Ruben just had bad diarrhea

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RubenTheCat

RubenTheCat

Member Since 2013
Newly diagnosed cat just had explosive diarrhea. He's only had a little more than quarter can of wet at 8 last night and about the same 8 this morning. Never had wet in his life. He doesn't feel well, I can tell. Was only diagnosed last night. At 8 will be his 3rd injection at home. Nervous he's not gonna eat if he doesnt feel well. What should I look for? I'm panic stricken since I've found out. Is he Ok? Could that little food go through him that quick? I pulled his dry up at 5 hoping by 8 he would be hungry.
 
Poor boy! It probably is the wet. What kind are you feeding him? He has never had any wet before ever?

You might want to transition him to wet more gradually. Is he still eating?
 
Never had wet before. Vet sent me home with purina dm wet and dry. I'm going on Fri. and am going to talk all wet, but she it is absolutly fine to feed dry it's the carb/ protein content that matters. I'm so confused. She is a specialist but every one here has experiance. Having a hard time trusting my own decision. I only fed a little bit, can't believe it went through his little system that quick. Ugh! just want him to feel better. When I brought him in he was fine!!!! Seems like ever since he's been home he feels crappy. Wish he could tell me.
 
Vet called back said if it continues often through out the night to bring him in, but if it's only 1x-2x more just monitor him. I said is he going to be ok, she said I hope so...Ugh. I know she can't ever say for sure but that makes my mind go crazy. In all aspects of my life I'm a sane individule. My love for Ruben is so deep and so intence, I can't thinl straight. I don't have Karo syrup yet. OMG HE JUST VOMITED NOW and now hes in the litter
 
Vet called back said if it continues often through out the night to bring him in, but if it's only 1x-2x more just monitor him. I said is he going to be ok, she said I hope so...Ugh. I know she can't ever say for sure but that makes my mind go crazy. In all aspects of my life I'm a sane individule. My love for Ruben is so deep and so intence, I can't thinl straight. I don't have Karo syrup yet. OMG HE JUST VOMITED NOW and now hes in the litter. calling them again
 
When did you last shoot the insulin and how much?

His stomach could be really upset cos of the food, or something else.

I am going to look for an experienced user to come across.

We can discuss all the other diabetic stuff (like what to feed and why , and testing etc) once we get this sorted out.
 
I'm thinking it shouldn't be just the food that is behind this. It sounds like he's eaten less than a whole can of canned? I understand he's never had canned food in his life, but.... what brand/flavor? Is there any chance it was "bad"? Is there an expire date on the can?

I have a cat, non-diabetic, named Mullet. Last year, he has the same problem, only it was more a diarrhea than a vomiting problem. Is there any way that your cat got into something he shouldn't have gotten into? In Mullet's case, it was semi-sweet chocolate. I was shocked at the effect it had on him, but it's toxic to cats. If he'd eaten more, it could have been deadly. Maybe not chocolate, but can you think of anything he may have eaten or drank since last night that was a potential cause for this?

I would see if you can get him to the vet tonight if possible. If this goes on for long, he could also become dehydrated, which will add to the problems.

I'd also hold off on the insulin if you haven't shot yet. This sounds like the greater crisis right now.

Carl
 
She hasnt gotten back. I think she went to the vet. I am worried it was a hypo and she isnt testing yet so its the best place for her.
 
Also, we determined he's on Lantus, correct? What dose has he been getting?

Carl
 
Wonder what canned it was....I have a civie here that will do that on anything with tuna in it...most fish he is fine with but tuna it is two exits no waiting.

