Whoa....I am so confused.

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Brutus Dale

Member Since 2015
Hello everyone. I just joined and have been reading a bit.

Brutus was diagnosed about a month ago. He was losing weight and eating more....
so off we went to the vet. His (prior) preferred diet was mostly dry food and lots of treats
(that all said nutritionally complete....what did I know???).

I have changed the food choices for the whole gang of 3 now. Canned, no gravy.

Here is what is freaking me out, well at least right now:
I feed Brutus twice a day. He eats well. I then lure him onto the table with a few
bites of bacon and a few of the old treats he used to live on. While he is yumming them up, I act like I am cuddling him and give him the shot. I don't wait the 10-30 min like I have been reading here.

I also don't do any home testing. He has been going back to the vet every week for testing.
His levels are going down, but we have had to increase his insulin dose every week so far.

I was hoping the DRASTIC change in his food would take care of things, obviously not.
What are the chances of remission??

What if a dose is missed??
 
Welcome to the FDMB, the club nobody really wanted to join!
Ok, first: No bacon treats. (Bacon will spike blood sugar; trust me on this, I found it out the hard way with my own diabetic cat.)
Second: What kind insulin is he on: Lantus? ProZinc? Something else?
Third: You NEED to do home glucose testing. Any vet who does not advise you to do this is playing roulette with your cat. Seriously! You can get a human-type glucose meter (most people here use there) and the test strips pretty inexpensively. And it pays off in spades, because you need to test your cat's blood glucose right before you shoot insulin (protocol is test/ feed/ shoot) - and you do not want to feed your cat anything in the two-hours directly preceding your pre-shot test time.
Why test? Because if you administer insulin without getting your cat's blood glucose # first, you could put him in very real danger of a hypoglycemic event.
And hypoglycemia can KILL your cat.
Please go to our FAQ page where you will find lots of great links re: glucose testing, insulins, etc. --- and read, read, read! :)

But, again - what insulin are you using?
 
Hi extra sweet Brutus and Dale! Welcome!

What kind of insulin is Brutus on?

Brutus Dale said:
I feed Brutus twice a day. He eats well. I then lure him onto the table with a few bites of bacon and a few of the old treats he used to live on. While he is yumming them up, I act like I am cuddling him and give him the shot. I don't wait the 10-30 min like I have been reading here.
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You want to be sure he eats well and keeps it down when he gets his insulin. Sounds like the way you're doing it meets that requirement fine. He needs to have food onboard when the insulin begins working. Depending on what kind of insulin he's on, that could be anywhere from 1 - 4 hours.

I also don't do any home testing. He has been going back to the vet every week for testing.
His levels are going down, but we have had to increase his insulin dose every week so far.
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Only testing weekly at the vet doesn't give you a picture of what's actually happening AND doesn't keep Sir Brutus safe. A human diabetic won't inject without knowing it's safe to shoot - our kitties are the same. Diabetes is diabetess regardless of the kind of body. Insulin is a hormone that his pancreas should secrete but isn't. Many things can affect the bg levels...food, stress, excitement. Home testing isn't hard, it's just different. You don't even have to have an expensive pet meter (altho' your vet may not agree), a human meter works just fine. It reads a bit lower than the pet meter which is why we have 2 differents sets of numbers for 'normal'.

I need to go check my kitty so will post now.
 
I am at work now, so I will have to check the insulin bottle when I get home.

I'm confused again.....bacon is all protein and fat, how would that increase his
glucose levels?
 
Unfortunately, bacon is sugar-cured... :)

To answer another of your questions:

I was hoping the DRASTIC change in his food would take care of things, obviously not.
What are the chances of remission??
Click to expand...

A big food change can cause a big drop in insulin requirements but without home testing, it's a dangerous game.

Each cat is different regarding remission - there's really no way to predict who's going to and who's not. It can happen quickly or after even years. We've had some that happened within weeks, some months; one of our member's cat just went into remission after 3 years of insulin, another recently 5 years. However, once a diabetic, always a diabetic so low carb food and continued monitoring is needed.

