Update on Squallie

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Squalliesmom

Squalliesmom

Member Since 2015
Hi, just wanted to give an update on my Squallie, and see what input any of you may have. He went to the vet to be tested again today, should have been about the nadir of his daytime dose. His bg was 340, down from 360 on Monday and 445 on the previous two occasions. Today she raised his dose of Vetsulin from 4 units to 5 units, twice daily. I'm a little worried that 5 units seems like such a high dose! But I guess I have to trust her (she's great but I'm not sure she's dealt with many diabetic cats before). She is teaching me to test him, using a syringe and a vein in his hind leg, and she is going to test him again on Tuesday. Should I be worried about hypoglycemia, with his insulin dose that high?
 
Just making sure I understand. She wants you to actually use a syringe and draw blood from a vein, rather than poking his ear? Did she explain why she wants you to do it that way?
 
We home test the blood glucose using a human glucometer, matching test strips, and lancets labelled for alternate site testing (25-28 gauge). No leg veins; we make a tiny prick in the ear. There are lots of videos on YouTube to watch for demonstrations.
 
Shiloh & Rhonda said:
Just making sure I understand. She wants you to actually use a syringe and draw blood from a vein, rather than poking his ear? Did she explain why she wants you to do it that way?
Click to expand...
Yes, she says its more accurate and doesn't hurt as much as using the ear. I know that's not what I have read, but I don't want to argue with her because I'm afraid she'll stop treating him.
 
BJM said:
We home test the blood glucose using a human glucometer, matching test strips, and lancets labelled for alternate site testing (25-28 gauge). No leg veins; we make a tiny prick in the ear. There are lots of videos on YouTube to watch for demonstrations.
Click to expand...
Yes, that's how I would rather test him!
 
If you have a hard time doing the ear poke, (which I did) you can also poke the paw pad, they don't have much feeling there.
 
Thank you! I see that you feed Evo canned food; I was thinking about trying it for my guy. Have you used it for a while? Do your cats like it?
 
Whenever you try a new food, shift slowly to avoid food refusal, vomiting, and diarrhea. About 20-25% different food each day or two works fairly well, and it is OK to take longer.
Cat Info has a downloadable food list - anything with less than 10% calories from carbohydrates may be used for regular feeding.
Pick up a few small cans of Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers to have on hand should you ever need to bring the glucose numbers up a bit, and label them High Carb. (Also get a small bottle of Karo srup in case of very low glucose levels)
 
Hi again. I hate to keep asking so many questions but I'm worried about my kitty. He seemed to be doing well this morning but now he seems to want to hide in dark places. I guess it could just be stress from all that he's gone through in the past week, but I'm SO paranoid about hypoglycemia, especially since she raised his dosage yesterday. Would this hiding behavior be indicative of a possible hypoglycemic episode? I am afraid to leave him alone for even a few minutes!
 
He does tend to be solitary, but usually doesn't hide. He seems to be licking his lips a lot, too. I can't test him, because I'm an idiot and let my vet convince me to wait and buy a veterinary test kit from her, on Tuesday, when he has his next appointment.
 
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The lip licking sounds like nausea. How is his appetite?
Don't wait. Run to Target for the Up and Up meter or to WalMart for the Confirm or Confirm Micro, matching test strips, and lancets labelled for alternate site testing.
Cancel the pet meter order on Monday.
And read my signature link Glucometer notes.
 
BJM said:
The lip licking sounds like nausea. How is his appetite?
Don't wait. Run to Target for the Up and Up meter or to WalMart for the Confirm or Confirm Micro, matching test strips, and lancets labelled for alternate site testing.
Cancel the pet meter order on Monday.
And read my signature link Glucometer notes.
Click to expand...
I think that's my best solution. I might wait for my son to pick it up on his way home, I'm an hour away from Walmart or any pharmacy, and don't want to leave Squallie unattended for that long.
 
Have him get you some Pepcid AC or generic with only 1 active ingredient in it while he is there. Check with your vet - we find they will say to give 1/4 tablet about 20 minutes before meals to see if it helps.
 
BJM said:
Have him get you some Pepcid AC or generic with only 1 active ingredient in it while he is there. Check with your vet - we find they will say to give 1/4 tablet about 20 minutes before meals to see if it helps.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggestion, I never would have thought of that!
 
Wow, I hate to sound so stupid and keep asking all these questions. I still don't really understand what I'm doing, and where to look for answers here.

