Bowie and his first glucose curve

Hi All,
I'm new here too. I started noticing Bowie drinking more water about a month or two ago, last month, we started having episodes where he peed indoors. Bowie is only about 4, we've had him for 2 years and I knew this was not normal behavior for him. I pretty much knew what was wrong with him and am kicking myself for not taking quicker action.

We took him in from our previous neighbors about 2 1/2 years ago. They were moving and didn't really want him. He was an outdoor only cat, who they named "Cat" >:-/ how very original. They only let him in when the temps went into the 30s (we live in the deep south of the USA/Gulf Coast), so that doesn't happen very often, and he was kind of skin an bones when we adopted him. They told us he would never be an indoor kitty, because when they did let him in, they locked him into the bathroom and he would cry for hours. He used to come over to our yard and hang out with us, every time we went out with the kids, and he was so gentle and cute with them, we jumped at the chance to adopt him. He is such a chill kitty, and so patient. He very much became and indoor/outdoor kitty, loving the fact he can sleep inside snuggled up to someone, but still really wanting to go outside.

Bowie also liked having a food bowl with constant access and became a grazer. He gained weight and was about 18 lbs last summer. However, last summer, he had a fight the night before we went on vacation, and though I checked him, I didn't see the scratch on his chest. Our pet sitter didn't notice the abscess develop on his chest, only one evening she noticed he was following her and Meowing very loud. When we got back a week later, he had a hole in his chest from it bursting. He had also lost 4 pounds. The vets cleaned him up/stitched him up, and he spent weeks indoors with a cone on his head. He eventually gained back several pounds over the next two months. I am wondering now, if that stress/lack of mobility contributed to him developing diabetes. That and the up and down he had, from underfed with food insecurity issues when we adopted him, to somewhat big before the abscess, to dropping 5 lbs in a week, to gaining it back.

Around November, we noticed that he had developed an obsession with his water bowl and being near water, and was zonking on the bathroom rug. He also had a few incidents of wanting to go out at night (which we did not want to do after the abscess ordeal), and if we didn't let him out, he would pee somewhere he never did before, like our laundry. So, right before Christmas, we brought him in to the vet and I told the vet that I thought he had diabetes. His sugar level was 500 (!!!!!!), and he did not have a UTI, and no kidney or liver problems. I'm feeling like an asshole, because I had suspected diabetes a month ago, and he's been feeling bad for so long. We may have ruined his shot for remission.

We started Bowie on Prozinc 3U/ 2x a day 8 days ago. We switched to wet food only, Hills WD, one can every 12 hours, 15 minutes before his insulin shot. I did his first glucose curve yesterday. I had a hard time with the lancets, and the vet told me a less than optimal spot for lancing. She said to fold back the ear and do it on the fold, which was not working at all!!! Poor Bowie! She usually doesn't recommend the home testing, but since she knows I am a biologist and know about injections, etc, she suggested it. After the second struggle to get enough blood for a test strip, I watched videos online and learned about the sweet spot. That worked much better, but I just bought 28 gauge lancets instead of 30 gauge for the next curve. Bowie was incredibly patient with his Mommy, and I am thankful my 5 year old daughter likes to play pet vet (Thanks Doc McStuffins TV show) and was able to fetch me a second glucose strip or reheat the washcloth for me, or pet his chin.

The values were still high, so the vet wants to give him a higher dose, 4U. Let's hope we can learn how to care for him. He may be a stinker sometimes, but he is a real lovey boy. Yesterday's curve (it started late for us because I overslept after Christmas and spent 15 minutes organizing everything and having probs with the lancets)
7:55 AM-337; Meal at 8am, insulin at 8:30 10:45 AM- 339; 1:05pm- 238; 3:35pm-246; 6:30pm-366, Meal at 7:30pm, insulin at 7:50 pm.

His sugar levels are still high, but he is doing so much better!!! He isn't glued to his bowl any more, is grooming better, cuddling more/seaking us out, and isn't sleeping in the bathroom as much. Oh, and so far, no more urgency to get out and pee.

 

I would also like to add that the two Vets at my office are great, and one of them lives around the block from me and has kids about the same age as my kids. They play together sometimes. She basically told me I can reach out to her any time if we need help/have a crisis. She texted me from her personal cell phone and basically told me I can reach out to her anytime. I feel so blessed to have a caring vet/friend who is willing to work with us. When I told her about the sweet spot, and what I had learned by watching the videos and info here, she was very receptive. She said that in the office, they take blood from the jugular vein, so she doesn't really have experience with the lancets. Anyway, I am thankful that she has been so supportive in this process.

 

Hi, welcome to you and Bowie! I'm so glad you took Bowie in! ProZinc is a great insulin, come over to the ProZinc Forum and read the yellow stickies at the top which explain how it works and the best way to dose.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/prozinc-pzi.24/
Ask any questions you have either there or in the Main Health Forum.

 

I just had to swing by to say hello to a cat called Bowie! Welcome to you both.

Could I ask you a big favour, please? Is there any chance you might edit your opening post and put a few paragraph breaks in it if possible? It would be a bit easier for us to read and understand (bit hard on the eyes in a large block) but if you prefer not to edit it that's no biggie.


Mogs
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Done Mogs

 

Welcome to you and Bowie! Kudos to you for taking him in when his original people didn't want him. I don't understand that frame of mind at all ...

You're doing really well testing and injecting. Would you be willing to set up a spreadsheet of the type we use here? It's viewable by all members and we rely on it to see how your kitty is doing if you ask for advice.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/

 

Thanks Kris! I made my own spreadsheet for the vet before really exploring this site. She told me she giggled when she saw my chart because she's never had a CG send her the values in graph form. What can I say, I'm a scientist. I can relate to having a uniform reporting style and I will down load the chart for future use. So far, she wants me to do glucose curves after 4-7 days on the new meds. The first time I bumped up his dose, I did a check 4.5 hours later and he was still in the mid 200s. His behavior/alertness has been excellent. Yes, he still takes naps, but when he's up, it's like the light is back on in his eyes. His coat seems so much healthier! He's not stuck to the water bowl, and thank goodness, he is not peeing in stange spots anymore.
I see that the general recommendation on this thread is to do a BG check before every dose. I can see the value in that, once you are used to it. I was having a very very hard time with the 30 gauge lancet. Even when I am hitting the sweet spot, I usually have to try a 3-4 times to get a bead that is big enough. I ordered new lancets from amazon, so I might start checking more often, and pre meals. Once school starts up again, that might be impossible in the mornings. I have to get myself ready for work, and two kindergarten kids off to school, with a hubby who has stiff feet, back and hands that are especially painful in the morning. My husband has psoriatic arthritis, a chronic autoimmune disease that attacks the joints. Even on his good days, asking him to test Bowie's sugar levels would be a challenge. If you can hardly open a zip lock bag or stand straight, holding tiny lancets and strips, and bending over the cat, are going to be a huge challenge for him.

 

Another cheap source is a Walmart pharmacy. You want 28 gauge lancets as you know. One hint for handling these when your hands don't work: I freehand the lancet poke but have the lancet installed in its trigger device to have something larger to hold on to. My hands aren't stiff but are extremely weak and this method helps me. I also can't stand to do the cat business so I get down on the floor on the bath mat in my bathroom. If I couldn't manage this, I'd likely set something up on a counter with a chair/stool or on my bed. I completely get the difficulties of doing these things when you have a disability.

 

My ageing eyes thank you greatly!


Mogs
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