What if a dose is missed?
Click to expand...

That answer is a moving one. If you can work with a varying schedule, there are ways to shoot late and slowly get back to your optimal time. If your schedule is firm, then you'll just shoot at your next scheduled time.

Hope this helps a bit - if you don't understand something, please never hesitate to ask. If you don't understand an explanation, let us know and we'll try to explain it differently.

The sugar dance isn't hard, it's just different!

Have a wonderful day!!!
 
OMG...thank you so much.
The bacon after feeding was my way to get him to hop up on the table and
allow me to give him his shot. I have been doing this with every shot, about 1/2 to 1/3
of a slice each time. I feel like my head is going to explode.

If this has been keeping his glucose up and the vet has increased the insulin up to 5 units twice a day,
should I reduce it since I will be stopping the bacon?? Maybe go down to 4 units until his next visit in a week?

I HATE this.
 
Vet stress may raise the glucose numbers 100-180 mg/dL. Home testing will give you a better idea of his numbers.

Giving too much insulin may provoke compensatory hormones to release stored glucose (glycogen), which raises the blood glucose level very high. This may look like more insulin is needed when it is not. You may be in this situation. If so, at some point, the body can't compensate and he will become hypoglycemic. This could cause his death, hence our strong emphasis on home testing. What dose did you start with?

Insulin dose adjustments are based on the nadir (how low it goes) between shots.
The nadir period depends on the insulin.
NPH (Humulin or Novolin) and Caninsulin/Vetsulin tend to nadir around +4 hours post shot.
ProZinc, PZI, and Lantus nadir from +5 to +7 hours post shot. Levemir can nadir as late as the next shot time, depending on the cat.
 
OH GOOD GOLLY! 5 units? You REALLY REALLY need to start testing at home. Yes dropping that bacon can definitely have an effect on the need for that much insulin. I wouldn't change anything until you can begin testing at home. A single or even couple of tests at the vet a week apart really tells you nothing. Just a vet visit can cause his numbers to soar giving you a false sense of security.

Head to Walmart and get a 'ReliOn' brand human meter - either the 'Confirm' or 'Micro' models. You will also need a box of test strips - be sure it says 'Confirm' or 'Micro' on the front so they'll match. You'll also need a box of high lowest number gauge lancets that they have. You can move to the ultra-thins later. Might also pick up a tube of Neosporin+Pain OINTMENT (NOT cream) - this will help when starting out. Let us know when you have these things in hand and we'll start walking you through learning to do this. Since you're giving that much insulin, this is really a HUGE safety need.

I'm going to share the reason for my concern about your not testing NOT to scare you to but give you and example. KT was diagnosed on June 8th. I shot blindly until July 27th, about 6 weeks while I didn't have a computer to research. When I got back online and landed here, I immediately bought a meter and began testing that day. On August 12th - TWO WEEKS later, if I hadn't have been testing, I would have killed him by shooting a full dose into what was already a hypo number.

What food is he eating?

I feel like my head is going to explode.
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We've all been right there in your shoes - we've still all got our heads...really!!! :) We DO understand! It seems SO overwhelming in the beginning but that's just because it's so different than anything else we've done before. After a while you'll be telling someone else that "No, your head won't explode".

I know you hate this right now but I PROMISE it will get much easier!! If it were hard, I wouldn't have adopted Dakota, our second diabetic, already 'extra sweet'. We had 2 for over a year until KT crossed almost a year ago due to other health issues.

You really CAN do this!
 
I don't have anything to home test right now, and I am away from home at work
about 9-10 hours per day.

He goes to the vet next Tuesday. Thinking if I omit the bacon perhaps I should reduce this insulin
down to 4 units instead of 5??
 
Not sure if I am correct on the terminology when I say 5 units.....I fill the little
needle thing up to 5.....is that 5 units?? The minimum start was 2 "units".
I didn't get the impression from the vet that 5 was all that high???

