First time checking my Diabetic cat Glucose and its 167 ???

As many of you might have read in my many previous posts since Friday, my cat Princess was drinking and peeing like crazy, took her to vet Last Friday 5/25 , they did a glucose monitor test and it was like 608, then a full blood workup and the results I got yesterday (Wednesday) were like 628

My vet said yesterday when I got the Vetsulin not to worry about doing her Glucose because she was so high, it would only stress her out more, and for me to make an appt at the vet in 9 days for day of Glucose tests and checking her curve.

Well tonight because everyone said to check her earlier today despite what my vet said I just did a Glucose test even though I left her food out because she has not eaten her 3 ounce can from this morning yet (almost done) NOTE: I do her insulin and meals at 11am and 11pm for now.

On my Relion Confirm Human Glucose Meter I got for her I got my very first test and I got a 167 - WHAT ??? (I did mine the other day to see how it works and it was 140's and I am OVERWEIGHT but few times I check it a year with my brothers monitor its been ok)

I changed her diet on Sunday to all low carb (still Friskies - but only pate' 7% or less carbs), dropped the little dry food she eats, and added some Fancy Feast Classic Pate' 6% or less carbs)

She ate Well Sunday almost finishing both cans (8.5oz total), but Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday she has ate about 3oz, and her water consumption is about 25% of what it was - Previous weeks it was almost two bowls a day with litterbox NEEDED to be cleaned out once or twice a day, now its maybe a 1/2 bowl all day and litterbox could almost make it two days before HAVING to clean it out.

What is going on, she had a little liver issue of only one of the tests but the vet was not concerned and said it was probably from the excessive glucose, then another bad blood test result she contributed to my recent struggle of trying to get rid of her fleas.

SHOULD I GIVE HER INSULIN (Vetsulin) TONIGHT - I am not going to until I hear a couple of people say yes.

This stuff is confusing and stressful.... DAMN!
Now I know why I avoid doctors myself.... they make you sick with worry.... LOL

Thanks, Bryan & Princess

 

We do NOT recommend giving Vetsulin under 200 until you have a lot of data on your cat and truly understand how it works.

I'd go ahead and feed and test again in a couple hours

 

Thanks, I will hold off and contact my vet in the morning

 

You should get a fasting blood glucose done....that's too high (it should be under 120 unless you just ate)

We want you to be healthy too so you can take the best care of Princess!!

Another thing about her...if she's got some bad teeth, that will raise her BG too...Pain, infection and inflammation can raise it quite a bit higher. Getting her diabetes under control with bad teeth will be almost impossible.

 

Drinking and peeing less is a good sign. And while that 167 is a tad high its way better than those 600's. Vets generally like a cats between 100-200. Although most ppl around here prefer it lower. Sounds like your on the right track.

Protocols usually say don't shoot under 200. A pre shot test will tell you whether to give insulin or not. I don't use vetsulin so I can't give advice. Possibly post this in the vetsulin forum for further assistance.

 

The bad teeth were pulled about a year ago, she should be OK, but the vet probably should double check. Thanks

 

And this is why we test. Had you blindly shot last night she could have gone too low.

Well done!

Some cats are very carb sensitive.

 

Good job testing! Hopefully, your vet is a reasonable person and will recognize that it is a great thing that you decided to start testing and will support it going forward.

 

You changed the food, that alone could have a big impact. You eliminated the dry food, that alone will drop the glucose. If you give even lower carb food it might even impact the glucose more.

You don't say how much insulin you are giving. Definitely test before giving, it can take a day or two for the carbs to leave the system. You want to be careful with giving insulin.

 

Vet still says not to test, but I am doing it anyways - she says unnecessary stress on my Princess.