Also could be hypo so hopefully she is at the vets right now and will update us later <fingers crossed>

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
 
OMG a huge THANK YOU for all who posted. He had the diarrhea like I said then vomited so much I couldnt describe then ran immedialty into the litter. Rushed him into the e.r. they gave him fluids, meds to help w the nausua and sent me home with metronozanole (spelling?) I just gave him his first dose of that now. He did just have more diarrhea but I assume its ok cause just gave him meds. They say if he's lathargic in the am to bring him back in immediatly and they'll hospitilize him..sigh. He was beyond absoloutly fine when I brought him (which for a colonoscopy) minor blood in stool for 2 yrs wanted piece of mind about it. they tested his sugar and it was 400. so we swwitched gears. ever since he has been rapidly declining. He was free feeding before this newmans organic. since I brought him home yesterday i mixed a little purina dm dry to his regular and only gave a little purina wet before his shot to make sure he ate. total he ate less than a whole can. My other quesion is I have another cat. should I seperate incase she can catch it. Even the vets said they don't know what this could be but that it is unusual.


Again, thank goodness for this forum and everyone here. feel alone and scared. You all help.
 

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to bob and carl,
I'm rather confident he didnt get into anything, spent most of the day laying around, ate and drank little.
 
Kinda confused... When did he have the colonoscopy?

What did the vet say about continuing feeding the DM? Or giving the shots?
 
Sorry to be so confusing, just super stressed. He went to have one. They never did it cause they notice his BS was 400 so we had to post pone the procedure to deal with this current situation. This diarrhea and vomiting is now something else. Doctors dont think its related to diabetis. They said pull up his food tonight. tomorrow if he eats (they said just give him what he's used for now) then give him his normal dose (which is low 1mm) but if still larthargic and not eating bring him back they'll have to hospitilize him. It makes me sick to bring him there. He gets soooo stressed. Afraid it makes him worse but have to do the right thing and bring him. wish I could explaine to him why. Oh I'm so concerned. Please pray everyone.
 
I know I just brought him home, but I can tell he still don't feel good. I also know the med takes time to work for the diarrhea but he's been in the litter box 2x and still has the runs but nothing really come out. feels like he has the urge. Could he be allergic to the insulin, Is that even a possibilty?
 
Prayers on there way for Ruben....we will have all our fingers, toes, paws and tails crossed (which the folks here can tell is a lot of paws and tails crossed) here that it was just one of those days and he will be right as rain tomorrow.

A couple of things you can do that will help both you and Ruben greatly is 1) let us teach you to home test and 2) get some Ketostixs so you can test his urine for ketones....both will give you a great peace of mind and keep Ruben safe while on insulin.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
 
You'll both be in my prayers,

If you have to leave him at the vet, please be sure to leave something with him that'll remind him of you. A pillow case, shirt, sweater, just something he'll be able to smell and it will make him feel safer even if you aren't there.

Carl

Edit to add-
Anything is possible I suppose, but I can't recall reading here where insulin caused diarrhea.
 
On I see. I doubt he is allergic to insulin. He probably is feeling still odd in the tummy but is empty now.. The metronidazole could even be kicking in and clearing him up.

Tiggy had bad diarrhea recently and would run to the box only to do one drop of diarrhea. The metronidazole started working within a day.

Try not to worry, your vet sounds like he is on top of it.. Just make sure he is comfortable and has plenty of water and we will keep our paws crossed for you.

Guys - could this be pancreatitis?
 