Brutus is very very headstrong, not sure how I would test him at home.
It is all I can do to trick him into the shot, and I'm pretty darn sure he doesn't feel it.
 
Yes that's 5 units.

Brutus is very very headstrong, not sure how I would test him at home.
It is all I can do to trick him into the shot, and I'm pretty darn sure he doesn't feel it.
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Oh you're going to be SO surprised....if I had a dollar for all of us that thought that, I'd be a trillionaire. It will likely take 2-3 weeks to learn each other's steps. When you're at the pet store, grab some freeze dried chicken treats which are given when testing is done. Dakota hears the zipper of his meter, he comes running, lays in test position and waits. KT did the same thing - they used to race each other to see who could get into position first.

It really WILL be OK!!
 
Brutus Dale said:
I will try to get out tonight to get the test thing. :(
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Sorry - my internet service was down again; wasn't ignoring you & you're getting great input from others here!:)

I feel for you ... saying: "I feel like my head is going to explode." I hope it helps to know that everybody here has felt that overwhelmed in the beginning, but here's the really GOOD NEWS: You will have so much great support here from FDMB members!!! All of us want to help you successfully treat your diabetic cat, and it WILL get easier & I know you really CAN do this! Am so happy you're going for a meter & strips. Don't worry, we'll get you through this. (My cat HATED getting ear pricks at first; but I was persistent & guess what? Now even my cranky ol' cat sits there like a little trooper at test time! And this is a cat who is so ill-tempered that she has to go in the "gas box" at the vet's before anybody there can even touch her.) So take heart - it'll be okay.:bighug: - Robin
 
:bighug::bighug::bighug:

If you're going to a supermarket to get the meter, try to see if they have any freeze-dried protein treats (e.g. Pure Bites). They're diabetic-friendly and most cats really love them.

Even if you give some of any new treats at injection time, please still keep giving Brutus his bacon until such time as you're home testing. It's vitally important not to reduce his carbohydrate intake until you're able to test, especially at higher doses of insulin.

Once you're able to monitor Brutus' BG at home, you'll then be able to make any necessary dietary adjustments (and possibly insulin dose adjustments) in safety.

I know you're overwhelmed at the moment. It is a majorly vertical learning curve, but it does get better. And so will Brutus. :)


Mogs
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EDITED TO ADD:

I am assuming that you have honey or karo syrup at home (needed for your hypo kit). If you don't already have some, then get hold of some as a matter of urgency. Also, while you're at the shops try to see if you can get hold of a couple of cans of wet cat food in gravy (e.g. Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers). The gravied foods aren't suitable for everyday feeding but they are a recommended addition to a hypo kit. In the event that your cat may ever be running at very low numbers, the gravy from these foods can help to raise BG back to safer levels in a controlled fashion. (We can teach you about all this stuff later. All you need to do is grab the supplies. :) )
 
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If it were me, I wouldn't even give 4, I'd give HALF the prescribed dose. Until you start testing.

I was where you are at just a MONTH ago...truthfully it gets better fast. You will learn the steps to this dance, and become organized! (Somewhat) ;)
I still have crazy days, I mean c'mon these are kitties! You're gonna have the occasional chaos!
You can do it!
Everyone will help. You can post 24-7 !
All the best
--Brenda
 
Welcome to FDMB. There really is a wealth of knowledge here among all the members.

We've all been in your shoes and I promise it will get easier.

When you have a moment, please post some information in your signature. Click on your profile name at the top of the page and then on Signature. Add the name of Brutus's insulin, the current dose, and what you're feeding him. That will help people get some info without having to ask you the same questions all the time. Also put in the name of the meter you buy.

I would keep giving him the bacon until you can learn how to test.

@BJM can you post the link for "how to test" and the "sweet spot" photo? I couldn't find them. Or does someone else know how to find them? Thanks!
 
Brutus Dale said:
OMG...thank you so much.
The bacon after feeding was my way to get him to hop up on the table and allow me to give him his shot. I have been doing this with every shot, about 1/2 to 1/3
of a slice each time. I feel like my head is going to explode.

