Hi I'm new at this. My cat was diagnosed about 2 months ago. I guess from reading posts on this web site that I should get a meter and start testing my cat at home. I feel kinda stupid cuz that makes since. What kind of meter would be the best to buy? One for a pet or a regular one? The pet ones are so expensive. Would the readings be different? I could sure use some advise. Also I left my prozinc bottle of insulin out all night. I forgot to put it back in the refrigerator. I guess I could ask my vet but does any one know is my bottle no good now?
Regarding prozinc and glucose meters
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Merlin
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Welcome and am so glad that you found this site. Regarding your Prozinc bottle being left out all night...it should be no problem. I have done that several times and it was still good till the end which is 6-7 months. Update: I would just watch it and make sure you don't see any floaties in it or it has changed colors.
I am going to give you a whole bunch of information. There is some information about the meter and no you don't have to get the expensive pet meter. I am so glad that you want to home test. What kind of food are you feeding now? What is your cat and your name? How much insulin are you giving now? How old is your cat and what is the weight? So let us know if you have any questions.
Good Reading: This is a must read. It is an excellent 18 page informative document that covers feline health and nutrition. Don't take short cuts and read it all. www.catinfo.org Also read other postings and their spreadsheets. You will learn a lot more from others.
Home Testing: Here, we all home test. It is mandatory to understand how your kitty is reacting to the insulin and the dose. You will want to test before each shot and some additional test in between the 12 hour cycle. Another reason to home test is to keep your kitty safe. Find a place in your home where you will always perform the test and give lots of hugs before and after testing. There are many videos showing you how to test. Hometesting Links and TipsHere is a picture of where you test on your kitty. http://s106.photobucket.com/user/chupie_2006/media/testingear/sweetspot.jpg.html
Here is another good link on Home Testing:http://www.felinediabetes.com/bg-home-test.htm
Meters: There are many meters. There is a pet meter called the Alpha Trak2 and human meters. Some use the pet meter because it is what the vets use so the numbers will match up. The meter and strips are expensive though. Most use human meters that can be purchased at any pharmacy. It typically reads a little lower than the pet meter but we have ways of compensating those lower numbers. Many use Walmart's brand, Relion Micro or Relion Confirm, because it only needs a tiny drop of blood. They cost around $15 and the strips are around 35 cents each.
Lancets: These are used to poke the ear to get blood. There are many different sizes (gauges). It is recommended when you are first starting out to use a 26-28 gauge. Also, it would be a good idea to pick up Neosporin WITH pain reliever to apply on the edge of the ears and don't forget to alternate ears.
Spreadsheets: Our spreadsheet instructions are here. If you look at the signatures of the members here, you will see a link to their kitty’s spreadsheets. We keep track of all our tests. This is basically a place to collect data and help you to determine patterns, doses, etc. It also aids those that may be helping you to better understand your kitty.
Food: There are many reasons why we are here but one is due to feeding dry cat food which is high in carbs. You will want to consider changing your food to wet, low carb food. It is recommended to feed food that is under 10% carbs. Here is a list of cat food to choose from food chartyou will note that the food with fish are lower in carbs however it is recommended that you only give fish once a week due to its mercury content. Many use Fancy Feast, 9 Lives, Friskies, etc. This list can also be found in www.catinfo.org If you are already giving insulin and you have not transitioned to wet, low carb cat food, be sure to test while you are transitioning. This is because by changing to low carb food, it could decrease your kitty’s number by 100 points or more. One last thing, many of us add water to the wet food so your kitty is getting plenty of water to flush out the toxins and to keep them hydrated.
Hypo Kit: Always good to be prepared for possible hypo events which means that your cat has reached dangerously low numbers. It can be fatal, hence, the importance of home testing and collecting data in a spreadsheet. In each of the Insulin Forums are stickie’s labeled Hypo Links. Here is one: How to Handle a Hypo. Please print and post on your refrigerator so everyone in your household is aware of hypo symptoms. You will want to create your hypo kit that would include and not limited to; extra testing strips, honey/karo/maple syrup, high carb food, medium carb food, vet information, etc.
Ketones: Diabetic cats are susceptible to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). It is best to buy testing strips that will measure (if any) ketones in the urine. One brand is Ketostix which can be found at Walmart or any pharmacy. You will want to test periodically unless you continue to get high numbers, then it is suggested to test more frequently. Ketostix typically costs around $10.
Treats: It is always nice to have treats available for your kitty. Some use it after they have tested to reward. I like using Pure Bites. I have found it at Petsmart and other pet stores. It is freeze dried and the only ingredient is the meat i.e. chicken, duck, etc. If your cat likes it, then I would go to the dog section where it is cheaper than the cat package. It is bigger chunks but no problem in breaking it up. Another option is to use Bonita Flakes. There is a link here somewhere that has a list of low carb treats but I don't have it right now.
