Update and More Questions: Dawn and Squee

[Bloodykiss1979]

Hi Everyone.

Thank you guys for reading and replying to my post. I'm still a bit nervous about Squee and his diabetes, but I'm comforted there are a lot of people who have cat's with diabetes and are willing to help!

First, Squee is my 9 year old, Domestic short haired, Male. I was alarmed at his weight loss and that prompted me to seek my vet. He used to weight in at 15 lbs and now weighs 11 lbs. The vet thought at first it may be hyper thyroid, but it turned out to be Diabetes.We started Squee on insulin and left him with the vet to be monitored during his first dosage. I had no idea how long Squee had Diabetes and how long it went untreated scared me.(The vet said it had only been a month to 6 weeks and hadn't been too long.) I felt much more comfortable leaving him with the vet for the first dose. He has been prescribed Prozinc and 2 units every 12 hours. I am a bit concerned because I don't think my vet was specific enough. He didn't seem very concerned with home testing, which I thought was odd. He and the tech said it's very hard to get a proper reading from a cat and hard to get enough blood from the ear or paw. He told me Squee's numbers were between 200-250 the day. He said they should be around 100. I was concerned because he told me to monitor what he eats. If he eats a full meal, give a full dose. Half a meal, half a dose. No meal, no dose. I just thought this was very unspecific. The fact that he doesn't want me to home test, and play his insulin by ear according to meals is alarming to me. It seems like it could even be dangerous for Squee to do it that way... Does that bother anyone else?

Squee has also had FUS in the past, so he thinks we should keep him on the food he is on, but I am going to give him all canned. He is eating Friskies Special Diet for Urinary PH. I agree with that because the last thing I want is another episode of that! (He only had one episode, but that was enough!)

Does anyone have any more suggestions for things I should be doing? Any good tips for home testing? I must admit I am a bit weary of it. Also, the vet wants me to take him back for a curve in 7 - 10 days. Do you guys think that is a good idea? Is he just ripping me off? (so expensive) Or do you think it's just to see how he is progressing?

Thank you all in advance for your help! Squee and I appreciate it!!!

 

[Vyktors Mum]

Hi Dawn

I don't think your vet is deliberately trying to rip you off they are just offering the traditional vet treatment.
Most vets seem to be unfamiliar with home testing and are wary of the unknown.

The advice about how much insulin to give being adjusted on the basis of how much is being eaten is also not unreasonable if you are not home testing. Processing food makes the BG rise, if little food is being eaten and you give a dose that's suitable for when Squee is eating well then there is an increased risk of hypo.

It is very important that you do start home testing so you know what's really going on. The readings that the vet gets are likely to be much higher than you would get at home because of the stress that Squee is under in the vet's clinic. My cat has readings averaging just under 200 and two different vets have advised me not to give insulin unless his BG gets higher because of the risk of hypo.

I know how you are feeling about doing the tests. I felt physically sick in the lead up but then found I was able to do it without any problem at all - and Vyktor is a cat that neither I nor the vet can give pills to (lucky he got something that involves injections instead!). To prepare I did a lot of research about how it was done from a variety of sources. Then I started rubbing Vyktor's ears for a few days to get him used to that (he wasn't keen to start off with) and then on testing day I rubbed the tester all over his head and clicked the lance a few times near his ear to see how he felt about it. If he had reacted badly then I would have got him used to the clicking noise before trying for a test. As it was he wasn't fussed so we did the test, no restraint required. He gave me a bit of a 'what did you do that for' look but didn't move away or anything and a few days later he was even purring through some of the tests in expectation of the treat that was coming. I think the only part of it he doesn't appreciate much is the loud beep in his ear the meter makes when it has enough blood! Don't be discouraged if you don't have immediate success though and give Squee a treat (NOT DRY FOOD)even if you aren't successful. I am sure you will get there if you are relaxed and patient about it.

You do want to get a meter that requires as little blood as possible. I got a freestyle lite which requires the least blood of all (as do some of the others in the freestyle range). If you are in a warm climate you should have no trouble getting sufficent blood, I just rub Vyktor's ear a little before testing to get the blood flow happening. If you are in a colder climate you may need to warm the ear first - there are a few different methods which you will come across in your research.

I suggest you get onto it and then take your results to the vet on your next appointment. If they are not very pleased with the data and encouraging after you have shown them you can do it I would be looking for a new vet - in doing so you could ask around until you find a surgery that does have some clients that home test.