If this has been keeping his glucose up and the vet has increased the insulin up to 5 units twice a day,
should I reduce it since I will be stopping the bacon?? Maybe go down to 4 units until his next visit in a week? I HATE this.
Click to expand...

Dale - I must amend what I'd written after your initial post --- I am in agreement with the others who said it after you wrote your 3rd post: Please wait to stop the bacon treats; not good to make this change suddenly. Had no idea your vet already has him on a high dose of insulin; do not change anything UNTIL after you've been testing his BG levels for a bit.

Once you start getting all pre-shot tests & some other BG #s (when possible at other times in a cycle) from home-testing on his spreadsheet, then you can start tweaking things like treats, diet, etc. I know that the prospect of home testing looks really difficult now, but it's truly so very important for you to do; otherwise you are, quite literally, "shooting in the dark" whenever you administer a dose of insulin.
 
Thanks BJ! Here's the link to the FAQ about home testing.

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

If it seems overwhelming, I think the most important things boil down to:
1) warm the ear
2) coat the testing area lightly with vaseline or neosporin to get the blood to bead up
3) Use a larger lancet/needle
4) give treats afterwards

And here's the "sweet spot" that you want to aim for when you're testing. If you have trouble when trying to test, let us know and you'll get plenty of help.
-1.jpg
 
Welcome to the FDMB!!

Here's some testing tips that I also wrote up that have helped several people:

It can be really helpful to establish a routine with testing. Pick one spot that you want your "testing spot" to be (I like the kitchen counter because it's got good light and it's at a good height....it also already blocked 2 escape routes due to the wall and the backsplash) It can be anywhere though...a rug on the floor, a table, a particular spot on the couch...wherever is good for you. Take him there as many times a day as you can and just give his ears a quick rub and then he gets a yummy (low carb) treat. Most cats aren't objecting so much with the poking..it's the fooling with their ears they don't like, but once they're desensitized to it and learn to associate a certain place with the treats, they usually start to come when they're called! Or even when they hear us opening the test kit!

You also have to remember...you're not poking him to hurt him...you're testing him to keep him safe and understand what's going on inside his body. There's just nothing better than truly understanding what's going on inside your kitty's body and with this disease, the more knowledge you have, the more power you have against it. The edges of the ears have very few pain receptors, so it really doesn't hurt them. Also, if you're nervous and tense, it's going to make your kitty nervous and tense too. As silly as it might seem, try singing! It forces you to use a different part of your brain!

It's also important to make sure his ear is warm. A small sock filled with a little rice and microwaved or a small pill bottle filled with warm water (check temp against your wrist like you would a baby bottle) works well

Finding the right "treat" will be a great help too! Freeze dried chicken, bonito flakes, little pieces of baked chicken...whatever low carb treat you can find that he really enjoys will help him to associate the testing with the treat! China's Achilles heel was baked chicken, so I'd bake a piece, chop it into bite sized pieces, put some in the refrigerator and freeze the rest to use as needed. It didn't take long for her to come any time I picked up the meter!

Here's a "Getting Started Shopping List":

1. Blood glucose meter. The Walmart Relion Confirm or Micro. (about $15) These are the best choice until the ears "learn to bleed"...then the Relion Prime is the cheapest one for replacement strips. The Confirm and Micro take the smallest sample size...the Prime take a little bigger sample.