Okay, I bought a glucometer and all the other necessities for home testing. It went great, got blood on the first try! But the reading was 314; now, do I need to convert that from human to feline values? I'm not sure how to go about that.
 
vampire smiley.jpg

Welcome to the Vampire Club!
 
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Shiloh & Rhonda said:
Nope. No conversion. What meter did you get?
Click to expand...
I got the ReliOn Confirm. I was amazed at how well it went, I imagine poor Squallie was, too! I also got ketone test strips, but they're also ReliOn, not the ones I was recommended to get; those were the only brand Walmart had.
 
manxcat419 said:
Those are fine - they're what I used, simply because we already had them in the house for my step-son.
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Okay. Thank you, I wasn't sure they'd be alright. Hopefully, I'm finally starting to get it all together. I really hope this anxiety improves, it's exhausting both me and Squllie! I've hardly slept in the past week! Iam very relieved, though, to have the glucometer and be able to test him at home. It helps reassure me that he's doing alright :-)
 
Oh, I've been there with the lack of sleep...either because I was terrified about the whole thing and couldn't sleep or, later on, when Rosa was earning reductions. This is probably the one place where people will tell you they know how you feel, and they actually do. It does get better - now you're home-testing, although you'll no doubt have nights where you have to stay up later than you'd like, you will at least have the peace of mind of being able to test him and know whether or not you need to do anything to help him. And knowing when it's safe to sleep really helps too...no more not being able to sleep because you're scared of what might happen if you're not watching him every minute!! Yes, there's always a little anxiety on days when a cat seems to be running low or acting out of character, but it does get to be less overwhelming all the time. :bighug: :bighug: :bighug:
 
manxcat419 said:
Oh, I've been there with the lack of sleep...either because I was terrified about the whole thing and couldn't sleep or, later on, when Rosa was earning reductions. This is probably the one place where people will tell you they know how you feel, and they actually do. It does get better - now you're home-testing, although you'll no doubt have nights where you have to stay up later than you'd like, you will at least have the peace of mind of being able to test him and know whether or not you need to do anything to help him. And knowing when it's safe to sleep really helps too...no more not being able to sleep because you're scared of what might happen if you're not watching him every minute!! Yes, there's always a little anxiety on days when a cat seems to be running low or acting out of character, but it does get to be less overwhelming all the time. :bighug: :bighug: :bighug:
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Thank you for the reassurance, I certainly do need it!
 
Okay, kind mentors, here's another dilemma. I never thought I'd say this, because Squallie loves to his mealtimes, but this morning he wouldn't eat. Showed no interest at all in his food. I finally convinced him to eat about 1/4 of a small can of Fancy Feast but that was a struggle.I did the dehydration test, seems okay; tried smelling his breath, that was an interesting experience, but didn't smell anything immediately fruity or wine-y. He hasn't urinated this AM so I couldn't test for ketones. When I tested his BG it was 314. Should I be concerned about him not eating? Is it okay to go ahead with his morning shot? Please help! Thank you!

Well, now he decided to eat some more of his breakfast, so I guess I don't need to be quite as worried. H still only ate maybe 1/2 can of Fancy Feast ( small can) and a few mouthfuls of dry kibble, but I guess anything is better than nothing!
 
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When the insulin allows the glucose to enter the cells and be used as fuel, the cells aren't starving any more, so the appetite calms down considerably. A reduction in appetite (less appetite, not none!) is a sign of progress.

With a high glucose, even without eating, it may be OK to give some insulin, especially if you have test data that clues you in to how much drop the dose gives normally.

p.s. the 2 ketone types which can be smelled are either fruity smelling, or smell like nail polish remover (not wine).
 
Tha
BJM said:
When the insulin allows the glucose to enter the cells and be used as fuel, the cells aren't starving any more, so the appetite calms down considerably. A reduction in appetite (less appetite, not none!) is a sign of progress.

With a high glucose, even without eating, it may be OK to give some insulin, especially if you have test data that clues you in to how much drop the dose gives normally.

p.s. the 2 ketone types which can be smelled are either fruity smelling, or smell like nail polish remover (not wine).
Click to expand...
Thank you, good info to know! I did give him his shot, and he has nibbled throughout the day-he seems to prefer several small meals rather than two larger ones. When I checked him at about what I figured was the nadir of his insulin he was at 197! Best number yet! And I finally caught him urinating and was able to test for ketones, all was good!