Injections: Most folks here use one of these main insulins; Lantus, Levemir and Prozinc. So glad your vet has chosen Prozinc. Two hours prior to your insulin shot, you will not want your kitty to eat. Then you will test and then feed. It is best for your kitty to eat a little before your shoot. I shoot while he is eating. The reason why you do not want your kitty to eat two hours prior to your test is because food elevates BG numbers. So you do not want to dose based on a food influenced number. Here is a link on how to give injections.http://www.felinediabetes.com/injections.htm
I am going to give you a whole bunch of information. There is some information about the meter and no you don't have to get the expensive pet meter. I am so glad that you want to home test. What kind of food are you feeding now? What is your cat and your name? How much insulin are you giving now? How old is your cat and what is the weight? So let us know if you have any questions.
Good Reading: This is a must read. It is an excellent 18 page informative document that covers feline health and nutrition. Don't take short cuts and read it all. www.catinfo.org Also read other postings and their spreadsheets. You will learn a lot more from others.
Home Testing: Here, we all home test. It is mandatory to understand how your kitty is reacting to the insulin and the dose. You will want to test before each shot and some additional test in between the 12 hour cycle. Another reason to home test is to keep your kitty safe. Find a place in your home where you will always perform the test and give lots of hugs before and after testing. There are many videos showing you how to test. Hometesting Links and TipsHere is a picture of where you test on your kitty. http://s106.photobucket.com/user/chupie_2006/media/testingear/sweetspot.jpg.html
Here is another good link on Home Testing:http://www.felinediabetes.com/bg-home-test.htm
Meters: There are many meters. There is a pet meter called the Alpha Trak2 and human meters. Some use the pet meter because it is what the vets use so the numbers will match up. The meter and strips are expensive though. Most use human meters that can be purchased at any pharmacy. It typically reads a little lower than the pet meter but we have ways of compensating those lower numbers. Many use Walmart's brand, Relion Micro or Relion Confirm, because it only needs a tiny drop of blood. They cost around $15 and the strips are around 35 cents each.
Lancets: These are used to poke the ear to get blood. There are many different sizes (gauges). It is recommended when you are first starting out to use a 26-28 gauge. Also, it would be a good idea to pick up Neosporin WITH pain reliever to apply on the edge of the ears and don't forget to alternate ears.
Spreadsheets: Our spreadsheet instructions are here. If you look at the signatures of the members here, you will see a link to their kitty’s spreadsheets. We keep track of all our tests. This is basically a place to collect data and help you to determine patterns, doses, etc. It also aids those that may be helping you to better understand your kitty.
Food: There are many reasons why we are here but one is due to feeding dry cat food which is high in carbs. You will want to consider changing your food to wet, low carb food. It is recommended to feed food that is under 10% carbs. Here is a list of cat food to choose from food chartyou will note that the food with fish are lower in carbs however it is recommended that you only give fish once a week due to its mercury content. Many use Fancy Feast, 9 Lives, Friskies, etc. This list can also be found in www.catinfo.org If you are already giving insulin and you have not transitioned to wet, low carb cat food, be sure to test while you are transitioning. This is because by changing to low carb food, it could decrease your kitty’s number by 100 points or more. One last thing, many of us add water to the wet food so your kitty is getting plenty of water to flush out the toxins and to keep them hydrated.
Hypo Kit: Always good to be prepared for possible hypo events which means that your cat has reached dangerously low numbers. It can be fatal, hence, the importance of home testing and collecting data in a spreadsheet. In each of the Insulin Forums are stickie’s labeled Hypo Links. Here is one: How to Handle a Hypo. Please print and post on your refrigerator so everyone in your household is aware of hypo symptoms. You will want to create your hypo kit that would include and not limited to; extra testing strips, honey/karo/maple syrup, high carb food, medium carb food, vet information, etc.
Ketones: Diabetic cats are susceptible to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). It is best to buy testing strips that will measure (if any) ketones in the urine. One brand is Ketostix which can be found at Walmart or any pharmacy. You will want to test periodically unless you continue to get high numbers, then it is suggested to test more frequently. Ketostix typically costs around $10.
Treats: It is always nice to have treats available for your kitty. Some use it after they have tested to reward. I like using Pure Bites. I have found it at Petsmart and other pet stores. It is freeze dried and the only ingredient is the meat i.e. chicken, duck, etc. If your cat likes it, then I would go to the dog section where it is cheaper than the cat package. It is bigger chunks but no problem in breaking it up. Another option is to use Bonita Flakes. There is a link here somewhere that has a list of low carb treats but I don't have it right now.
Injections: Most folks here use one of these main insulins; Lantus, Levemir and Prozinc. So glad your vet has chosen Prozinc. Two hours prior to your insulin shot, you will not want your kitty to eat. Then you will test and then feed. It is best for your kitty to eat a little before your shoot. I shoot while he is eating. The reason why you do not want your kitty to eat two hours prior to your test is because food elevates BG numbers. So you do not want to dose based on a food influenced number. Here is a link on how to give injections.http://www.felinediabetes.com/injections.htm
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Bobbie And Bubba
Very Active Member
Regarding the insulin, it is probably okay as long as it's not really hot where you live. I recently bought a thermo pouch to keep the insulin in in case of power outage, it will keep for 45 hours. The company where I bought it gave me the toll free number for ProZinc ( which I don't have anymore) and said that the ProZinc can be stored at room temperature and I never did call them to verify.
