Hello!

Hi! All the research I've been doing over the last week or so kept leading me back here, so I thought I'd join and say hello! My 10 year old Fidget was diagnosed on Monday and had his first shot of Lantus at the vet last night.

It all started on May 24 after Fidget had very soft poos that he normally gets after having wet food for more than a couple of days, which is frequently why I had him eating dry. He seemed miserable all weekend long and never bounced back, and I noticed weird things like head bobbing and hind leg weakness. By Sunday it was clear he was drinking too much and peeing too frequently as well straining a bit while doing so, so I took work off on Tuesday to take him to a local vet with the assumption that it was symptoms of renal failure. I did a urine sample that day and put him on three medications to try to stop crystals from forming. They tested his BG with Alphatrak and it was at 29 I think, so they suggested I come back after getting my next paycheque so I could get the bloodwork done that I couldn't afford then.

I took him back three days later to do the bloodwork and they called me on Monday with the results, his BG was 668. So they confirmed diabetes and I took him in last night to learn everything. He had been so tired and lazy so it was very easy practice giving him shots and pricking his ear, and I felt really confident leaving the vet.

Fidget's now on 1u of Lantus and I'm slowly adding DM to his FF until he adjusts a bit better. He's already perkier and less lethargic and his BG is already down to 338 so I'm hopeful. I'm really struggling with pricking his ear now that he's more chipper because he squirms so much and it's causing me a lot of stress, so I'm planning on calling the vet tomorrow to see what kind of support I can receive from them, cause I feel really uncomfortable and hopeless about testing his curve this upcoming Sunday.

Thank you if you took the time to read all of this! It feels really comforting having a group of people to experience this with who are going through the same thing

 

Welcome to you and Fidget! What an adorable little guy. We can certainly offer some suggestions and tips about home testing. I'm so glad to read that you are already working on that. It's a process of patience and practice to be sure. The more you test, the more confident you feel and Fidget gets used to a new routine. Some members offer a low carb treat before and most definitely after testing, successful or not. Perhaps take a look at this link for some help in that area:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/
The FAQs forum is a good place to find information as you are starting out, and since Fidget is on Lantus you may want to start reading the yellow tagged stickies in that Insulin Support Group.
It will seem like going back to school while you are reading the information, asking questions and applying your newfound knowledge. It's all very worth it though, for Fidget's health and well being. We will certainly help all we can while you are learning your way around and how to integrate this new routine into your life.
Going forward, you can post in the Main Health forum so that more members can see your questions and concerns, and give you some suggestions and answers.
Best wishes from an Idjit to a Fidget!

 

Thank you so much! I had been searching through the forums and there's just so much that I wasn't sure where to start. All of those look extremely helpful. I picked up some freeze dried chicken for him, which he wasn't crazy about today before testing, but I'm happy to try anything that will make it easier for both of us! Thank you for taking the time to share all of that

Idjit and Fidget! Too cute, haha!

 

It is a lot, and it seems daunting right now. Take one step at a time and try not to get buried. Not everything is going to make sense at first, but learning about the 3 basic components of diabetic treatment (very similar to human treatment actually) is going to help so much: proper diet, insulin therapy and blood glucose testing. Be patient with yourself, and communicate. This is a wonderfully supportive community with Fidget's and your well being foremost in mind.