Recommendations for home testing & treats

[Honda rider]

Hi Everyone,
I was on here a week ago on somone else's thread, but I have a question of my own. My cat Lucy was diagnosed with diabetes April 1st and I have been given her insulin and home testing for over a week now. The vet had kept her 2 days and her BG's were very high most around 460 with one going to 520! He recommended 4 cc's insulin which we did for a couple of days. However, when I got her home and got my own meter I round her reads to be low 100 or less. Although I did get one 250 and one 300. I contacted him and we reduced it to 3 cc's which we have been doing for a week now. It's been about 3 days since I tested her because she has become "wise" to me and won't let me do it. I am doing the ear vein method, but may not be hitting the right spot. Should it be on the visible skin of her outer ear, or along the hairline (very outside edge)? I can hear/feel the skin pop when I stick her so I feel like it may be hurting her. She is jumping out of my lap and won't let me hold her to milk the blood out. We go to the vet this evening to see where she's at for sure.

Also, I was wanting recommendations on low carb treats I can give her while I do this. Switched to low carb cat food (9-lives) which she is happy with.

Thank you all!

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

Here's a picture of where to poke: Where to poke And some ideas for low carb treats: Lo carb treats Be sure to give her a treat every poke, whether successful or not.

We wrapped Oliver up in a kitty burrito at first - set him on a towel next to the arm of the couch and wrapped it around him until only his head was showing. I could press him lightly against the arm of the couch so he couldn't get away.

If you get blood and she leaves, you can get it on your fingernail and test from there.

You really can't be sure the numbers from the vet are valid. Many cats are stressed at the vet and stress raises bg levels. Your numbers at home should be much more accurate. And they seem low. So I would be very careful about testing before every shot to be sure it is safe to give the amount you are planning to shoot.

 

[Deb415andNikki]

Hi Honda Rider, and, of course, you too, sweet Lucy,

Regarding treats, I tend to use deli meats -- chicken, turkey, ham (not honey baked), or roast beef. Basically anything you'd have in a sandwich... A couple of pieces is all you'll need to recompense Lucy for her temporary ear ache. She'll start doing the sugar math -- ear pokes + treats + shots = feeling better. Cats are surprisingly good at math! Who knew?

It's so great you're home testing! Welcome to the Vampire Club!!! Bet you never thought you'd hear those words...

So, can you tell us what kind of insulin you're shooting Lucy? 3 units (your cc's if I'm not misreading) is kind of a high starting dose. We tend to be start low and go slow around here...

Can you also tell us what kind of meter you're using? I'm only asking because most of the meters used here read capillary blood, which is found on the outer edge of Lucy's ear... If you use a flashlight on her ear, it's pretty much like a Google travel map... Capillaries are like blue state highways, veins are like red interstates...




Welcome to the place you never wanted to be; but, will be blessed for having found.

Lots of encouraging hugs for you and Lucy,
Deb and Nikki -- and, Giz, forever dancing in my heart...

 

[Blue]

I am betting that the dose you are giving is too high, much too high. I am not sure why vets think they can decide on a dose after having a poor kitty at a strange place for a day or two. There are not many cats who test the same at the vet as they do at home in their own familiar stuff. I have one cat who tests much higher at the vet, and another who goes very LOW at the vet, but get them home, wait 30min and test again.... they are back to their "I'm home" BG numbers.

If you got a test under 100 then others 300s, it may be an idea to give a lower dose, maybe 1unit, am and pm, and see how it goes. You can always give more insulin on the next shot, but giving too much can have you in the ER with your kitty pretty quick.

As for the testing, I do use the lancet device, not freehand, and after experiments in the beginning, I have found that I get better results on the outer side of the ear for Shadoe, but the inner side of the ear for Oliver. I don't know why but I get better results. And both pretty much sleep through the tests - the lancet device is quicker and more consistent than freehand for me.

For snacks, the best for me is steamed or raw pieces of chicken breasts. I get trays of boneless, skinless breasts, freeze each one separately, then take out one for steaming and chopping. Because you do not feed for the 2hours before each shot, I have found that I can settle any demands for food during those 2 hours with a few small pieces of chicken. It would be good to give a snack at each test too. I prefer natural types of snacks rather than some meats that are processed, and watch the salt in them as well.

 

[Linda and Bear Man]

He recommended 4 cc's insulin which we did for a couple of days. However, when I got her home and got my own meter I round her reads to be low 100 or less. Although I did get one 250 and one 300. I contacted him and we reduced it to 3 cc's which we have been doing for a week now.

I hope you mean units of insulin (using an insulin syringe), and not cc's. That would be way too high a dose if it is being given in cc's.

Even if you are correctly dosing in units, you have started with a high dose.

 

[underdawg]

here is what i just posted for another newbie...

Be sure to print out all you can on Hypos because you have to be ready for that. We started out with 3 units twice a day and then went to 4 units twice a day. In the meantime, I changed from dry high carb food to high protein lo carb canned food which can drastically lower BG levels on its own therefore drastically lowering the need for additional insulin. Once the body's supply of insulin filled back up, then my cat had a seizure with no warning signs. Because of this board, I had Karo syrup ready to give him to get his BG level up fast and then followed with high carb food to get BG up too while I took him to the emergency vet. With a diet change and the high dose of insulin without knowing what the BG level was, I believe that is what contributed to the hypo event. In hindsight, we should have maybe changed the diet first to see what changes that made in the BG levels and then if insulin was needed, start at a low dose and make small adjustments. After the seizure, i learned to do hometesting and if i didn't get blood to test, then I did not give a shot. You have to know the BG level before the shot otherwise you could be asking for trouble. I tested, fed, and then shot if the BG level was over 150.

We use the Relion meter from Walmart because it needs only a tiny amount of blood to test. We use a "headlight" flashlight so that our hands are free during testing. We got it at Lowe's or Home Depot. We use freezedried chicken treats which are high protein. I give treats before, during and after testing. I still have to do more than one prick to get blood. We are only testing once a week now that he is off insulin to make sure his bg levels are in the normal range.We use freezedried chicken treats which are high protein. I give treats before, during and after testing. I still have to do more than one prick to get blood. We are only testing once a week now that he is off insulin to make sure his bg levels are in the normal range.

 

[BJM]

Pick up a topical antibiotic cream with anesthetic.
Put a small dab on the ear you'll be testing 5-10 minutes before the test.
This reduces the discomfort substantially and decreases head jerking and flinching when you prick the ear.

And as the others have mentioned, always reward the kitty after testing, even if you were unsuccessful.

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

Pick up a topical antibiotic cream with anesthetic.
Put a small dab on the ear you'll be testing 5-10 minutes before the test.
This reduces the discomfort substantially and decreases head jerking and flinching when you prick the ear.

And as the others have mentioned, always reward the kitty after testing, even if you were unsuccessful.

It was like night and day testing Bandit once I started using Neosporin + Pain Relief. I didn't even put it on his ear before, just afterwards. He immediately stopped fighting me and jerking his head and most of the time acted like he could care less that I was pricking him. His ear also didn't get red.

I also use a lancet device--I like the relion device because it's easy to aim for a particular spot. I had to use 26g lancets--the 30g/31g just did not give me enough blood.

I can only use one of bandit's ears to test him...for some reason his right ear will not bleed for me no matter what. But with the neosporin, I could test his left ear 6-8 times a day and he didn't care, as long as I rotated the spot.