Quick question: glucose curve

[Douglas_my ginger cat]

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!

 

[SashaV]

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.

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

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!

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

Hi! Im trying my first glucose curve today.

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.

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

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

 

[Douglas_my ginger cat]

Great, thank you everyone. Fingers crossed!

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.

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! )

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

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

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

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

 

[Douglas_my ginger cat]

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

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

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

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

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

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

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

Yay! Well done, you! And well done, Douglas!

Although his poor ear feels/looks like a pin cushion!

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.