Blaze diagnosed 8/16/2019

Hello, my name is Sarah and my 7 year old boy named Blaze was diagnosed this past Friday. I am feeling completely overwhelmed and scared. I want to do everything right so that I can give him the care he needs to get him feeling better. He currently has some liver issues being treated with Denamarin for one month and Metronidazole for 14 days. He was prescribed 2 units of Humulin every 12 hours, I got the generic version called Novolin N. My vet told me I don’t need to glucose test at home but after everything I have read here, it would make me feel so much better knowing what his BG is instead of waiting two weeks for his next bloodwork appointment at the vet. I bought the ReliOn Prime glucose meter today but did not have any luck with getting a reading. I think the 33 gauge lancets are too small to poke a big enough hole to get any blood. Would I be better off with a different sized lancet? Is this glucose meter okay?

 

Hi and welcome Sarah and Blaze. It is overwhelming when you get the diagnosis. But take heart, FD is a treatable, manageable disease and our kitties can live long and healthy lives.

I'm glad you did some reading and decided to test. The meter is fine, but 26 or 28 gauge lancets work better at first, until the ears learn to bleed.

There are many things I want to share with you, but I don't want to bowl you over either. So, lets take this all one step at a time, ok? You already have the signature set up..and that's terrific. Next, set up the spreadsheet so you can record the insulin and testing data. This is linked to the signature and we can view it also.

You will see how the trends and patterns emerge, and members can review his/her progress before offering suggestions or advice:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/understanding-the-spreadsheet-grid.156606/

I just read another thread and saw this by Chris & China (GA)
Here's something I wrote up for others for testing...maybe it'll help you too!

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

For new kitties, using a heavier gauge lancet is also really helpful. A 25-28 gauge lancet pokes a bigger "hole" than a 31-33 gauge lancet does, so look for "Alternate Site testing" lancets that are usually a lower number

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!

I want to provide you with a link for videos and tips for home testing, plus point you in the right direction for more information on using Novolin. However, I would like us to take any further suggestions etc out to the Main Health Forum HERE, so that more members can see and help out too. This Intro forum is only the welcome mat and not as well monitored. That way if I goof up, someone can correct me.

If you like you can just copy your message here, start a new thread there and paste the message. Looking very forward to getting to know you and Blaze better.

 

Hi! Yes a larger gauge would help get the blood easier. Also rub or warm up the ear. I have a video in my signature showing how I test my cat CC at home

 

Hello Idjit and Idjit’s mom! Thanks so much for responding! This forum and the people/posts are getting me through this overwhelming beginning stage of being a mom to a diabetic kitty, I appreciate the kind words and wisdom so much.

I will get the smaller gauge lancets tomorrow and try testing again, since I was not successful today. I would feel so much less stressed if I were able to successfully test and know his BG. I know it takes some practice but I’m confident that with the correct lancet, I will be able to get his BG tests done! So you recommend getting the pen for the lancet? Or is it okay to just use the lancet to poke the ear?

Thank you for all the information for testing BG. I will start doing what you said with choosing the rest sport, petting his ears, and giving treats before I start testing. And I will work on the spreadsheet too.

I will copy this post and add it to the main health thread like you suggested. Thank you so much, I look forward to getting to know you and learning more!

 

Okay great, thanks so much! I am going to get the larger gauge lancet and try again tomorrow. And I will watch your video as well. Thank you!!

 

Sarah,
Welcome to this amazing group of people and helpers!
It took me a few uninterrupted hours to set up my spreadsheet, but it is a highly valuable tool. It is so much easier to see the whole picture, and you will learn and gain confidence, and others can help you too.
Blaze is a beautiful and uniquely marked Tuxedo. Love his look of Attitude!