Good luck I know you will be feeling very overwhelmed about it all right now but the fact that you are here shows you are doing your own research and are on the right path.

 

[ohbell]

Sorry, posting this on both of your threads....I just feel it is way to important an issue...............

OMG! PLEASE TEST!
I will start with saying - I AM NOT VET BASHING, BUT......... I will share my story with my Sugar Bean.

She was dx with 1unit PZI, 'no home testing really needed' quoted from the vet..... 1 wk and 1 day later, she went to the vet for the curve. Her numbers increased from the original dx from low 400s to high 400. The vet increased the dose to 2units - 2 times a day....

BECAUSE OF THIS SITE, I did not increase that much and I was still not home testing.....

I received my newbie kit from Lori and Bean and I began to bond...rubbing the ears, getting the lancet pen out and clicking it on her ears without the lancet in the pen - getting her used to the noise. Giving out 'special treats' and holding her. My Bean is a kitty that only wants held when SHE wants held...
We were practicing alot and the first 5-6 times when the lancet was actually in the pen, mamma could NOT get a test..... Again, we were practicing and getting used to the routine...

When I DID get a test (about the 6-7 time to try), my Sugar Bean was ONLY 27!!!!! This was only 2 hours after the shot.... The nadir (lowest reading) is 4-6 hours after shot...
Of course, it was well after vet hours and I posted HERE! I received soooo much support from the postings and 1 wonderful phone call from Lori. She coached me: feeding hypo items, posting here for me (so that I could stay by Beans side), having me TEST every 20-30 min. We did this for almost 4 hours!!!!!

And you know what???? MY BEAN IS STILL WITH ME!!!!!

That dreadfull night, I gave her 1.25 units of insulin.....could you imagine what would have happened IF I would have given her 2 units and NOT TESTED???
I know I would not have Bean with me today if it were not for this site and the wonderful folks, supporting and helping me thru this.
I made my Bean a promise that nite.............. I WILL NEVER EVER SHOOT BEFORE TESTING AGAIN....
She thanks me everyday with her wonderful personality, and those beautiful eyes staring at her mommabean!!!

Now, with that off my chest, the meter I used was the relion mini I think????
You do not need a script for the meter, lancets or syringes here in Texas..... not for sure about Ar.

Also, 2 units sounds like way way too much to start with if he is only 200-250...AND, kitties are USUALLY higher at the vet than at home.
My suggestion is to TEST AT HOME... you might just find that he is alot lower at home than at the vets.....AND, once you change to all wet, low carb, his numbers could drop up to or over 100!!!!!! Now, wouldnt that beeee nice????

I know more will comment about the dosage suggested from the vet, so I will let that happen without saying tooooo much (if that is possible - lol)!!
You are a GREAT MOMMABEAN, and please please please test at home~ (ask vet if he would shoot insulin into his child without testing first?? just bet the answer would be NO).

If you would like to view my spreadsheet, it is in my signature

If you want to private message me your #, I would be more than happy to discuss tips, trials etc..... That is what this is alllll about!

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

Dawn, I posted an answer for you in your other thread here: http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=57726

The Friskie's Special Diet Pates are fine for diabetic cats, so it's perfectly ok to feed Squee those. Just don't feed him any of the Special Diet flavors with gravy, because those are high in carbs.

Home testing seems hard at first, but after a week or two, you will be amazed at how easy it is! We have tons of tips and tricks here to get you started, but if you are willing to post your general location (city & state), there may be a FDMB member nearby that can come show you how to test. I learned on my own, but I have to say a lot of tears would have been avoided that first week if I had someone experienced to show me what to do! But after a couple weeks not only did Bandit not mind the testing, he would come running when he heard me turn the glucose meter on. The key is giving low-carb treats after every test, so that Squee will associate the testing with treats. I use Beefeaters Freeze Dried Chicken and Salmon that you can get in the cat treat aisle at PetSmart. Anything that is just meat works.

And I said this in the other thread, but if you are hometesting and doing your own curves, you do not need to take your cat in to the vet for testing. It's a waste of money because the numbers will be inflated anyway. Also, cats need to be tested daily, and it's just not feasible time or money wise to take your cat to the vet that much. If you post your city, maybe someone can also recommend a good vet who is more current with Feline Diabetes who will work with you.