Quick question: glucose curve

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by Douglas_my ginger cat, Aug 19, 2020.

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  1. Douglas_my ginger cat

    Douglas_my ginger cat Member

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    Jul 25, 2020
    Hi! Im trying my first glucose curve today. Just a quick question, I usually give mini meals at +1.5, +4.5 & +7.5. Should I do the BG test just before these meals or shall I just stick to taking BG every 2 hours regardless of food?

    Thanks!
     
  2. SashaV

    SashaV Well-Known Member

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    Apr 25, 2020
    I'm new, so I might be wrong.
    But I would test 2 hours apart regardless of food. I believe that would give the most trustworthy result.
     
  3. Elizabeth and Bertie

    Elizabeth and Bertie Well-Known Member

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    Sep 6, 2010
    Hi, just feed as you normally would on any other day, because the purpose of the curve is to try to see what happens on a 'typical' day.
    Good luck with your curve. Let us know how it goes!
     
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  4. Elizabeth and Bertie

    Elizabeth and Bertie Well-Known Member

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    Sep 6, 2010
    Just noticed that Douglas is on Caninsulin.
    ...I don't want to increase your workload today but...with Caninsulin it can actually be helpful to test hourly until past the peak of the cycle. That is because Caninsulin is often quite fast acting and has a short duration, and so most of the action that you need to know about may happen in the first half of the cycle. Tests in the second half of the cycle, once it's clear that the blood glucose is rising, aren't so important.
    But please, this is your first curve, so you do what you feel most comfortable doing. All data is useful. :bighug:
     
  5. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

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    Sep 21, 2018
    Hi after you test his AM pre shot ( let's say you test him at 8:00 AM)
    You test, feed , then wait 30 minutes and shoot, with caninsulin you want to make there is food on board
    So you tested at 8:00 AM
    Next test would be 10:00 AM
    Next test would be at 12:00 noon
    Then 2:00 PM
    Then 4:00 PM
    Then 6:00 PM
    Then 8: 00 PM

    Feed as you normally would
     
  6. Douglas_my ginger cat

    Douglas_my ginger cat Member

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    Jul 25, 2020
    Great, thank you everyone. Fingers crossed!

    Interesting, thanks for letting me know. I think for now I will try every two hours just as its my first and this morning was my first ever home test (which I am worried went a little bit too well and I am in for a shock on the next few home tests! :nailbiting:)
     
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  7. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

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    Sep 21, 2018
    This is from the sticky on the caninsulin forum it says

    A blood glucose curve can give very useful information, especially early on in the cat’s treatment. After the pre-shot test (and insulin shot) tests are typically done every two hours throughout the cycle. With Caninsulin (Vetsulin) it can be helpful to do tests every hour until the cat's BG has passed the lowest point in the cycle (nadir); this is especially useful if there is reason to believe that the cat's BG is dropping too low or too fast.


    When my cat was on Vetsulin before I only tested every 2 hours
    Do what you feel comfortable with , good luck :cat:
     
  8. Elizabeth and Bertie

    Elizabeth and Bertie Well-Known Member

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    Sep 6, 2010
    You're doing great @Douglas_my ginger cat (sorry, I don't know your name, only your kitty's... )
    How is the testing going? Are you OK? Is Douglas OK with it?

    Eliz
     
  9. Douglas_my ginger cat

    Douglas_my ginger cat Member

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    Jul 25, 2020
    In terms of the actual testing, surprisingly well. We had a failed test in the middle of the day (and I wasted 4 test strips!!) but find that its easier without the lancet pen (which I had read some people on here did like it either). Although his poor ear feels/looks like a pin cushion!

    But Douglas has been a real trooper for me today, I am super proud of him :)

    BTW, my name is Anna :woot:
     
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  10. Diane Tyler's Mom

    Diane Tyler's Mom Well-Known Member

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    Sep 21, 2018
    Great job Anna, you can put some neosporin Ointment with pain relief on them, a thin layer, just make sure you buy the Ointment and NOT the cream . He is adorable :cat:
     
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  11. Elizabeth and Bertie

    Elizabeth and Bertie Well-Known Member

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    Sep 6, 2010
    Yay! Well done, you! And well done, Douglas! :cat:

    It can be like that at first. But don't worry. It bothers us seeing it that way much more than it bothers the kitty. And that sensitivity that you often see at first does seem to pass, and the ears seem to get used to being tested...
    Are you managing to press on the test site immediately after testing? You can press for a few seconds with a piece of cotton wool or folded tissue, or even just between a clean finger and thumb. This can really help to minimise any bruising.

    We can't get neosporin in the UK (the ointment that many US folks use). But a teensy weensy smear of vaseline on the outer edge of the ear can help with healing. It can also help with testing in that it enables the blood to 'bead up' above the fur. What I don't know - if you are only using the lancet to test, and not the lancing device - is whether the vaseline will make the ear more slippery to hold! But you only need the tiniest, weeniest amount, just enough to make the fur look a wee bit greasy.
     
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