If you are in Canada, and can get to a WalMart regularly (or have friends/family that can ship you supplies if you need them), the Relion meters are great. I think the Bayer Contour or One Touch are other favorites of the Canadians in the group

2. Matching strips (about $19 for 50, $36 for 100) Prime strips are $9 for 50. Will vary depending on what meter you end up using. Using the Contour or One Touch, check Amazon/Ebay for better prices

3. Lancets - little sticks to poke the ear to get blood . new members usually start with a larger gauge lancet such as 28g or 29g until the ear learns to bleed. Optional - lancing tool. (about $8 for lancets, $5 for lancing tool ...not required if you can freehand poke)

4. Cotton balls/cosmetic pads to stem the blood

5. Neosporin or Polysporin ointment with pain relief to heal the wound (ointment ONLY...no cream)

6. Mini flashlight (optional) - useful to help see the ear veins in dark cats, and to press against

7. Ketone urine test strips..ketostix (urine only) or ketodiastix (test urine and blood but more expensive and unnecessary if you're already testing BG) - Important to check ketones when blood is high

8. Sharps container - to dispose of wasted syringes and lancets. (or needle clipper)

9. Treats for the cat - like freeze dried chicken

10. Karo syrup/corn syrup or honey if you dont have it at home - for hypo emergencies to bring blood sugar up fast

11. A couple of cans of fancy feast gravy lovers or other high carb gravy food- for hypo emergencies to bring blood sugar up fast

12. Syringes (If using a U100 insulin like Lantus or Levemir or willing to use a conversion chart with U40 insulin like ProZinc or Vetsulin)

IMPORTANT that you get syringes with half unit markings! 30 or 31 gauge, 3/10cc insulin syringes....All the WalMart Relion 3/10cc syringes have half unit markings
 
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Welcome to FDMB, you are doing great. Its a lot to learn so quickly. We have had 4 diabetics in our care so far, one of our own and 3 fosters (2 became ours eventually, lol!). All went into remission, but only one was cooperative enough to do it immediately after his food change ;), the rest took a couple of months for the pancreas to heal enough to function fully on its own. So yes, there is still a great chance of remission, but a food change does give you a better chance of good regulation even if remission doesn't happen. Our key tools have always been a good insulin, home testing, and a good diet. Keep up the great work!
 
Welcome to FDMB. This is THE place to be when you have a diabetic kitty, believe me! Your story sounds very similar to mine, testing at the vet's every week, raising the dose, not knowing which foods were truly low-carb...my vet finally had my kitty on 7 units! It' a very good thing I got a home testing kit and set up a hypo kit because, almost immediately after weaning my guy onto a low-carb diet, he had two back-to-back hypo episodes. The 7 units was way too much insulin for him on his new low-carb diet and if I hadn't been testing at home, and getting help from the great people at this website, he probably would have died. I don't mean to scare you but you absolutely MUST figure out a way to home test Brutus, it is a vital tool in treating this disease, and it might save his life some day!

Stay strong, it WILL get easier and less confusing, and just know that you are doing the best you can for Brutus :-) :-) :-)
 
Hiya Dale!
Hope you were able to concentrate at work yesterday with all this wealth of knowledge in your brain now!!
I know you are quite concerned about your work schedule as it relates to Brutus' care. But let's just take things ONE at a time for the moment, and focus on getting your TESTING in order FIRST.
We have some very creative folks on here, and you will be given a multitude of options for every situation. It's always, "Why didn't I think of that..?!.." around here.

Testing and knowing Brutus' levels will go a LONG way to reassure you about his well-being during those long 9-10 hr periods you must be away at work. Look at it that way!

A couple things.. regarding the EARS. I kept all my testing supplies at the testing area, organized in a lidded plastic Tupperware, right down to the freeze dried treats. Invaluable!!
It wasn't very long at all before Tucker's ear would bleed for me without warming it. The ear really does get used to it very quickly.
Tucker was a squirmy, headstrong little fart! Within ONE WEEK I was posting on here that he was jumping up to testing area ON HIS OWN.
It WILL happen Dale, trust the process. ;)

Yes. We love emojis here.
You'll get used to that too.

Looking forward to hearing from you & Brutus' soon.
 
Wow. You guys are so nice here. Thank you for all of the helpful advice and hints.

I checked the bacon package...yep, cured with sugar. I had no idea.
I will try to get to Walmart today for a test kit. I just cannot imagine Brutus
Putting up with that. *sigh*.