Thank you all and thank goodness for this forum. The vet gave him fluids last night and some anti nausea med. They sent me home with med for the diarrhea (metronozanole) < I'm a horrible speller and dont have the med in front of me-sorry anyway, Got up this morning, only gave him his reg newmans organic food (dry) incase it was the DM wet or dry that made him ill last night. I measured 1/4 cup and he ate very very little. Called vets (OSVS-RI) and they said try some fancy feast wet, just to get him to eat. went to store grabbed that, Karo syup, non clumping litter and ketostix. Gave him half the fancy feast can and again ate a little less than 1/4 can. I then gave him his 1unit dose. He does seem better than yesterday but can tell he is off. Vet said if does not eat tonight to bring him in. I feel like he's a big experiment right now. Changing eating habits, changing food, not positive the dosage of insulin. I am new to all this and have no confidence in my judgement. I have called the vets litterally about 10x this morning. They are all nice but how do I know what is right. We are both resting now. I set out different litter box with the new litter if I notice him pee I am going to try to get a reading with the stick, but again have no Idea what that will tell me but I do know it will at least let me know about ketones. I also am learning that it s not a go by for the insulin but until I can learn to home test this is all the action steps I think I can take. I am also looking to switch specialists at my vets. I know the vet now is competant but her and I are not having the relationship I need to care for ruben the best. I admit I am not the easiest mom to deal with but she doesn't seem to think home testing is required and I know it is. She seems a little over confident and when I question her its the attitude on you have to trust me or not. Where I need that reassurance. I am going to see her Fri to check Ruben's BS but am hoping to switch to someone else soon, but want to continue to go to her than not go at all. I am understanding that there is a learning curve for both Ruben and myself til we get him regulated, but it is sooo hard to stay calm and in controll. I am a basket case. I go from crying to being okay then back to hysteria in seconds. I am 38 w no children and have become a vegan, solely based on this special relationship with little Ruben. I have had animals my whole life but none have touched me or connected with me like him. So I feel like my whole world (which is him) is falling out from under me. I know I need to be okay because he will sence it off me, but having a hard time controlling my emotions. I love him soooo much and so deeply.
Thank you all for responding. I know I would be worse with out this place. Please continue to pray for us.
 

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I just tried to do a Ketostix reading. I put a little of tidy cat non clumping long lasting odor controll litter multi cat < thats all the non clumping litter they had at the market. I dipped the stick in the litter and it read normal, which is fantastic but it was in the litter. I put less in this time to try again. Could the litter alter the reading significantly or should I feel confident and good the it read normal or is it completely unreliable based on the type of litter? oh so confused. going in crazy circle in my head. Also I didn't have timer but I did count for 15 seconds. but I'm so crazy stressed who knows if it was acurate enough. Oh I'm becoming a looney tune. lol
 
A way to check if the litter will affect the reading is to take a little bit, wet it with plain water and stick a ketostick in it....if it still reads normal then the litter isn't going to affect the reading and you can feel safe in knowing that you got a true reading off Ruben.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
 
Deep breaths! :smile:

FOOD - Its good if he will take fancy feast ( as long as its the classic pates) as they are low carb and great for diabetic cats. If he ate 1/4 can then thats good.. just keep offering it to him. I have added extra ideas for things to tempt him with to get him eating (see way below).

DIARRHEA - Any diarrhea today? It might take a few days for him to feel better - I am sure you know how it is and have had it yourself!

TESTING
1. Well done on getting the karo syrup and ketostix. Those are very important. As is home testing as you know - sooner we start on that the better but lets worry about that in a couple of days once he is feeling better and you are calmer!
2. Litter testing - you did the test on clean litter to start right? You need to get it wet though. So take a tablespoon of clean litter and mix with a tablespoon of water . Mix well and then dip in the strip. It should be clear. Then you know you are good to go with the cat pee. Best to use a timer though because if you wait a little too long you can get a false positive,

VET - If you like we can ask around to see if there is a better diabetic vet in your area? What state and city are you in?

Dont worry there are a lot of people here with tons of expertise in this.. they really can help as much as you let them. I am here, waiting and watching on your posts.

Wendy

IDEAS TO GET A CAT TO EAT

Cheryl & Winnie wrote:
Enticing a Cat to Eat

Here are some things you can do do entice your cat to eat:

-sometimes in order to get a cat to eat you even have to resort to dry it is more important that they eat. there are a couple low carb / grain free brands -- EVO and wellness core.

