6/28 - Zoot! - nervously planning for vacation

Have any of you taken and extended vacation leaving your furbaby in other's hands?

Zoot!'s on 1.25U Lantus 2Xday now and I have been monitoring Zoot pre-shots only recently per my Vet's recommendation. He did not respond well to BG tests and I felt he needed an adjustment period. He is behaving better with less stress. but his numbers fluctuate in the high 200s and low 300s. I feel that is high, but otherwise he is doing really well - not drinking or peeing excessively, more active than before he was diagnosed, and maintaining/losing a little weight (we want him to lost weight).

We are planning a vacation with other family for three weeks (planned last year before his diagnosis) in a couple of months. Our cat sitter of many years is a vet tech at a respected animal clinic, and we trust her to give him is insulin and testing while we are away. But it is a long time, and I am nervous.

How have you dealt with being away from your furbaby for an extended time? Should I consider boarding him at a vet clinic rather than leave him at home?

Thanks!

 

I think it’s much better for your cat to stay at home. Stress can cause a lot of health problems. With a vet tech sitter, I think you are in good hands. I have a 3 week vacation planned before I met Jackson. I’m going to have to train my pet sitters to give shots. I hope there isn’t a steep learning curve! I’m lucky that Jackson doesn’t bounce much. I hope he has nice flat curves while I’m away!

 

That's great you got someone who can do the shots at home! We are going to be boarding at a vet for cc and my niece will cat sit the other 5 next week. She wasn't comfortable doing the shots and it's only 4 days.

 

It sounds like you've got a trustworthy person who is not only a vet tech, but also knows Zoot. Thats a great combination to have!

 

I think it would help your peace of mind while you are gone, to know how low this dose is taking Zoot. That means doing a curve or getting some spot checks during the day or night. Weekend coming up, perfect t8me for it. Meaning, your vet is wrong to base a dose only on preshots. My girl Neko earned her first reduction (going to a 49) when she started the day at 430. She ended the day in the pinks. Looking only at preshots I would have thought she needed an increase, when in fact her dose needed to be reduced.

I also note you are no longer feeding mid day. Why is that? It is easier on a healing pancreas to eat multiple small meals a day. That is what human diabetics do. Having food available during the day and night is also the best way to help keep Zoot safe. The low points are mid cycle typically, so that is when food needs to be around so he can eat to bring his numbers up.

I am glad you have a good petsitter. I would have her over a couple of times before you go to make sure she can test and give insulin to Zoot. I have seen some cats here resist the change. Also make sure you leave a prefilled syringe with coloured liquid in it, to show the dose. My vet told me a scary story of a vet tech showing a caregiver how to give two units, when what she was showing was actually 20! The cat lived, the tech did not keep her job.

 

I agree with Wendy to find out how low this dose is take him. Then after knowing that it will be easier for some advise as to what the vacation dose should be.

Usually , a reduction to that dose is done about 2 days or 4 cycles before you leave to drain the depot some.

I am assuming that your pet sitter will only be testing pre shots ?

ETA: 2 days not 3 as I previously mistyped.

 

She is really good and knowledgeable and I feel fortunate. He is not easy to handle, and I wonder if she will be able to handle BG testing. I guess we will need to discuss with our vet what she should do - at least he is fairly stable with his numbers (not great be good).

 

The BG testing is stressing him to no end. We are struggling just with the pre-shots - he gets very upset and scratches and bites. We pulled back to just pre-shots so he could get used to the testing, but it is a struggle. I appreciate everyone should be able to overcome the testing issues, but there is a difference between dealing with a 14 lb cat with an attitude versus Zoot! who is a 24 cat with an attitude.

We discussed the feeding with our Dr and have gone back to feeding small amounts mid day like we always did - since our pet sitter will only be here 2 X a day while we are gone, so she won't be able to do mid day - and we thought he should get acclimated to 2 X a day to prepare for that - but that can wait - he will deal while we are gone.

Our sitter came over a week ago to help us with testing and dosing; I think we are good there, but she will be over a week or so before we leave for a couple of test runs (I suspect Zoot! will welcome that change).

thanks for your guidance.

 

Have you thought about getting an auto feeder for mid day feeds? The Petsafe 5 is a popular one.

Are you relaxed when testing? Cats can sense our emotions. Yes it sounds silky, but try singing to relax you and him before testing. It took me a while too, but once she associated treats with testing, it became a lot easier. Practice just rubbing his ears in the test position and giving treats. Cats are smart, Zoot will learn. Some people have to start by burrito wrapping their cat in a towel.

 

Thanks for the ideas! We have 7 cats so the mid day feeder would be tough to do - unless we isolated him in a room. Will think on it - he is a cat that likes to "own the house".

As for being relaxed; neither my husband nor I are all that comfortable and the first few days of multiple ear stabbings didn't help Zoot! feel good about it. I am a nervous person, and now it is hard to approach without apprehension. We do the pre-shot reading then dose him while he is eating. If we were to try giving him a treat before BG testing he would be insane until he got the rest of his food - and wouldn't it affect the reading we get?

He was a starving kitten of 8 months when we found him and food is the most important thing in his life - he is always hungry and always has been frantic when food is around (he is 8 years old now). Burrito wrapping a 24 lb cat we will need a beach towel.

 

Or blanket. You being nervous is probably what Zoot is picking up on. I did a lot of crying my first pokes. Doing the no poke but rubbing ears then giving treat for a few days built up the association of testing and treats. And helped calm me down too. I kept telling myself it was what I needed to keep her safe.