The name on my medicine is vetsulin.
 
You'll be surprised!
Use a low carb treat, such as plain baked chicken, or freeze-dried chicken (ex PureBites) every time you test, even if unsuccessful, and he'll come for the treat at the end of testing.
Our rule of thumb is 3 tries, then quit.

While you work on home testing, take a look at my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools to see some other assessments you can make to evaluate how he is doing. We strongly recommend urine ketone testing as ketones may be an indicator of diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal, expensive to treat, complication of diabetes.

Here is our Vetsulin Guide to help you use it optimally.
 
Good morning Dale and Sir Brutus!

Brutus Dale said:
The name on my medicine is vetsulin.
Click to expand...

I suspected that was the insulin when you said 5 units and vet wasn't concerned. Vetsulin works well for dogs that get a lot bigger dose but sure isn't ideal for cats. It all begins to work at once driving bg super low then finishes it 'work' letting the bg level shoot up again.

Let us know when you have your test supplies - be sure to pick up that gravy based food and/or some white Karo syrup, I suspect you're going to find you need it soon.

You'll likely be surprise how Brutus will handle this. :)
 
Good morning, Dale! Just wanted to say that I wish we could all be there in person to cheer you on during your first ear-pokes. (But would imagine Brutus wouldn't much like that!:rolleyes:) You can do it! Go, Dale! (You have lots of cheerleaders here.) :):bighug:
 
First up, is your first name Dale? (Not clear from your FDMB user name.

Secondly, and most importantly, 5IU BID of Vetsulin is a serious amount of insulin. It would be great if you could get a spreadsheet going for Brutus ready to record your test results. Even before you start home testing it would help if you could record how Brutus is doing every day in the 'Remarks' column. Things like grooming frequency, coat condition, alertness/lethargy, good/bad mood, how much he drinks and pees, results of urine ketone and glucose tests (using Ketodiastix) all yield insights into how well he's doing. Check the link in BJM's signature above for a link to her tips on secondary monitoring.


Mogs
.
 
Hello.....my name is Jill. My diabetic kitty is Brutus Dale. Lol.
I ended up working today, and was unable to get a test kit. I am hoping to get
Somewhere tomorrow.

Since I cut out the bacon I cut the dosage done to 4.

Should I ask the vet about another kind of insulin??
 
By the way....how on earth do you test a cats urine?
We live out and have a cat door and huge deck and the cats
are either outside or in front of the air conditioner inside, but they don't use the litter box in the summer.
 
See my signature link for some tips on testing urine.
One good one is to crumple some plastic wrap around the inside perimeter of the litter box and test that with either KetoStix or KetoDiaStix which you can get a a pharmacy or online.
 
Vetsulin isn't our favorite around here because it's pretty harsh....it can drop their blood glucose really quickly and then it wears off way before it's time for the next shot. The only insulins that have been shown to be really good for cats are Lantus, Levemir and ProZinc

Lantus and Levemir are available at human pharmacies but are expensive...a lot of us buy ours from Canada since it's about 1/3rd to 1/2 the price as it is here in the US

ProZinc is available from your vet and certain online veterinary pharmacies....it's about the same price as Lantus and Levemir though since it's a U40 insulin (so 400 units per vial) instead of U100 (1000 units per vial)

Lantus is the only insulin that's had a protocol published in a veterinary journal too, so it's very popular around here because we have real science behind our dosing
 
Brutus Dale said:
Hello.....my name is Jill. My diabetic kitty is Brutus Dale. Lol.
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Oops!:oops: Sorry about calling you Dale, Jill ... glad we have that cleared up! (My middle name is Dale, btw.)

You mentioned earlier that Brutus goes outside; that may need to be curtailed for a while - unless he's closely supervised when outdoors. I only mention this because one of our other members just realized her cat has been catching & eating mice when he's out of the house (supplementing his own diet, so to speak, because he's hungry like most diabetic cats are before they're well-regulated). And those extra mouse-snacks (or whatever else a cat might eat out there) can be an impediment to getting your kitty's diabetes under control.
 