You and the others who have responded to my posts have been so incredibly helpful! You've made me feel like you've really "got my back" as Squallie and I enter into this uncharted territory. I truly can't thank you enough!
 
When you have a moment, could you add a few tidbits to your signature? It will help us give you feedback.

Editing your Signature

In the upper right corner of the screen, within the dark blue bar, you will see ID, Inbox, and Alerts

Click on your ID.

On the left, under Settings, Click on Signature.
This is where you will put information that helps us give you feedback.
This is where you paste the link for your spreadsheet, once it is set up.
Add any other text, such as
your name,
cat's name,
date of Dx (diagnosis)
insulin
meter
general location
any other pertinent issues like if there are any food issues, history of DKA, hepatic lipidosis, pancreatitis, allergies, IBD, etc.
Click the Save Changes button at the bottom.

Always click the Save Changes button at the bottom when you have changed anything.
 
BJM said:
When you have a moment, could you add a few tidbits to your signature? It will help us give you feedback.

Editing your Signature

In the upper right corner of the screen, within the dark blue bar, you will see ID, Inbox, and Alerts

Click on your ID.

On the left, under Settings, Click on Signature.
This is where you will put information that helps us give you feedback.
This is where you paste the link for your spreadsheet, once it is set up.
Add any other text, such as
your name,
cat's name,
date of Dx (diagnosis)
insulin
meter
general location
any other pertinent issues like if there are any food issues, history of DKA, hepatic lipidosis, pancreatitis, allergies, IBD, etc.
Click the Save Changes button at the bottom.

Always click the Save Changes button at the bottom when you have changed anything.
Click to expand...
Done! Thank you for the heads-up:-)
 
Testing:
1) Always test before giving insulin to make sure it is safe.
For now, your no shot level is 200 mg/dL on a human glucometer (230 for pet-specific meters); this will lower as you collect data around the middle of the cycle to know how low he is going.

2) Mid-cycle tests between shots - whenever possible, test around the nadir (lowest glucose level between shots) for your insulin, to see how low he's going. For Lantus, this often falls between +5 to +7 hours after the shot. For Vetsulin/Caninsulin this may be around +4 to +5 Some folks do this on weekends or set a clock for the middle of the night to get this test done as it helps determine dose adjustments. This number should be at or above 50 mg/dL on a human glucometer (68 mg/dL for pet-specific).

3) A before bed test is helpful in determining if you need to break out some higher carb food and steer the glucose level or go to bed with some peace of mind. Steering means giving 1-2 teaspoons of high carb gravy, waiting 30 minutes, and re-testing (repeating as needed) to make sure the glucose stays above 50 mg/dL.
 
BJM said:
Testing:
1) Always test before giving insulin to make sure it is safe.
For now, your no shot level is 200 mg/dL on a human glucometer (230 for pet-specific meters); this will lower as you collect data around the middle of the cycle to know how low he is going.

2) Mid-cycle tests between shots - whenever possible, test around the nadir (lowest glucose level between shots) for your insulin, to see how low he's going. For Lantus, this often falls between +5 to +7 hours after the shot. For Vetsulin/Caninsulin this may be around +4 to +5 Some folks do this on weekends or set a clock for the middle of the night to get this test done as it helps determine dose adjustments. This number should be at or above 50 mg/dL on a human glucometer (68 mg/dL for pet-specific).

3) A before bed test is helpful in determining if you need to break out some higher carb food and steer the glucose level or go to bed with some peace of mind. Steering means giving 1-2 teaspoons of high carb gravy, waiting 30 minutes, and re-testing (repeating as needed) to make sure the glucose stays above 50 mg/dL.
Click to expand...
Thank you, I will follow your advice! I tested him 3 times yesterday, once before his AM dose, once around the nadir, and again before his evening shot. Pretty much following the same routine today. The lowest he's been is 197 at nadir. I have not tested him around the nadir after his night-time shot, but I can, shouldn't be a problem.
 
Can we get you started using our grid to record your glucose tests? It will help us give you better feedback. Instructions are here.

Understanding the spreadsheet/grid:

The colored headings at the top are the ranges of glucose values. They are color-coded to clue you in as to meaning.

Each day is 1 row. Each column stores different data for the day.

From left to right, you enter
the Date in the first column
the AMPS (morning pre-shot test) in the 2nd column
the Units given (turquoise column)

Then, there are 11 columns labeled +1 through +11
If you test at +5 (5 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +5 column
If you test at +7 (7 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +7 column
and so on.