Thank you so much for the information. My name is Sandy and my cat is Chester. I have 4 cats and I feed them friskies indoor cat dry food. Chester is 9 years old. He weighted 15 pounds. In a month and a half he lost 7 lbs. I took him to the vet and he was diagnosed with diabetes. That was about 2 months ago. Since then I have changed his food to the prescription m/d dry food. At one time he won't eat that any more so I was giving him fancy feast. The ones that have no gravy, etc. High protein low in carbs. For about a week he was OK with that but then started throwing it up after he ate. So now I give him the prescription m/d wet food half a can twice a day and just alittle of the dry food for a snack. According to my vet I should only be giving him 1/2 cup of the dry food a day. I'm sorry 1/2 cup is nothing. If the cat is Hungary I believe he or she should be able to eat within reason right? Any ways he gained 2 pounds so now he weighs 10 pounds. I still only give him 1 unit so far. I have to come up with the money to have him go into the vets all day for monitoring then after that his doseage may change. He doesn't throw up any more after he eats and has maintained the 10 pound weight so far but he is still drinking a lot of water and using the cat box alot. That's my story so far. Thank you so much for your help I really appreciate it. I believe I have a good vet but from what I see every one says to stay away from dry food. I don't know why the vet would prescribe that. Thanks again and if you see in my story that I'm doing any thing wrong please let me know.
Bobbie And Bubba
Very Active Member
Hi Sandy. You could do your own curve at home and save money and his numbers would be more accurate as when they are at the vets, there BG numbers are elevated from stress. As far as the vet prescribing dry, they just don't know enough about Feline diabetes and nutrition for them. They get their nutrition training from the companies that manufacture the RX diets. They are expensive and to high in carbs and the dry foods are really bad for them. Check out the food chart that Cindi linked to you in her post. And read up about the home testing and human monitors she mentioned as well. We are glad you found us and we are here to help. Ask away, as that is how we all learned.
Rachel
Very Active Member
Hi Sandy! Welcome to our little forum!
1 unit is an excellent starting dose. I would strongly recommend that you don't take him in for a full day curve at the vet. First, it's super expensive. Second, his BG numbers will be elevated from stress, so whatever they tell you for dosage will probably not work at home. Once you get started testing at home, you can do the curve yourself.
Cindi gave you a ton of good info. Let us know when you've got your testing supplies and we can help you learn to test. While you work on getting that stuff together, I'd take Chester to wherever you plan to test several times a day. Rub his ears, give him lots of attention and treats. That way, when you add in the meter, he'll already have good associations with the place.
As far as food, you may want to eventually try to move towards one of our wet, low carb options. I understand he threw up the fancy feast (and trust me when I say I get the vomiting cat thing...one of mine has a sensitive tummy). If you decide to give it a try again, maybe make the change in small doses. Mix like 1/4 of the new into 3/4 of the old for 4- days, then half and half...etc. Might help to alleviate any GI upset.
I don't know much about how much dry cats should eat. I will say that Chester is going to be super hungry until he gets more regulated. His body isn't able to use the food effectively so he wants more. Is he over or under weight?
Let us know what questions you have! We're here to help. Once you collect your meter and supplies, we can help you test (it's pretty easy once you get the hang of it). Welcome to FDMB!
1 unit is an excellent starting dose. I would strongly recommend that you don't take him in for a full day curve at the vet. First, it's super expensive. Second, his BG numbers will be elevated from stress, so whatever they tell you for dosage will probably not work at home. Once you get started testing at home, you can do the curve yourself.
Cindi gave you a ton of good info. Let us know when you've got your testing supplies and we can help you learn to test. While you work on getting that stuff together, I'd take Chester to wherever you plan to test several times a day. Rub his ears, give him lots of attention and treats. That way, when you add in the meter, he'll already have good associations with the place.
As far as food, you may want to eventually try to move towards one of our wet, low carb options. I understand he threw up the fancy feast (and trust me when I say I get the vomiting cat thing...one of mine has a sensitive tummy). If you decide to give it a try again, maybe make the change in small doses. Mix like 1/4 of the new into 3/4 of the old for 4- days, then half and half...etc. Might help to alleviate any GI upset.
I don't know much about how much dry cats should eat. I will say that Chester is going to be super hungry until he gets more regulated. His body isn't able to use the food effectively so he wants more. Is he over or under weight?
Let us know what questions you have! We're here to help. Once you collect your meter and supplies, we can help you test (it's pretty easy once you get the hang of it). Welcome to FDMB!
Sharon14
Very Active Member
Another thing to try with the canned food to help prevent throwing up, is to mix the food with some water and feed it slowly, a tablespoon or so at a time spread thinly on a saucer. I've done this with one of mine and it slowed her down enough that she didn't throw it up. Also raising the dish a few inches seems to help. Hope this helps.
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