Day 1 and I already screwed up - left insulin out before even her 1st shot by me (not bottle)

Ugggggg I already screwed up.

I went to the vets today to get my cats first bottle of Insulin (Vetsulin) and her very first insulin shot, put the bottle in the box of needles to carry it home with her cat carrier and left it in the box for 11 hours on its side.

So I have yet to even give her first shot myself and messed up - so frustrated !!!!!!!

1. I read it is probably OK (house is set at 73 degrees) but it could have hurt the quality of the insulin. Most say to check your cats Glucose to check effectiveness, but she was 628 on her Vet Blood Test and 607 on her Vet Glucose monitor both done last Friday, I was told not to worry about checking her Glucose until after her next appointment in 9 days....... what to do to check effectiveness????
2. I read it was bad to leave it on its side in the box ????
3. I read it was only good for 42 days once the first shot is taken (its suppose to be a 90 day supply???) I presume it become less effective, now is this even more of an issue I left it out???

Feeling so frustrated, hopefully giving her first shot from me goes better.

Thanks, Bryan

 

Hi Bryan,
aw dont be too hard on yourself, its so easy to make mistakes like that when you are stressed, and a new diagnosis of feline diabetes is majorly stressful!!
From articles I have read, it wont harm the Vetsulin to leave it out at that temperature, I have read studies where it kept for weeks out at room temp. Nor will it be harmed by lying on its side. I think the makers of it mean not to store it on its side all the time. And from what i have heard on this forum, it should last much longer than the label says. (other members please correct me if i am wrong on any of this).

I honestly think that 11 hours will not have harmed it at all, its in the box, and its not like it was in direct sunlight. Its ok!

Wishing you all the best for doing your first shot, you are being so brave!

Lila

 

I agree with Lila that the insulin is probably ok. You don’t have to wait 9 days to check your cats blood glucose. In fact it’s much safer for her if you start now. You’ll not only be able to tell if the insulin is good, but you will keep her safe by not shooting too low a number.

 

Aw. We've all been there for one reason or another. Forgetting shots. Leaving insulin in odd places. Pincushioning our cats earholes.

You'll get there. You will.

Your Princess is a very princessy pusscat.

 

Thank god I've never made any mistakes in 3 years of diabetes treatment and insulin injections for Leo. Can you believe it? Well I sure don't

We try to learn from the mistakes we make treating Leo, then we set up a routine. As an example, we have forgotten whether we dosed him or not. Yeah, pretty dumb. But when you are totally tired, things happen. In that particular case we learned to make a paper checklist and put a checkmark on it within 30 seconds of dosing. So that mistake doesn't happen again.

I think the first month is hardest. It is all so new. The needles, the testing, and ensuring you have the proper supplies. We have all been there. You will get better. And the best part of it is that your kitteh will get healthier because you are dosing a little bit of love every time you give insulin. It's true. Many of our kittehs on the forum know this for a fact - and they return that feeling to us everyday as a result.

 

Ice done it several times. It's always been fine.