Might also pick up a tube of Neosporin+Pain OINTMENT (NOT cream) - this will help when starting out.



[/QUOTE]
I was just reading your post and noticed you same Neosporin ointment NOT cream, so I checked what I was using and it is the cream. Why not cream?
 
Welcome Brutus Dale. I am fairly new to FDMB myself. And I know how your head is spinning! It will start to make more sense to you as you go along. Just ask questions as you need to. That's what I do, often! And I am surprised that I haven't been blocked from this site by the Admin. HA! Hang in there. You took a very important first step to helping your diabetic cat by joining this forum. These peeps are awesome!
 
Brutus Dale said:
By the way....how on earth do you test a cats urine? We live out and have a cat door and huge deck and the cats are either outside or in front of the air conditioner inside, but they don't use the litter box in the summer.
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Cats often eliminate just after eating. You could try feeding Brutus indoors then pop him into the bathroom with a litter tray set up to collect a sample. Once he has performed you could let him go free range again. :)
.
 
Bobbie And Bubba said:
Might also pick up a tube of Neosporin+Pain OINTMENT (NOT cream) - this will help when starting out.
Click to expand...
I was just reading your post and noticed you same Neosporin ointment NOT cream, so I checked what I was using and it is the cream. Why not cream?
Click to expand...

I'll answer this here and in one of your posts too...

The ointment is petroleum based which helps the blood bead on top of it. The cream will allow the blood to spread into the hair making it harder to get an adequate sample. Either last a while on the skin and hair so can affect the next test. They're both effective, it's just easier with the ointment.
 
Squeaky and KT said:
I'll answer this here and in one of your posts too...

The ointment is petroleum based which helps the blood bead on top of it. The cream will allow the blood to spread into the hair making it harder to get an adequate sample. Either last a while on the skin and hair so can affect the next test. They're both effective, it's just easier with the ointment.
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Thx for the explanation. I just went out and picked up the ointment. So, are you putting in on the skin before the test or after? And when you say they both can affect the next test, do you mean it can alter an accurate reading? I have been using it after every stick.
 
I haven't had a cat not learn to get ear pokes. And I do test more than the average joe. The first week or two was spent with Smokey under the bed and me laying beside it crying... But after a while I just had to yell "lets get a poke Smoke!" and she'd run to where I tested her, my husband would just pat the counter where he tested her and and she'd jump up. When we stopped giving insulin, she still lay in her testing spot and waiting for her test and shot before she'd eat her meals. Cecil learned within a week, jumping on top of the counter at the sound of the strip canister or the meter peep. He has been very jealous of ChrisFarley and Sly getting the testing (the people attention) and will try to get between us the them by laying on top of them or crawling all over us. They know it means loves from mom or dad, then a treat or food afterwards. They also learn to associate the whole process with feeling better.

Neosporin - I have always used the cream myself since it is what we have on hand. I've not noticed a problem with it and I can get it to absorb better than the ointment so the cat isn't eating it.
 
Robin&BB said:
@Brutus Dale - Sorry, Jill. Sometimes we all get a little goofy while awaiting news about one of our sugar-kitties. How's it going today?:bighug:
@Tucker&Me , @Bobbie And Bubba - You two are such brats.:p:)
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Yes, sorry for the humor but we all need it while dealing with difficult kitties. I remember my first few weeks of testing was such a production, and now it is a seamless task I do a lot though the day, oops gotta go do Bubba's +6.
 
Bobbie And Bubba said:
Thx for the explanation. I just went out and picked up the ointment. So, are you putting in on the skin before the test or after? And when you say they both can affect the next test, do you mean it can alter an accurate reading? I have been using it after every stick.
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No it doesn't alter the reading, it just absorbs differently. I only use it when I have to do several tests in a day and Doc's ears look a bit red. I think some people use it much more often.

Sorry for hijacking your condo JILL! and sorry about calling you Dale... :)
 
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