-making a buffet to give him choices
- heating food

sprinkle food with :
FortiFlora -- a probiotic you can get at vets or online. is very smelly and cats love the taste of it.
parmesean cheese
smashed crumbles of dry food
bonito/tuna flakes (Can be found at Asian markets or sometimes in the Asian food section of a large grocery store.)
halo chicken treats (freeze dried chicken) -- crumble into dust over food -- my Wolfie loves this stuff.
pour a little water from tuna in water over food (I use low sodium/no sodium added as other kinds in water has veg. broth in it and I assume that means onions, which are toxic to cats and it shouldn't contain soy -- check labels)
powdered oregano. yep sounds weird . but some cats like it and it will entice them to eat.

other ideas of foods to offer your kitty to stim appy:
trader joe tuna for cats
baby food -- beechnut or Gerber Stage 2 -- you want a baby food that is only a protein + broth (although the Gerber contains cornstarch). It should have no onions or other additives. some babyfoods have onions . please read labels if you can't find beechnut.
kentucky fried chicken
deli turkey /chicken
plain cooked ( boiled or baked ) chicken breast
canned chicken for people (watch the label that their are no onions)
chicken broth -- low sodium
Click to expand...
 
This forum is all my good karma coming back to me. I called the vet to ask about the litter before I checked here. They said I shouldn't do any testing as of now that their going to go over all that with me Fri. Ugh, it's frustrating that they are using a guessing game with him, but they assure me that they are the experts that I will begin testing, but to just hang in there for now. I picked up his food for now with hopes he'll eat all his food around 9 tonight before his next dose. He's always been super healthy so this is harder for me to except. I am also holistic and am always hesitant to western medicine. I do know he needs insulin and am going to follow all instructions. I just like to be more on the conservitive side. Fingers crossed he will eat tonight. Thank you for the idea's on how to intise him. Like I said before I am a vegan and handling or buying other food animals for me is very difficult, but I will do anything for Ruben. Anything. I'd even go hunting for him...lol If you all knew how much I love all animals you would all be rolling at that statement. lol He seems much better today than yesterday. though I haven't noticed him drink yet, but I've been exhausted and might have missed it.
I am curruntly out of work due to a neurological disorder. What a blessing it is. lol thought I'd never say that. but at least I'm home with him for hopefully the next 2 weeks. Bad thing is stress makes my condition worse and puts me at high risk for stroke. I'm not overly worried about a stroke though, cause I KNOW I have to be okay for him. A whole new reason to focus on getting better myself. I am not the issue here though, just letting you all know you could be saving 2 lives. I checked the litter water test and it seems like it was normal, (the litter did turn black and kinda stuck to the stick but it didn't look like it changed color) For now I guess I'm not gonna test, let my poor other cat out of the room and let them be as natural as they can be. Minus the free feeding their used to. He seems better than yesterday. He hasn't pooped yet, but thats cause he hardly ate. Not overly worried about that. 9pm will be the real test. Til then I think I'm gonna try to hang tight and stress free. (hahaha- yeah right..lol) but I am gonna try. Open to any input about how to handle the rest of the day. Do you all think its okay to not keto test? I do not have a glucometor yet. I can't tell how much the vets are urging against testing 2x a day. they also said I need to get the ketostix either in the stream or in pure urine? WHAT? with a cat how is that possible, anyway they say their gonna teach me Fri. I'm stuck with that other vet til the one I was reccomended get back from a seminar. I did leave him a voicemail with my concerns. Hope to hear form him soon. Til then gonna stick with Dr. Kessler, better to keep him under care. I am in RI and am at Ocean State Vet specialist. They are a 24/7 e.r. and do not do regular vet appoinments. They will however keep him under regular care with Ruben til we regulate him. I love the practice and am sure Kessler is compitant, just not as warm as I need her to be for me. I am open to all reccomendation to vets after OSVS get him regulated.
Again THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!! Can't even put into words what your knidness has menat to me. again you all could be saving two lives.
 
Try not to stress too much - he will be fine once you both get over this hump.