First test was 161 (not 167 - my bad eyes) Pre-Meal yesterday PM (no insulin given), 319 Pre-Meal This Morning - prescribed 1 unit of Vetsulin given, and 350 Pre-Meal Tonight - 1 unit Vetsulin given - although I am leaving food out all day since she is taking all day to finish 3oz and I want to make sure she is getting enough food. Gave her 3oz tonight - (Decided to feed her just Fancy Feast Classic for now until she eats more than will switch mornings to Friskies)

 

Bryan, I'm so glad you are testing. It will help keep Princess safe, and although it is unfamiliar at first it does become part of the routine. Also try to test between shots to get some additional information, and find out how low the BG goes and when. Hats off to you!

 

I plan on testing more, but just trying to keep her stress level down for now as I am still uncomfortable lancing her ear (using light, see the vein, quickly getting better), and Princess has always been......... well a Princess, everything has always been on her terms, I never was a grab and smother her owner so its taking her some time getting use to picking her up to do the test. Don't get me wrong.... she is always a few feet away, usually laying between my legs on the Rocker during TV, laying next to the kitchen table while I eat, or laying with her head on my arm in the bed, but as I said its always on her terms, Its always been cute as she has always seem to know when I was having a bad day (mental or physical) and she would just snuggle up nosing her way under my arm to let me know she is there for her Me, She is a Smart Cat...... So when I pick her up to do Glucose test she is like WTF this is not how we work Dad, but as WE both are getting more comfortable with the test and I will work soon on getting her a curve. Also today I was 7 hours in the ER with my Mom who was having Health Issues while were out getting her hair done and grocery shopping, ended up gone from 10:15a - 9pm by the time we got everything done.

 

You want to avoid hitting the vein! It's more painful. You want to just poke the very outer edge of the ear.

 

Great job testing!!! Hope your mother feels better
And when vet said it stresses them out, it stresses them out way more at vets

 

Such a calico! She is beautiful, by the way. I have a calico, too.. her name is Willow. I call her the queen because she clearly rules over the household.

 

Calicos definitely have catitudes!!!!

 

Thank you so much, I had no idea.

 

My mother is 88 and has (2) ankle replacements and (2) knee replacements, she always has balance issues, but this Tuesday she had an episode of extreme in-balance walking with her cane while out playing bridge (which I thought was a callus on the bottom of her foot that was caused issues before and cutting it down resolved - it was cut down Thursday at foot doctor) , then Yesterday she had another episode which alarmed me, she also complained her "eyes felt weird" so my Brother who is an ER doctor said she needed to get into her doctor who was out of the country, so then he said go to the ER, 7 hours later and nothing was found to be causing it, so we are stuck waiting to see if it happens again. (one point in the ER she could not even walk with my assistance to the bathroom, I had to put her a wheel chair and take her to the bathroom and help her on and off the john)

And the Vet agrees that glucose testing is more stressful at her office, not sure why she wants me to hold off on doing it at home, she agrees with doing home testing in the long run.

 

She was my daughters 10th or 12th Birthday present, she wanted a Female Calico Long Hair Kitten, we spent 2 weeks hitting the shelters as I always get strays and shelter pets, but I finally gave up and we got her from a private party giving their kittens away. My daughter named her Princess and I was like ugggggg OK, but it became so fitting, she always sits with her front legs crossed all proper, she is forever cleaning and primping herself, and she definitely RULES the house, PS: Face it ........a Princess rules the Queen........ I know my daughter rules the King (Me)

 

I am wonderung if this os actually what is wrong with my Squeakers He was Diagnosed one week ago today and Get says he dropped too low on insulin while in hospital and the 2 days I gave him insulin he became extremely hypo. Even on just 0.5 Novolin N so wondering if it his teeth causing the problem...just noticed that he only has one fang on top left and he acted like he was in pain when I touched his gums. All of his other test came back normal except sugar in urine but wouldn't there be sugar in the urine if his glucose was up for some time because of the pain for some length of time that he lost so much weight from not eating properly ????