Halfway across the page is the column for PMPS (evening pre-shot)
To the right is another turquoise column for Units given at the evening shot.

There is second set of columns labeled +1 through +11
If you snag a before bed test at +3, you enter the test number in the +3 column.

We separate day and night numbers like that because many cats go lower at night.

It is merely a grid for storing the info; no math required.
 
BJM said:
Can we get you started using our grid to record your glucose tests? It will help us give you better feedback. Instructions are here.

Understanding the spreadsheet/grid:

The colored headings at the top are the ranges of glucose values. They are color-coded to clue you in as to meaning.

Each day is 1 row. Each column stores different data for the day.

From left to right, you enter
the Date in the first column
the AMPS (morning pre-shot test) in the 2nd column
the Units given (turquoise column)

Then, there are 11 columns labeled +1 through +11
If you test at +5 (5 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +5 column
If you test at +7 (7 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +7 column
and so on.

Halfway across the page is the column for PMPS (evening pre-shot)
To the right is another turquoise column for Units given at the evening shot.

There is second set of columns labeled +1 through +11
If you snag a before bed test at +3, you enter the test number in the +3 column.

We separate day and night numbers like that because many cats go lower at night.

It is merely a grid for storing the info; no math required.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I'll check it out. I have been feeding him before his shots; should I be testing him before or after he eats?
 
With Vetsulin/Caninsulin, test and feed 30 minutes before you shoot to help buffer the steeper drop.

Here is our guide for that insulin.
 
BJM said:
With Vetsulin/Caninsulin, test and feed 30 minutes before you shoot to help buffer the steeper drop.

Here is our guide for that insulin.
Click to expand...
Thank you! I knew I had already read that somewhere but couldn't remember it, or where I had first seen it. I have been giving him his shot right after he eats, now I know to wait. Thanks again :)
 
BJM said:
Can we get you started using our grid to record your glucose tests? It will help us give you better feedback. Instructions are here.

Understanding the spreadsheet/grid:

The colored headings at the top are the ranges of glucose values. They are color-coded to clue you in as to meaning.

Each day is 1 row. Each column stores different data for the day.

From left to right, you enter
the Date in the first column
the AMPS (morning pre-shot test) in the 2nd column
the Units given (turquoise column)

Then, there are 11 columns labeled +1 through +11
If you test at +5 (5 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +5 column
If you test at +7 (7 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +7 column
and so on.

Halfway across the page is the column for PMPS (eveninppearsg pre-shot)
To the right is another turquoise column for Units given at the evening shot.

There is second set of columns labeled +1 through +11
If you snag a before bed test at +3, you enter the test number in the +3 column.

We separate day and night numbers like that because many cats go lower at night.

It is merely a grid for storing the info; no math required.
Click to expand...

I have tried three times to upload and link the spreadsheet, and I guess I'm doing something wrong. I followed all the instructions but when I try to link it, it just disappears. It must have gone somewhere - now I get a message that I can only have three things linked to my signature. Lol, I really only want to link the one, and only one time!
 
Actually, your spreadsheet is linked, because you've managed to select the entire signature to add the link.
The link itself, is actually 'underneath' the highlighted text.

To try again, go to your signature, select the entire line and click the chain link icon. You should see the actual link displayed, beginning with http:// Copy this and paste it someplace like a document, so you can retrieve it later.

Now, delete the entire thing (if you want to remember what you wrote, cut and paste into a plain text editor, like Notepad in Windows - click the Start menu and enter notepad.exe in the dialog box ).

Next, re-type your signature, and this time, put a section which says Squallies Spreadsheet.
Highlight just that text.

Go to where you pasted the link, copy it, go back to your signature and click on the link icon. A dialog box displays. Paste the link there and save it.
 
BJM said:
Actually, your spreadsheet is linked, because you've managed to select the entire signature to add the link.
The link itself, is actually 'underneath' the highlighted text.

To try again, go to your signature, select the entire line and click the chain link icon. You should see the actual link displayed, beginning with http:// Copy this and paste it someplace like a document, so you can retrieve it later.

Now, delete the entire thing (if you want to remember what you wrote, cut and paste into a plain text editor, like Notepad in Windows - click the Start menu and enter notepad.exe in the dialog box ).

Next, re-type your signature, and this time, put a section which says Squallies Spreadsheet.
Highlight just that text.

Go to where you pasted the link, copy it, go back to your signature and click on the link icon. A dialog box displays. Paste the link there and save it.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I feel really stupid, lol.
 
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