TESTING:
They are going to go over testing with you? a few things..
1.if they try to sell you on a cat glucometer to measure his blood, you dont need it. Human ones are cheaper and just as reliable.
2. if they tell you not to blood test at home, then you really do need a new vet or be prepared to ignore them!
3. if they want to keep your cat for a day and run a "curve" then say no too - its expensive and inaccurate and you are better doing it at home yourself. Anyway listen to what they tell you but come home to "think about it" first and lets discuss!

KETONES:
Its definately good to test for ketones. i think most people here check once a week, more often if the cat is prone too them or if the blood sugar gets over 360. http://www.felinediabetes.com/ketones.htm Pure urine is better - some people shove a soup ladle under the cats rear end while they pee to collect it. Others replace the litter with fish tank gravel ( not absorbent) temporarily and collect the pee. I use a wet pee patch in the same way as you used the dry (grab a tablespoon of wet pee and mix with a little water).

Rest of the day? Read this : http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=33671 and then grab a glass of wine (or tea or something relaxing) and relax with your kitty. Follow him to the litter box and do a ketone test if you can. I would continue to free feed- not sure why you took away his food.

Wendy

Wendy
 
I took his food away in the hopes 1. he will be hungry tonight and 2. to get him used to the two times a day feeding? Think I should do different?
 
I agree with #1, because he's more likely to eat at shot time if hungry.

#2, though. He doesn't need to eat just twice a day. You want him to eat at shot times, but he can eat other times too. Like human diabetics are told to eat multiple small meals per day, same with cats. You just want to withhold food in the two hours or so before his shots, because when you test him then, you'll want a BG number that is not boosted by eating, like a fasting BG.

What's important now is to get him back to having a good appetite. Once that happens, you can figure out a feeding schedule that works well for him and for you.

Carl
 
RubenTheCat said:
I took his food away in the hopes 1. he will be hungry tonight and 2. to get him used to the two times a day feeding? Think I should do different?
Click to expand...

Did the vet advise you to limit him to 2 meals a day? Most cats around here often eat numerous small meals throughout the day as it leads to a "softer" blood-glucose curve: more of a gently sloping hill than a steep mountain peak (which can make Kitty feel crummy). If you're testing (or once you start testing), it is suggested to remove food two hours before testing/shot time as it can skew the pre-shot BG values.

Are you still having trouble transitioning him to wet food? Not sure if I missed it and someone else already provided it for you, but here is a great website with tons of information about the obligatory carnivore's diet and help transitioning finicky cats from dry to wet food. It also has a food list with all the nutritional values of available commercial cat food (most cats need less than 10% carbs).
 
Based on posts sin this forum I do not agree with your statement "Most cats around here often eat numerous small meals throughout the day "

KPassa said:
RubenTheCat said:
I took his food away in the hopes 1. he will be hungry tonight and 2. to get him used to the two times a day feeding? Think I should do different?
Click to expand...

Did the vet advise you to limit him to 2 meals a day? Most cats around here often eat numerous small meals throughout the day as it leads to a "softer" blood-glucose curve: more of a gently sloping hill than a steep mountain peak (which can make Kitty feel crummy). If you're testing (or once you start testing), it is suggested to remove food two hours before testing/shot time as it can skew the pre-shot BG values.

Are you still having trouble transitioning him to wet food? Not sure if I missed it and someone else already provided it for you, but here is a great website with tons of information about the obligatory carnivore's diet and help transitioning finicky cats from dry to wet food. It also has a food list with all the nutritional values of available commercial cat food (most cats need less than 10% carbs).
Click to expand...
 
Larry and Kitties said:
Based on posts sin this forum I do not agree with your statement "Most cats around here often eat numerous small meals throughout the day "
Click to expand...

It's partially from this discussion as well as frequent posts by others regarding their feeding regimens. ECID, which is why I said most cats. Since her cat is used to grazing, this might work out better for her.
 