 

My Princess was rubbing her gums/lips on my hand all the time, and I noticed her struggling eating her dry food, then soon after I heard her fang hit the ground and I knew I was negligent not getting her to the vet sooner (I am worse with me going to Doctors - once in last 25 years for a checkup at 50 and that is it - but I do have an ER Doctor for a brother I consult), took her in and she had 5 teeth removed, I started feeding her a can of wet food every evening to make sure she was eating enough and eventually she started eating her dry food without pain during the day. When Princess is at the vet next week I should have them check her teeth to make sure she is all good, she still liked rubbing her gums on my hand made into a fist.

 

Was her BG high then as well ?

 

No it was not, it was not high until just recently.

 

Okay Thsnks

 

You have described Willow. Princess does not fit her... she is definitely the queen.

 

Willow is adorable, and yep that is a typical Princess pose (-:

 

Your input helped TREMENDOUSLY, tonight was almost painless and stressless for both of us, PRINCESS THANKS YOU !!!!

First time I tried to use the Lancet Tool and took multiple times to get the blood to flow..... duh not a good idea - poor Princess
Second watched a couple of videos, rubbed her ear, tried, and did not get enough blood, had to try a couple of times.
Third and Fourth I was hitting her vein and she twitched and was not happy.
Fifth Time - Rubbed her ear for a bit, quick prick on the edge, got a nice drop, and got her reading, Finally got it figured out with your help Janet !!!!!

I though the Insulin was going to be the hard part, but it was the Glucose, Sunday will be two more practice runs to make sure I got it, then Monday I am going to try to do the Curve.

The Insulin I just walk up give her a quick pet and pinch/pull her scruff up and give her a shot, she barely notices, and a few pettings and we are done. I never have found a treat she would eat!!!!! any suggestions on what to try there ?

THANKS FOR EVERYONE'S HELP

 

I'm so glad the test went easy for you. The tests will get easier as more capillaries start to grow... Then it we be really quick and pretty much one quick poke and done.

 

Treats... I have a bite or two of deli meats. A little turkey, ham, or roast beef. (Boars Head brand supposedly doesn't have fillers). Some cats like freeze dried meat treats as well, or a pinch of cat nip.

 

I love Princess! Such a beauty.

 

She always like Boars Head lunch meat, problem is it does not stay good very long in the Fridge, and she enjoys Catnip but she never takes it in like a treat, more on her time schedule. Thanks for the ideas though

 

OK, this morning was 161, so I skipped her Insulin (being under 200), I know you are suppose to take her food away, but I have trying to leave hers out during the day and night because her appetite has been dismal and just now getting better. Today I woke up late and did not have a chance to remove her food for 2 hours before testing, more like 30 minutes from when I saw her eating a little bit.

If anything food should RAISE her Glucose readings correct? so I should not worry the food lowered it and she is not getting her needed Insulin.

PS: This morning I got so excited knowing right where to prick her ear after being successful yesterday, I forgot to rub her ear for a bit for better blood flow, had a heck of a time getting enough blood - but the meter did beep and read. I swear I will get efficient at this one day soon LOL

 

Correct - food raises it.

 

Bryan, find a thin sock and pour some uncooked rice in, tie a knot. Warm in microwave for 15-20 seconds and then warm her ear. I stroke it over Idjit's head, his chin, as well as his ears, he purrs sometimes. It really helps warm that part of the ear and makes it easier to get a good sample. Our rice sock lives in the testing basket now.

 

With China, her first "favorite" treat was baked chicken so I'd bake a piece, cut it into small "treat sized" portions and freeze the rest.....take out of freezer as needed. I don't know why you couldn't freeze the Boars Head if she really likes it.

Finding that "high value" treat is one of the key's to conditioning!

I had tried every type of Pure Bites freeze dried treats but they were too dry for Miss Fussy Britches.

The one freeze dried treat she really likes is the Orijen Wild Boar treats. They make them for both cats and dogs, but you can buy the dog ones and break them into smaller pieces (they're cheaper per ounce for dogs

I've seen a lot of others here that the Orijen Wild Boar worked for when nothing else did too...they're a different texture than most other freeze dried treats