, Sandi!
I bought it from Costco online but it's exactly like the Salter brand scales in the Amazon link Larry gave you.
The sequence is:
Thank you, Julie.
Julie... how much blood do you need for the strip? Chase isn't bleeding much.. not at all.
You don't need much, Eleanor still usually doesn't bleed much (unless her BG is really high) and we are fine with the meter.
Oops. I think I replied to the wrong person. Yes... I'm warming it.