Honestly I'm so confused. I'm out of work at the moment. But when I return I work 7:30-12 then 2:30-7 So I'm thinking he will be on a 7 and 7 schedule. I'm not liking the specialist I have now. How do I find a good vet in my area. I dont just need one to care for ruben but for me as well too. Kinda overly sensitive when dealing with little ruben. As far as feeding goes, I'm just so concerned he eats before I give him his shot. I have not started testing and this new vet is adimitt about NOT home testing. He was diagnosed Mon. 21st going back this Fri. He hasn't drank much at all today, should I be worried. Who am I kidding, I haven't stopped worring. lol. Well he seems much better than the episode he had yesterday. Going to give him his shot at 9. So just trying to be calm and wait til then.
Again Thank you all!!! it's nice to be embraced in a community especially one that loves their aniaml like I do mine
 

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We are all cat ladies.. Including the guys ;)

How much lantus is he getting? It's important to give him the shot every 12hours.. Give or take 15minutes. So if you shot at 8am you want to shoot at 8pm. Once you return to work we can gradually move his shot by 15minutes each time until he is at 7 and 7.

Post a new thread with subject "recommended vets in Rhode Island?" And see if you get some responses.

I disagree strongly about home testing as would most people here. It's the only way to keep your cat safe.. And it doesn't hurt the cat so I don't know why your vet wouldn't agree to it! My vet recommended it to me and it has saved my cats lives a few times when they almost had a hypo.

If he is eating wet food he might not need to drink as much but you could try and tempt him with water from the tuna can (water not brine) or chicken broth(no onions).

As regards feeding, for now I would stick to his usual feeding schedule, once you start testing ;) you will know how he reacts to food and if you need to change that!

Let us know how much lantus he gets each shot,
Thanks
Wendy
 
Ugh, the more I read the more I know I need to test. I bought the wrong stix apparently. Just ketostix not he ketodiastix. Good news is it is way easier to get a pee sample then I thought. Just put a cooking spoon under him and whala, fresh pee. bad news is wrong stix. but he did test normal. I am giving him 1unit of lantus, but am not testing. I'm going on Fri. Shoudl I get a glucometer test before that? keep in mind I have no idea how to or what to look for, but that's why I have all of you. I am def switching vets but staying with her til I find one. She is an internist and specialist. I am still learning as I have no idea ranges and know that a test doesnt' accuratly represent how the insulin is working overall. but at least if I test I'll know wether he's in danger, or am i wrong? so clueless. Need step by step instructions on how and when to feed, test, and what to feed. I'm curruntly swithcing to from an all dry food to fancy feast wet 2x a day? If you read this post from the begining, you'll know he had a bad episode last night. (don't think it was diabetis related) worried about diarrhea again but he is on metronoznal.
(side note, please excuse my lack of spelling and any attention to grammer-just more concerned with getting all this out of my head and into here than worring about the details)
 
He's getting 1unit of Lantus every 12hrs. Also I'm vegan so have no animal products in my house at all (minus rubens food) So I do not have chix stock or tuna. I will get some tomorrow (hopefully) Never thought I woudl say that...lol funny what we will do for family.
 
Ehh,, forget the grammar. I am typing on my iPad and it autocorrects pretty well, most of the time so I am ok!

Those strips are good for ketones so you are fine, the ketodiastix also test urine glucose but it doesn't matter so much especially if you are home testing blood glucose - which you will be soon hopefully!!!.Great news there are no ketones.

Would be good if you could get a glucometer before the vets, it would help them know what's going on too,, plus you could take it to the vet to see how much yours varies from theirs! (There will be a difference and its good to know)
The Walmart relion range Is popular here because they are cheap and reliable. Or the arkay. The relion prime seems to be cheapest for glucometer and strips but it needs more blood that the relion confirm so it can be harder to use if your cat isn't a bleeder. Are his ears generally warm or cool to touch? If warm you might have a bleeder ;) let me know if you are going shopping and I will provide a shopping list ;)

What weight is he? Would you say he was over or under weight?

As I said above, personally I would feed him the same way you do normally for now. And transitioning to fancy feast classic pâtés is a great idea. Let me know what weight he should be and I can give you an idea of how many calories he should get a day.

We can help with when to test and what to do .. Especially if you are willing to set up a spreadsheet (we can tell you how) and post on a regular basis.


Wendy
 
Personally I would get a glucometer as soon as possible and start learning to test at home...It has saved both of my diabetics on numerous occassions even with all the years of experience I have with feline diabetes. In fact with Maxwell it is probably the reason he is still with me, you see I adopted him as a diabetic, so I had no clue what normal behavior was for him. He spent 2 weeks in foster care while transport was arranged to get him from Boston Mass. to me in Hastings Nebr. He was started on 1u twice a day and at the same time had his diet changed from dry kibble to all low carb canned. Well I gave him 2 shots total on insulin one shot at 1u and the second at .5u and he started testing in normal range and has been in remission and off insulin now for 2 years as of this last November 1st. If I had continued to shoot him blind I could have very easily sent him into hypo or even killed him.

There has also been more than once that Autumn has been crying at me for food, I always test her before I feed her, on several of those times she has tested in the 20s without any outward signs of hypo. Plus by testing her at home I have been able to reduce her dose from 1.5u to the mere .5u she is on today, and with any luck at all She will let me know when she needs to go down in dose again and hopefully one day she too will be in remission and diet controlled like Maxwell.

You do not need your vet's permission to test at home, you don't even have to tell her that you are. But as someone that has diabetes in her family I can tell you no human diabetic would inject insulin without testing themselves first, so why should it be any different with a cat?

As far as what to look for any human glucometer will do as long as it takes a small sample of blood and the test strips fit your budget as they are the most expensive part. A very popular brand around here is the Walmart house brand called the Relion of which there are 3 models that are used around here, the confirm, the micro or the new prime. In fact I have the Relion Micro as my back up meter for Autumn it was originally Maxwell's. I also have a Bayer Contour that is Autumn primary meter since she is a DCIN (Diabetic Cats in Need) sponsored cat and they supply her test strips.

The other things that you would need to get started on home testing are the lancets (28-29 gauge to start with)
A lancing device to fit the lancets.
Something to back the ear for poking ( I use a folded up paper towel)
A rice sock (a thinnish cotton sock with about 1/4 c of plain uncooked white rice in the toe and knotted) or some other way to warm the ear.
Low carb treats for Ruben for each test regardless if you get blood or not. He will quickly figure out that a small poke in the ear is worth the yummy treat and the extra one on one time with mom. :-D Autumn actually comes hunting for me if I'm running late on a test time or she will beat me to her test spot and be waiting.

That is pretty much it...you can google Testing a diabetic cat and come up with tons of videos to watch. It takes some practice but once you find your groove you can do it in your sleep and many of us have...lol

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
 
I am going to expand a little on Mels list

- Meter ie Walmart Relion
- Matching strips
- Cotton balls
- A lancing device to fit the lancets. You may find it easier without the device but try it with first.
- Lancets - Best choice to start are 28 or 29 gauge lancets.
- Something to back the ear for poking. Mel uses a folded up paper towel, I use a small USB mini torch i got on ebay so I can see the veins too.
- A rice sock (a thinnish cotton sock with about 1/4 c of plain uncooked white rice in the toe and knotted) or some other way to warm the ear.
- Low carb treats for Ruben for each test regardless if you get blood or not. I like freeze dried chicken for this. You can get it in petsmart and a lot of pet stores.
- Neosporin ointment - for healing the little wound and helping the blood to bead up.

Wendy
 
He is about 11-12lbs. Looks great. I am so nervous now about giving this shot at 9:30 without testing. But I do not have test so I'm gonna feed him 1/2 can of wet give 1 unit put down his normal dry for him to graze, then pick it up around 12am to make sure he eat in the morning. Sound good? I am going to go shopping at walmart tomorrow. A list would be awsome (If that is the list in the above post then I will use that, Just not sure if that is everything.) I am a smart girl but when it comes to ruben I forget everything I was just told. So a really detailed stupid proof list is appreciated. How can I repay all of you for your help. I vow that when I become as confident as you all are I will give back to this site. Oh I feel so much better than I did on Monday. Really bad with stress and anxiety. My mom had to have a tlk with me. Lol I have a neurological disorder at the moment and it puts me at high risk for stroke and when I was at the er with Ruben yesterday, my speech and vision was getting funky. I can't help it no matter how much I know I have to be calm for him and myself, my love and concern get the best of me. You all here have helped so much. Though I am really nervous about giving him his shot later. I know is only 1unit but wihtout testing who knows what will happen.
 
I'm getting stressed now its food and needle time and I keep reading to much insulin will kill him and I cant test. Is 1unit dangerous if I notice he eats?
 
Do you have any fancy feast gravy lovers or any high carb wet? Otherwise maybe just leave out the dry to nibble on and that will keep him ok all night.
 
If you don't feel safe doing the shot, there's nothing wrong with skipping it until you have a meter. I agree with the saying that "shooting without testing is like driving down the freeway with a bag over your head". The thing we value most highly is safety for the kitties.
A day without insulin is safer than shooting blind, in my opinion.

Carl
 
Here is a calculation for calories he will need when he is on wet...
Required calories per day = [13.6 X ideal weight in lbs] + 70
Get the calories in food from here http://www.catinfo.org/docs/Food Chart Public 9-22-12.pdf

Ok here is a better list

- Meter ie Walmart Relion (cheap but needs more blood than the confirm) or relion confirm (less blood needed but strips more expensive)
- Matching strips (make sure they are designed for the meter you choose)
- Cotton balls
- A lancing device
- Lancets - Best choice to start are 28 or 29 gauge lancets, to fit the device
- freeze dried chicken treats (pure bites or similar)
- Neosporin ointment
- 3 cans fancy feast gravy lovers
- 1 can chicken broth, low salt no onions

Have a look on Walmart.com right now, search for "relion" and you can start to see what's available and what you are looking for and pricing and so on.
Wendy
 
So he ate almost a half a can of fancy feast classic and I'm leaving out his dry for a few hours. I went ahead and gave him what the vet said 1unit. Should I just sit back and relax should I watch him like a hawk. Whats the happy medium. How long before any reaction would happen? If I'm right, I think 1unit is a low enough dose that it should be safe, didn't want to adjust or skip being so new to all this. He was 200 at the er last night, but who knows what that represents today. I do know that , that does mean he needs insulin. Actually the only thing I'm positive of is I know nothing for sure.
 
Lantus kicks in generally two hours after the shot, and reaches its peak at 5-7hours. Does he sleep with you so you can keep an eye on him?

If it was me, i would make sure he eats some every couple of hours.. at least one tablespoon of dry... and it would allow me to check on him. He will probably be fine... but its much better to be safe than sorry. Tomorrow once you have the meter you can start testing and move to wet only.

Here is information on hypos and how to treat them:http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1122
If you see any symptoms listed in the above link feed, give karo syrup and rush to emergency vet.

Get the emergency vets phone and address sorted out now and stick on your fridge for future reference.

I will be up at 2am and 6am, and will keep an eye out for you if you have issues or questions, but if there is an issue don't wait on me.l Go to the vet and bring the syrup for the car ride!

Again, he will probably be fine on the dry food.. We are just playing it safe here.

Wendy
 
Wendy & Tiggy, can you just come stay with me until I ge this figured out...lol Thank you for that list. Going to Wallmart tomorrow. I'll start posting levels tomorrow. How frequent should I tes, when and is there a way I should chart. That calorie chart is way confusing, so is the formular. lol never good in math. He did eat some so trying to relax, but would be lying if I said I was doing good at it.
 

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My advice is for you to skip the shot in the morning, go get the meter and supplies, and then work on learning the "how-to" for home testing.

Carl
 
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